May 2022

Google are retiring Universal Analytics

There was pretty loud digital groan at HC HQ when Google announced that Universal Analytics (UA) would be going away. On July 1st, 2023, it will stop processing hits and a few (yet undefined) months after that UA properties will no longer be available. 

Since 2012, UA has far and away been the best way for most businesses to measure user activity on their websites. Not perfect by any means, but a straightforward interface and a “done-for-you” approach to reports. 

So, what’s Google’s replacing it with? Google Analytics 4 (GA4)!

We’ve been expecting this for a while so have been helping some of our clients implement GA4, but we’ve not fell in love with it… 

Look, there’s nothing wrong with GA4. It’s just a completely new way of managing website data, a new interface and sometimes change is a bit scary, OK?! 

GA4 comes with the the promise of predictive insights, deeper integration with Google Ads and cross-device measurement capabilities. It will 100% be our best weapon in the post-cookie landscape, so now is time to implement if you haven’t. 

Think about implementing GA4 like this old Chinese proverb: 

“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is now.” 

Elon Musk is buying Twitter

The world’s richest person Elon Musk is buying Twitter for about $44 billion. Why? That’s a good question. We can think of a few other ways he could better spend that money… 

We’re not sure where Twitter falls in your digital marketing strategy. It’s kind of the middle child of the social media world. A highly engaged user base, but what they’re engaged in often isn’t so nice. 

Musk considers himself a free speech radicalist. So, you can expect a rollback on a lot of the policies designed to curb trolls along with the reinstatement of Donald Trump’s account.  

Will brands want to be associated with this sort of content again? Unlikely. We will truly see if Musk’s money is where his mouth is because he will need to run ads to keep the lights on.

TikTok ads are getting more interactive

TikTok is continuing to make themselves an attractive digital advertising choice with interactive add-ons for in-feed ads. 

Which ones you choose will depend on your goals. If you’re chasing lower-funnel activities like clicks or conversions, then you’re choosing Standard. Premium Ads are then more focused on brand awareness and community building goals. 

Click the links below for an example of these new additions: 

• Pop-Out Showcase 
• Gesture 
• Display Card 
• Gift Code Sticker 
• Voting Sticker 
• Countdown Sticker 

If you’re still on the fence about TikTok, we would recommend getting off as quickly as possible. We have been impressed with our digital advertising results so far, and TikTok have said that “viewers who have shared, liked, or commented on a TikTok brand video are 150% more likely to buy a product or service”.  

The connected TV advertising wave is coming!

Connected TV refers to the devices you use to stream internet content. Think Smart TVs, gaming consoles, or devices like Apple TV and the Amazon Fire Stick. 

Ad spend on streaming platforms grew by 57% in 2021, and is expected to grow another 39% in 2022. We’d expect this trend to continue especially considering the big-name players on the way.  

Hot on the heels of losing a colossal 200,000 subscribers in Q1 2022, Netflix has announced plans for an ad supported tier. They’re not the only ones.  

Disney+ has already made plans for it. Even Microsoft and Sony are both considering selling advertising on Xbox and PlayStation, respectively. 

They’ll join an already crowded marketplace that includes YouTube, Sky Go, All 4, the Virgin Media, TG4 and RTÉ Players. It’s all part of the streaming TV advertising wave we expect to be a realistic and powerful option for many businesses in the coming years.

Do you need help with your digital strategy or have a specific topic you want us to cover?