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Those Poor, Unfortunate Goals
A widespread Google Analytics bug had marketers in a panic, as their goal and traffic data disappeared.
by Tod Maffin (email • LinkedIn • social media)
Today's News
Google Analytics Data Goes Missing
We start today with Google Analytics, and many marketers reporting missing data in their overview reports for yesterday and today.
The issue does appear to be widespread, with multiple users taking to the Google Analytics Forums and social media to complain about the problem.
Real-time reports seem to be working, but the main overview reports are coming up empty.
Fix on the Way?
It's likely that Google will be able to fix the issue and restore the missing data. The fact that real-time data is still working suggests that the data is being collected, just not displayed. However, Google has yet to respond to the complaints or provide a timeline for a fix.
UPDATE Data is Returning
Just at our deadline, some users were reporting seeing their data reappearing. It appears that the issue was just a delay, and the data is now flowing back in.
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Google Moving Everyone to New Merchant Center
Google is moving all merchants to its new version of it Merchant Center platform. The company made the announcement this week, saying the switch will happen by September.
What's Changing
The new platform is called Merchant Center Next. It has a simpler interface and new tools, including AI-powered image creation and better analytics. Google says the new platform will make it easier for businesses to manage how their products appear on the site.
New AI Features
One of the new features is called Product Studio. It uses AI to help businesses create marketing content with fewer resources. The platform also has a new analytics tab with pricing reports and competitive visibility tools.
Rollout
Google has already started notifying merchants about the change. The company will continue to send out emails over the next month. By September, all merchants will be using the new platform.
LinkedIn Rolls Out Video Carousels
A nice new format on LinkedIn is bound to increase engagement for those marketers who choose to use it — in-feed carousels can now show multiple video clips that users can scroll through.
How They Work
The specific video displayed to users first will be based on what users do in the app and what's on their profile. So if you post two videos, one with a talking head and one with an animated infographic, people who have watched animated graphs in the past lots would likely be shown that video in your carousel first.
Tapping on a video opens a full-screen video feed that looks like TikTok. This feed was introduced in March to keep up with changing user habits.
A Growing Library
LinkedIn wants to promote its growing collection of user-made videos. The goal is to attract younger users who prefer video updates. The site now gets 1.5 million new content uploads every minute, with video growing the fastest. Video uploads are up 34% from last year.
Room for Improvement?
But some think LinkedIn may have missed the point.
Personally, I think that LinkedIn would be better off adding a dedicated video feed, which prioritizes live-streams, in order to showcase live events and industry updates in the app.
I’m not sure that TikTok-style, short-form videos really work in the LinkedIn format, because like Stories (which LinkedIn also tried out), this more snackable content style isn’t really conducive to the kind of engagement that professionals are seeking in the app.
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Google Simplifies Ad Management Across Platforms
Google is making it easier for big advertisers to manage their ad campaigns across multiple search engines. The company is launching a new beta program that lets advertisers use Microsoft's automated bidding system within Google's Search Ads 360.
More Control for Advertisers
This means advertisers can now optimize their campaigns in real-time, using data from both Google and Microsoft. This uses Google’s AI-powered bid strategies, which can allocate budgets across different campaigns.
Small Uplift in Conversions?
According to Google, advertisers who use this new system can expect to see a 5% increase in conversions. To get started, advertisers need to check the box to share Floodlight data with linked Microsoft advertising accounts, and then enable Microsoft automated bidding in the bid strategy settings.
Amazon Antitrust Case Dismissal Gets Reversed
A surprising ruling in an American court yesterday. An appeals court ruled that an antitrust case against Amazon can move forward. The case claims Amazon's pricing policies are unfair and hurt third-party sellers and consumers. The court's decision reverses a previous ruling that dismissed the case.
It’s All About “Price Fixing”
The lawsuit alleges Amazon used contracts and policies to fix prices. This meant, says the lawsuit, that third-party sellers can't offer lower prices on other platforms, even if they want to. The court found these allegations plausible enough to let the case continue.
Reactions to the Decision
The Open Markets Institute, a progressive advocacy organization, endorsed the decision.
Although Amazon charges third-party sellers substantial commissions and fees that amount to a tax of as high as 50 percent of the retail price, the corporation prohibits sellers from offering discounted prices on lower-cost rival platforms and their own sites.
In other words, online sellers must incorporate the Amazon tax into their prices wherever they market their goods.
Further, Amazon compels suppliers to guarantee its profit margins on the sales of their goods. This conduct robs merchants and suppliers of pricing freedom, unfairly impedes the growth of competitors, and ultimately raises prices for consumers.
Amazon says it disagrees with the allegations and claims its policies are good for consumers.
Amazon Drivers Are Employees: U.S. Ruling
Yesterday also brought more bad news for the company. The National Labor Relations Board ruled that Amazon can’t claim drivers (and the companies that contract with Amazon for delivery) are just independent contractors. It says Amazon is considered a joint employer of those drivers.
By rejecting its employer status, Amazon had previously argued that it had no duty to bargain with driver unions and no responsibility for alleged union busting…
But now, after a yearlong investigation, the NLRB has issued what Amazon delivery drivers' union has claimed was "a groundbreaking decision that sets the stage for Amazon delivery drivers across the country to organize with the Teamsters."
Pay for Pizza with TikTok Videos
Would you dance for a free pizza? Pizza Hut hopes you will, and is running a new promotion called "Pay With Your Trend."
It starts when you order a "My Box" pizza. This is sort of like a bento box that contains a small pizza and two sides.
Then, you shoot a TikTok video featuring the pizza and any popular trend, and publish it with a specific hashtag. Finally, wait for a direct message from Pizza Hut with a promo code for a free My Box.
No Follower Count Required
Interestingly, the offer is open to anyone, regardless of their TikTok follower count. This is a change from the usual influencer deals, where only those with a large following get perks.
But There’s a Catch
But this isn't a completely free meal. You have to buy a My Box first to participate, making it more of a buy-one-get-one-free deal.
Oh and it’s probably not a promotion that you can participate in. This is only being run by Pizza Hut’s division in the United Arab Eremites.
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You may have noticed that today we a more scaled-down issue — without the usual header images, bold highlights, and lots of hyperlinks.
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