In a nutshell

After receiving feedback from advertisers on their product suite, Twitter have rebranded, recategorized and streamlined their ad format names from 20+ to just five; Promoted Ads, Follower Ads, Twitter Amplify, Twitter Takeover, and Twitter Live. Within each category there are sub-categories with specific formats that an advertiser can choose to run for a campaign.

What does this mean?

Finding, selecting and running ads through Twitter is now easier, enabling advertisers to develop more cohesive campaigns and media plans. Twitter say changes will be gradually introduced over the coming months, with some already live.

In a nutshell

TikTok commissioned Kantar to help them understand how TikTok ads are perceived compared to other platforms, with Kantar interviewing more than 25,000 participants across 20 countries.

What does this mean?

72% of respondents perceived ads on TikTok to be “inspiring”, the highest across all platforms tested, and that brands who are producing creative which is aligned with TikTok’s ethos sit naturally within the users feed. Ads on TikTok are viewed more favourably than those on other platforms, which could mean that TikTok advertising is a great choice for businesses who want to drive results.

TikTok still has one of the cheapest CPM’s of all platforms, resulting in great value for money. If you are thinking about using TikTok ads for your brand or business but don’t know where to start, the iCrossing How to TikTok for business guide, created by our our award winning social team is a great place to start.

In a nutshell

The next update to the Google Page Experience algorithm was planned for May, but now Google has pushed the date back to mid-June, giving website owners more time to prepare. The update will consider several page experience signals, including three Core Web Vital metrics. Google is also introducing Page Experience reports, which combine the existing CWV report with other components such as HTTPS security and mobile friendliness.

What does it mean?

Google said the update will not play a full role as part of search ranking until the end of August, and they will be rolling it out gradually to monitor the impact. Website owners should make themselves aware of the changes and how they can improve their page experience, as Google said in the case of a “tie-breaker” situation, where multiple pages of similar quality and content are available, those with better page experience might perform better than those without. Senior SEO manager, Cameron Lyall says “although it is a "tie-breaker" signal, the aim of these metrics is to provide the best experience for a user and is worth review to ensure your customers get the best experience with you.”

In a nutshell

Audio-only social network Clubhouse has a growing list of copy-cats, with LinkedIn reportedly testing an audio feature within its app, Facebook revealing last month that it is developing an audio-only product and Twitter in early March launching Twitter Spaces to its Android users. Now, Reddit has unveiled Reddit Talk, giving users the ability to have conversations within their subreddit communities.

Paid social director, James Mortimer reflects, “just like Snapchat did with Stories, Clubhouse has created a new type of social feature that could be applied across any of the big networks and add value. We're currently seeing a rush from all the big platforms to figure out how to open audio conversations on their platforms. Five to ten years ago, Clubhouse would have had a few years to figure out their product and business but today they've only had months before others try and take them on.”

What does this mean?

There is clearly an appetite for audio-only content, and whilst Clubhouse doesn’t currently offer advertising services to businesses, many brands are setting up their own rooms and hosting conversations.

In a nutshell

Facebook has started testing ads on its TikTok copy-cat Instagram Reels, which has grown in popularity since its launch in 2020. Facebook plans to let advertisers select categories of where they’d like the ad to be placed, enabling businesses to reach relevant audiences and customers.

What does this mean?

The testing will take place in India, Brazil, Germany and Australia, so if you are a brand with a customer base in any of those countries it is worth exploring how you can use this new and exciting ad placement. Watch out for it to be available in other markets soon.