Digital Marketing News: Facebook’s Creator Monetization Tools, Brands Embrace Instagram, Google Maps Place Topics & More

Facebook brings back reach estimates for Custom Audiences
After a year-plus absence and with new security measures in place, marketers can once again use Facebook’s estimated reach data for Custom Audience campaigns, the social giant recently announced. Marketing Land

Google Maps Launches Place Topics
Google announced that its Google Maps now includes review-based data for a new Place Topics feature. The new local search information from this automated feature could potentially have the greatest impact on B2B firms. Search Engine Roundtable

Social ad spend reached almost $18bn in Q1 2019, but growth has halved in past year
Revenues from advertising on social media and messaging platforms climbed 26.2 percent year-over-year during the first quarter of 2019, but at a slower rate than last year, according to recently-released data from Warc Data. Some platforms are looking to diversify in light of social media usage times that have remained steady. Mobile Marketing Magazine

Microsoft Advertising Offers Clearer Data on Ad Positions in Search Results
Digital marketers using Bing search advertisements have been given new insights from Microsoft Advertising, which recently added to the metrics data available including those relating to impressions and what it calls “prominence metrics.” Search Engine Journal

Internet ad spend to exceed 50% of all global expenditure by 2021
Another forecast has shown that global digital advertising spending will surpass 50 percent of total ad spending, although growth rates are seen as slowing, according to new Zenith data, which also shows that online video and social media are expected to grow by 18 percent and 17 percent annually. The Drum

These are the social media platforms teens are ditching in 2019
Recently-released digital marketing survey insights from Business Insider showed that Facebook tops the list of social media platforms Gen Z users are leaving, yet it remains as the fourth most-used daily platform for the demographic. Business Insider

Smart Speaker Shopping Gains Traction
15 percent of smart speaker owners have asked their speakers for product recommendations, and some 31 million U.S. consumers are expected to shop using the devices during 2019, two of the take-aways from newly-released forecast data from eMarketer. eMarketer

New Report Finds Instagram Engagement Rates are In Decline
More brands than ever are using Instagram, however they have seen falling engagement rates during 2019, according to newly-released report data gathered from over 1.4 million posts on the platform. Social Media Today

Facebook makes a play for creators with new tools, features for monetizing content
Facebook has announced several new features aimed at helping creators monetize content, including several new placement choices for video advertisements, brand collaboration enhancements, and Creator Studio additions, among other changes. Marketing Land

Under the Influence – 84 Influencer Marketing Stats [Infographic]
Global spending for influencer marketing will top $5 billion and could reach as high as $10 billion over the next two years, during which time 57 percent of marketers expect to add the practice to their marketing activities, according to information contained in a recently-released influencer marketing infographic. Social Media Today

ON THE LIGHTER SIDE:

A lighthearted look at sonic branding by Marketoonist Tom Fishburne — Marketoonist

Pedigree is giving dogs their own social media platform — Ad Age

iTunes Terms and Conditions Writer Releases Heartfelt 56-Page Statement — The Hard Times

Family Creeped Out By Alexa Playing Back Conversations They Haven’t Even Had Yet — The Onion

TOPRANK MARKETING & CLIENTS IN THE NEWS:

Have you found your own top new influencer marketing or digital advertising stories from the past week?

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