It's Tuesday – time to check out recent developments in the world of search, social and content marketing in our weekly news roundup. In today's edition we review highlights from Google's Nathan Johns' recent AMA at SMX West, NASCAR's embrace of emerging technologies and the power of Pinterest to shape purchase decisions.
Google Update With Nathan Johns: What's New, What's Next and What You Can't Ignore
Last week at SMX West Michelle Robbins sat down with Google search quality analyst Nathan Johns for an AMA (Ask Me Anything) session that ranged from the search giant's recent changes to in-progress updates and the topics that are top of mind for most marketers, content creators and SEOs.
First on the docket: Johns confirmed that Google's most recent algorithm update went into action on March 7th, which came as no surprise to anyone who saw site rankings dip as a result. This update wasn't intended to penalize any specific site behavior, however – instead, the changes give a boost to "under-rewarded" sites, leveling the playing field.
Other topics of interest included progress reports on the upcoming mobile-first index, which Johns described as a significant process that will require significant time and effort to bring to fruition, and impending speed updates. These will go live in July, so smart businesses will be sure to put optimization for mobile-friendliness and speed on the top of their site optimization to-do lists. Johns also reports that Google is aware of a desire for voice search data in Google Search Console reports, but has no insights as to when that might become available.
NASCAR Races Ahead With Millennial Audiences Thanks to Content Based in Emerging Technologies
Winning younger audiences has been a tough proposition for all sport leagues, but NASCAR found success by investing in emerging technologies. Tim Clark, NASCAR's Vice President of Digital Media identifies a three-part content strategy that invites fans onto the track and into the pit via their screens.
Here's how NASCAR is engaging Millennials through emerging tech:
- Live and on-demand virtual reality and 360° video: From a live-streamed, pre-race drivers' meeting to a 360° video tour of the NASCAR garage, race enthusiasts got up close and personal with the excitement of the Miami NASCAR Championship via NASCAR's website, mobile app and Facebook and YouTube accounts. The success of virtual reality content led to plans to let viewers enjoy the driver's perspective from inside the cockpit of an actual event car.
- Augmented reality: The league built excitement by allowing fans to access race-themed items via mobile device camera frames and share their images on social media.
- Voice technology: Ongoing experimentation with Amazon's Alexa and Google Home have led NASCAR to develop a variety of voice-fueled interaction opportunities, including allowing fans to receive live and previous race details and access audio content.
With Clark at the helm, it seems that NASCAR will continue to take a lead in emerging technology. How should brands incorporate emerging tech into their own strategies? Clark suggests, "Pay attention to the size of your audience on various platforms [because] you need content natively where your fans want to consume it."
The Power of Pinterest: How the Platform Shapes Shopping Behavior Among Users
Should your brand be on Pinterest? If you've remained unconvinced of the platform's impact on shopping behavior, new data might just change your perspective.
Last week Pinterest revealed a recent study of 4,000 weekly Pinners to better understand how users' shopping habits and how branded content influences their purchase decisions. The survey found that:
- 90% of weekly pinners use Pinterest to guide purchase decisions
- 70% discover new products on Pinterest
- 78% value branded content
- 66% buy something after seeing a branded Pin
That's big news, especially considering that Pinterest currently has 175 million active users and, according to 2016 data from Pew Research, 45% of all women using the Internet in the U.S. utilize the website. Unique in its cross-generational appeal to Baby Boomers, Gen Xers and Millennials, Pinterest is especially relevant to businesses in the food, home décor and clothing industries and presents a significant opportunity to influence consumer decisions through branded content.
Pinterest has compiled the study's results into a handy infographic, so be sure to visit their blog for additional information and context.
That concludes this week's edition of Tuesday Newsday. Make sure to stop by next Tuesday for more news and insights, and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for daily updates on content and inbound marketing, search, social and more. Missed out on recent Tuesday Newsday posts? Catch up here:
