Advertisers and Audiences: Destined to be Frenemies?
I hate to even bring up the E.U.’s General Data Protection Regulation, after I spent late May drowning in emails. (I’m still cleaning out my inbox!) However, I wanted to highlight this New Yorker article by Ken Auletta, which puts the issue into a broader context. He examines how the use of Big Data to improve targeting brings to light the tensions between the desire for personalized content and concerns about consumer privacy. The article asserts that: “The advertising and marketing world scrambles for new ways to reach consumers. Big Data, they believe, promises ways they might better communicate with annoyed consumers—maybe unlock ways that ads can be embraced as a useful individual service rather than as an interruption.” What do you think? Is it possible to meet the needs of both audiences and advertisers?
Get Verified! Facebook Political and Issue Ads
Facebook has started enforcing their new ad verification rules. As this article explains, all advertisers wanting to run political content need to verify their identity and location (aka Facebook sends you a postcard in the mail). This is meant to allow users to clearly identify the organization that has paid for an ad. Facebook is also creating a searchable archive of political and issue ads. If your nonprofit runs ads on Facebook, I recommend getting verified. Even if you think your ads aren’t political, Facebook might think they are.
And Yet Another Thing About GDPR & Facebook
You may have been wondering how GDPR affects your use of Facebook pixels. This article provides some guidance on when and how to gain consent on Facebook as related to GDPR regulation.
We’ll Raise More Together
In the beginning of June, Facebook changed their fundraising rules, allowing brands and public figures to raise money on their page for nonprofit causes. It also enables friends to manage a fundraiser together (see this article for details). This move should have non-profits thinking about ways they can engage in joint fundraising. Interested in trying this out? Take a look at this example. Local artists and businesses collaborated to raise money for foster kids through a silent auction. Facebook’s new fundraising feature allows orgs to spread the word about an event, with a donation button on every business, artist and organizations page.
Advice of the Month
Automate Your Google Grants
Google Ad Grants now have so many rules! I recommend automating your account as much as possible. This way, you can take vacation and not return to a shut down account. For one easy idea (pausing keywords with a low click through rate) check out this step-by-step explanation.
Cool Visualization of the Month
And Wario for the Win
I’m bad at video games. Eye-hand coordination is not my forte. When I play Mario Kart, I attempt to pick a character that helps me overcome my total lack of skill. Want the definitive guide to that one? Thank Civics Analytics writer Henry Hinnefeld for this analysis and visualization of the Mario Cart characters. He’s sold me on Wario.