Digital Technology News – 22 Nov 2021

Google Ads: 4 New Features for Local Shopping

Google has introduced four helpful new features to support local businesses and enhance the shopping experience, especially during busy seasons:

1. Area Busyness
   Google Maps now shows how crowded a specific area is at different times of the day. By tapping a location on the map, users can view real-time data and projected busyness, helping them avoid crowds—an especially useful tool post-pandemic.

    

2. Directory Tab
   This new tab helps users explore all the open businesses inside large buildings like malls or commercial complexes. It shows which stores are open, their categories, and even their floor locations, making navigation easier.

    

3. Grocery Shopping Pickup
   Google Maps now supports online grocery orders for pickup. Once an order is placed, users can track the order’s status and get estimated arrival times, reducing wait times and improving customer convenience.

    

4. More Info About Restaurants
   Google has improved restaurant listings with detailed customer reviews. These insights help users make informed dining decisions based on others’ experiences, quality, and service.

    

Google Ads Indian Searches with Translated Results

Google has launched a new feature called Translated Results to make web content more accessible to users in India. It auto-translates web pages into the user’s native language—currently supporting Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, and Indonesian.

If a page in the user’s language isn’t available, Google will find and display a relevant page, translating the title tag and meta description as needed. Websites are automatically opted in unless they use the notranslate directive.

This initiative aims to expand the reach of useful content across language barriers. As Google explains, it’s a step toward making the web more inclusive and user-friendly in multilingual countries like India.

Not Known Google Analytics Reports

Google Analytics offers powerful but often overlooked tools for better marketing insights. Here are a few lesser-known yet valuable features:

1. Custom Dashboards
   Create and schedule custom reports for stakeholders. They help monitor essential KPIs and can be used as a base before switching to tools like Google Data Studio.

    

2. Lifetime Value
   Track how much value individual users bring over time. Ideal for e-commerce websites or subscription models. Although it’s still in beta, it offers valuable insights for long-term marketing strategies.

    

3. User Explorer
   Analyze how individual users navigate your site. While it doesn’t identify users personally, it provides a detailed view of their on-site behavior for conversion optimization.

    

4. Interests/Affinity Categories
   Understand your audience better—who they are, what they care about, and how they convert. Great for refining targeting across marketing platforms.

    

5. Benchmarking Channels
   Compare your site’s performance against industry averages. This helps set realistic goals and spot performance gaps.

    

6. User Flow
   Visualize how visitors move across your site. Spot drop-off points or unusual patterns to optimize the customer journey.

    

7. Landing Pages (Site Content)
   Identify which landing pages bring in the most traffic and which channels drive that traffic.

    

8. Site Search Terms
   Know what users are searching for on your site. This helps improve site navigation and identify content gaps.

    

With DGTLmart’s advanced Google Analytics services, businesses can unlock these lesser-used tools to get deeper insights and better ROI.

Google Cloud Outage Darkens Websites

Google Cloud recently experienced a major outage, leading to widespread 404 errors across popular apps like Spotify, Discord, and Snapchat. The issue was traced back to Google Cloud Networking. Within 20 minutes, partial service was restored, and Google later confirmed that the issue had been mostly resolved. This incident highlights the heavy reliance of modern applications on cloud infrastructure.

Outbound Links Strategy: When, How, and Why to Use Them?

Marketers often confuse inbound and outbound links. Here’s a quick breakdown:

• Inbound links are external websites linking to your site.

   

• Outbound links are links from your site to another.

   

For instance, if you run an online store selling wood carvings and link to a site selling premium wood, that’s an outbound link. If someone else links to your store, it’s inbound for you.

While outbound links don’t directly boost rankings, they provide credibility, trust, and value to users. They can help build relationships, increase organic traffic, and enhance your site’s authority if used strategically.

Google values outbound links because they connect your content to reputable sources. But many website owners hesitate, fearing users might leave. However, if your content is strong, users will return.

 DGTLmart  guides clients in building smart outbound link strategies that boost authority while keeping users engaged.