The Argument Against “Spelling It Out”

[00:00:00] It is Tuesday, September 24th.

[00:00:04] Today, advertising copy is full of numbers, prices, quantity, phone numbers and more.

[00:00:10] But what if marketers have been using numbers wrong this whole time?

[00:00:15] Also TikTok is coming for Google, Gemini is coming for free, and X decides to essentially

[00:00:21] unblock all your blocks.

[00:00:25] I'm Tod Maffin, that's ahead today in Digital Marketing.

[00:00:30] When it comes to numbers in marketing, it turns out the key is to stop spelling it out,

[00:00:36] literally.

[00:00:37] Have you ever wondered whether it's better to write numbers as digits or spell them out as words?

[00:00:43] Like, S-E-V-E-N.

[00:00:45] New research reveals that using digits in marketing copy, like ads, websites and packaging,

[00:00:51] can boost sales.

[00:00:53] The study found that when consumer see numbers written as digits, they are more likely

[00:00:58] to click on ads and convert.

[00:01:00] They also found when it's used as a number, consumers consider it to be more precise

[00:01:04] and helpful.

[00:01:05] Using digits instead of words, made reviews 10% more helpful according to consumers,

[00:01:11] and an experiment in the study found that customers were up to 15% more likely to buy

[00:01:15] the product.

[00:01:17] The researchers say this works because digits look more natural and appropriate compared

[00:01:21] to words which makes them easier for consumers to process.

[00:01:24] The study's researchers call this the number format effect.

[00:01:28] When consumers question a brand's credibility, they rely on familiar cues like numbers

[00:01:34] presented as digits which researchers say enhances this effect.

[00:01:39] We have a link to the full study in today's email newsletter.

[00:01:41] You can sign up for free by tapping the link at the top of the show notes or going to today

[00:01:45] in digital.com slash newsletter.

[00:01:51] TikTok is coming for the OG Search Giant Google with the launch of its search ads campaign

[00:01:57] tool today.

[00:01:58] This lets advertisers target ads based on what users are actively searching for, building

[00:02:03] on the existing search ads toggle.

[00:02:06] Previously, TikTok's search advertising model was relatively unique, lying on algorithms

[00:02:11] to match ads with searches without letting marketers select specific keywords.

[00:02:17] Now with this new tool, advertisers will gain more control over how their ads appear

[00:02:21] in search results.

[00:02:23] The new search ads will support both video and carousel images and brands will have the

[00:02:27] option to target either traffic or web conversions.

[00:02:31] But digitate reports today.

[00:02:33] The TikTok isn't likely to save an off Google's search ad dollars anytime soon if at all.

[00:02:39] Quoting from their piece, quote, TikTok users are on the app to be fed content not to actively

[00:02:45] hunt for it like they do on Google.

[00:02:47] It's more of a discovery engine than a search engine in the traditional sense.

[00:02:50] What's made TikTok so unique among social media platforms is its culture led content and

[00:02:56] an algorithm that delivers exactly what users want to see.

[00:03:00] The big question now is how search ads will impact that experience?

[00:03:05] If promoted posts are ads start to appear in searches, TikTok risks disrupting its

[00:03:09] organic field that users love.

[00:03:12] But if TikTok strikes the right balance, search ads could help it carve out a bigger

[00:03:17] slice of the ad market not just from big brands but also from smaller advertisers who

[00:03:22] yet to make TikTok a key part of their strategies.

[00:03:25] Currently the search ads campaign tool is only available in the US with plans for a broader

[00:03:31] rollout early next year.

[00:03:36] What's TikTok expands its search advertising features?

[00:03:39] The platform is also looking to address brand safety concerns by launching a new misinformation

[00:03:44] measurement system yesterday.

[00:03:46] This aims to reassure advertisers that their ads won't be placed alongside misleading content.

[00:03:52] They come in and develop this new capability with its measurement partners in response

[00:03:55] to the addition of misinformation to the brand's safety industry standards earlier this

[00:04:00] year.

[00:04:01] TikTok is partnered with three third party measurement companies, double verify, integral

[00:04:06] ad science and zepher to deliver detailed post campaign data.

[00:04:11] This information shows what content was shown before and after ads in the for you feed.

[00:04:20] Google announced today it's bringing its AI chatbot Gemini into its corporate workspace

[00:04:25] product for free.

[00:04:27] Well, included with the workspace price.

[00:04:30] This is for its standalone app not the AI integrated into the company's products like

[00:04:34] Google Docs or Drive.

[00:04:36] It's said to launching Q4 and Gemini will be included as a standard feature on workspace

[00:04:41] business enterprise and frontline plans.

[00:04:44] The tech giant says the Gemini will follow the same enterprise terms as other key workspace

[00:04:49] services like Gmail and Docs and won't use an organization's data generated responses

[00:04:54] or user prompts to train its AI model.

[00:04:58] Workspace administrators will also have the option to control whether Gemini keeps

[00:05:02] generated responses and user prompts as well as set limits on how long this information

[00:05:07] is stored.

[00:05:09] To protect against cybersecurity threats, Google is launching a security advisor tool that

[00:05:13] will deliver insights directly to IT administrators.

[00:05:17] This includes a range of safe browsing and data protection features for Chrome, Gmail

[00:05:21] and Google Drive and it will be available to paying workspace customers in the coming weeks.

[00:05:30] Pinterest today launched a new remix feature letting users build upon existing collages

[00:05:35] and mood boards which could boost user generated content linked to your brand's visuals.

[00:05:41] It will be similar to the remix feature on platforms like Instagram and Snapchat.

[00:05:45] Pinterest's new option lets users borrow and personalize existing collages by adding their

[00:05:51] own text images and drawings to create their own version of it.

[00:05:55] When a remix is posted, Pinterest automatically credits the original creator by linking

[00:06:00] back to their collage.

[00:06:01] For brands and users that prefer not to be remixed, there's an option to disable this

[00:06:06] in the settings.

[00:06:08] Pinterest is also making it easier for users to download and share collages in video format

[00:06:12] with different styles like regular video, time lapse, unscramble, ink and analog to other

[00:06:19] social platforms.

[00:06:20] These new remixing and sharing options are now being rolled out to users globally on

[00:06:25] iOS and Android.

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[00:07:31] Usually when you block a heater from your brand account they aren't able to see your posts

[00:07:35] anymore.

[00:07:37] Well, not on X.

[00:07:39] Elon Musk confirming this week that X will dramatically change how the block functionality

[00:07:44] works on the platform.

[00:07:46] While you can still block someone, that block user will now be able to see your brand's

[00:07:51] public posts.

[00:07:52] This means the only way to keep your updates really under wraps is to post privately or

[00:07:57] limit visibility to your followers only.

[00:08:00] While it is true that users you've blocked have been able to see your posts if they were

[00:08:04] not logged in, that logged in block did bring down the rhetoric and abuse some account saw.

[00:08:10] Meanwhile, despite Elon Musk's claims that X is hitting record highs and usage, the latest

[00:08:15] data tells a different story.

[00:08:17] The platform is losing user interest.

[00:08:19] According to new insights, X has recently seen a decline in users in both the US and UK in recent

[00:08:26] months coinciding with Musk's continued emphasis on his political views.

[00:08:30] Last month, admitted reports of race-based riots in the UK, Musk posted that quote,

[00:08:35] Civil War is inevitable, unquote, in the region which appears to have triggered an

[00:08:40] exodus of UK users from the app.

[00:08:42] Data from similar web indicates that daily active users in the UK have plummeted from

[00:08:48] 8 million a year ago to around 5.5 million now, with more than a third of that drop occurring

[00:08:54] since the summer riots.

[00:08:57] The decline is also occurring in other regions, not just where the platform has been banned

[00:09:01] like Brazil, in the same 16-month period, X's active users in the US have dropped by almost

[00:09:07] to fifth.

[00:09:08] Just to climb, actually aligns with X's own reports regarding its European user base.

[00:09:13] As part of its obligations in the EU, X must provide regular updates on its user numbers in the region.

[00:09:20] In its most recent report covering the first half of 2024, X noted a 5% decline in EU users.

[00:09:30] That's it for today. Thanks for listening. I'm Todd Maffin. See you tomorrow.