Daily Minute Master Series – August 7, 2019

Social Media

Facebook Launches First Legal Action Against ‘Click Injection Fraud’

Over the past several months, Facebook has launched legal action against several companies for operating fake Like and engagement services. And now, Facebook’s taking aim at another type of misrepresentation, in the form of ‘click injection’ scams. ‘Click injection’ is essentially building a system which simulates ad clicks, and presents them as actual engagement. The two developers identified in this case are Hong Kong-based LionMobi, and Singapore-based JediMobi, both of which have now been banned and had their accounts disabled. The two companies were able to earn money from the scheme by driving fake clicks to Facebook Audience Network ads which appeared within their apps, then earning payouts from Facebook for that engagement. The case may provide Facebook with a legal precedent for future action, while it also, again, highlights the expanded lengths the company is going to in order to secure its systems. But it may also only be the start – there could be more cases to come of businesses which are cheating Facebook’s system, and lessening the value of Facebook ads by ‘injecting’ false clicks.

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Marketing

Google Updates Google Images to Make it Easier to Shop via Search

Google has announced another social-like feature within Google Images, this one seemingly taking direct aim at Pinterest, which is rising as a product search threat. The option will help users better locate similar image matches by providing a direct comparison alongside, as opposed to having an expanded result that stays pinned as you continue to scroll. But more than just that core comparative functionality, the new option is also specifically focused on facilitating shopping. Now, you’ll be able to search for ‘blue+basketball shoes+Nike’ and get a full listing of related items, each with an expandable, pinned side-panel for matching, and price and quality measures built into the listing. The option will make online reviews even more important, as well as price and completed product information listings. We’ll have to wait and see just how many searchers revert to the new process, but it could quickly become a key SEO consideration for eCommerce brands.

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Google Top Places List Out of Beta – Uses Machine Learning

Google’s Top Places List feature is officially out of beta. Google updated the Top Places developer page with new information indicating that the Top Places List feature is now automated by a machine learning algorithm. The Top Places List is a Google feature that displays related information about a specific place. If a restaurant is mentioned in several top ten type lists, Google will display that information so that users can learn more about that business. Google’s developer page for the Top Places List feature was updated on August 5, 2019.  The Top Places List developers page now indicates the use of machine learning to select the top places lists. 

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Advertising

Google Ad Manager, AdMob add support for app-ads.txt, to start blocking unauthorized ad serving for publishers this month

Google Ad Manager and AdMob, Google’s mobile ad network, now support app-ads.txt, the anti-ad fraud protocol for app publishers. The company announcedTuesday that beginning August 27, Google Ad Manager and AdMob will block ad serving of unauthorized in-app ad inventory in both platforms when publishers have app-ads.txt files implemented. Google said in April that its DSP Display & Video 360 would stop buying unauthorized in-app inventory starting in August. Given its market leadership position, Google’s support for app-ads.txt from both the buy and sell sides will help propel adoption of the standard by app publishers. Publishers who do not implement an app-ads.txt file will see no changes to their ad serving, but they will not benefit from these added spoofing protections.

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