This week on The PPC Show , Paul and JD break down the top 9 headlines and trends in ad tech and digital marketing for the week of September 18-22nd.

Show Notes

Facebook Removes 4 Ad Targeting Options of Profile Details
To help ensure that targeting is not used for discriminatory purposes, Facebook is removing self-reported targeting fields "until they have the right processes in place to help prevent this issue."

These four categories are school, field of study, employer, and job title. To keep offensive and discriminatory behaviors off the platform, Facebook will also be adding more human review and oversight to its automated processes.

Facebook Launches Dynamic Creative Tool
Facebook has yet another new trick up its sleeve. It’s called “dynamic creative,” and it’s a tool available in Power Editor and the newly updated Ads Manager. Here is what it does, how to use it, and why:

• It takes components like images, videos, titles, descriptions, CTAs, etc. and runs them as different combinations across audiences.
• While the total asset number is 30, you can use a maximum of 5 titles, 10 images or 10 videos, 5 bodies of text, 5 descriptions, and 5 CTAs. Also note that you can use images OR videos, and can’t mix in the same ad set.

Pinterest Grows to 200 Million Monthly Active Users
Pinterest has reached a new milestone of 200 million users. The platform reached 175 million users back in April, and now, Pinterest has announced that their community has expanded to 200 million MAU – up 40% year-over-year.

Pinterest’s Interest-based Ad Targeting Options Swell to More than 5,000
Pinterest is increasing the number of interest-based ad targeting options offered to advertisers from roughly 400 to more than 5,000, thanks to the social network/search engine’s updated index of more than 100 billion pins.

• Last year the company acquired mobile ad-tech firm URX
• Taste Graph
• For example, if someone uses Pinterest to research kitchen remodeling ideas, that user may not want to continue seeing organic and paid pins related to home decor long after the remodel is completed.
• Rolling end of October
• Pinterest’s expanded set of interest-targeting options will roll out over the next few weeks and be available through Pinterest Ads Manager and for campaigns purchased through the advertising API or direct sales team.

Ring in the Holidays with New Google Merchant Center Tools
Luckily, getting your product data in shape has never been easier with new Merchant Center tools. The new feeds experience and Opportunities are here just in time for you to win this holiday season.

• Modify your product data from the Content API
• Previously, your product data could only be submitted in one primary feed. Now, supplemental feeds give you the flexibility of submitting and modifying your product data from multiple sources.
• Simply add new countries with the same language to your primary feed and your prices will automatically show in the correct currency of the user.

Supercharge your call-only ads with ad extensions
Google is upgrading its call-only ads, starting with the launch of ad extensions. For the first time, you’ll be able to show ad extensions with call-only ads to promote more relevant information about your products and services, and give people more reasons to choose your business. In early experiments, they've found that implementing new extensions to call-only ads can improve clickthrough rate by 10% on average.
For the first time, you’ll be able to show ad extensions with call-only ads to promote more relevant information about your products using location, callouts, and structured snippets.

Snap Inc Adds New Creative Partners, Education Courses to Improve Ads
Today we are excited to add 14 new partners to our network of companies to help advertisers create ads that deliver results. These new partners represent the best in video, cinemagraph, and GIF creation; game and playable ad development; lead generation and data capture; interactive and 360 video players; mobile couponing and more — all to help advertisers build engaging Snap Ad experiences that deliver a positive ROI.

[Chart] Audience Targeting Is More Successful on Mobile Than on Desktop
Mobile ads are reaching their intended audiences at a higher rate than desktop ads, a finding that may relate to desktops’ higher likelihood of having multiple users, according to a comScore report.

Duopoly to Grab More than 60% of 2017 Digital Ad Spend
Total Digital ad spend
$83 Billion in 2017

• ($35B) 42% Google
• ($17B) 21% Facebook