Kenshoo: Mobile video drives social ad spend up 50 per cent

Kenshoo: Mobile video drives social ad spend up 50 per cent

Spend on search ads continues to grow, with advertisers increasingly taking advantage of newer ad types, according to new research. Spend on social advertising has increased by 47% year-on-year (YoY) in the second quarter of 2016, with social ads attracting a 21% higher cost-per-click (CPC) as they become more specialised and valuable according to the […]

Netflix Launches Internet Speed Check App

Netflix Launches Internet Speed Check App

Online video streaming service Netflix has launched a tool for iOS and Android devices that enables users to check the speed of their internet connection, whether its arriving via wi-fi or mobile data. Netflix had already launched an online tool for internet connection checking in May, Fast.com, but the new app shows that the company recognises […]

Procter & Gamble pulling back on targeted Facebook ads

Procter & Gamble pulling back on targeted Facebook ads

One of the world’s biggest companies has decided that targeted ads on Facebook really aren’t so targeted. Procter & Gamble is moving away from targeted ads on the social media giant, saying that hyper targeting on Facebook did not prove as effective as the company thought it would be. P&G is the biggest ad spender […]

60 Per Cent of Travel Searches Start on Mobile

60 Per Cent of Travel Searches Start on Mobile

60 per cent of all travel-related searches begin from mobile devices, with figures climbing as high as 88 per cent for certain keywords, new figures from consumer behaviour firm Hitwise have revealed. Consumers are increasingly beginning their purchase journey for holidays on mobile, and marketers’ strategies should reflect this significant shift in consumer behaviour, with […]

General Mills asks mobile users to elect favourite cereal monster

General Mills asks mobile users to elect favourite cereal monster

General Mills is piggybacking on the anticipation surrounding the upcoming presidential election by asking consumers to visit a mobile-optimized microsite and vote for their favourite of its cereal brands’ monster mascots for a chance to win a $5,000 grand prize. Franken Berry, Count Chocula and Boo Berry are all in the running for the title […]

Facebook offers Snapchat-style photo filters

Facebook offers Snapchat-style photo filters

Less than a week after borrowing one of Snapchat’s defining features for Instagram, Facebook has looked to its younger rival for inspiration once more. Limited to Canada and Brazil for the time being, Facebook has introduced new filters which can be used to jazz up photos in various ways, such as turning faces into animations. […]

Kik Users Have Now Sent Branded Chatbots Nearly 2 Billion Messages

Kik Users Have Now Sent Branded Chatbots Nearly 2 Billion Messages

After its first few months offering dozens of chatbots, Kik says users have caught on and exchanged nearly 2 billion messages with brands, entertainment companies and publishers on the platform. According to statistics released on August 4, by the Canadian messaging app, users have exchanged 1.8 billion messages with the more than 20,000 bots created by […]

Twitter extends conversational ads to all advertisers and launches ‘Instant Unlock’ option

Twitter extends conversational ads to all advertisers and launches ‘Instant Unlock’ option

Twitter has introduced a new feature, Instant Unlock Card, to its conversational ads, which roll out to all advertisers on August 4 after a seven month beta. The social media platform first introduced conversational ads – which contain call-to-action buttons, inviting users to share personalised versions of a brand’s content with their own followers – in January, […]

QR Code-style Scannable Ads Coming to Snapchat

QR Code-style Scannable Ads Coming to Snapchat

Snapchat is reportedly developing a new ad product based on scanning print materials or another screen with the smartphone camera, QR code-style, in order to unlock content in its app. According to The Information, a potential use case would be as a way of accessing special offers. The product is set to roll out this autumn – unless […]