Before we start with Google and Facebook, let’s break down the next big thing, that can cause a little revolution how we perceive bank transactions, ecommerce stores and custom behaviour.

Starting 1st of February 2022, selected banks - SLSP, VÚB, Tatra banka – will support immediate payments between banks. Some Slovak banks already have this service, but it is only between the accounts of the same bank.

Thanks to this, a successful transaction will be a matter of seconds. The service will be available 24/7, during weekends and holidays as well. However, only for the mentioned banks so far.

It will be interesting to see if this will change the checkout behaviour of users. Will they prefer bank transaction to card payment? We will see.

Find out more at Mojandroid.sk and NBS.sk.
 

Google News – December 2021

New Google Merchant Center Report

Some users started seeing a new kind of report in Google Merchant Center, which provides insights about competitors.

This new report is called Competitive visibility and is located on the left under Performance. These insights help you to better understand the visibility of your products in Shopping campaigns in comparison to your competitors.

The report comes with some new metrics:

• Relative visibility
• Page overlap rate
• Higher position rate

Competitive visibility report is available in beta only in the US for now.

Find out more about Competitive visibility report.

Source: Google Merchant Center Help

 

Google Image Extension Available on Desktops

In December, Google announced that in the upcoming weeks advertisers will be able to use image extensions on desktop as well. If you use image extension for mobile, it will be automatically applied for desktop. You can upload your own images or use stock photos from photobanks.

Google announced this in December, however, we saw images on desktop in Google Search for some time now. Probably we were part of a test group.

This feature also applies for dynamic images. Dynamic image extension chooses the most relevant image from your landing page.

If you are curious, how your images are performing on different devices, in the report just add segment by device.

Find out more about image extensions.

Source: Google Ads Help

 

Google Search with Upgraded Autocomplete

Google launched a new, improved version of autocomplete in Search.

If you enter a query, hit enter and then click back in the search bar, Google shows an extended version of autocomplete with additional search results.

We could replicate this with some search queries only on desktop.

Find out more about the extended autocomplete. Did you stumble upon it?

Oh, another thing! Google Analytics 4 and Google Search Console became good buddies. Now you can link the 2 properties together and share data.

Source: Search Engine Land

 

Google December 2021 Product Review Update

Google confirmed that they launched a December update aimed at websites focusing on content around product reviews. It was completely rolled out on 21st of December. 

The Product Review Update is specifically released for websites creating product review content. Google wants to provide more space and visibility in Search for such sites, that provide high quality, complex and useful product reviews.

If you create product reviews, you should definitely check your ranking in Search. Find out more about Product Review Update.

Before we forget. Google has put on its festive costume for the Christmas holidays this year as well. Hope you did not miss it.

Source: Google Search Central

 

FACEBOOK & INSTAGRAM NEWS – December 2021

Is Instagram’s Chronological Feed Coming Back?

Adam Mosseri, CEO of Instagram, announced that they are working on chronological feed for Instagram, which should be released in early 2022. However, it will be just one version of the feed, it won’t be a default setting.

You will be able to set a chronological feed, but after you leave the app, it will be back default (feed based on algorithm).

This is kind of a compromise for people who want the chronological feed back and those who prefer the one tailored by the algorithm. Algorithm tailors the feed specifically for every user, thus increase user engagement resulting in more screen time on Instagram.

If you could set a default feed, which one would you choose?

Source: Social Media Today