Carla Price

Digital Marketing News: Monthly Roundup For May 2023

May 31, 2023

Welcome to our monthly roundup featuring the most-talked-about digital marketing news of May 2023.

This year has been busy, both in and outside the digital marketing world. Still, we have summarised some of the most recent prevalent stories useful to know if you’re a digital marketer or own an online business.

Get Ready for a Cookieless Future!

Digital marketers love cookies.

However, you may have to get used to not having a specific type of cookie because the days are numbered for the third-party kind!

If you’re new to marketing, you may need to understand how essential cookies are and how much digital marketers have come to rely on them.

So let’s explain.

First, second, and third-party cookies help reveal the behaviours and interests of website visitors. Cookies uncover this data by tracking a visitor’s browsing activity and purchases, amongst other things. This information enables marketers to create relevant ads and understand if they are effective.

First-party cookies enable user-friendly experiences for website visitors because their preferences will be saved for that domain, i.e. passwords and shopping carts.

These days, most websites use first-party cookies. Arguably, they are the most important kind because they collect information from the people marketers have the most to learn from: their website visitors, i.e. their audience.

Second-party cookies allow a visitor’s data to be shared with another website. A website must ask for the visitor’s consent to use second-party cookies.

Third-party cookies enable websites to track users across different domains, gathering information about their online journey (browsing sessions) to map a clear picture of their interests.

For example, imagine a user browsing a website looking for white trainers. Then, they leave the site and move to a different one, but ads for white trainers appear on the page. This is the result of third-party cookies.

Third-party cookies help businesses and marketers effectively target their ads!

However, over recent years, Google has aimed to meet people’s growing online need for privacy. In 2021, the search engine giant announced that marketers striving to deliver relevant ads had created “a proliferation of individual user data across thousands of companies, typically gathered through third-party cookies”, resulting in people losing trust in websites.

Because of this, Google has been trying to find new ways to protect the anonymity of its users without impacting the results delivered to digital marketers and businesses. They aim to phase out third-party cookies in Chrome by 2024.

Once third-party cookies are no more, marketers will be unable to access crucial insights on Google users, which means they won’t be able to target their ads as effectively.

So, if you’re a digital marketer or own an online business, what can you do to ensure your ads aren’t affected?

Well, Google has been building the Privacy Sandbox, which aims to create technologies that protect user privacy whilst still enabling marketers to advertise successfully so businesses can grow online.

Google plans to implement Privacy Sandbox in July 2023, so you can use the Privacy Sandbox tools, enabling you to target Google Ads still.

You can also still rely on first-party cookies. They’re not going anywhere (yet!).

Software and platforms will likely be affected by the step away from third-party cookies; however, new doors will be opened to reveal innovative ways to advertise, which is excellent for businesses willing to adapt and evolve.

AI Is Everywhere

AI (Artificial Intelligence) is implemented in almost every industry to improve business operations.

Why is AI useful for marketers in particular?

As marketers, we are always trying to find ways to be more efficient and boost productivity. AI can help improve both of these areas.

There are various forms of AI, some of which you already use within your role.

For example, if you use Google Docs, you may get the help of Smart Compose, which reads your writing to suggest what to type next.

AI content writing tools like ChatGPT are a step from the above. But what is ChatGPT?

This chatbot generates human-like content in response to questions or commands that the user types in.

At the moment, this AI tool is not a replacement for humans. Instead, it’s there to optimise content. It should help you overcome writer’s block and accelerate the content creation process.

So, what is the best way to use ChatGPT?

Type your command/question, relevant keywords, and headings into ChatGPT and see what user-generated content it collects. Then strengthen the content by conducting further research on the topic and adding to it. Lastly, adapt the content to your business’s tone of voice.

You probably can’t get through a day without hearing about AI. Furthermore, your competitors are also hearing about AI and are likely using it! So don’t get left behind – start incorporating AI into your content marketing strategy!

Twitter’s Planned Purge

Not so long ago, Twitter announced its plan to purge inactive accounts.

This sparked fury amongst Twitter users concerned about the deceased’s accounts.

Also, if inactive accounts are purged, many users will see a drop in their follower count.

Though you may think this news is irrelevant to your business, think of the potential leads you could miss out on if Twitter purges your account due to your not using it.

Furthermore, once your account is purged, your Twitter handle will be up for grabs! If a competitor has had its eye on your Twitter handle for some time, they will snap it up as soon as it becomes available.

Your Twitter handle is vital for your business as it helps your audience find you. So, to ensure you keep it, get tweeting!

Be A Transparent Marketer, Be A #Deinfluencer

Overnight, a new trend emerged, turning the tables on inauthentic influencers, i.e. influencers who have bought followers, have fake accounts, or overly emphasise products and services in a less than candid way because they have been paid to do so.

To combat the above, the deinfluencer trend was born!

Before we go into what a deinfluencer is, let’s explain more about influencers.

An influencer is a person who can persuade people to buy products and services due to having a large following, either on TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, or any other social media platforms. Influencers are often celebrities, but not always.

Around 2009, many businesses began to see the potential of influencers and the visibility they could bring to their products/services, so they began incorporating them into their marketing strategy. Influencer marketing is crucial for most businesses when conducting social media marketing.

However, there is such a thing as influencer fatigue. People are becoming desensitised, and perhaps more astute, to this type of marketing, meaning influencers are failing to influence.

Modern consumers connect more with each other and brands, seeking more genuine and meaningful relationships. This terrain leaves no room for inauthentic marketing. Millennials and Gen Zs want ‘real’ content.

Now, what is a deinfluencer?

A deinfluencer is typically a content creator or social media user who tells people what not to buy. Funnily enough, a deinfluencer is an influencer; however, they are more transparent about products and services, giving honest reviews.

How can you use this new trend to your advantage as a digital marketer or business owner?

You should promote your services by using ambassadors who are genuinely passionate about what you offer. This ensures they can speak about your brand with knowledge and enthusiasm. If social media users feel your content is ‘real’, they’ll be more likely to share it on TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter.

Remember, be as transparent as you can with your target audience. This will help build their trust in your business and retain it.

Now you’re up to date with the latest digital marketing news! But before you go, find out what’s been happening more locally for Fly High Media.

Local News For Fly High Media

Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds visit Wrexham Football Club

Since investing £10m into the Wrexham Football Club, Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds have fully immersed themselves in it. On May 2nd, the pair celebrated their recent success with the club, i.e. the men’s and women’s teams gaining promotion to their respective football leagues.

McElhenney and Reynolds joined an open-top bus parade that toured the city, enabling thousands of fans to embrace the occasion and celebrate with the players.

Around 12 hours after the event, Reynolds tweeted, ‘this town and this sport is one of the most romantic things on earth’.

Everything I own smells like champagne, beer and grass. I’m still somewhere between giggling and sobbing. This town and this sport is one of the most romantic things on earth. Thank you, @Wrexham_AFC ⚔️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿⚔️ pic.twitter.com/cxpVRUpkLq
— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) April 23, 2023

The story has captured people’s attention in the UK and also worldwide!

Since the actors bought the club, they replaced their main sponsor, a local company, with a TikTok branding deal. This, undoubtedly, helped spread the word to millions of people, emphasising the power of social media!

Eurovision Train Competition Takes Place in Hooton

On May 10th, the Eurovision train came to Hooton!

To celebrate the world-famous event being held in Liverpool, one of the new Merseyrail Metro trains was draped in the Eurovision design.

The brightly coloured train visited numerous areas of Liverpool, ramping up excitement ahead of the event.

To further celebrate, Merseyrail gave a model of the new 777 trains to the person who captured the best image of the Eurovision train. An event was held at Hooton railway station, a 5-minute walk from our Fly High Media offices, to enable people to take pictures.

The team at Fly High Media strolled down to the station to admire the train and join in on the buzz.