by Tod Maffin and Steph Gunn
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Performance Max Unlocks A/B Mode
Google is cracking open the Performance Max black box… a tiny bit.
Adweek reports that Google has rolled out an A/B testing feature for Pmax, which lets advertisers test how changes, such as updating creative assets or landing pages, impact campaign performance.
New tools on the horizon
Google recently announced plans to launch “new experiments” in Pmax, which will let advertisers add more creative assets, like images, text, and video, for select retailers in beta this month, as well as Final URL expansion, which lets Google dynamically select the most relevant landing page.
Some advertisers reported having access to the ‘Performance Max Optimization Experiments’ feature for more than a month through a whitelist program that provides early priority access.
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Why You Should Be Advertising in Italics
Is your ad campaign leaning enough to the right?
As you finalize your Black Friday campaign, your team might be split over what seems like a small decision: italic font or not.
According to a recent study, that minor change could have a major impact on your sales.
The study found that using italics boosts engagement:
Emails with italicized promotions saw a 3x higher click rate
Respondents were 30% more likely to make a purchase
Recommendation
The study recommends using italic fonts for special promotions (like discounts or package deals) instead of regular fonts, as italics are slanted to the right, which suggests movement forward.
Why it works
According to the study's researchers, this subtle shift is subconsciously linked to moving in time, making promotions in italics feel more urgent.
As a result, consumers are more likely to act quickly, sensing that the promotion is nearing its end.
Consumers, however, vary in how sensitive they are to deals. Some fear missing out and paying a higher price later, while others are less influenced, regardless of the font style.
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Pinterest’s Revenue Momentum Stalls
Pinterest's revenue push has hit a speed bump.
The company recently reported that its third-quarter revenue growth slowed to 18%, down from earlier gains, even as net income climbed to $30.5 million and user numbers stayed strong.
The company had seen growth surpass 20% earlier this year after a sluggish 2023, driven by new features simplifying in-app purchases.
User growth
Despite cooling revenue growth, Pinterest maintained a 10% increase in global user numbers.
However, the company now braces for further slowing in the fourth quarter, projecting growth between 15% and 17%.
Pinterest's stock fell nearly 15% after the announcement.
Instagram Debunks Sponsored Content Myths
No, Instagram isn’t throttling your sponsored posts to make you cough up cash—at least, that’s what Instagram head, Adam Mosseri, says.
He recently shut down the myth that the platform deliberately downranks posts tagged as sponsored content, in order to force brands to pay for reach.
Instagram post by @mosseri
More boosting options
And while we're on the topic of paying to boost reach, Instagram has expanded its post-boosting options to include more post types.
Previously, posts with GIFs, stickers, or copyrighted music were ineligible for boosting due to system limitations and copyright restrictions.
But now, Instagram says most GIFs and stickers can be boosted.
The keyword being ‘most’
Keep in mind, that it's “most,” not “all” posts, and it's still unclear which will qualify for boosting. However, if you've struggled to boost some of your top-performing organic posts in the past, now might be the time to revisit them.
Google Ads Editor Version 2.8 Is Here
Google has released version 2.8 of the Google Ads Editor, its free app for managing ad campaigns.
The update brings several new features, including AI-generated images, export to Google Sheets, an updated help center, and more.
Other key updates include:
Brand guidelines support for Performance Max
Image cropping tools
Enhanced video controls
Improved inventory controls for video campaigns
Third-party measurement settings, previously available only for video campaigns, are now extended to Performance Max and Demand Gen campaigns
Strict age and gender targeting options
Google also deprecated Demand Gen Product Feeds campaigns in version 2.8, converting them to standard Demand Gen campaigns and no new ones can be created.
Amazon Debuts Virtual Holiday Shop
As the holiday shopping season ramps up, Amazon has launched a 3D Virtual Holiday Shop, where customers can watch content and browse new products.
The shop includes a dedicated Virtual Toy Shop, featuring products from brands like Play-Doh, Lego, and Disney.
Throughout the season, Amazon plans to update its product selection in the Virtual Shop with “hundreds of items.”
There's no place like Amazon for the holidays…
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