Google Search may be showing featured snippets less often

Starting around February 18, 2021, Google seems to be showing fewer featured snippet results in the search results page. Most, if not all, of the tools that track the Google search results, are showing significant declines in featured snippets showing up. What the tools show. All of the tools that track featured snippets in Google’s…

Google set to deprecate Showcase Shopping ads on April 1

Google will stop serving Showcase Shopping ads and remove Showcase Shopping ad groups beginning on April 1, the company stated in an email to advertisers sent on February 23. After April 1, previous Showcase Shopping ad layouts will become part of Product Shopping ad groups. Advertisers will retain access to performance data for removed ads…

Facebook-Australia standoff may have turned a corner

ICYMI: Facebook unfriended Australia this week after the government there proposed a legal code that would allow Australian news publishers to charge tech companies to use their content in search results and news feeds. Facebook responded by blocking users there from viewing or sharing news content on its platform.  In a blog post February 17,…

Google brings Display ads to attribution reports as an open beta

Google has added Display ads to its Google Ads attribution reporting as an open beta, the company announced Thursday. Last year, the company streamlined its attribution reporting and included YouTube ads to it, also in beta. How to opt-in. Eligible advertisers can opt-in to Display ads in attribution reports by going to the Measurement >…

Digital-first commerce boosts Shopify’s earnings

The Ottawa-based global ecommerce platform yesterday announced striking financial results, with Q4 revenue up 94% YoY. Merchant Solutions revenues grew 117% (these are solutions Shopify offers in addition to its subscription platform, like payments and shipping). Sales on the Shopify platform surpassed $5 billion during the holiday period. Full year revenue for 2020 showed an…