Next stop, this Digital Download. Here’s the latest from the digital news sphere, handpicked just for you.

 

What the heck is BERT?

Not the Sesame Street character, that’s for sure. In the past, computers have struggled to understand language — until natural language processing came along, which encompasses named entity recognition, sentiment, Q&A functions, etc. Tools like BERT work to incorporate them all. Google started to roll out BERT on Oct. 21, 2019, for English searches, but the tool will incorporate all languages eventually. While you can’t optimize content for BERT, natural language processing is important to understand, especially if you want to succeed in the search industry.

Break down the ins and outs of BERT with Moz’s Britney Muller.

 

Banner ad turns 25

Happy belated birthday to the banner ad, who celebrated its 25th birthday on Oct. 27. Regardless of how you feel about this type of digital ad, you should know it’s not planning to go anywhere anytime soon. Banner ads are becoming more sophisticated by the minute, especially on mobile, including video, sound and even augmented reality. CEO of Fang Marketing Jeff Ferguson says the average person sees around 1,700 banner ads a month but that the right strategy can cut through the clutter. Maybe they do deserve a spot in your next digital campaign. Yay or nay?

>>> Help yourself to even more history of the banner ad and check out where it’s going.

 

The Krispy Kreme resale scheme

Not all heroes wear capes. Some simply drive 500 miles round-trip to bring the goodness of Krispy Kreme donuts to the Twin Cities for seven months straight. That’s certainly Jason Gonzalez’s story, who went viral a couple of weeks ago for this very task. The Twin Cities haven’t had an operating Krispy Kreme store since 2008, so Gonzales saw an opportunity to ward off his student debt, driving to Clive, Iowa, to buy and then reselling the donuts back in St. Paul, Minnesota. The donut chain initially shut down Gonzalez’s operation, citing quality control issues, but he has since been named an independent operator, equipped with his very own company van. Sounds like this marketing scheme worked out.

>>> Satisfy your craving with the rest of this story.

 

Snapchat rolls out long-form option for video ads

Brands around the world, rejoice. Snapchat is increasing the duration of the platform’s video ads beyond the current six-second limit. The new format will mimic aspects of YouTube’s TrueView ads, maintaining the six-second unskippable period and continuing to play for up-to-three minutes total with the option to skip anytime. With this option, brands will be able to utilize more of their already existing video ads and easily drop them into the app while Snapchat will see more ad revenue dollars. Win-win.

>>> Read more about the rationale behind Snapchat’s decision.

 

Experts optimistic about the future of digital

Think positive! That’s what the experts are doing when it comes to the future of digital life. According to a recent Pew Research Center study, 72% believe digital will “change for the better” in the next 50 years. Among these changes, respondents hope to see innovations that lead to longer lifespans, tailored use per user and reduction of inequality. It’s worth noting, though, that most all experts agreed that the end of privacy is looming as well. What do you think? Leave us a comment detailing your outlook on digital life.

>>> Read into more expert observations and insights to decide for yourself.

 

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