Get your scoop into the latest SEO news from this week for the last time in 2019! Happy reading!
News #1: Amazon Makes it Easier for Agencies to Advertise on their Client’s Behalf
Amazon changed their registration process for vendors wherein agencies will no longer have to submit vendor codes when registering, nor wait for approval from Amazon to set up new advertising accounts.
Agencies will now, only need the approval of the authorised client account holder to register a new advertising account, making the whole process a whole lot easier for both parties.
While this may seem like a minor update, it shows how Amazon is growing and enhancing its features by listening to their users’ pain points and making changes to Advertising practices to respond to client demands and growing budgets.
Source: Search Engine Land
News #2: Twitter Bans animated PNG files
Twitter announced that they will be banning PNG image files from its platform following an attack on the Epilepsy Foundation’s Twitter page when an account sent out animated images that could potentially cause seizures in photosensitive people.
The platform discovered a bug that allowed users to bypass its autoplay settings which was how the account was allowed to post several animated images in a single tweet using the APNG file format.
The attacks on the Epilepsy Foundation’s Twitter handle occurred last month during National Epilepsy Awareness Month with trolls using its hashtags and Twitter handle to post images with strobing light effects that can cause seizures.
Twitter mentioned on Monday that it will be looking into building a similar feature that will be better for users and improve their online experience.
Source: The Verge
News #3: Google Assistant Only Holds 9% of the Virtual Assistant Market
Google found itself in unfamiliar territory – third place in the virtual assistant market after Microsoft and Apple.
To put this in perspective, Android users have a choice when it comes to installing Google Assistant on their device. A market share of 9% suggests that the adoption rate of the virtual assistant amongst Android users was obviously not very high. Moreover, Google Assistant can be installed as a standalone app on Apple iPhones and iPads which cannot be said for any other virtual assistants.
Google Assistant’s has the ability to be installed on the two leading mobile operating systems, yet still only holds a 9% market share in a growing market showcases its need to step up its game.
Source: Search Engine Journal
News #4: YouTube updates Mobile App for better TV Experience
In a blog post published by YouTube, the platform outlined changes its product team made to its mobile apps to make it easier for people to watch, control and have the full YouTube experience on any device of their choosing.
The iOS and Android apps now allow for voice search as well!
Image Source: Fonearena
While the app changes are overall quiet minor, they speak to the video platform’s concentrated effort to build out both, the mobile and TV app experience likely in an attempt to make the transition from streaming on your phone to your TV and vice-versa, as seamless as possible.
Source: The Verge
