⛅ Forecast.

Target CPA is here to stay. Google’s product review update will no longer be a headache if you’re an affiliate marketer. January 18, 2022 [Read in browser]( [logo] [sponsor]( Happy Tuesday! Need some science to back up your gaming addiction? David Chalmers, a professor of philosophy and neural science at New York University believes that VR is the same as physical living, but the life in VR can be just as good or even better. GOOGLE Target CPA is not going anywhere “Just because we hid it, doesn’t mean we’ll kill it.” This appears to be the gist of Google’s [recent tweet to PPC advertisers]( that, despite rumors, there are no plans to unset Target CPA in Google Ads in 2022. Why the rumors: [Back in July](, Google made Target CPA harder to access. As a result, many advertisers started speculating that this is the ‘beginning of the end’ of metrics like tCPA and tROAS. Target… what? If you’re not into smart bidding, target CPA is a smart bidding strategy where the goal is for you to get as many conversions as possible. Simply put, you tell Google Ads how much you want to pay per action, and Google tries to get you as many of those actions as possible. Given Google's track record, we wouldn't be surprised if by 2022 they meant "only the first quarter of 2022." AFFILIATE MARKETING The Product Review Update will expand to other languages [article-image] Google's Product Review Update was probably your biggest headache in 2021 if you’re an affiliate marketer. (Un)fortunately, Google’s John Mueller has just announced [a few updates]( to this update (no pun intended): - It will expand to other languages and countries. - It uses machine learning. - It might be incorporated into a larger core update. The Crew’s recommendation: If you have content which deals with reviewing something, make sure you follow the [update’s best practises](. Not only does Google appreciate these practices, but your site visitors do as well. SPONSORED BY ATTEST Check the 2022 consumer forecast before planning your US marketing campaigns [article-image]( Ever go to the beach for a day in the sun…only to get rained on? Investing in marketing campaigns that flop feels worse. [This 2022 U.S. consumer trends report can help your campaigns end up basking in sunshine.]( Attest put together a handy report that reveals: - What kinds of messaging consumers really want to hear from brands - How consumers are feeling about things like the economy and coronavirus—and how that’s likely to affect their lifestyle choices - Top social media platforms consumers are using to interact with brands - Where people are shopping, what they’re saving up for, and the industries most likely to benefit - What Americans are watching, listening to, and reading …[and much more.]( Planning campaigns, developing products, or a combination of both? This report will help you make smart marketing decisions, rain or shine. [Check out 2022 US consumer trends now]( ADVERTSING Advanced practices for successful Amazon paid campaigns [article-image] Everybody is looking at TikTok as the new big thing in online advertising. Yet, the hottest buyers aren’t on TikTok… They’re on Amazon with a credit card already in their hands. Investing advertising dollars on Amazon can bring a big ROAS, and Nikola Sekulic from PPCHero [shared some advanced practices]( to optimize your Amazon campaigns. Here you go: Use Sponsored Brands for top-of-the-funnel campaigns: Maybe you’re familiar with Amazon Sponsored Products campaigns to promote your products on Amazon. Sponsored Brands ads, on the other hand, let you showcase your entire brand at the top of the search results, not just your products. Sponsored brands rank within product categories or category keywords. Use automatic targeting for keyword harvesting: Automatic targeting allows you to discover high-performing keywords that you can implement in your manual ads. Advertising on Amazon has a flywheel effect: After you start ranking high thanks to paid campaigns, Amazon eventually gives you the “Amazon’s Choice” designation. This label will give you more visibility and traffic, hence more sales. It’s an upward spiral, but you have to keep optimizing your campaigns to generate the best results. Use negative keywords to reduce ad spend: This practice prevents your products from ranking alongside products, brands, or categories that are not relevant to you. Not only will you save your budget, but you’ll also protect your brand. Have an agile strategy to manage your advertising cost of sale (ACoS): When you’re just starting, it’s okay to have a higher cost per sale. But once it gains traction and positive reviews, you must set the ACoS bar low because sales are easier to get. Moreover, consider that every category, type, and product should have unique ACoS goals. SPONSORED BY NUTRIPROFITS In the new year, affiliates know nutra offers are lit. And NutriProfits is adding fuel to that fire [article-image]( NutriProfits is setting the playing field ablaze [with a contest touting $12k cash prizes]( - and hefty commission increases! - 1st place: $6k + commission Increase up to 45% for all products - 2nd place: $4k + commission Increase up to 40% for all products - 3rd place: $2k + commission Increase up to 40% for all products What do you get when you mix some of the best nutra offers, a new year, and a contest? You get conversions! [Join the contest here.]( THE CREW'S INSIGHTS Copywriting lessons from a $7B fintech giant [article-image] In a recent deep dive, we analyzed how Wise’s copy changes over time. Their copywriting playbook is quite simple and is based on three points: - Focus on value propositions rather than features. Wise focuses on communicating how you’ll live better when you use their product. - Simple language: Wise is a product for the masses, and their simple language reflects that. - Specific language: They often use numbers to specify what benefits the user is getting. ”It’s 3x cheaper, you can get your debit card for $9, and you can use the card in 200 countries.” But let’s see how their header copy evolved in their 10 years of being in business. We found some winners and losers. Here’s some of them: The bad ones: - Bye-bye bank fees, hello world. - Bye-bye banks. You’ve had your fun. - The 3x cheaper international account. The good ones: - A cheaper way to send money internationally. - A cheaper and faster way to send money abroad. - Send money with the real exchange rate. You can notice how the losers are not specific and they don’t communicate the core value proposition of Wise. The winners, on the other hand, are specific and sink right into Wises’ value propositions: “Send money internationally for cheap.” The lesson. When you write copy for your website, ask yourself these two questions: - Does the reader know exactly what I’m selling? - Will the reader care? ROUNDING UP THE STACK [INFLUENCE MARKETING:]( Don’t gamble on influencers… The right creator gives you the right audience that is already in line with your brand's value. Upfluence helped OMEGA, Mapiful, KEEN, and 1600+ brands find the perfect creators to match their brands' characteristics… and drive sales! [Find your match here.](* [AMAZON:]( “We’ve changed our minds.” After all, Amazon won’t stop accepting UK-issued Visa cards on its platform. [E-COMMERCE:]( Good news, e-commerce is predicted to soar over the coming few years. [SEO:]( Google Search Console now includes a desktop page experience report. [INFLUENCER MARKETING:]( Will this set a precedent? Spain will regulate influencers promoting crypto assets. [PPC:]( Google has been playing dirty with its bidding mechanisms more than anyone expected. [ANALYTICS:]( Will Cloudflare Zaraz give Google's Tag Manager a run for its money? [GOOGLE:]( Here’s a reminder that all existing and future Smart Shopping Campaigns (SSC) on Google Ads will use a shared budget type starting February 15th. *This is a sponsored post. BRAIN TEASER When does Christmas come before Thanksgiving? You can find the [solution here](. FROM THE CREW Snag this hyper-niche Shopify store for free [article-image] [Kandy Pack, a six-year-old e-commerce store]( selling fanny and hydration packs for festival-goers and ravers around the world, has been listed on Flippa. The brand is well-established and enjoys a long-standing relationship with the manufacturer, who handles all production, packaging, and shipping. What else? The business is for sale for just under what you'll get if you win our [US$25,000 business giveaway](. To enter the raffle, you need to refer at least one new reader to our newsletter using your unique referral link – [grab it here.]( You have until February 4th, 2021 to get at least one successful referral. Each referral equals one entry. [CLICK TO SHARE]( Or copy your referral link: [ [poolside-logo] POOLSIDE CHAT Learn HTTP Status Codes by looking at dog photos [article-image] A dog digs a hole in the ground and discovers nothing. What is the HTTP status code for this? “404 not found,” according to [this fluffy directory]( of HTTP status codes. A dog laying on a beach represents "301 Moved Permanently," while a cute dog looking at a "no dogs allowed" sign represents "403 Forbidden." If you’re a dog person, this website will undoubtedly turn you into an HTTP Status Person in no time. 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