TikTok in hot water, Google algorithm updates and more
#BlackLivesMatter as viewed through corporate emails
As protests erupted around the country following the death of George Floyd, many brands embraced the Black Lives Matter movement and took a stand for equality and inclusion. Really Good Emails (one of our favorite sources for email inspiration) has compiled a selection of inclusion emails to highlight how various brands, from rank-and-review app Yelp to cosmetics brand Lush, are committing to the cause.
View the full email collection here.
TikTok gets in hot water with censorship complaints
It seems TikTok can’t escape the struggles faced by old dogs Facebook and Twitter. At the height of protests opposing police brutality, TikTok experienced what it called a “technical glitch” that made it appear as though videos uploaded under the #BlackLivesMatter and #GeorgeFloyd hashtags received zero views. Although the company fixed the error, hundreds of creators already noticed and called them out. TikTok has pledged to do better, but for their core audience of Gen Z and Millennials, transparency will be needed for continued growth.
Read TikTok’s response.
Google emphasizes page experience
In a rare move, Google has provided a warning in advance about a change they will be making to their algorithm. Starting in 2021, they will begin factoring in page experience to who tops the search results page. The change will account for things such as page load time, a site’s responsiveness and the overall user experience (i.e. things aren’t broken) when determining who gets the coveted No. 1 spot. This gives your web team plenty of time to make the necessary changes so your rankings aren’t dinged in the new year. (P.S. LF can run a quick report to see how your website ranks for these today!)
Get ready for the change.
Facebook and Pinterest make moves for in-app shopping
As online shopping continues to surge with limited in-person contact at retail locations, Facebook and Pinterest made moves to encourage more sales within their platforms. Facebook’s new shops will be digital storefronts hosted entirely on Facebook (no website needed), while Pinterest will capitalize on the photos people pin to suggest in-stock items that are similar to pinned images.
Take a look at Facebook and Pinterest’s new shopping options.
Reminder: Update your passwords
Lastly, we’ll close out with a friendly reminder to change your passwords. A recent study found that only 1/3 of people changed their passwords after being notified of a data breach affecting them. The dataset was rather low for this study, but it speaks to a truth about consumer habits and the annoyance we share for passwords. For marketing professionals who often have passwords to systems that manage customer data, keeping your account secure is vital for the safety of your brand.
Dig into the study data here.
We’re here to keep you up to date on the always-evolving digital world. Check out the digital news you might have missed last month.
LF Newsletter Alert
Want Lessing-Flynn to rock the socks off your inbox with insights and more?