Marketing News Digest: Social Media and SEO News for Week of November 1st

In this marketing news digest, we look at weekly social media and SEO updates worth knowing and share tips for getting the most out of them. This week, we have new AI rules, Gmail announcements, a TikTok and HubSpot collaboration, dozens of new YouTube features, and a cool look at the “Near Me” local SEO trick (and whether or not it actually works).

You can use the links below to watch or listen to this digest on Podcast or YouTube. For deeper reading, sources are included in each section.

Listen as a Podcast

Watch as Video 

Let’s look at the latest Social Media and SEO news so we can stay sharp and grow our brands and businesses a little easier each day.

What’s going on with AI rules?

G7 leaders recently announced an 11-point international code of conduct for artificial intelligence (AI) and guiding principles for AI governance. This coincided with the release of a US executive order on “safe, secure, and trustworthy artificial intelligence” by President Joe Biden. The G7 code aims to promote safe, secure, and trustworthy AI worldwide and provide voluntary guidance for organizations developing advanced AI systems.

The G7’s 11 guiding principles for AI aim to promote responsible and secure AI development. They call for identifying and minimizing risks, monitoring AI systems for misuse, providing transparency on AI capabilities, and sharing information about evaluations and risks. Organizations are encouraged to establish governance and risk management policies, implement robust security measures, authenticate AI-generated content, prioritize research for safety and security, and use AI to address global challenges. They should also contribute to international standards and protect personal data, ensuring ethical and compliant AI practices. These principles emphasize ethical and accountable AI usage, with implications for marketing, data privacy, and adherence to future AI regulations.

Key Takeaway: As expected, regulations are tailing after AI technology. As you use AI technology in your work and life, it’s probably a good idea to be aware of risks, rules, and policy.

Source: G7 Leaders Release AI Governance Code Same Day USA Signs AI Executive Order (forbes.com)

Gmail Introduces New Bulk Email Rules

Gmail is introducing new requirements for bulk email senders to enhance email security and reduce spam. Starting in February 2024, large email senders must authenticate their emails, enable easy unsubscription with one-click options, and maintain a clear spam rate threshold. These measures aim to improve email safety and user experience.

1. Authentication Requirement: Bulk email senders must strongly authenticate their emails to enhance source verification and prevent email-based attacks.
2. One-Click Unsubscription: Large senders must provide Gmail recipients with a one-click option to unsubscribe from commercial emails, with a requirement to process requests within two days.
3. Spam Rate Threshold: Gmail will enforce a clear spam rate threshold for senders to ensure less unwanted messages in users’ inboxes.

Key Takeaway: Marketers need to pay attention to these new rules, especially if they are using the Gmail and Workspaces in their tech stack. You don’t want to end up behind a spam filter! 

Source: Gmail introduces new requirements to fight spam (blog.google)

DKIM tips: Help prevent spoofing and spam with DKIM – Google Workspace Admin Help

TikTok and HubSpot Partner to Streamline Lead Generation for Advertisers

Marketers can now integrate their TikTok for Business account with HubSpot in real time, no coding required! This collaboration introduces powerful new features for advertisers:

• Seamless Integration: You can integrate your HubSpot account right through your TikTok business profile.

• Real-Time Lead Sync: You can launch a TikTok ad and leads are automatically synced to HubSpot’s Smart CRM in real time. This applies to new and existing leads.

• Multi-Channel Engagement: Once a lead has been added to HubSpot, you can engage leads across various channels beyond TikTok.

• Sales Hub Integration: If you use HubSpots sale’s hub to nurture prospects and close deals, you’ll be able to prioritize and segment prospects that have recently engaged with a TikTok ad.

• AI Data Insights: TikTok offers limited insights, but with the HubSpot integration, you can get a bigger picture on how your marketing is performing on TikTok, and what role TikTok plays in your overall marketing.

Key Takeaway: This partnership makes it easy for HubSpot marketers to take advantage of TikToks impactful marketing and get leads into funnels quickly and easily.

Please let me know if you use HubSpot (or if you’re an implementation specialist! You never know who is looking to get started!)

Source: TikTok and HubSpot CRM Integration for Lead Generation Ads | TikTok For Business Blog

YouTube Updates: New look, new features!

YouTube has launched some cool new features! You may have noticed some interface changes and the new “You Tab,” which you can find by going to your YouTube menu and clicking “You”

The YouTube merges your “Account” and “Library” tabs into one. Here, you can view everything you’ve watched, downloaded, or purchased on YouTube, as well as manage your account and channels

Let’s look at some other cool new YouTube features:

• Enhanced Audio Control: With a new “stable volume” feature on mobile, you won’t have to worry so much about a loud video blaring in after a quiet video has ended, or having to turn your volume up while you’re busy doing something else.
  
• Social Profile Buttons: Creators can now add buttons to their social media profiles to their channels AND YouTube descriptions!
  
  

Tip: With this formatting, I’m going to go and put the URLs on the right for cleaner alignment! Also note that they are pulling from the tail end of your URL slug to generate these social profile buttons (so, might be a good time to refresh those!)

• Quick Playback Adjustments: Big fan of 2x listening speed? Now you can speed videos up (or down) by pressing and holding your screen.

• Improved Video Seeking: Larger preview thumbnails and a new seek function make it easier than ever to navigate within a video. Also, there’s a new haptic vibration when you are scrubbing back to where you last left off!

• Lock Screen Feature: Ever turn your video off trying to put it in your pocket? This is much easier to prevent now, thanks to the lock screen mode on mobile and tablets.

• Voice and Song Search: (Coming soon!) Users will soon be able to search for a song by playing, singing, or humming the song!
  
• Interactive Visual Updates: Visual cues appear on buttons when creators prompt actions like “like” or “subscribe,” such as by saying“Smash that LIKE” button.” Top comments can now rotate automatically, and real-time animations show view and like counts for new video uploads. This means you don’t need to rely on third-party software or extra stream management effort to have cool features in your streams.

• Formatting in Descriptions: You can now use bold, italics, and strikethrough text in your YouTube video descriptions.

Key Takeaway: YouTube’s latest updates make it easier to find new content, revisit content you’ve already watched, and jump right to the parts of a video you want to watch. For creators, new features make it easier to bridge your audience to social channels, manage live interaction, and create visually appealing video descriptions. This might be a good time to refresh your existing content and start adding “Smash that Like Button!” into your videos.

Source: From your phone to the TV, get a taste of the latest YouTube updates (blog.youtube) and https://youtu.be/Hd59Oa3QzyA?si=QzHXkFqSftEzGAVP 

Does the “Near Me” Brand Name Really Trick Google?

The Verge dove into the unconventional naming strategy of a New York-based Thai restaurant called “Thai Food Near Me.” The restaurant opted for a name optimized for SEO, focusing on being discoverable online instead of appealing to walk-in customers. And this is far from the only business that’s done the “near me” trick… It’s even become a meme!

That’s how influential Google Search and online discoverability are on businesses today. 

In a world where viral videos and online presence can make or break a restaurant, businesses that capture attention online can bring in new customers. 

But, as far as the SEO benefit? Not so much. To rank in local searches, you should focus on factors like relevance, distance, and prominence. Those are the three factors Google prioritizes for searches with local intent.

Some additional tips to reach a local audience, even when your own page isn’t ranking for a certain keyword search, are:

• Encourage Yelp and TripAdvisor Reviews: These sites often take the top slots in search results for local business searches. By having reviews on them, you can be seen.

• Collaborate with Local Social Media Influencers: Not only will you reach the influencer’s audience, but their post can show up on on-platform and off-platform search results when someone searches for the keywords used in the content.

• Share your business in local groups: Nextdoor, Reddit, and Facebook are all great places to find local community groups. Get in there and start meeting your neighbors so they can also meet you! If you’re shy about self-promoting, just make sure your business is visible on your profile (your name, description, about me, etc).

Source: The restaurant nearest Google – The Verge

Anyway, that’s my roundup of social media and SEO news this week. We have some “wait-and-sees” about the regulatory state of AI tech, and some already-here’s for YouTube, TikTok, and Google.

I hope at least one thing here gives you inspiration for building and growing your own business. And, with a hard-earned runway strip over the last 2 quarters, I’m excited to be able to commit to doing these digests again.

Cheers for now,
Katt

In these marketing news digests, we look at the latest social media and SEO news to help uncover practical, free, and cheap ways to improve your brand or business marketing. With a focus on hybrid content strategy and an emphasis on cutting through the noise to practical marketing tips, Katt Wagner is here to keep you in the know and guide you forward.

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