Digital Roundup: How The Latest Apple Update Could Affect Your Facebook Ads and More

Posted: 1st February 2021

We’re bringing you the most relevant digital marketing information that you need to know this week. From algorithms to influencers, find out how the latest news affects your business.

76% of B2B advertising isn’t working –  is it time to get emotional?

According to research by the LinkedIn B2B Institute, 76% of B2B advertising is missing the mark. Researchers suggest that this could be to do with the way in which B2B businesses communicate with their audience.

With a tendency to make logical and safe marketing decisions, many B2B businesses are missing out on the emotional draw of their digital marketing strategy, favouring logical and authoritative messaging.

The Institute recommends that in order to create long term growth, B2B operations should throw caution to the wind and take a psychological rather than logical approach… in other words thinking like a B2C business.

Using social media analytics tools such as Pulsar can help businesses to better understand the psychological and emotional behaviours of their customers and therefore make more informed decisions about all aspects of their digital marketing strategy.

Should We Be Taking Influencers Seriously?

In a kerfuffle that PR Week have dubbed the ‘Dubai Dilemma’ – influencers and influencer marketing is once again at the forefront of customer brains. Although there has been a positive shift in recent years with many high profile brands taking to using influencer marketing to promote products and services, the fleet of influencers visiting Dubai over the Christmas holidays only exacerbated feelings of negativity towards the idea of influencers.

However, now is not the time to give up on influencers. As Sara McCorquodale explains in her new book, Influence: How Influencers are Shaping our Digital Future, the influencer phenomenon isn’t going anywhere soon. When businesses go about building their online community, the question may not be ‘should we work with influencers?’ but rather ‘what sort of influencer should we be working with?’.

McCorquodale’s book shows that influencer marketing isn’t going out of fashion and as it becomes standard industry practice, there will be benefits for businesses big and small.

You can read an excerpt from Sara’s book on the Marketing Tech News website here.

What Apple’s Update Means For Your Facebook Ads

When Apple updated it’s operating system in October 2020, iOS 14 a programme called ‘AppTrackingTransparency’ was included. It has laid dormant since October, but is due to go live in 2021, and could cause a problem for businesses running Facebook Advertising campaigns.

Previously users had to turn on Limited App Tracking if they wanted to avoid personalised marketing experiences, however it will be turned on as standard for all users once the function goes live this year. It means that:

• Users can turn off the Limited App Tracking for individual apps if they wish.
• Users will only receive targeted marketing after confirming their consent in a dialogue box.
• If the user declines, the option will never be presented again unless the user deletes the app and reinstalls.

What this means for Facebook Advertisers

With ‘AppTrackingTransparency’ likely to come into effect in the first half of 2021, it will be vital to get ahead of the game. The iOS14 update means that a change in mindset is needed to deliver effective Facebook marketing campaigns and a detailed data driven approach will be necessary at every turn. For some, this may mean turning to new analytics tools which can effectively interpret a consumer’s emotional journey.

Although it feels as though Apple have put a spanner in the works, this isn’t the crisis that it initially seems. Algorithm and programme changes are second nature to those in the Digital Marketing industry, who are  solving problems related to algorithm changes on a daily basis.

Boris’ Business

Company news from our beloved office dog (who is in no way affiliated with the Prime Minister)

As the team continues to work from home, I think it will be a while before I see another desk drawer Digestive…

Despite not being under my constant guidance, the team has been rather busy. This week they have been busy finishing jobs for existing clients and meeting some great new people. WOOF!

However, hasn’t been all work and no play! Apparently there was a staff social on Friday to which I was not invited… (I will be having words with HR) The team played some bingo and let off some steam.

Sometimes I feel very under appreciated…look at these dogs doing great work in Glasgow! Doggy Bingo was set up as partnership between Dementia Dog and Dogs for Good, to help Dementia patients who are isolated by the lockdown. A weekly zoom bingo session with other dogs? Sign me up! Woof!