Marketing Day: Google Analytics updates, Facebook tests pre-roll ads & Snapchat’s Lens St

Here’s our recap of what happened in online marketing today, as reported on Marketing Land and other places across the web.

From Marketing Land:

1. Google Analytics releasing 4 new functions to offer more user-centric insights Dec 14, 2017 by Susan Wenograd

The new features reframe the focus on understanding user journeys.

1. Facebook announces 6-second pre-roll ad test, new mid-roll ad restrictions Dec 14, 2017 by Tim Peterson

Facebook is also adjusting its News Feed algorithm to prioritize videos from publishers and creators that viewers “seek out or return to watch,” the company said.

1. Snapchat’s Lens Studio app opens augmented-reality format to everyone, including self-serve advertisers Dec 14, 2017 by Tim Peterson

Anyone can use Lens Studio to create Snapchat’s World Lenses, which can then be distributed via Snapcodes and deep links and attached to Snap Ads.

1. Visualizing your site structure in advance of a major change Dec 14, 2017 by Dave Davies

Making big changes to your website structure? Columnist Dave Davies shares a data visualization method that can help you predict what effect your proposed site structure changes will have on SEO performance.

1. 3 ways Gmail has changed email marketing Dec 14, 2017 by Kyle Henderick

With Gmail accounting for one in three inboxes, it’s nothing to sneeze at. Columnist Kyle Henderick discusses the ways in which Google’s email service can affect your next marketing campaign.

1. People have held 17B video chats on Messenger so far in 2017 Dec 14, 2017 by Tim Peterson

Messenger’s Year in Review contains several stats that may be of interest to brands looking to improve their marketing through Facebook’s messaging app.

1. The vicious cycle of ROAS targets is killing your business Dec 14, 2017 by Andreas Reiffen

While many companies focus on return on ad spend (ROAS) as their primary KPI for search, columnist Andreas Reiffen believes that ROAS targets can often inhibit growth and new customer acquisition.

1. Are you deciding on a marketing automation platform? Dec 14, 2017 by Digital Marketing Depot

MarTech Today’s “B2B Marketing Automation Platforms: A Marketer’s Guide” examines the current market for B2B marketing automation platforms and the considerations involved in implementing marketing automation software. It addresses these questions: What factors are driving the adoption of B2B marketing automation platforms? Who are the leading players in B2B marketing automation? What capabilities do B2B […]

Recent Headlines From MarTech Today, Our Sister Site Dedicated To Marketing Technology:

1. FCC repeals net neutrality by party line vote Dec 14, 2017 by Greg Sterling

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, a former Verizon lawyer, gives his previous bosses an early Christmas present by gutting the 2015 rules.

1. Salesforce’s new tool facilitates personalized customer communication across its clouds Dec 14, 2017 by Robin Kurzer

The CRM company’s Distributed Marketing product allows marketers to share assets across their entire partner networks.

1. Why it’s time to get bullish on accreditation for ad tech and martech in 2018 Dec 14, 2017 by Rob Rasko

As industry groups release new standards for digital ad measurement, columnist Rob Rasko believes ad tech and martech providers will need to conform to them to stay competitive and be identified as trusted leaders.

1. Advertisers plan to increase mobile ad spend in 2018 despite ad fraud concerns [Study] Dec 13, 2017 by Ginny Marvin

Advertisers that spend at least $1 million per month on digital advertising cite combating fraud as a high priority.

Online Marketing News From Around The Web:

1. 10 Mistakes That Will Kill Your Relationships With Influencers, Crazy Egg

2. 5 Disruptions to Marketing, Part 1: Digital Transformation (2018 Update), Chief Marketing Technologist

3. AI and Digital Transformation Are Top Priorities for Marketers in 2018, KoMarketing

4. Every Marketer Must Answer Vital Questions About The IAB’s Latest Ad Portfolio, AdExchanger

5. Five Secrets of Facebook Marketing Pros, MarketingProfs

6. How to start planning a successful content strategy, Econsultancy

7. Instagram Stories 101: What Social Marketers Need to Know | Simply Measured, Simply Measured

8. Mobile Design Kills Conversions: Here’s What to Do About It, Search Engine People

9. News Feed FYI: For Video, Intent and Repeat Viewership Matter | Facebook Newsroom, newsroom.fb.com

10. See the Latest in Conversation Trends on Facebook, Facebook Business

11. Who are my customers? What the machine can learn on its own, Digiday