Online retail sales are expected to reach a huge $523 billion by 2020, up from $335 billion in 2015, according to market research company Forrester.
If you want to increase your own sales, shopping campaigns are a lucrative source of traffic, and help you to increase click-through rates and conversions. Here are three of the latest trends in shopping ad campaigns for summer 2016.
Google Launches Customer Match for Shopping
In June, Google launched Customer Match for Shopping, a powerful marketing tool that lets you target leads with ads in search results. The new feature, which will be available on both Web and image results later in the summer, makes it easier to reconnect with consumers on Google. Use Customer Match for Shopping to expose your brand to prospects as they search for products on the Internet.
Customer Match has been available on Gmail and YouTube for a while and works in the same way. Upload a list of email addresses to AdWords, which will match these details with signed-in Google users. You can segment customers and create multiple email lists, too, increasing customer retention rates and brand visibility. Customer Match for Shopping is currently in beta mode.
Bing Updates iOS and Android App
You can now edit text ads directly through the new Bing iOS or Android app. Bing rolled out updates to its mobile app at the end of June, letting you make small adjustments to your digital campaigns directly from your smartphone or tablet. You can even receive notifications when one of your ads has been disapproved by Bing, which prompts you to make modifications.
Before the changes, you had to use the Bing Ads Editor if you wanted to manage your search engine marketing. Now, making edits is simple: Log into the Bing app, head to the ad summary screen, and touch the pencil icon to start making changes. Download the Bing app on the App Store and Google Play.
Also, the Bing Ads Editor is finally available for Mac users in beta mode. You can now manage ad campaigns and import account details from other search engines on your MacBook.
Facebook Changes Its Newsfeed Algorithm
In June, Facebook announced changes to its newsfeed algorithms, with a greater emphasis on content from family and friends instead of news. The social network will eschew news that’s “misleading, sensational and spammy,” something that could impact advertisers who rely on the platform to target customers. If leads are unable to view brand stories from marketers in their newsfeed, they’ll be less likely to share content. Some publishers have seen a decline in traffic since the changes were implemented.
It’s not the only change on Facebook. Ad income from the website has risen significantly since 2014, with all native advertising revenue on the platform expected to generate $11.9 billion in 2018. The social network is still a lucrative way to reach a global audience of 1.55 billion monthly active users. Facebook Ads are highly targeted: You can segment your customer base and create marketing material that reaches a particular section of your demographic.
Shopping ad campaigns help you reach more customers and improve your bottom line. Paying attention to the latest trends in the industry on platforms like Google, Bing and Facebook provides you with bigger returns on your investment.