If you ever wished you had an expert to help you make sense of the latest digital marketing headline news, you’ve come to the right place! Every episode of the EDGE has a news roundup segment featuring analysis and commentary from a different industry expert. The latest features Site Strategics CEO Erin Sparks and Creative Studio Producer Jacob Mann along with special guest Shay Rowbottom, CEO of Rowbottom Marketing. Here’s the news roundup from Episode 320 of the award-winning EDGE of the Web podcast:
Google is building a new social network
From Catherine Ellis on TechRadar we learn that Google is building a new social network. “Google just can’t stay out of the social network economy- this time with a project named ‘Shoelace’ – which google claims will ‘supercharge your social life’ – This social network will be region-based, and is currently only available in small parts of New York.”
- Erin Sparks: I was surprised to learn about this given how recently Google just phased out Google+.
- Jacob Mann: They’re positioning this as being a hyperlocal focus to connect to people with similar interests. Maybe that’s something people want, but I think a lot of people like to connect with people far away as well, which isn’t something this will do. It’ll be interesting to see if this even gets pask New York.
- Erin Sparks: Back when Facebook started to really explode, I remember reading something about how most people end up with only about 52 connections that they can be really close to, with the rest in concentric circles extending out that you’re less close to, so maybe this is building on that concept of a limited active network.
- Shay Rowbottom: It’s a cool idea, but I always keep an eye on a new platform offering something that’s already available on another platform. LinkedIn Ads is always trying to catch up to the Facebook Ads Manager. And if Shoelace is about hyperlocal niche targeting for ads, you can already do that really well through Facebook Ads Manager. But if Shoelace can distinguish itself as the platform that focuses on local, it might be able to make a go of it.
- Erin Sparks: I’m not so sure about the name Shoelace. Makes me think of tying people’s shoelaces together to make them trip and fall. And you’d think Google would have learned its lesson with Google+ where literally the only people using it were Google employees. They should probably stay out of the social space altogether.
The Google Unconfirmed July Search Ranking Algorithm Update Is Heated
According to Barry Schwartz on Search Engine Roundtable, The Google Unconfirmed July Search Ranking Algorithm Update Is Heated. “The chatter, to be honest, is not that huge but it is 100% more than normal. Plus the automated tracking tools are showing signs of an update as well.”
- Erin Sparks: All the tracking tools, including Mozcast, SERP Metrics, Algoroo, Advanced Web Ranking, Accuranker, RankRanger, Cognitive, and SEMRush, all show some volatility, though not a huge amount.
- Shay Rowbottom: I don’t work with SEO specifically, but being in digital marketing and seeing the shifts that can occur and how often has definitely made me agile and able to pivot and not get too comfortable because anything could happen any day, you know?
- Erin Sparks: Google is really insisting on reducing the content strategies out there that don’t actually benefit consumers in any substantial way, which is why they’re pushing EAT (expertise, authoritativeness, trust) so hard and will continue to do so.
Publishers are finding LinkedIn isn’t just for business and careers news
On Digiday, Kerry Flynn reports Publishers are finding LinkedIn isn’t just for business and careers news. Companies are finding that LinkedIn shares don’t always need to be career focused. As one USA Today editor put it, “We reanalyzed our strategy and noticed the stories that did best on LinkedIn were the ones focused on the consumer or ‘news you can use.’” Frequent shares on LinkedIn don’t appear to be punished by an algorithm the way repetitive sharing on FB might be.
- Shay Rowbottom: LinkedIn was revolutionized when they added video to the platform about two-and-a-half years ago. Video has a way of transforming any platform. In LinkedIn’s case, it forced everyone to get more creative with content that adds value, whereas before the ads were surprisingly uninspired.
- Erin Sparks: And the separation from Facebook is that it’s professionals in a professional environment. LinkedIn has been the sleeping giant for a while now, but it’s definitely waking up.
Connect with Shay Rowbottom and Rowbottom Marketing
Twitter: @shay_rowbottom (https://twitter.com/shay_rowbottom)
Facebook: @ShayRowbottom (https://www.facebook.com/ShayRowbottom)
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shayrowbottom
Instagram: @shayrowbottom (https://www.instagram.com/shayrowbottom)
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/shayrowbottom
Website: https://www.shayrowbottom.com
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