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9 Best Google Optimize Alternatives (Free and Paid)

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Sourced from wpbeginner

Recently one of our readers asked us for our suggestion on the best Google Optimize alternative?

Google Optimize is a tool that lets you conduct experiments on your website. However, Google recently announced that the Optimize tool will be sunset in September 2023, and your experiments will stop after this date.

This has left many business owners and marketers scrambling to quickly find a Google Optimize alternative for their A/B testing needs.

In this article, we will share the best Google Optimize alternatives, so you can choose the solution that works for your needs. We will also share what we’re going to be switching to as well.

What is Google Optimize and Why Use an Alternative?

Google Optimize is a free tool by Google that allows you to split test pages on your WordPress website and improve user experience.

You can set up conversion experiments using the tool and see if making changes to a landing page increases conversions. For example, you can A/B split-test two versions of a sales page, use different headlines, or change the colour of the call to action (CTA) buttons to see which one works the best.

However, Google announced that they will sunset Google Optimize on September 30, 2023. After this date, the tool will no longer be available, and all your experiments and personalisations will end on that date. Besides that, you won’t be able to access data after the sunset date.

You can use a Google Optimize alternative to continue experimenting and testing your site. There are many tools in the market that let you conduct A/B tests with ease, require no coding to set up, and offer powerful features.

Let’s look at the best Google Optimize alternatives especially the ones that works seamlessly with WordPress websites, but several of these Google Optimize competitors will work on all website platforms.

1. Thrive Optimize

Thrive Optimize

Thrive Optimize is the best Google Optimize alternative for WordPress that is super easy to use. It is part of the Thrive Theme suite, which includes an ecosystem of WordPress plugins focused on boosting conversions on your site.

With Thrive Optimize, you can conduct experiments and A/B test landing pages without editing code. Unlike Google Optimize, the plugin is beginner friendly, as there is no need to add code snippets to your site.

You can get started in no time. Simply create a landing page using the visual builder and then create a variant. After that, pick a conversion goal, which includes page visits, opt-in form submissions, and revenue. Once that’s done, go ahead and run the test.

Thrive Optimize Visual Split Testing for WordPress

The best part is that you don’t have to switch between tabs or windows to view the results of your experiments. If you’re using Google Optimize, then you’d have to jump back and forth between tabs to see the results.

Instead, Thrive Optimize shows a report inside your WordPress dashboard. You can quickly view which variant is converting the best. Besides that, you can create as many variations of a landing page for testing as you want. The plugin also picks a winner and shows the best variant.

Pricing: Thrive Optimize is part of the Thrive Themes suite which costs $299 per year and includes 9 other powerful conversion tools. You can also purchase Thrive Optimize bundle for $199 / year.

2. OptinMonster

OptinMonster

OptinMonster is the best WordPress popup plugin and lead generation software in the market. You can create campaigns like floating bars, welcome screen mats, and popups to grow your email list, increase conversions, and get more leads.

OptinMonster offers an A/B testing tool that lets you test different popup and modal campaigns. It makes a great Google Optimize alternative because it’s very easy to use. You can customize and create different variants using the drag-and-drop campaign builder.

Once you’ve created a split test, OptinMonster will randomly show the variations to your visitors and pick a clear winner. You can then see in-depth stats about conversions inside your WordPress dashboard and find out which campaign performs the best.

Pricing: You will need the OptinMonster Plus or higher plan to use the A/B testing feature, with prices starting from $19 per month.

3. VWO Testing

VWO testing

VWO Testing is a popular A/B testing tool and a great alternative to Google Optimize. You get more features than Google Optimize, as it allows you to run multiple experiments on your website, products, apps, and server side.

It comes with a visual builder to change different elements on your webpage, like text, images, shapes, backgrounds, and more. After making the changes, you can run split tests and see which variant performs the best.

VWO Testing offers an AI-power copywriting tool. This way, you can automatically select different headlines, CTA copies, and product descriptions to test.

It also lets you run tests based on user segments and behaviour. For instance, you can select a target audience based on time spent on a page, scroll depth, exit intent, and when someone clicks on elements.

Pricing: VWO offers a free plan that you can use for up to 50 thousand users per month. If you have more users, then you can upgrade to their premium plans.

4. FunnelKit

FunnelKit

FunnelKit, formerly known as WooFunnels, is the best WordPress and WooCommerce sales funnel plugin. You can use the plugin to create funnels to generate leads, offer seamless checkouts, 1-click upsells, and more.

FunnelKit is another Google Optimize alternative that comes with an A/B testing feature specially for WooCommerce. You can split-test your product prices, page layouts, messages, designs, and funnels without editing code.

The plugin is beginner friendly and helps you set up experiments within minutes. You can test headings, images, prices, product descriptions, and every other component on a page. FunnelKit also helps declare a winner once there’s enough data to see which funnel converts the best.

Besides that, FunnelKit also offers other features. For example, it offers FunnelKit Automation which allows you to set up automated emails and SMS campaigns.

Pricing: FunnelKit offers multiple pricing plans. To use the A/B Testing feature, you’ll need the Plus plan. It will cost you $179.5 per year.

5. Convert.com

Convert.com

Convert.com is a proven A/B testing tool to help you boost conversions. It provides fast & flicker free A/B testing experience and is known for their speed.

They are a perfect Google Optimize alternative because it gives you access to all the features you’re accustomed to with Google Optimize and then some more.

Convert also let you seamlessly integrate your tests with Google Analytics as well as other tools like Hotjar, Heap, Segment, HubSpot, and more.

Their onboarding is a bit slow, but once you’re up and running, you can create unlimited tests and quickly deploy changes.

Pricing: Convert.com prices start from $99 per month, and you get a 14-day free trial.

6. Crazy Egg

Crazy Egg

Crazy Egg is a popular heatmap tool in the market. You can use heatmaps to see how users behave on your website, where they click, and how they move the mouse cursor and scroll through pages.

Crazy Egg offers an A/B testing tool that you can use to run experiments on your website and boost conversions. What makes it a great Google Optimize alternative is the features it offers along with A/B testing.

You get heatmaps, recordings of visitors using your website, error tracking, surveys, and traffic analytics. Plus, you can configure it without editing code, which isn’t possible if you’re Google Optimize.

Crazy Egg offers a multivariate engine where all you need to do is choose the elements you want to test and add your ideas. The engine then does the heavy lifting and conducts the test for you.

The best part is that it is easily integrated with website builders, including WordPress, Shopify, Squarespace, Wix, and more.

Pricing: Crazy Egg offers different pricing plans starting from $29 per month. You get unlimited A/B tests in each pricing plan, and there is also a 30-day free trial to get started.

7. Adobe Target

Adobe Target

Adobe Target is an enterprise-level solution to run split tests on their website and is part of Adobe Marketing Cloud. It is more powerful than Google Optimize and offers an omnichannel approach to the A/B test.

What this means is that instead of running isolated experiments, Adobe Target lets you run tests on every channel. This way, you get to see how users behave with different variants coming from other channels, like social media, organic traffic, paid search, and more.

The software is easy to use and set up. Plus, its AI-powered automation helps you test multiple experiences and then personalize them for each visitor.

On the downside, Adobe Analytics is only available for users that have Adobe Analytics. If you’re looking for a complete marketing solution with an A/B testing feature, then you can use Thrive Optimize instead.

Pricing: You will need to request a quote and get Adobe Target pricing according to your business needs.

8. Optimizely

Optimizely

Optimizely is one of the most popular Google Optimize alternatives in the market. Their digital experience platform allows you to create every kind of A/B testing experiment for your website.

You can use their visual editor along with advanced targeting features to optimize your A/B testing campaigns. Optimizely works on all website platforms and is a platform of choice by many large brands.

We have used Optimizely in the past when they had a free plan, and it’s an extremely powerful tool for what it does, however the prices are no longer small business friendly.

Pricing: Optimizely does not reveal it’s prices anymore and require that you submit a form to request a quote.

9. Kameleoon

Kameleoon

Kameleoon is the next Google Optimize alternative on our list. It offers powerful solutions and lets you conduct different types of experiments.

For starters, you can run web experiments and A/B test your website and mobile apps. You can assign a business goal to your tests and see which variant is increasing conversions, retention, or engagement.

Kameleoon also offers A/B testing features to advanced users and developers. You can run server-side experiments to improve your product. It easily works in different development languages and frameworks, like PHP, Java, Ruby, Flutter, and more.

Besides that, it offers AI-power personalization. You can provide unique experiences to each visitor, target different segments for testing, and comply with privacy laws like GDPR and CCPA.

Pricing: You will need to request a demo and get a quote for Kameleoon pricing.

Which is the Best Google Optimize Alternative (Expert Pick)

The best Google Optimize alternatives are Thrive Optimize, VWO Testing, and FunnelKit.

If you’re looking for a WordPress A/B testing tool, then Thrive Optimize is our first pick. It gives you all the powerful features, and it’s very affordable. Since it’s part of the Thrive Suite, you also get other solutions like a quiz builder, popup form builder, WordPress page builder, and more.

If you’re looking for an all-around SaaS alternative for Google Optimize that works on all platforms, then we recommend using VWO Testing. They have a generous free plan that should work for most small business owners.

And if you are an eCommerce store owner looking for the best Google Optimize alternative for WooCommerce, then we recommend using FunnelKit. They have deep integration with WooCommerce and allow you to customize every step of the funnel including adding custom 1-click upsells, order bumps, and more to help boost your average order value.

We hope this article helped you find the best Google Optimize alternative. You may also want to see our ultimate WordPress SEO guide to improve your SEO ranking, and see our comparison of the best push notification software with A/B testing features to boost your traffic.

Sourced from wpbeginner

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‘Google is really nailing us’: Publishers re-shift commerce strategies after platform releases flurry of algorithm updates

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By Kayleigh Barber

As always, Google can cause chaos for publishers depending on the digital behemoth’s whims.

This autumn was a whirlwind for publishers as Google released not one but three algorithm changes over the course of a month that affected content rankings, specifically of product reviews. It’s another example of how the tech giant can cause disruption for publishers that have built businesses around trying to take advantage of its algorithm to reach people.

Timeline of Google’s recent algorithm changes:

•August 25: helpful content update •September 12: core updates •September 20: product reviews update

“Google is really nailing us,” said a media exec candidly in exchange for anonymity at the Digiday Publishing Summit last month.

Google claimed the algorithm changes were intended to prioritize search results considered the most helpful to internet goers, or content that’s “written by people, for people.” This means articles with expert insights, as well as original photography and original content descriptions (not regurgitated from the manufacturer’s website), will be ranked higher in search results. A Google spokesperson did not immediately return a request for comment on the record.

Already facing a number of challenges in the commerce revenue department, several publishers like 360 Reviews and Hunker have expressed that they’re still trying to fully unpack to what extent these algorithm changes have impacted their search traffic and how to accommodate Google’s latest content guidelines in their edit strategies. Meanwhile, other publishers, like CNET, said their businesses experienced no ill effects from these rollouts, in part because their editorial approach to commerce content already follows Google’s guidelines.

“It’s been a choppy 90 days in some of our product categories but in others, it’s been totally flat. We’re not too far off from where we were 90 days ago,” said Amro Naddy, vp and general manager at U.S. News & World Report’s 360 Reviews, during a panel at StackCommerce’s Activate event earlier this week. He did not disclose which categories were impacted, but jokingly added, “I burned some extra candles on my altar last night and prayed to the oracle to save us.”

CNET has focused on expert insights and original photography that shows the products have been reviewed by experts — the secret sauce for keeping its content ranked high through the updates, said Lindsey Turrentine, evp of content and audience at CNET.

One new reviewer in the television category was trained for nine months to learn about all the criteria considered when reviewing a TV and how to effectively assess this technology under executive editor David Katzmaier. While this isn’t something that Google can see or take into consideration in the rankings, Turrentine said that eventually Google will register “that the same name shows up against the content over a long period of time and that the quality of the content itself is very high” bodes in the publication’s favor when it comes to ranking that author’s content more positively.

It’s unclear the impact the changes have had on Leaf Group’s Hunker but featuring snippets and video in traditional commerce articles have caused a drop in rankings, said svp and general manager Eve Epstein.

The media brand, like other publishers, is also focused on creating original content. Much of its holiday shopping content will be created in the brand’s Hunker House showroom and event space, which is on occasion transformed into a production studio, Epstein said.

What’s one to do?

Be flexible.

“You need to be able to absorb a 10 [to] 25% fluctuation [in search traffic] pre- and post- an algorithm change,” said Naddy, who did not share what these figures have looked like at U.S. News & World Report. There, internal SEO experts are explaining what these changes could mean to the commerce team, though Naddy was sheepish to say more about how his team was modifying its strategy to appeal to Google’s new standards.

This isn’t the first time Google targeted product reviews on its platform. The latest batch of algorithm updates comes a little over a year after an April 2021 product reviews update, which favored content that compared products to one another as well as content that expressed expert knowledge.

The change was welcome at the time by one publishing exec from company with a large commerce operation, who spoke anonymously to Digiday last year. They added that they were hopeful it would clear out some of the “shitty” commerce content from the top SEO rankings because a lot of it was starting to feel “very pay for play.”

“There’s definitely been a big flurry of updates. Our SEO team has been quite busy,” said Turrentine, who oversees a team that does exactly what Naddy was suggesting.

Once a Google algorithm update is live, Turrentine said an executive summary is created by the SEO team, which then spends a week or two fully understanding the update and noting which pieces of content or subject matters have been impacted. From there, recommendations are made by the SEO team to the edit team regarding headlines, keywords and format, if necessary.

“We follow Google’s guidelines as they provide them, to the extent that they do, which is not very much,” said Turrentine, but despite the lack of insight from Google, CNET avoided taking a rankings hit this time around. “If we saw any change, it was really cantered around that [Sept. 12] core [algorithm] update [and] it was a positive change for us.”

A a diversified approach to content distribution is critical, Jessica Spira, vp of commerce at Hearst Digital Newspapers, said during the StackCommerce Activate event. To avoid getting slammed by algorithm changes, she works with websites to understand where brands can create direct relationships with users that are off platforms, including commerce-focused newsletters and boosting commerce content on the sites’ homepages.

Spira, who only recently joined Hearst in the same week as the Activate event, only spoke at a high level about strategies for avoiding a reliance on Google traffic.

“While Google traffic is so performative and so successful in terms of converting users into actual purchasers, you are dependent on that algorithm, and you are like an algorithm change away from missing your quarter and it’s a bloodbath,” Spira said.

Feature Image Credit: Ivy Liu 

By Kayleigh Barber

Sourced from DIGIDAY

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How to block pop-up ads on an Android phone

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(Pocket-lint) – No one likes to be interrupted by an annoying advert, but on our phones, it has become an all too common experience.

Most people know that they can block ads on their desktop or laptop computer, but our phones tend to be plagued with the things. Long gone are the days when you could install Ad Block Plus from the Play Store, Google doesn’t allow system-wide ad blockers anymore.

So, how do you go about blocking ads? Thankfully, it’s very easy, and we’ve got everything covered in this guide.

But first, a few things to mention. It’s important to remember that ads help keep sites going (including this one) and they’re important for content creators, too. So even though they can be irritating, in some cases, it’s worth allowing ads to help support the content that you love.

Also, we’ll be focusing on browser-based ad blocking, so keep in mind that these solutions won’t block ads in other apps, like games, for instance.

With that said, let’s get into the guide.

How to block pop-ups and intrusive ads in Chrome

Chrome is the default browser on the majority of Android phones, and as such, it’s the one the vast majority of people stick to.

You don’t need to swap to another browser to block ads, though. Thankfully, Chrome has some handy tools built-in to help with this.

The only caveat is that Chrome doesn’t block all ads, just pop-ups and ads that it deems intrusive or misleading. Here’s how you activate the features:

  1. Open Chrome on your Android phone
  2. Tap the three dots in the top right corner
  3. Tap on Settings
  4. Scroll down to Site settings and select it
  5. Tap Pop-ups and redirects
  6. Make sure the slider is toggled to the left
  7. Go back to the previous page
  8. Tap Ads and do the same thing

Now, Chrome will prevent the majority of pop-up ads from loading, and block ads entirely on sites that have misleading and intrusive ads. In some ways, it’s the best of both worlds as it allows you to support the content that you care about without suffering through egregious pop-ups.

But what if you want to take things a step further and block everything? Read on.

How to block ads with different browsers

If you’re willing to ditch Chrome, there are plenty of browsers that offer more robust ad-blocking options. Just keep in mind that you won’t be able to sync your history and bookmarks with Chrome on desktop, if you use that.

Our favourite option is Firefox, it allows for add-ons to be installed, and they work like Chrome extensions on desktop. uBlock Origin is a powerful, free and open-source ad blocker that can easily be added to the Firefox Android browser, and it’ll block just about everything.

Another great and full-featured option is the Opera browser, which has a solid ad blocker built-in and even a free VPN. There’s even a straight-up Adblock Browser, if all you care about is blocking ads.

How to block ads with an app

So, that’s browsers sorted, but what if you want to block ads in other apps? As we mentioned up top, Google has long since removed ad-blocking apps from its Play Store, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t block ads elsewhere.

You’ll have to side-load these apps, which can be a little daunting if you’ve never done it before, but it doesn’t mean the apps are untrustworthy – just that Google’s not so keen on you using them. Which is understandable, given its business model.

Best iPhone apps 2022: The ultimate guide By Maggie Tillman ·

These are the absolute best iPhone apps available right now, from productivity apps to apps for traveling, reading, listening to music, and more.

Apps like AdGuard and AdLock come from notable cyber-security brands and so should be perfectly safe to use. The downside is that they’re subscription based, so you’ll have to pay a monthly fee once your trial ends.

By 

Sourced from Pocket-lint

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Leaked emails show Google employees MOCKED company’s ‘incognito mode’ browser – saying it’s ‘not truly private’ – as consumer lawsuit seeks BILLIONS in damages for company’s false promises

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By Vanessa Serna

  • Google employees mocked the company’s false advertisement of the private browsing ‘incognito mode’ option in a string of leaked emails from 2018 
  • Engineers at the company suggested the tech giant halt the name ‘incognito mode’ after a study was released about the browsers lack of protection 
  • A judge in Oakland, California, will review the emails along with other documentation and decide if a consumer lawsuit targeting the feature will proceed 

Leaked emails reveal Google employees mocked the company’s ‘incognito mode’ browser feature, saying it was not ‘truly private’ as the tech giant suggests.

In a series of emails cited in a California-based lawsuit on behalf of a million users, employees in 2018 suggested the company halt deceptive advertising of the incognito feature on Google that supposedly allows users to ‘browse privately’ to avoid others using a shared device to view the search history.

The lawsuit alleges the private browsing option that features an outline of a mysterious man with glasses and a detective hat is misleading since Google can still view consumer data, according to Bloomberg.

We need to stop calling it Incognito and stop using the Spy Guy icon,’ an engineer said in an email chain in 2018 after providing a study about the lack of protections on the browser.

Another engineer responded with a meme of the Simpsons television show episode where a look-alike of Homer Simpson, dubbed ‘Guy Incognito,’ was shown identical to the show protagonist but with a mustache, suit, and top hat.

The engineer joked that Guy Incognito’s costume ‘accurately conveys the level of privacy [the browser] provides.’

A judge will rule on Tuesday on whether the lawsuit will proceed. If found liable, Google may be fined to pay billions to consumers.

Google is facing a lawsuit after consumers suggested the company's Incognito browser isn't actually private

Google is facing a lawsuit after consumers suggested the company’s Incognito browser isn’t actually private

The lawsuit sites employee's emails from 2018 that suggested the company halt the false advertising of the private browsing feature

The lawsuit sites employee’s emails from 2018 that suggested the company halt the false advertising of the private browsing feature

One employee joked the Incognito icon should be a look-alike of Homer Simpson, dubbed Guy Incognito, was shown identical to the show protagonist but with a mustache, suit and top hat

One employee joked the Incognito icon should be a look-alike of Homer Simpson, dubbed Guy Incognito, was shown identical to the show protagonist but with a mustache, suit and top hat

Google’s marketing chief Lorraine Twohill emailed CEO Sundar Pichai last year on International Data Privacy Day to request the tech giant become more private, according to Bloomberg.

‘Make Incognito Mode truly private, Twohill wrote in an email. ‘We are limited in how strongly we can market Incognito because it’s not truly private, thus requiring really fuzzy, hedging language that is almost more damaging.’

Twohill’s email and other employee documentation are among the court documents that will be reviewed in an Oakland, California, courtroom on Tuesday.

Incognito mode on Google advertises that other users will not be able to view browsing history – but doesn’t say the tech giant cannot view data.

‘Privacy controls have long been built into our services and we encourage our teams to constantly discuss or consider ideas to improve them,’ a Google spokesperson said in a statement.

‘Incognito mode offers users a private browsing experience, and we’ve been clear about how it works and what it does whereas the plaintiffs in this case have purposely mischaracterized our statements.’

The lawsuit further cites an email sent to CEO Sundar Pichai last year urging to make the tech giant more private for consumers

The lawsuit further cites an email sent to CEO Sundar Pichai last year urging to make the tech giant more private for consumers

US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers will review the case. If found liable, Google could owe millions of consumers up to $1,000 per violation, according to Bloomberg.

The lawsuit also aims to hold the tech giant responsible for lacking transparency on the Incognito mode option that was believed to keep browsing private for users.

Consumers are suggesting Google change the language on the private browsing feature to make users aware that the tech giant can still gather their data.

By Vanessa Serna

Sourced from Mail Online

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Is TikTok Going to Replace Google?

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By Lidia Infante

TikTok has absolutely taken the world by storm since 2020. And it’s not just for the kids — with over 1 billion users, it’s popular across all demographics.

User behaviour on TikTok has been evolving as its popularity grows. We’ve seen the app go from dancing teenagers to influencing shopping behaviour across the world.

Now the next step for TikTok seems to be turning into the next big search engine.

Is TikTok the new Google?

Short answer: no.

TikTok is an internal search engine for TikTok content. It’s dedicated to a particular area of focus and a particular format: video.

There are a few different factors at play in how we choose the search engine to solve our need in the moment, but at the end of the day, TikTok and Google satisfy very different search intents.

Why do users search on TikTok?

We’re seeing TikTok take market share from Google in verticals such as food, gardening, and travel. These are low stakes searches where the outcome is unlikely to cause you harm. Since you don’t need a perfect or factual answer, you can use TikTok to find it.

TikTok’s video format makes a lot more sense if you’re looking for answers where the visual matters. Date spots in your city or a gardening tutorial are perfect searches for the platform.

Another reason users choose TikTok is that the answer will always be provided by a subject matter expert, not a niche blogger. Social proof abounds, as you can assess the expertise of your source by looking at the comments and number of views, likes, and followers.

A few concerns have been raised about the spread of misinformation on TikTok, as they have in most other content platforms. However, these are slightly more worrying on TikTok because it has an unprecedented potential for virality, and a large, young user base, who are more easily influenced during content discovery than during active search.

Users are even searching for TikTok content on Google, with queries such as “TikTok pasta”, amassing 1,778 searches per month in the US:

Moz Pro keyword suggestions for

Branded queries on Google for TikTok content have a combined monthly search volume of 30.1 million in the US alone. But in the spirit of transparency, I’ll share that most of those are not PG (or even PG-13).

Active search vs. content discovery

There are two key behaviours on TikTok we must differentiate: active search and content discovery.

Content discovery

Content discovery is the main behaviour on TikTok and it’s the one we’re most familiar with. It’s when the user is scrolling through the app, passively hoping to find entertainment, financial advice, recipe ideas, or a new favourite beauty product.

Users have been enjoying a positive content discovery experience on TikTok for years. They have found new restaurants or a selfie angle that makes them look like Kylie Jenner.

This is the key to understanding TikTok’s rise as a search engine: This positive content discovery experience has earned the users’ trust. They know that the content they want to consume is on TikTok. So when the need arises, they turn to the video platform first.

Active search

This leads us into active search. Active search is when a user types a specific question into TikTok’s search box.

On TikTok, users can seamlessly scroll through all of the content that answers their query, without having to open multiple tabs on their browser. This improves user satisfaction, reduces friction and, most importantly, teaches TikTok the best answer. More on that later.

Let’s talk about psychology

Persuasion resistance is a natural psychological defense when we feel like someone is trying to manipulate us into buying, doing, or thinking something. We perceive persuasion as a threat and we try to move away from it or oppose it.

Over a decade ago, the online advertising industry started to worry about a decrease in the CTR of their display ads. Pop-ups got dismissed, banners went ignored. Users had caught onto advertisers: we were trying to sell them something.

This triggered a phenomenon known to psychologists as persuasion resistance. Advertisers called this response “banner blindness”. As an industry, we developed four different strategies to counter this resistance to persuasion.

  1. First, we started making our ads look like they were part of the content. We called these “native ads”.

  2. Then, we started placing the ads in unexpected places, where users were less likely to be bracing themselves to be sold to.

  3. We started making ads a little bit more relevant to the context, so that they felt less intrusive.

  4. Finally, we moved into social proof, and we started leveraging the power of trust. Thus influencer marketing was born.

TikTok leverages these four strategies to counter resistance to persuasion by design. How do they do it?

  • Creators are paid for their content through the Creator Fund, based on how many views or engagement their videos get. They are incentivized to make quality, engaging content that users will enjoy, not just by making deals with brands.

  • They regularly showcase their beauty routines, fashion, or home products, with or without a brand sponsorship. This makes affiliate or sponsored content look just like regular content.

  • Their ads are served in exactly the same format as their regular content, with a small tag letting you know that it’s promoted content.

  • All the videos have an identified creator, visible like and view counts, and open comments. Social proof abounds!

But SEO is not paid social or influencer marketing. So why should we care?

SEO is now omnichannel

Putting the right content in front of users at the right time is at the core of what we do. If we want to keep achieving this goal, we must provide content where the user is looking for it.

As technology integrates further into our lives, we’ve seen the rise of multisearch. Google created the term as a way to integrate their Google Lens functionality into the way we speak about search and SEO.

Screenshot of mobile Google home page suggesting visual search.

We now search by asking our home assistant devices questions or taking a picture of a tree we don’t recognize. We search on Google Maps, on Youtube, on Instagram and even on Amazon.

The days when SEO was about responding to a query in a search box are long gone.

By putting our content out on TikTok and optimizing it for search, we are helping users find our content when they need it, where they want it, and in the format they chose to consume it.

TikTok on the SERPs

SERP showing TikTok video search results for

An omnichannel SEO strategy will let you interact with your users beyond your own domain, and it can help your brand take up more real estate in the SERPs.

Google is trying to diversify the domains they show on search, so if you want to feature in the SERPs multiple times, you’ll have to distribute your brand’s content across different domains.

TikTok’s website has over 31 million pages built programmatically around topics, hashtags, and sounds:

Screenshot showing number of search results for TikTok.

Topic pages make up the most of their URLs and traffic, and seem to be built based on hashtags used, along with some form of machine learning consolidation of their variations. These include related videos, topics, users, hashtags, and sounds.

Screenshot of increasing TikTok visibility index.

Based on the data available on different tools, we know that this section on TikTok’s website has about 157 million monthly organic clicks.

Based on the numbers alone, the benefit of having your content feature in these pages is obvious.

Industries that should be on TikTok

TikTok serves you content based on what the algorithm has determined you’ll enjoy, not based on who you follow. So users constantly discover new creators.

The TikTok algorithm does a genuinely good job at finding your interests or helping you discover stuff that you like. These topics of interest become small niches with their own name.

Much like a subreddit, TikTok has unofficial “toks”. You can find niches such as book-tok, finance-tok, food-tok, and many others.

Based on the data, case studies, and some expert opinions, there are industries that can truly benefit from being on the platform and surfacing content tagged for these various “toks”:

  • Sports teams

  • Streaming services and entertainers

  • Fashion and beauty brands

  • Restaurants and food bloggers

  • Travel brands and influencers

  • Home and DIY content creators and brands

If you think this list reminds you of the top industries on Pinterest, you are right.

TikTok and Pinterest have a lot in common. Both platforms prioritize content discovery based on your interests and serve mainly visual content.

When looking at suggested searches, the value becomes clear when I start typing keywords typically associated with an informational or commercial intent:

Side-by-side screenshots of TikTok search autopopulating suggested searches for

While these are personalized for each user, you can see that others are searching for content that brands or publishers have typically kept on their blogs and find valuable for their businesses.

Brands looking to increase their brand awareness can benefit from being on TikTok regardless of their industry. After all, nobody expected the success Duolingo has had on the platform.

Conclusion

Is TikTok threatening Google? No. Is it worth the attention of SEOs? Yes.

Over the next few months, keep an eye out for more pieces on how to make the most of this upstart and unlikely content discovery search engine. I will be writing about the TikTok algorithm, what the search experience looks like on TikTok, and how to make sure your videos rank.

By Lidia Infante

Born and raised in Barcelona, Lidia has been helping businesses reach their audiences in search across European markets, the US and Australia. She has used her background in Business and Psychology to drive organic growth for e-commerce sites, media and SaaS.

Sourced from MOZ

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Is Google a Threat to Amazon’s Product Search Dominance?

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By Adam Levy

Fewer people are starting their product searches on Amazon.

When you’re looking to find a product online, your first stop is most likely Amazon (AMZN -0.36%). The majority of online product searches start with the e-commerce giant, followed by a regular old search engine like Alphabet‘s (GOOG 0.59%) (GOOGL 0.39%) Google.

But Amazon’s dominance of product searches appears to be waning while search engines like Google remain resilient.

Is Google gaining ground?

Jungle Scout, a company that develops software for online marketplace merchants, recently asked consumers where they start their product searches online.

While 61% of respondents said they started on Amazon during the second quarter, that’s down from 74% in the first quarter of 2021. Meanwhile, search engines have remained steady at 49%. (Respondents could select more than one option.)

That might suggest Google is becoming a better discovery platform for online shopping. It’s been an area of focus for Google for years, even before former CEO and executive chairman Eric Schmidt called Amazon its biggest competitor.

Current CEO Sundar Pichai said investments in e-commerce are paying off. During Alphabet’s second-quarter earnings call, Pichai said: “People are shopping across Google more than 1 billion times each day. We see hundreds of millions of shopping searches on Google Images each month.”

Interestingly, Amazon wasn’t the only site or app that saw fewer respondents in 2022 versus 2021. In fact, practically every other potential response was selected less often, except for search engines. That includes Walmart and social media apps. That’s despite heavy investments from competitors, including Alphabet’s YouTube, in growing e-commerce on their platforms.

The survey shows Amazon is still dominating other retailers in the product-search space and fending off the growth of social media. Overall, consumers might be using fewer sources to search for products online, but Amazon remains the top option for more people than anything else.

Amazon has built a business as a search engine

The reason investors need to pay attention to Amazon’s position as a product search engine is that it now runs a very big business based on product searches. The bulk of its ad revenue comes from sponsored products and brands in its search results.

Last quarter, ad revenue grew 18% to $8.76 billion. That’s a $35 billion run rate. And that revenue is very high-margin relative to its marketplace, third-party seller services, and even its cloud computing business. Notably, that ad revenue growth has slowed significantly after monster increases in 2020 and 2021.

Amazon dominates e-commerce channel advertising even more than it dominates e-commerce. While its robust user base and meaningful data on its users help attract more-valuable ads, it’s the search traffic that has led to that dominance.

As e-commerce growth continues to outpace in-store sales growth, Amazon is poised to see the benefit of shifting ad budgets from things like end caps in store aisles to banner ads on Amazon and other online retail websites.

But Google sees that opportunity as well, and it could present a bigger threat to the growth of Amazon’s ad business than any of its retail competitors. While the most recent Jungle Scout survey indicates Google is making progress in e-commerce, Amazon remains at the top of the chart. For now, there appears to be plenty of growth left in Amazon’s ad business, but Amazon investors should keep an eye on Google’s progress in e-commerce advertising.

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By Adam Levy

Sourced from The Motley Fool

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Google will soon stop VPN apps blocking ads on Android

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By Jon Mundy

Google will soon clamp down on VPN apps that block ads on the Android platform.

The tech giant, which still earns most of its vast revenue from advertising, will prohibit VPN apps on the Google Play Store from actively interfering with ads from November 1.

Google updated its Google Play policy last month, setting down strict stipulations for VPN apps. This includes a rule that such apps can’t “manipulate ads that can impact apps monetization.”

Another stipulation is that “Only apps that use the VPNService and have VPN as their core functionality can create a secure device-level tunnel to a remote server”.

These measures appear designed to secure user data with such VPN services, as well as to prevent ad fraud. As part of the new terms and conditions, VPN developers must encrypt data across the whole process.

However, as The Register reports, some developers aren’t too happy with Google’s new stipulations, feeling that it’s too sweeping with its requirements. Older versions of Blokada and Jumbo could be ruled out based on the new rules.

Blokada’s developers also speculate that the likes of privacy-focused web search app DuckDuckGo could be a casualty of Google’s new rules, though DuckDuckGo’s developer itself believes that it will be alright.

Apple applies a similar set of VPN-focused rules for iOS, though interestingly it doesn’t specifically rule out interfering with ads.

Around this time last year, Google announced that it was offering its own VPN service to subscribers of its 2 TB and higher Google One plans in the UK and other countries after an initial 2020 rollout in the US.

By Jon Mundy

Jon is a seasoned freelance writer who started covering games and apps in 2007 before expanding into smartphones and consumer tech, dabbling in lifestyle and media coverage along the way.

Sourced from Trusted Reviews

 

 

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New Gmail experience starts rolling out — here’s how to customize it

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Google’s updated Gmail interface comes with Material You and a big side bar

Google is rolling out a new Gmail experience that makes it easier for users to switch between other apps including Google Meet and Chat in the same window or tab, and it comes with Android 12‘s Material You and a noticeable second sidebar.

Introduced back in February, Gmail’s new integrated view started rolling out to users on June 28, and is expected to come to everyone over the next couple of weeks. Once available, users will automatically see the new Gmail interface, but will have the ability to opt out and revert back to the old Gmail view we’re used to. However, there’s more than one way to set it to the way you want.

The big changes include a new navigation sidebar that lets you switch between other Google apps, including Gmail, Google Chat, Google Spaces, and Google Meet. Instead of going to the apps menu and opening a new app in another tab or window, you can now switch between apps in the same window. It’s handy if you’re not happy with a cluster of open tabs.

Google notes that apps available on the sidebar will vary depending on your Google Workspace edition, meaning if you only have Gmail, then you’ll have a Gmail-only navigation menu (similar to how the usual Gmail looks).

Apparently, the new navigation interface also features Material You, the colour-themed feature that was introduced with Android 12. So far, it only seems to turn Gmail’s colour scheme grey or blue, but this can be customized by heading into settings (the gear icon on the top left), clicking “View all,” and picking a theme.

Not a fan of the new layout? You can easily revert back to the classic Gmail layout.

How to revert back to the classic Gmail

  • In Gmail, click on Settings (the gear icon) on the top left.
  • under “See all settings,” there will be a block that says “Go back to the original Gmail view.” Click on it and you’ll have classic Gmail back.
  • You can also click on “See all settings” to revert back. Click on “See all settings.”
  • Under the “General” tab, navigate to “Main menu” and click on “Original view.”

(Image credit: Future)

For those who want to stick with the new Gmail but find the second sidebar annoying, there’s a way to get rid of it, too.

How to customize the sidebar

  • In Gmail, click on Settings (the gear icon) on the top left.
  • Click on “See all settings.”
  • Navigate to the “Chat and Meet” tab.
  • Switch “Chat” to “Off” and “Meet” to “Hide the Meet section in the main menu.”
  • Once done, the sidebar will only feature the Gmail menu bar.

(Image credit: Future)

Whether Google will keep the original Gmail view or completely overhaul Gmail to the new design? Only time will tell. However, if you prefer to have your apps in different windows or tabs, there’s a way to keep Gmail the way users are used to. As for other handy Gmail tips, check out how to delete spam mail in Gmail once and for all.

Feature Image credit: Google

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Darragh Murphy is fascinated by all things bizarre, which usually leads to assorted coverage varying from washing machines designed for AirPods to the mischievous world of cyberattacks. Whether it’s connecting Scar from The Lion King to two-factor authentication or turning his love for gadgets into a fabricated rap battle from 8 Mile, he believes there’s always a quirky spin to be made. With a Master’s degree in Magazine Journalism from The University of Sheffield, along with short stints at Kerrang! and Exposed Magazine, Darragh started his career writing about the tech industry at Time Out Dubai and ShortList Dubai, covering everything from the latest iPhone models and Huawei laptops to massive Esports events in the Middle East. Now, he can be found proudly diving into gaming, gadgets, and letting readers know the joys of docking stations for Laptop Mag.  

Sourced from Laptop

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Goodbye Expanded Text Ads: Here’s What’s Next, According to Google

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By Eric Bush

They say the only constant in life is change itself, but that sounds an awful lot like a paradox, and my brain doesn’t like those. To me, the only constant in life is adapting to change. And that’s exactly what we need to do right now.

No, I’m not talking about the post-pandemic world’s “new normal” (anyone else getting sick of hearing that?). I’m actually talking about Google’s decision to say goodbye to expanded text ads (ETAs). Whether you’re just hearing about this for the first time or have been worrying about it for months, you’ve come to the right place.

Let’s take a look at what this change is, what it means for you and how you can adapt to it.

What’s Changing?

In 2016, Google introduced expanded text ads — a bigger, better way to communicate with your target audience. Now, 6 years later, Google is sunsetting this option. As of June 30, 2022, you will no longer be able to create or edit ETAs in your standard Search campaigns.

Hey, all good things must come to an end, right?

Don’t worry, though: Your existing ETAs won’t go to waste. Google says you’ll still be able to track their progress and even pause, resume or remove them at your leisure. You just can’t make new ones or edit the structure of those you already have.

Why Is This Happening? 

According to Google, the sunset of ETAs is all part of “making it easier to show the right message on Search.” The goal is to keep up with changing consumer needs and expectations.

For example, did you know that 15% of daily search queries are totally new to Google? The company uses this stat to point out that search habits are changing — which means your ad strategy needs to change, too.

The key, Google tells us, is automation. Unfortunately, we’re not talking about robot butlers here; for now, automation is mostly focused on ad bidding and placement, so you can’t put your feet up just yet. You can, however, use automation to simplify your ad strategy.

That’s because Google is replacing ETAs with their younger, sharper siblings, responsive search ads (RSAs). These little guys use automation to “show the right message for the right query.” You provide your ad assets, Google uses its algorithms to choose the best combinations of headlines and graphics for a specific audience and voilà — an advanced ad strategy.

Even the biggest fans of ETAs will probably have to admit that this new approach has its advantages. Plus, RSAs can be bigger (300 characters vs. 150 for ETAs), so you don’t have to worry about cutting out your great content. Perhaps most importantly, Google says the return on investment (ROI) is promising: “Advertisers that switch from expanded text ads to responsive search ads, using the same assets, see an average of 7% more conversions at a similar cost per conversion.”

What Now?

Don’t panic: Your ad strategy can and will live on without ETAs. But say your goodbyes now, because RSAs are poised to become the next big thing in advertising.

To turn this change into an opportunity instead of a source of stress, brush up on these best practices:

Learn About Ad Automation

There’s a whole world of ad automation out there — one you might never have embraced if you were busy juggling your ETAs. Now you have a perfect excuse to do some research on Google’s algorithms, automated solutions and more. This will help you get more out of RSAs as you add them to your strategy.

Repurpose Your ETAs

Don’t trash all your hard work. Instead, Google recommends choosing high-performing ETA content and repurposing it in RSA format. You can also use the built-in ad strength analyser to make sure you’re on the right track. After all, as Google explains, “Advertisers who improve Ad strength for their responsive search ads from ‘Poor’ to ‘Excellent’ see 9% more clicks and conversions on average.”

Use RSAs to Tell New Stories

Advertising is all about telling stories, right? Well, RSAs make it easier for you to tell those stories without having to plot out every detail. All you have to do is fill in your characters and settings (that is, your headlines and images) and let Google’s automated system combine them in different ways depending on your audience, ad placement, campaign goals and more.

Remember, the only constant in life is adapting to changes like this one. But that doesn’t mean you have to idly wait for whatever the marketing and advertising worlds throw at you. Instead, you should stay informed — and with a resource like our newsletter in your inbox, you’ll be the first to know what’s coming around the corner.

By Eric Bush

Eric Bush is the Manager of Paid Search at Brafton. He has helped grow the Brafton consulting services department to focus on multiple PPC platforms/channels and expanded its partner program to include both Google and Microsoft. His expertise ranges from multichannel marketing and planning to data performance analysis, with a focus on paid search strategies.

Sourced from Brafton

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Google says it has made a major breakthrough on carbon-free energy

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Time-based Energy Attribute Certificates provide a more granular approach to energy tracking

Google has been working to develop better tools to track energy consumption and production in order to achieve its 24/7 carbon-free energy goal by 2030.

As part of these efforts, the search giant announced a new tool called Time-based Energy Attribute Certificates (T-EACs) last year to advance a more granular approach to energy tracking.

Once T-EACs are fully developed and widely deployed, they will not only help Google achieve its 24/7 carbon-free energy goal but will also provide society with valuable new insights concerning the availability of carbon-free energy on electricity grids during every hour of every day. At the same time, this information will help energy consumers better understand their energy use while also creating price signals that stimulate new investments into green technologies and projects that deliver carbon-free energy when it’s most needed.

Google has spent the past year engaging partners around the world to advance the development and adoption of T-EACs. The company has also expanded the use of hourly certificates, accelerated the development of tools and systems to unlock energy data and hourly matching and created technical standards to drive the widespread adoption of T-EACs.

Tracking and reporting carbon-free energy

The registries that create, track and manage the energy attribute certifications (EACs) associated with clean energy generation are some of the most important stakeholders in advancing T-EACs according to a new blog post from Google Cloud.

In the past, these registries have not issued or tracked certificates on an hour-by-hour basis but this has changed as demand grows for 24/7 carbon-free energy. For its part, Google has been working with global registries to accelerate this shift while creating new products and services for tracking energy attributes on a more granular basis.

In the US, the company partnered with the non-profit M-RETS which tracks and validates energy attribute certificates in order to expand the hourly transaction capabilities of its platform and enable the tracking and retirement of hourly certificates by all of its users. Google has also worked with APX to support the retirement of hourly Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) within the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) and as a result of this work, electricity generators across the Central and Midwest US will soon be able to retire certificates on an hourly basis whenever hourly data is available.

In Europe, Google has collaborated with the Danish Grid operator Energinet as it builds the technical foundation to support granular certification and develop innovative applications such as the Project Energy Origin Platform. Meanwhile, in Latin America, the search giant has launched a pilot led by The International REC Standard Foundation in close collaboration with Evident Services and its suppliers ACCIONA Energia and AES Andes.

Going forward, Google plans to continue to advance the adoption of hourly certificates as it works to ensure it is able to meet its goal of running its global operations on 24/7 carbon-free energy by 2030.

Feature Image Credit: Google

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After getting his start at ITProPortal while living in South Korea, Anthony now writes about cybersecurity, web hosting, cloud services, VPNs and software for TechRadar Pro. In addition to writing the news, he also edits and uploads reviews and features and tests numerous VPNs from his home in Houston, Texas. Recently, Anthony has taken a closer look at standing desks, office chairs and all sorts of other work from home essentials. When not working, you can find him tinkering with PCs and game consoles, managing cables and upgrading his smart home. 

Sourced from techradar.pro

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