Facebook expands search ads, brands can track competitors, Chipotle is a TikTok master, and more!
August 2, 2019
Keep Your Friends Close ...
… And your enemies closer. We’ve all heard it before (and know it works better in movies than real life). But with the AdInboxMe tool from PixelMe, a digital marketing attribution platform, it’s now easier than ever to apply to business (if you consider your brand’s competitors enemies). AdInboxMe lets marketers track competitors’ Facebook ad campaigns by sending an email alert any time one is launched. Staying on top of competitors’ activity, offerings, and processes is imperative in the ever-changing world of digital marketing, and brands who don’t may be left behind. AdInboxMe has unsurprisingly seen fast success and is currently operating on a wait list — which is worth signing up for. Because the more you know about your competition, the easier it is to pivot with and/or around them.
Searching for Something
A quest for marketers? Ideal ad placement. Thanks to Facebook, there’s now another placement option to explore. This week FB significantly expanded the “Search Ads” option, which used to only be available to select advertisers. This gives marketers the option to place their ads in relevant Facebook search results, based on targeted queries. The platform hasn’t released stats on its search volume since 2016 (when there were over 2 billion per day) so it’s not totally clear how effective this new ad format will be. But the potential to reach an expanded audience through search ads is apparent — and worth giving a shot as part of the pursuit of placement perfection.
Is It Too Late Now to Say Stories?
Sorry for the Facebook ad overload this week, but this one’s big. Even with all the constant updating and expanding of FB’s ad tools and options, marketers are moving advertisements — in droves — to Stories (Instagram in particular). Stories’ ever-growing audience (with more than half a billion people using them across the Facebook family of apps), combined with their cheaper pricing, is making them more attractive to digital marketers, pushing traditional feed ads to a lower spot on the priority list. While IG Stories aren’t perfect (some marketers have reported issues with uploading and reporting), their interactive capabilities and growing reach is quickly fueling adoption. If brands haven’t started moving ad dollars to IG Stories yet, now is probably a good time to get on it.
SPARK OF THE WEEK
TikTok and Free Guac
This Wednesday was like Millennial Christmas. JK, it was just National Avocado Day (but same thing). Mexican restaurant Chipotle celebrated accordingly, though it went after a younger cohort this year — Gen Z. The restaurant chain, which has been tirelessly working to expand its digital presence, gave free guacamole to anyone who ordered online or through its app on Wednesday. And to add even more flair to the holiday, it partnered with TikTok to host the #GuacDance challenge, a guacamole-themed dance off, on the app.
Known for its short-form videos, TikTok is wildly popular with younger audiences, particularly Gen Z, but many marketers have yet to figure out how to tap in to the platform. Chipotle is one of the brand pioneers on the app and the first restaurant to have a brand partnership with TikTok. It was no accident, as the chain’s vp of marketing explained, “We really like being in unexpected and uncluttered spaces, and we felt like TikTok was one of them.” And it’s working — Chipotle’s digital sales are up 99% since last year. An innovator in meeting younger audiences where they are (even on Venmo), Chipotle is a leader for brands wanting to dive into the world of TikTok. And while a dip-themed dance may not work for all businesses, you can certainly learn a lot from Chipotle’s hashtag challenges and viral-focused videos.
