eCommerce Express Digest - December 2023

It was a big year in Digital – the rise of AI and the emergence of SGE will be a huge trend coming into 2024. Many marketers and webmasters were busy wrapping up for the year and then having a break, so we have put together a few interesting new items that happened in December that you may have missed!

Australia Post came out with their wrap of the BF Sales period and 5.2 million Australians shopped online. Shopify recorded record-high spending on their retailer websites and it’s clear that this event isn’t going away any time soon. For all the stats, check out this article on our blog.

Onto the Google News to wrap up 2023…

Google proved itself to have a sense of humour in December 2023, with a post made on X about the ‘steal your Christmas Turkey Update’ on Boxing Day. Apparently you should expect traffic drops (unless you’re Forbes or Reddit) but we’re pretty sure this was a joke!

Earlier today we released the December 2023 core update.

This update will roll out mainly to English-speaking countries first.

We're calling this one the "steal your Christmas turkey" update.

If you notice traffic declines, this might be because you are not Forbes or Reddit.

— Google Search Honesty (@googlehonesty) December 25, 2023

Google DeepMind introduced Gemini, a new reinforcement learning system that achieves state-of-the-art performance across various tasks. In a related YouTube video, DeepMind explains the significance of Gemini in advancing artificial intelligence.

Google Ads reassured users that AI changes will not phase out support, addressing concerns amid ongoing updates. Additionally, Google is testing dynamic headlines, ad copy, and description text in live ads, aiming to enhance ad effectiveness.

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) introduced significant enhancements; including the protected audiences API, aimed at bolstering data security and privacy in anticipation of third-party cookie deprecation this year. Additionally, GA4 is integrating audiences with Google Ads, allowing for more seamless targeting capabilities. 

We’ve introduced the ability to build and apply Analytics audiences – including predictive audiences – directly as you build campaigns in Google Ads. Build better audiences with the extensive behavioral insights available only in GA4 → https://t.co/d4E33LJS4u

— Google Analytics (@googleanalytics) December 5, 2023

They also have added the integration of Adsense properties into GA4, which provides users with a comprehensive view of ad performance, streamlining analytics and offering a more unified experience. These updates collectively reinforce GA4 as a powerful tool for marketers seeking improved audience targeting, data protection, and comprehensive insights into their online presence.

Google also reinforced its local search ranking algorithm with an emphasis on the openness signal, prioritising transparency in search results.

The team tells me we've long used "openness" as part of our local ranking systems, and it recently became a stronger signal for non-navigational queries. This might change in various ways, as we continue to evaluate the usefulness of it, however.

— Google SearchLiaison (@searchliaison) December 15, 2023

What does this mean for my business? Essentially they’re saying that you should be open and honest about your business information – such as opening hours, locations, services etc and having incorrect information could be more harmful than helpful when it comes to rankings. 

In other news…

Google owned YouTube is experiencing audience growth with its free subscription model, attracting an expanding user base. The platform’s strategic move towards a free subscription offering has proven successful, capturing a larger audience and further solidifying its position as a leading content-sharing platform.

Meta threads now has its own version of hashtags – called ‘topic tags’. This update is to enhance the way users navigate and participate in online discussions and to try and help Google index the information. With the integration of threads, hashtags, and topic tags, the user experience is poised to reach new heights of organisation and engagement. Threads provide a structured framework for conversations, allowing users to follow discussions more coherently and contribute seamlessly.

Reddit introduced new conversation placement ad formats, aiming to provide a more engaging advertising experience.

X (formally Twitter) has officially launched Grok, its ChatGPT rival, introducing a new platform for dynamic and interactive conversations. Grok is set to compete in the evolving landscape of language technology, offering users an alternative for engaging and immersive conversational experiences.

That’s all folks! What will 2024 have in store in for us here in the Digital Commerce space? My guess is more AI and a focus on SGE. Stay tuned and watch this space!