Google replaces FLoC with ‘Topics’ for cookieless targeted advertising
Google abandons FLoC due to its lack of true federated learning and privacy controls. They are replacing it with Topics, an API that leverages browser history and provides users with more transparency and control.
COVID-19 makes Google Ads delay controversial changes to its Partners badge program until 2021
Agencies unhappy with the upcoming changes to the Google Partners badge program received a temporary reprieve from Google Ads. Google emailed its partners to inform them that the new changes were delayed until 2021 because of the impact coronavirus has had on businesses.
Google Ads is forcing agencies to use its recommendations or risk losing their Google Partners badge
Google Ads is changing the requirements for its Google Partners badge program by the end of June 2020. One change, in particular, requires partners to adopt a high percentage of recommendations that are made by Google’s machine learning or risk losing their badge. Agencies are claiming Google’s optimizations are ignoring their expertise and don’t make sense for their clients’ campaigns.
Report says ads.txt usage is up but impact on invalid traffic is minimal
The Pixelate Q3 2019 Advertising Trends Report found that more publishers are including ads.txt on their sites, but it may not be having any effect on reducing invalid traffic.
Zeus Prime: Amazon’s Jeff Bezos targets Google Ads and Facebook with new ad network
The Washington Post announced the launch of Zeus Prime, an automated way for advertisers to buy premium advertising. They plan to make it available to any publisher on any content management system.
TechRepublic reports ‘Sign In with Apple’ won’t significantly impact tracking as originally thought
Apple’s proxy email service was considered a silver bullet to stop ad targeting, but Kazuki Ota, Co-founder and CTO of Arm Treasure Data, doesn't think it's going to be an encumbrance to customer tracking.
Sign In with Apple’s proxy email addresses will make ad targeting virtually impossible
Apple's new SSO is a double threat to its competitors. Not only does it want to replace them, but it's also designed to disrupt their advertising business.
Amazon encroaches further into Google’s core revenue source with new acquisition
The largest independent buy-side advertising platform, Sizmek, has been acquired by Amazon.
Google deprecates Target Search Page Location and Outranking Share in AdWords
Sagar Shah, Product Manager for Google Ads, announced the deprecation of two automated bidding features in Google AdWords. They will be replaced with Target Impression Share.
