Welcome to our weekly review of major happenings in the digital space. Here are a few significant updates that might interest you;
- New Google Mobile Search Feature: People Search Next
Google has just introduced a new feature in its mobile search results called ‘People Search Next’. The new feature was created to help people easily see popular next searches based on what they are searching about. This feature will join other Google search features like People also ask, People also search for, Refine this search, and Related searches. The People Search Next features appear just above Related searches in a consistent pairing. However, Google says the search feature is not limited only to local, “near me” searches. According to Google, this feature is only available on mobile in the U.S. for English-language queries at the moment. There is no further news on when it will roll out to other countries. For more information, click here.
- WordPress 5.9 Launches With Full Site Editing
WordPress has just announced its new release of WordPress 5.9. This new version comes with a series of updates and improvements. Among the enhancements announced with the new release are:
- Full site editing making it easier to edit WordPress themes without using code (only for themes that support the new feature).
- Ten new blocks for site editing are listed under Themes (including next post, previous post, post comments, etc.).
- The opportunity to save theme changes for specific templates or globally across the whole site.
- A new default theme (named “Twenty Twenty-Two”).
- New ways to customize and configure blocks.
There are also new changes on the developer end. An example is how theme.json now supports child themes in the 5.9 version allowing users to build themes in WordPress Admin without writing code. For more information, click here.
- Gmail Campaigns Will Stop Running on June 28
In a recent update, Google has announced that dedicated Gmail campaigns are going away as of June 28. Google notified advertisers about this change on January 18 via email and on the Google Ads interface. The news was broadcasted when Google announced that standalone Gmail campaigns would become “read-only” in July 2021. Since then, advertisers have not been able to create new or edit existing standalone Gmail ads or campaigns. This is a que for advertisers that rely only on their standalone Gmail campaigns to find other alternatives like Discovery campaigns. For more information, click here.
- Facebook Is Removing Profile Videos from Next Month
Facebook will be removing video profile images as of February 7. Now, users who currently have a video profile image will be reverted back to a still picture. Launched in 2015, profile videos enable users to upload a 7-second video clip, which then loops on repeat. It hasn’t been a highly used feature, and we are guessing that is why Facebook is doing away with it. This first started when Facebook stopped users from uploading profile videos in 2021 and now, it’s removing the functionality completely. It’s not a major shift, and there might just be another fun feature around the corner. For more information, click here.
- TikTok Is Experimenting With New Video Avatar Tools, Audio-Only Live-Streams
TikTok is now testing a new avatar feature that will enable users to create a digital character avatar based on a selfie, with facial expressions that will match their actual look. This is a new approach for Tik Tok to share emotions and responses in the app. The avatar process might not be a new experience for iPhone users because it looks similar to Apple’s ‘Memoji’, which enables users to create their personal Memoji character. In addition to the video avatars feature, TikTok is also introducing a new group chats option, a process for screen-sharing within live streams and creator subscriptions. The social platform is looking to provide more user safety options, with keyword filters to censor content that includes their own chosen terms in the description accompanying the clip.
None of these features are in live testing as yet. They are only in the early experimental phase with no major news on its progress. For more information, click here.
Thank you for reading. See you next Friday for more news and interesting reads in the digital space.
