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Today's News:

• Google Ads • More Control Over Search Partners

• Ad Tech • Things Looking Up for Investment

• TikTok • More Songs Being Pulled From the App

• Commerce • TikTok’s “Every Video Is An Ad” Expands

• AI • Marketers Worry That AI Will Take Their Jobs

• YouTube • “Create” App Expands (but not for iPhone …

Google Ads • More Control Over Search Partners

Every other week, our Google ads correspondent Jyll Saskin Gales walks us through the latest platform changes. Jyll spent six years at Google in a senior ad role, and today runs the Inside Google Ads training program.¹

• Google Ads is offering more transparency and control over the Search Partner Network.

• Advertisers can now access a placement report to see the specific websites where their search partner ads are displayed.

• The change was driven by industry pressure and the demand for more transparency.

• Advertisers can exclude certain websites to prevent their ads from appearing in undesired locations.

VIDEO CHAPTERS:

• 00:00 Introduction and Background

• 00:32 Understanding Search Partner Network

• 03:15 Reasons for the Change

• 04:00 Comparison to Meta's Audience Network

• 05:53 Excluding Undesirable Websites

• 06:32 Micromanaging Domains: Worth It?

• 07:48 Positive Shift in Control

• 08:09 Conclusion and Future Trends

Be sure to check out Jyll’s Inside Google Ads training program¹

Ad Tech • Things Looking Up for Investment

After a quiet couple of years, the ad tech sector is buzzing again with early-stage investments and the promise of big mergers and acquisitions later in 2024.

While it's too soon to call it a surge, the recent flurry of investment activity marks a significant shift from the cautious approach seen in 2023, particularly in AI and CTV (Connected TV) technologies.

Vibe.co, a French startup positioning itself as the "Google Ads of streaming," recently secured $22 million in a Series A funding round. Vibe aims to be a one-stop CTV platform for small and medium-sized enterprise marketers, navigating the fragmented broadcasting landscape.

This week also saw TVScientific announce a $9 million investment, and ad tech veteran Michael Rubenstein launched a $6 million funding round for his new AI venture.

Industry insiders anticipate a steady stream of mergers and acquisitions in the latter half of this year, driven by private equity firms and larger marketing groups looking to expand through acquisitions.

TikTok • More Songs Being Pulled From the App

TikTok is hitting a sour note as it starts to remove even more songs from its platform.

The move is a part of the ongoing feud with the Universal Music Group (UMG) over music rights, affecting not just UMG-signed artists but also others linked to the label.

TikTok announced on its website that it's removing tracks written or co-written by UMG songwriters. This decision comes after talks between TikTok and UMG fell through, leading to the removal of hits by Taylor Swift, Drake, and Olivia Rodrigo earlier this year. UMG accuses TikTok of pushing for an unfair deal, particularly around AI-generated music and proper compensation for artists.

This tussle has silenced many TikTok videos that featured UMG songs, leaving creators scrambling for alternatives.

But meanwhile, artists like Harry Styles and SZA, who aren't UMG-signed but have publishing deals with the label, are also caught in the crossfire.

As TikTok users feel the pinch, YouTube is making its move, wooing shortform video creators with a new feature that lets them remix music videos, including those from UMG's catalog.

Commerce • TikTok’s “Every Video Is An Ad” Expands

We reported earlier on TikTok’s plans to make any post shoppable, using its ability to identify products in a video, and linking to a product page.

It appears this is now rolling out.

AI • Marketers Worry That AI Will Take Their Jobs

A staggering 87% of marketers are worried about losing their jobs to technology, according to a fresh report from Gartner.

This concern is not without merit, as a quarter of marketing leaders are eyeing staff cuts this year due to the rise of generative AI. The report also highlights a heavy martech load, with 61% of marketers grappling with tech or process changes in the last year.

On a brighter note, generative AI could be a balm for workplace burnout. According to the report, marketers deeply involved with this tech are 30% less prone to burnout and 40% less likely to jump ship in the coming year.

A Gartner exec urged Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) to prioritize talent development and change management.

The report draws on surveys from more than 1,800 marketing and business executives.

YouTube • “Create” App Expands (but not for iPhones)

YouTube is expanding access to its new video editing mobile app, which it calls Create. It is designed specifically for Shorts creation.

Now, users in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Finland, Hong Kong, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, and Turkey should have access to it.

Perhaps as a snub to its smartphone rival, Youtube’s Create App is currently not available on any Apple devices.

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