Digital Digest #112
Meta Rolls Out New Ad Options For Q4
With peak shopping season fast approaching, Meta has introduced a raft of new ad features that will aim to streamline the shopping experience and enhance user engagement.
Updates include a more prominent discount code overlays, which will make it easier for users to apply discounts at checkout. Meta have also announced additions around personalisation and first-time buyer offers. Reminder ads will include overlays to feed posts and be served at a higher frequency to keep upcoming sales or offers top of mind.
Additionally, brands can now use multiple site links in a single ad, directing users to different landing pages. A new promotion type helps target users most likely to shop in-store based on location and past engagement, while another feature targets potential tourists engaging with holiday-related content.
This has not been fully rolled out as of yet in Ireland but is expected to be in the coming months ahead of the busy peak shopping season.
Any updates that aim to remove barriers to purchase or enhance user experience can only be seen as a good thing for both advertisers and users alike. It will be interesting to see how these added features work in the Irish marketplace. Particularly the feature that seeks to target those most likely to buy in store. Instore sales have traditionally been difficult to report against.
Source:
Google Scores Surprising Win In Antitrust Case With EU
Google has surprisingly been successful in overturning a €1.5 billion antitrust fine that was handed to them by the European Commission in 2019.
Reasoning behind the annulment of the fine by the European General Court came down to errors made when assessing Google’s advertising contracts. Specifically, the Commission had failed to demonstrate that Google’s contracts with publishers had prevented the occurrence of innovation that helped the company maintain its dominant industry position, and in turn harmed consumers as a result.
For those unaware, in 2019 the Commission fined Google as they had been presenting search results from its own Comparison shopping service in a primary position by promoting them in boxes accompanied by attractive images & text information. By contrast, search results of competing comparisons shopping services appeared as generic results in the form of blue links, leading them to be demoted by the results page algorithm.
Those in marketing are aware ad placement remains a huge component of user interaction & potential action. Google’s placement of ads here had a huge impact of interrupting ad-placed competition from 2006 to 2016. However, recognising this misjudgement, Google changed their contracts in mid-2016, removing these provisions prior to fine being filed. Due to this, the court found the Commission had failed to consider “all the relevant circumstances in its assessment of the duration of the contractual clauses that it had found to be unfair”. Following the dismissal, the Commission started it would take time to determine their next move, with a further appeal from the Commission still a possibility.
This decision here has implications for other tech companies, with this approved appeal sending a strong message that every company should be playing on a level playing field. The lesson to learn here is giving users control over their choices should not be influenced to benefit one company over another.
Sources:
Ireland's Media Regulator Reviews Tech Companies
Ireland's media regulator, Coimisiún na Meán, has initiated a review into how technology companies are addressing illegal online content. The regulator will be focusing on the difficulties users face in reporting such content and the platforms' compliance with the Digital Services Act.
John Evans, Digital Services Commissioner at Coimisiún na Meán, said: “Coimisiún na Meán is responsible for making sure that all platforms with their EU headquarters in Ireland follow these rules, while working closely with the European Commission and other online safety regulators across Europe.”
The regulator has issued formal requests for information to various platforms, including TikTok, X, YouTube, and Meta, to gather details about their reporting options and points of contact. If the regulator finds shortcomings in these systems, it may issue compliance notices or even open formal investigations. Ultimately, any non-compliance could lead to sanctions, such as fines, or binding commitment agreements.
“The Digital Services Act is a landmark law aimed at creating a safer and fairer online environment for users. However, its effectiveness for Irish and EU citizens hinges on the full implementation of its provisions by platforms.”
The Digital Services Act aims to create a safer online environment, and the regulator's review is a crucial step in ensuring that tech companies are fulfilling their obligations under this legislation.
Sources:
