Ginny Marvin Joins Google As New Ads Product Liaison
Ginny Marvin has announced on Twitter she has joined Google as the new Google Ads Product Liaison. She left Search Engine Land in December after being with the company since 2013 and now is going into a similar role that Danny Sullivan took after he left Search Engine Land.
Ginny said “Some work news from me after a couple of months off: I have joined Google in a new role as Ads Product Liaison. My core aim is to help answer questions about how Google Ads products & policies work and help bring marketers’ insights & perspectives to the teams working on them. It’s not an exaggeration to say this is a pivotal time for digital advertising with advancements in AI, privacy initiatives and more. I’m excited to be able to serve in this liaison role to help marketers stay informed and be successful in the years ahead. And my DMs are open. I will be doing a lot of listening and look forward to lots of constructive conversations.”
It’s not an exaggeration to say this is a pivotal time for digital advertising with advancements in AI, privacy initiatives and more. I’m excited to be able to serve in this liaison role to help marketers stay informed and be successful in the years ahead. And my DMs are open.
— Ginny Marvin (@GinnyMarvin) March 1, 2021
When Ginny told me she was leaving, which was several months ago, I always joked that she would end up at Google, like Danny. She always thought I was crazy but I kind of saw this coming. Ginny has the history, work ethic, smarts and humor to work at Google and in this role. I am sure she will be amazing at it and more importantly, I think she will make for positive changes for the PPC community directly with changes to the Google Ads platform.
Just to be clear, Danny was the first Liaison to be hired for Google. He was hired on the Search side, then Matt Koval was hired on the YouTube side and now Ginny on the Google Ads side:
Yes, absolutely as Danny says. I hear you, Tad, but the focus on two-way communication is absolutely key. Being able to bring the advertiser perspective in is a big part of what drew me to the role. You’ve got my ear!
— Ginny Marvin (@GinnyMarvin) March 1, 2021
Here is some of the reaction from the industry on this announcement:
Super excited that @GinnyMarvin is joining Google as the @GoogleAds Product Liaison! https://t.co/n3d3SCi9On
— Danny Sullivan (@dannysullivan) March 1, 2021
😀
— Greg Sterling (@gsterling) March 1, 2021
Yay! Congratulations!
— 🍌 John 🍌 (@JohnMu) March 1, 2021
If you’re using Google Ads, sounds like you have a better way to communicate with them now. Ginny is going to be the Ads Product Liaison. https://t.co/ve3jQ5BKAS
— Glenn Gabe (@glenngabe) March 1, 2021
Ginny is going to be a fantastic Ads Product Liason for @Google. So excited for her in this new role! https://t.co/CyJXGsgdRf
— Simon Poulton 🐙 (@SPoulton) March 1, 2021
A big win for Google Ads. 💫👌❤️ https://t.co/VdwKoZEhWb
— CoryHenke (@coryhenke) March 1, 2021
Thanks, Michelle🙌. Bidirectionality FTW!
— Ginny Marvin (@GinnyMarvin) March 1, 2021
— Elisabeth Os (@elisabethos) March 1, 2021
Big news for Ginny & all of us in the #ppcchat community! Congratulations & look forward to hearing from you regularly. (Cause you know you will hear from us!) https://t.co/5aPCGQ314f
— Julie F Bacchini (@NeptuneMoon) March 1, 2021
Thanks, Greg! Just promise you’ll keep your insights and thoughts unvarnished for me :).
— Ginny Marvin (@GinnyMarvin) March 1, 2021
Thank you, Matt! Not an exaggeration to say I wouldn’t be where I am today without your support!
— Ginny Marvin (@GinnyMarvin) March 1, 2021
There is way too much reaction to embed it all but this is very positive news for both Google and the industry.
Forum discussion at Twitter.
Google Warns About Misuse of Its Indexing API
Google has updated its Indexing API documentation with a clear warning about spam detection and the possible consequences of misuse.
Warning Against API Misuse The new message in the guide says:
“All submissions through the Indexing API are checked for spam. Any misuse, like using multiple accounts or going over the usage limits, could lead to access being taken away.”
This warning is aimed at people trying to abuse the system by exceeding the API’s limits or breaking Google’s rules.
What Is the Indexing API? The Indexing API allows websites to tell Google when job posting or livestream video pages are added or removed. It helps websites with fast-changing content get their pages crawled and indexed quickly.
But it seems some users have been trying to abuse this by using multiple accounts to get more access.
Impact of the Update Google is now closely watching how people use the Indexing API. If someone breaks the rules, they might lose access to the tool, which could make it harder for them to keep their search results updated for time-sensitive content.
How To Stay Compliant To use the Indexing API properly, follow these rules:
- Don’t go over the usage limits, and if you need more, ask Google instead of using multiple accounts.
- Use the API only for job postings or livestream videos, and make sure your data is correct.
- Follow all of Google’s API guidelines and spam policies.
- Use sitemaps along with the API, not as a replacement.
Remember, the Indexing API isn’t a shortcut to faster indexing. Follow the rules to keep your access.
This Week in Search News: Simple and Easy-to-Read Update
Here’s what happened in the world of Google and search engines this week:
1. Google’s June 2024 Spam Update
Google finished rolling out its June 2024 spam update over a period of seven days. This update aims to reduce spammy content in search results.
2. Changes to Google Search Interface
Google has removed the continuous scroll feature for search results. Instead, it’s back to the old system of pages.
3. New Features and Tests
- Link Cards: Google is testing link cards at the top of AI-generated overviews.
- Health Overviews: There are more AI-generated health overviews showing up in search results.
- Local Panels: Google is testing AI overviews in local information panels.
4. Search Rankings and Quality
- Improving Rankings: Google said it can improve its search ranking system but will only do so on a large scale.
- Measuring Quality: Google’s Elizabeth Tucker shared how they measure search quality.
5. Advice for Content Creators
- Brand Names in Reviews: Google advises not to avoid mentioning brand names in review content.
- Fixing 404 Pages: Google explained when it’s important to fix 404 error pages.
6. New Search Features in Google Chrome
Google Chrome for mobile devices has added several new search features to enhance user experience.
7. New Tests and Features in Google Search
- Credit Card Widget: Google is testing a new widget for credit card information in search results.
- Sliding Search Results: When making a new search query, the results might slide to the right.
8. Bing’s New Feature
Bing is now using AI to write “People Also Ask” questions in search results.
9. Local Search Ranking Factors
Menu items and popular times might be factors that influence local search rankings on Google.
10. Google Ads Updates
- Query Matching and Brand Controls: Google Ads updated its query matching and brand controls, and advertisers are happy with these changes.
- Lead Credits: Google will automate lead credits for Local Service Ads. Google says this is a good change, but some advertisers are worried.
- tROAS Insights Box: Google Ads is testing a new insights box for tROAS (Target Return on Ad Spend) in Performance Max and Standard Shopping campaigns.
- WordPress Tag Code: There is a new conversion code for Google Ads on WordPress sites.
These updates highlight how Google and other search engines are continuously evolving to improve user experience and provide better advertising tools.
AI
Exploring the Evolution of Language Translation: A Comparative Analysis of AI Chatbots and Google Translate
According to an article on PCMag, while Google Translate makes translating sentences into over 100 languages easy, regular users acknowledge that there’s still room for improvement.
In theory, large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT are expected to bring about a new era in language translation. These models consume vast amounts of text-based training data and real-time feedback from users worldwide, enabling them to quickly learn to generate coherent, human-like sentences in a wide range of languages.
However, despite the anticipation that ChatGPT would revolutionize translation, previous experiences have shown that such expectations are often inaccurate, posing challenges for translation accuracy. To put these claims to the test, PCMag conducted a blind test, asking fluent speakers of eight non-English languages to evaluate the translation results from various AI services.
The test compared ChatGPT (both the free and paid versions) to Google Translate, as well as to other competing chatbots such as Microsoft Copilot and Google Gemini. The evaluation involved comparing the translation quality for two test paragraphs across different languages, including Polish, French, Korean, Spanish, Arabic, Tagalog, and Amharic.
In the first test conducted in June 2023, participants consistently favored AI chatbots over Google Translate. ChatGPT, Google Bard (now Gemini), and Microsoft Bing outperformed Google Translate, with ChatGPT receiving the highest praise. ChatGPT demonstrated superior performance in converting colloquialisms, while Google Translate often provided literal translations that lacked cultural nuance.
For instance, ChatGPT accurately translated colloquial expressions like “blow off steam,” whereas Google Translate produced more literal translations that failed to resonate across cultures. Participants appreciated ChatGPT’s ability to maintain consistent levels of formality and its consideration of gender options in translations.
The success of AI chatbots like ChatGPT can be attributed to reinforcement learning with human feedback (RLHF), which allows these models to learn from human preferences and produce culturally appropriate translations, particularly for non-native speakers. However, it’s essential to note that while AI chatbots outperformed Google Translate, they still had limitations and occasional inaccuracies.
In a subsequent test, PCMag evaluated different versions of ChatGPT, including the free and paid versions, as well as language-specific AI agents from OpenAI’s GPTStore. The paid version of ChatGPT, known as ChatGPT Plus, consistently delivered the best translations across various languages. However, Google Translate also showed improvement, performing surprisingly well compared to previous tests.
Overall, while ChatGPT Plus emerged as the preferred choice for translation, Google Translate demonstrated notable improvement, challenging the notion that AI chatbots are always superior to traditional translation tools.
Source: https://www.pcmag.com/articles/google-translate-vs-chatgpt-which-is-the-best-language-translator
