Nov 7 2023
Google’s Holiday 100 Guide Reveals Top Trending Gift Searches via @sejournal, @MattGSouthern

As the holiday shopping season kicks off, Google has released new data and tools offering valuable insights for search marketers looking to connect consumers with top gifts and deals.

The company published its annual Holiday 100 list, highlighting the 100 trending product searches. Additionally, Google launched a holiday deals hub to aggregate discounts in one central location.

This data and new toolset present opportunities to optimize holiday campaigns around high-demand gifts and deals.

Holiday 100 Gift List Reflects Top Trending Searches

Google’s annual Holiday 100 list highlights the top trending gift searches. The extensive list spans gifts across seven categories, including home & garden, apparel, accessories, electronics, toys, beauty, and wellness.

Some interesting trends spotted in Google’s holiday data this year include the rising popularity of cozy home products like candle warmers and human-sized dog beds. Searches for human-dog beds increased 1,650% this year, while candle warmers have been a top search in the home decor category.

Sustainable jewelry pieces like lab-grown diamond necklaces also made the list, reflecting a growing consumer interest in eco-friendly gifts.

Other unique gift ideas highlighted include weighted blankets, puzzle vases (up 1,150% in searches), claw clips outpacing scrunchies in popularity, outdoor bean bag chairs, and instant print cameras for kids.

Across categories, practical gifts like luggage trackers, electric bikes, and acupressure mats also seem to be resonating with shoppers in 2023.

Google compiled the Holiday 100 list by analyzing search trends from June to September to identify gifts seeing a surge of interest compared to previous years. The company hopes the list will provide gift inspiration to the 41% of holiday shoppers surveyed who struggle to come up with ideas.

Data Offers Insights For Retail and Search Marketers

For retail and search marketers, the Holiday 100 list reveals breakout gift ideas to potentially incorporate into holiday promotions and advertisements. Meanwhile, the deals hub presents an opportunity to get discounts and sales front and center before users.

Brands looking to catch shoppers’ attention this season should focus on aligning their strategies with popular searches and interest areas identified by Google. Search marketers can also look to optimize for trending gift-related queries and place deals in front of Google users hunting for savings.

In Summary

The annual Holiday 100 list provides gift inspiration based on top searches, while the new deals hub aggregates discounts.

For shoppers, these tools offer help discovering ideas and savings this season. For retailers, the data reveals rising trends to potentially incorporate into holiday marketing.

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Oct 26 2023
Amazon Introduces Generative AI Image Tool For Advertisers via @sejournal, @kristileilani

In a move aimed at simplifying the ad creative process, Amazon Ads has released a generative AI-powered image generation feature in beta.

This tool promises to tackle a pain point that has been pervasive among digital advertisers: the complexity of designing compelling ad creatives.

The new feature could be a game-changer in the ever-evolving landscape of digital advertising, combining artistic and scientific approaches.

75% Of Advertisers Struggle With Ad Creatives

According to a survey conducted by Amazon in March 2023, nearly 75% of advertisers who struggled with campaign success identified creating ad creatives and choosing a creative format as their main challenges.

Colleen Aubrey, senior vice president of Amazon Ads Products and Technology, said the company is committed to “reducing friction for advertisers” and providing tools that amplify the impact of ads while minimizing effort.

Amazon Offers AI-Powered Solution For Custom Images

The generative AI-powered image generation feature helps brands display products in real-life contexts for better ad performance.

Advertisers choose their product in the Amazon Ad Console, click “Generate,” and the tool employs generative AI to produce a variety of lifestyle and brand-themed images based on product details.

These images can be fine-tuned using short text prompts, and multiple versions can be swiftly generated for A/B testing.

For instance, a simple picture of a toaster against a white backdrop may not elicit as much engagement as an image of the same toaster placed next to a croissant on a kitchen counter.

Lifestyle Images Lead To Higher CTR

According to Amazon, such lifestyle context can increase click-through rates by as much as 40% compared to standard product images.

The tool is designed to be user-friendly, making it accessible to advertisers of all sizes, regardless of whether they have in-house capabilities or agency support.

Amazon Ads has initially rolled out this feature to a select group of advertisers and plans to broaden its availability over time.

They also aim to refine the tool based on customer feedback continually.

The Future Of Generative AI Advertising Solutions

Amazon’s generative AI feature promises to level the playing field for small businesses and large corporations by democratizing access to high-quality, context-rich ad imagery.

It could enable more advertisers to create compelling ad creatives without the need for specialized expertise or extensive resources, thereby improving the overall quality and efficacy of digital advertising.

The launch of an AI-powered image generator follows Amazon’s recent additions of generative AI descriptions and customer review summaries.

Featured image: Tada Images/Shutterstock

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