Canadian Retail Shines at the 2013 Canada Post eCommerce Innovation Awards Dinner & Gala

On Wednesday night, Canada Post hosted the second annual Ecommerce Innovation Awards Dinner & Gala in Toronto. The event saw Gemini award winner James Duthie and his witty banter return to the ceremony for a second straight year.

This year's edition of the Ecommerce Innovation awards just about doubled the size of the inaugural Award show of 2012, with more than 600 ecommerce and retail enthusiasts attending the event. While the growth is significant, what truly stood out was the increase in attendee engagement. It was clear this event was heavily anticipated and slotted on many calendars months in advance.

Just as Canada Post went bigger with the 2013 Awards, so did OrderDynamics®. We were proud to be a Platinum sponsor of the 2013 Canada Post Ecommerce Innovation Awards and to associate ourselves with retail excellence in Canada. OrderDynamics President, Michael Turcsanyi, even presented the award for the Most Innovative Retailer category (a list of award winners can be found below). 

OrderDynamics President Michael Turcsanyi presenting the award for Most Innovative Retailer

The atmosphere throughout the night was electric and inspiring. Themes of innovation and out-of-the-box thinking repeatedly surfaced too. In many ways this event stood as a reflection of the Canadian retail industry and the evolution it has undergone in recent years. Nowhere was that more apparent than with Canada Post themselves. The long-time mail delivery company now calls itself a "parcel delivery company" and is completely entrenched into the ecommerce and omni-channel world – and subsequent omni-channel fulfillment expectations – we're all living in today.

The evolution doesn’t end there, though. Nimble and relatively new web-only retailers (like Jewlr and Snakes and Lattes) and longstanding national brick-and-mortar retailers (like Lowes and Hudson’s Bay) are increasingly participating in high profile events like this. We are no longer seeing the same few names as in years past – Canadian retailers of all sizes clearly recognize the importance of ecommerce and are giving it the focus it rightfully deserves.

Tanbir Grover and Martin Priest of Lowe's Canada accepting the Best Multi-Channel Retailer Award

Canada has long been seen as an ecommerce straggler, but the 2013 Award nominees suggest something different: while there is a lot of work to be done within Canada to meet the high expectations of Canadian shoppers, the gap is closing at a considerable pace. Ecommerce in Canada has quietly shifted to the forefront of retail strategies and we’re witnessing the integration and alignment of web and other retail channels.

It will be interesting to see how Canadian brick and mortar retailers respond to the growing surge of web-only retailers entering the Canadian market (both Canadian and US-based e-retailers who see Canada as a strategic opportunity). Recent data from Forrester Research and Canada Post suggest Canadian consumers prefer shopping in and/or using retail stores as part of their shopping experience. We expect Canadian retailers to continue building a tighter cross-channel experience to leverage its stores, staff, inventory and more through omni-channel strategies. See what web-only retailers do to steer around this preference will be fascinating.

OrderDynamics' Steven Berkovitz with Glenn Burton of Neatfreak and David McPherson of Henry's Camera

Finally, we would be remiss if we didn’t mention the Awards show itself. It was a first-class event through and through. The event appropriately put the spotlight on cutting edge Canadian retailers who are pushing the retailing envelope in order to better service its customers. The amount of quality nominees and efforts that were on display suggest only great things are to come for this industry and ultimately for Canadian consumers. Hats off to Canada Post, all of the nominees and of course, the award winners on a fantastic evening and event! And speaking of award winners, here they are:

OrderDynamics' Michael Turcsanyi, Kevin Butler and Steven Berkovitz

Consumer Champion Award (fan voted)
Nail Polish Canada

Most Innovative Retailer (small), Presented by OrderDynamics
Ten Tree International

Most Innovative Retailer (large)
Jewlr

Best Multi-Channel Retailer (small)

Snakes and Lattes

Best Multi-Channel Retailer (large)

Lowes Canada

Best E-Tailer (small)
Build.ca

Best E-Tailer (large)
Well.ca

The 2013 Canada Post eCommerce Innovation Awards Winners

Eclipse Stores Moves into Omni-Channel Commerce with OrderDynamics

OrderDynamics® would like to congratulate Eclipse Stores on the launch of their first online store and move into omni-channel commerce with the OrderDynamics On-Demand eCommerce Platform and Order Management Solutions.  The rapidly-growing women’s apparel brand operates 68 stores in Canada, and is able to expand its business beyond store logistics to create a truly national brand.

The new EclipseStores.com builds on the original site by now offering a full catalog of Eclipse merchandise. Utilizing OrderDynamics dynamic Product Merchandising applications, Eclipse offers customers the Shop This Outfit tool, which allows them to leverage product recommendations to create their perfect look. Additionally, shoppers can compile a Wish List of desired items and email to a friend, which is ideal for the upcoming holiday shopping season.

Eclipse Stores' Shop This Outfit Feature

Eclipse’s online store also leverages OrderDynamics retail Order Management Solution to provide their customers with the most convenient fulfillment options.  Using OrderDynamics distributed inventory-based Shipping Centre Module, Eclipse fulfills many online orders from local stores where possible, in addition to their distribution warehouse, which helps to minimize shipping costs for customers while also letting shoppers in cities where Eclipse does not currently have store locations to experience the Eclipse brand.  OrderDynamics Canada Post Integration also enables Eclipse to provide customers with the flexibility of having their online order shipped to their home or at a Canada Post location of their choice.

Eclipse' Check Store Stock tool

Also leveraging the Omni-Channel retail capabilities of the OrderDynamics Platform, Eclipse is able to provide a seamless cross-channel shopping experience. Each product page is synched with OrderDynamics’ Inventory Management System which supports the Check In-store Stock tool, allowing customers to quickly find nearby locations with their favourite items. Eclipse goes a step further with their Google Maps-Integrated Store Locator Module, which lists all locations according to a customer-specified distance from their postal code.

Eclipse's Google Maps-Integrated Store Locator Module

 The new EclipseStores.com is a great example of a leading omni-channel retailer, providing exceptional customer service both on- and offline.

OrderDynamics to Present Most Innovative Retailer Award at the 2013 Canada Post eCommerce Innovation Awards

September 9, 2013, Toronto, ON - OrderDynamics®, Canada’s leading On-Demand eCommerce and Order Management Solutions Provider, today announced their sponsorship of the Second Annual Canada Post eCommerce Innovation Awards Dinner and Gala, to take place September 25, 2013 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Toronto.

The Canada Post eCommerce Innovation Awards seek to recognize and honour Canadian retailers who leverage leading technologies to create bold, innovative eCommerce strategies that are reshaping the Canadian retail landscape. This year, OrderDynamics will be proudly presenting the Most Innovative Retailer Award , which reveres retailers who exhibit ingenuity in utilizing the technologies available in their eCommerce solution to provide customers with a unique and dynamic online shopping experience. The event will also recognize large and small businesses in the Best Multi-Channel Retailer and Best E-Tailer Categories, as well Consumer Champion Award based on Canadian consumer votes.

“eCommerce adoption in Canada has really taken off in the last year, and consumers are increasingly turning to eCommerce to make more informed decisions and to make shopping more convenient. The Canada Post eCommerce Innovation Awards is a great way to recognize and reward those retailers who are innovating the way they serve customers and ultimately drive quality experiences,” said Michael Turcsanyi, President at OrderDynamics, and presenter of the Most Innovative Retailer Award. “We are honoured to present the Most Innovative Retailer Award and put the spotlight on leading Canadian retailers and encourage growth in Canadian online retail”.

Nominees for the Canada Post eCommerceInnovation Awards are based on applications submitted on behalf of retailers acknowledging their novel and ground-breaking use of their technology toolset. Canada Post will then select a list of finalists to be recognized during the Awards Dinner and Gala before presenting the Awards in each category. 

View our recap of the 2013 Canada Post eCommerce Innovation Awards Dinner and Gala here.

OrderDynamics Monthly Google Updates Report - August 2013

Throughout August, the various Google Platforms introduced new features and tools to help to enhance and simplify  creating, implementing and measuring both organic and paid search campaigns.

Google Search

Google Search remained relatively quiet in August, as has been seen over the last few months. On August 6, Google announced an addition to the Rich Snippets markup: In-Depth Search Snippets. The new Snippet aims to help users identify reference articles that provide detailed information on a subject rather than a quick answer by presenting the publisher name and logo within search results. For example, an article published by OrderDynamics would have “OrderDynamics Corporation” appended to its search result, along with a logo thumbnail. Google stated that this Snippet is currently only resonating on Google.com for English – which saw a 3% search rank fluctuation upon launch - and will gradually phase into other versions of Google.

There was a speculated algorithm update in late August, however feedback from SEO specialists is inconsistent . Google did not confirm or deny any such update.

Google Analytics

Google Analytics announced new reporting tools in August that seek to enable more automated reporting.  The Real Time API, launched in beta on August 1, acts as an extension to the traditional Real Time analytics tool, allowing users to not only view current traffic in real time, but to also query the tool to report on specific pages and URLs to better understand customer behaviour.

On August 19, Google introduced Google Tag Manager for Mobile Apps. The Tag Manager for Mobile Apps is implemented the same way as the desktop version, and enables developers to push updates to the app, configure changes, and insert tracking tags that will resonate to already downloaded versions of the app in addition to newer versions.  

August 20 saw the first update to the Attribution Model Comparison Tool that was launched in June. The Data Driven Attribution tool – available in Google Analytics Premium – is a more automated version of the Attribution Model Comparison Tool, wherein algorithms based on a user’s specific goals measure the differences between various conversion paths and their respective conversion probability. Google then applies values to highly weighted touchpoints in the conversion path so that users can optimize these areas to increase potential conversions.

Google Adwords

Google Adwords saw heavy updates throughout August, especially in the early part of the month. The updates are convenience-based, refining the number of steps and accounts needed to acquire certain campaign metrics and information. On August 2, the Adwords blog reported that 3 Adwords tools – Contextual Targeting tool, Placement tool, and Google Ad Planner – had been consolidated into one platform called the Google Display Planner.  A few days later, Google Adwords announced that advertisers could now compare ad performance week-to-week, similar to how weekly traffic comparisons can be viewed in Google Analytics. Comparisons can be viewed by clicking the ‘+’ sign now present above the ‘Clicks’ column in Adwords reports.  

On August 8, Adwords launched an improved Adwords for Video tool, that acts like a wizard to take advertisers through a campaign creation workflow, ensuring all the necessary steps are taken to create an effective video ad campaign. The same day, the Google Adwords integration into the Google Maps App was also announced. This can be implemented using the Location Extensions tool, and shows local business information for areas being viewed in the Google Maps App.

Later in the month, the Paid and Organic Search Report was introduced, which allows advertisers to compare how their organic and paid listings show up in search results according to specific queries. This tool is beneficial as many advertisers struggle to understand whether to allocate more resources to paid or organic search, as well as how either initiative affects the other. The report identifies keywords that a business ranks for organically, but does not currently pay for so that they may decide to, as well as measure changes in paid and organic search ranking that may result from website updates as opposed to specific SEO or SEM initiatives.

On August 26, Adwords implemented very useful cross-account tools to remedy the issue of a single conversion being reported as many if the conversion path touched multiple ads from different campaigns. Cross-Account Conversion Tracking utilizes a single tag to monitor conversions across all campaigns/accounts so they are not double-counted, while the Cross-Account Search Funnels shows the specific conversion path for each purchase.

Google also phased out their Google Adwords Keyword Tool in August, transitioning to the Google Adwords Keyword Planner. As with the old Keyword Tool, the new Keyword Planner generates keyword recommendations for specific URLs with their respective average monthly searches and level of competition, but also provides information on average cost per click and ad impression share. The additional features help to optimize keyword bids by providing a visual estimate of potential ad costs depending on the keyword used. 

Airsoft Megastore Highlights OrderDynamics in TechTarget’s Order Management Systems Feature

TechTarget is an organization focused on highlighting key technologies and solutions providers. In their blog, TechTarget offers news, guidelines and resources to aid technology buyers in the process of selecting a technology vendor to serve their business.

A recent article, called “Best Practices for Buying an Order Management System” featured OrderDynamics® client, Airsoft Megastore. Mike Zhang, President and COO at Airsoft Megastore, discussed the process the retailer underwent when deciding to re-platform their site and selecting a vendor to do so with. Mr. Zhang stated the importance of basing vendor selections on current businesses objectives, and what you need from a technology provider in order to meet them. For Airsoft Megastore it was critical they partner with a hosted software vendor that had reliable and robust infrastructure and could accommodate large volumes of orders without downtime. He also stressed that OrderDynamics’ eCommerce and order management solutions allowed them to leverage software that could conform to the way their company worked, not the reverse, and that post-implementation training was the key to succeeding with a new vendor.

The article also included insights from Tyler Wilson of Panorama Consulting Solutions, and Gene Alvarez of Gartner Inc. Mr. Wilson shared his views on using an all-encompassing solution, such as OrderDynamics, to minimize redundancies and errors that can occur when having information feed through several systems, and that the capabilities of the solution should not only match current business processes, but also enable and facilitate future company goals. Mr. Alvarez spoke toward the need for a distributed order management system which enables faster order fulfillment and provides the ability to route orders through numerous distribution centers or warehouses. The nod towards distributed order management systems is also a reflection of the changing ecommerce landscape which has seen a growing demand for retail-oriented order management systems. 

To read the full article, click here.

Henry’s Camera Expands its Omni-Channel Commerce Strategy with Reserve Online Pickup In-Store Functionality with OrderDynamics eCommerce Platform and Retail Order Management System

July 25, 2013, TORONTO, ON – OrderDynamics®, Canada’s leading on-demand commerce platform provider, today announced Henry’s Camera, Canada’s largest independent retailer with over 100 years of experience in selling high-end cameras and photo imaging accessories, recently launched Reserve Online Pickup In-Store functionality through its website, Henrys.com.  With Reserve Online capabilities, Henry’s now offers its customers a variety of fulfillment options to support their growing omni-channel commerce strategy and operations.

Henry’s currently operates 33 stores across Canada, and manages several eCommerce websites through the OrderDynamics eCommercePlatform and Retail Order Management System including Henry’s Camera, a Henry’s Camera Mobile site, Headshots Rentals, and School of Imaging.

The Reserve Online Pickup In-store initiative utilizes OrderDynamics’ multi-location inventory management module, allowing customers to view product inventory at individual store levels. Henry’s customers are now able research products online and reserve that product at the most convenient location in a few simple steps. In addition, this tool is calibrated to automatically calculate local taxes and provide a complete order total, giving the customer an instant and transparent order summary. Customers are now able to maximize their shopping experience by engaging with Henry’s expert store associates and receive advice regarding warranties and maintenance when picking up their reserved products from the stores.

Henry’s staff can even view online and in-store purchasing history and behaviour profiles of its customers to help understand preferences or make appropriate upsell and cross-sell recommendations during the in-store pickup portion of the sale. In addition, Henry’s anticipates reduced shipping costs for its online customers who choose to take advantage of its new in-store pickup offering.

By expanding their Omni-Channel fulfillment efforts, Henry’s are well-positioned to further support their brick and mortar operations by driving additional store traffic, reducing return rates, leveraging in-store inventory, and increasing average sale values. Henry’s also sees its Reserve Online Pickup In-Store functionality as a line buster, as store associates can now help customers through the purchasing process more quickly as a result of pre-packing their desired products previously reserved from their website.

“Reserve In-Store represents our commitment to providing the most convenient and seamless omni-channel shopping experience possible for our customers. It also acts as a way for Henry’s to leverage inventory and expert staff at each of our retail stores,” said Ian Landy, President and CEO at Henry’s. “When customers come into our stores to buy an item they reserved online, they also have an opportunity to enjoy our in-store experience, large product inventory, and expert staff. This will lead to an even better shopping experience and ensure our customers get exactly what they want”.

Reserve Online Pickup In-store launched earlier this summer, and is already seeing high customer engagement with an average of 20 in-store reservations per day.

“Henry’s have always put their customers first and as a result, have heavily invested in their ecommerce operations to create an outstanding cross-channel shopping experience,” said Michael Turcsanyi, President at OrderDynamics. “The Henry’s team have always been eCommerce innovators and their early success with new Reserve Online capabilities is another great step for them as they continue to align in-store and online experiences.”

OrderDynamics Monthly Google Updates Report – July 2013

The end of June and the month of July proved to be relatively quiet for Google, with Search riding on the effects of May’s heavy Penguin 2.0 update, and Analytics introducing new features and reports to help handle all of Penguin’s new ‘un-spammy’ traffic.

Google Search

On June 19, many webmasters and SEO specialists noted significant changes in their levels of Google Referral traffic listed within Google Analytics. Six days later, Google’s Matt Cutts confirmed that a multi-week algorithm update was rolling out, and would conclude around July 4. Though he did not confirm which algorithm was specifically being updated, by July 5 when the rollout concluded, many in the SEO community noted a 1-3 position fluctuation in search rank.

Further fluctuations on July 11 signaled another algorithm update, which has been assumed to be Penguin-related, as Google confirmed merely 7 days later that a “soft” Panda update was taking place, which would be much more targeted than past updates, and would be less volatile for search rankings.

As has been the case over the last few months, Matt Cutts was very transparent about various techniques to help with SEO and search rank. He shared the benefits of the Google Authorship tag “rel=author’, stating that it signals to Google spiders the authority and credibility of an article and its author, thereby helping to boost search rank. He later shared that Google was ramping up its focus on mobile SEO; according to Mr. Cutts, even if your desktop site contains optimized, keyword-rich content, if it is not mobile-friendly, it will be penalized in mobile search and will not rank well. He also addressed the question of guest-blog posting, which lately has become the focus of many SEO specialists in attempts to build a strong link profile; he stated that the practice has become so common, and in turn spammy, that it is more beneficial to search rank to append a ‘no follow’ tag to guest-posts as opposed to allowing a ‘follow’, as it signals to Google that you are making overt attempts to NOT be spammy.

Google Analytics

On July 2, Google Analytics announced a new way to measure social media marketing ROI. The tool involves an integration between Google Analytics and Wildfire by Google, and identifies how social media affects conversion paths.  The next day, Google announced enhancements to its Adwords integration, that allow in-depth reporting of data that helps set and adjust bids within Enhanced Campaigns; the enhancement changes the format of campaign presentation, wherein data is now consolidated for campaigns whose names have changed over time, as opposed to separating data for each different name a campaign has had.

July 11 saw an exciting announcement from Analytics, that a team consisting of IBM, Accenture, W3C and others had created a Standard Data Layer to become a core component of Google Tag Manager. The layer would essentially set the standard for simplified tag implementation, as Google Analytics is also currently working to establish a standardized format and syntax for tags to compliment the new layer. This Data Layer will store and present data on user activity.

Analytics announced on July 16 an update to features with the Advanced Segmentation tool, as well as its new user interface which now utilizes a drag-and-drop design for easy management of segmentation options.  The new updates include improvements on:

• User segmentation – previously this was based on traffic source. Now segments can be set based on specific demographics, so all users who fit the criteria will be lumped together
• Cohort analysis – analyzes and reports on the long-term benefits of retaining specific groups/segments of customers
• Sequence segment – this segments users based on a series of specified behaviours while on a website, and can be defined across several visits (i.e. a segment can be set to include anyone who visits the site twice prior to converting)
• Segment templates – 6 segment templates have been implemented to enable easy application of segment criteria:
• Demographics
• Technology
• Behaviour
• Data of first visit
• Traffic source
• E-commerce

Google Adwords

Google Adwords reported only one update to the platform in July: new capability to the Lightbox Ad format. Lightbox now enables Google Catalogs to be viewed in pop-up-like Lightbox format, allowing customers to scan through an entire catalog and view pricing without ever actually leaving the web page they found it on. Google Catalog use in Lightbox will be billed according to a Cost-per-Engagement model, wherein Adwords advertisers will only be charged with customers open their catalog.

OrderDynamics Recognized as one of eTail’s Rising Stars of 2013!

eTail, a premier online and multi-channel retail conference, announced yesterday the winners of its Rising Stars award for 2013. OrderDynamics® was selected among hundreds of nominees as a Rising Star in the Start Up and Service Technology categories.

Nominees for the Rising Star award are based on recommendations and testimonials of people within the retail community, and winners are selected by eTail based on those rated as first-class for value, performance and excellence in their service offering.

OrderDynamics credits its reception of the award to enhanced merchandising features in its eCommerce Frontend Solution, sophisticated order management and omni-channel fulfillment capabilities within its Retail Order Management Solution, as well as its value-add digital marketing tools and advanced third-party integration ecosystem.

Over the last year, OrderDynamics has made significant improvements to its eCommerce Platform and Retail Order Management Solution. In October, OrderDynamics announced its unprecedented integration with Canada Post, offering cutting-edge check out and fulfillment options as has never been seen before in Canada with Laura Canada, a national retailer. Later in December, OrderDynamics helped Latin American retailer, Inova.com.mx, re-launch its Spanish-language site, marking OrderDynamics’ first international endeavour using the Platform’s multi-language capabilities, and one of many other site launches over the course of the year. OrderDynamics’ significant experience in launching eCommerce and multi-channel offerings, as well as great thought-leadership based on years of attending high-profile retail and technology events, lead to their acquisition by UK eCommerce provider, eCommera in early 2013, paving the way for substantial growth opportunities in the joint eCommera-OrderDynamics product and service offering.

“We’re very excited to be receiving such a prestigious award. It’s an honour to have our solutions and services recognized within the retail community,” says Michael Turcsanyi, President at OrderDynamics. “We are committed to providing our retailers with enhanced tools to service their customers, and maximize revenue and ultimately grow their business. OrderDynamics is passionate about innovation, making sure we’re constantly offering the newest technologies, and outstanding customer service. It’s great to know our retailers feel we are providing them the best solutions and customer experience.”

Canadian Women’s Apparel Retailer, Anna Bella Fashions, Launches with OrderDynamics!

OrderDynamics® would like to congratulate Canadian women’s fashion retailer, Anna Bella, on the launch of their first ever eCommerce shopping experience on the OrderDynamics On-Demand Commerce Platform.

Anna Bella brings with it 17 years of retail experience in offering high quality women’s casual and work apparel, evening wear and accessories to its first online store. They specialize in providing customers with local designer brands and stylish private labels in sizes 6 to 18, as well as petite variations. With the launch of their omni-channel offering, Anna Bella extends its retail operations from more than 20 stores in Ontario, Canada to delivering their signature shopping experience all across Canada.

The new AnnaBella.com Home Page

The new AnnaBella.ca displays a full catalog of Anna Bella fashions with features that enable simplified browsing such as a Guided Navigation, Shop by New Arrivals, and Shop by Top Sellers.  AnnaBella.com’s sophisticated product pages offer care instructions and recommended items to complete an outfit and help shoppers’ match items to their personal style, while the Shop by Comparison feature allows customers to compare up to 4 products at a time on one screen.

Anna Bella's Shop by Comparison feature

Anna Bella selected OrderDynamics while seeking an eCommerce platform that would allow them to provide the same quality of service online as they do in stores. The flexibility and scalability of the cloud-based platform, paired with extensive experience in launching online stores for the first time provided Anna Bella with the confidence to partner with a solution they knew would enable their sophisticated in-store experience to resonate online.

AnnaBella.com Product Page

Through OrderDynamics, AnnaBella.com offers advanced fulfillments options to effectively serve and retain their online customer base. With the OrderDynamics’ Endpoint Solution, they are able to efficiently pick and pack orders in-store as soon as they come in, and ship 90% of all orders the next business day. AnnaBella.com will leverage the support and expertise of OrderDynamics’ dedicated Account Managers to help them seamlessly transition into online and omni-channel operations, and learn how to fully apply the end-to-end solutions and third-party integrations within the platform to quickly grow their business.

“We’re very excited about the launch of the new AnnaBella.com, and the opportunity to help them expand their business online,” says Michael Turcsanyi, President at OrderDynamics. “OrderDynamics’ experience and expertise helped us create a plan with Anna Bella to rapidly launch the site to meet their seasonal goals . The site has great functionality to help them build their online following, and they have access to excellent tools with the OrderDynamics Team that will help them continue to progress and grow”.

OrderDynamics Monthly Google Updates Report – June 2013

In June, Google introduced a new search rank algorithm, and announced monthly multi-day and multi-week rolling Panda updates. Improvements to Analytics and its integration with Adwords created a suite of tools that support digital marketing.

Google Search

While Google announced in March that they would no longer be announcing or confirming further algorithm updates, Google’s Matt Cutts was very candid throughout June about how algorithm updates are now handled and pushed out. On June 11^th, Matt discussed at the SMX Advanced Expo in Seattle, and released a video tweet later that day announcing the rollout of what is being called the Anti-Spam Algorithm. The new ranking update is aimed at spammy searches, particularly those related to adult content and, notably, ‘payday loans’; the update was said to have affected a minor 0.3% of US English searches, and places more importance on ensuring an entire website is well optimized, not just individual focal pages. Also at SMX Advanced, Matt shared that Google Panda is still updated on a monthly basis, but that the rollouts are slower than before, taking place over the course of 10 days as opposed to 1-2 as was the case previously. Matt also confirmed a second algorithm update on June 25 that would continue through to July 4^th, although whether this was Panda or Anti-Spam-related was not specified. What these multiday and multi-week updates mean for SEOs and business owners is that they can expect to see fluctuating search rank for at least one third of every month.

On June 5^th, Search Engine Land provided some interesting research on why many businesses have seen a drop in organic search traffic in Google Analytics. They learned that mobile Safari does not support the “meta referrer” tag, and as such does not pass this along to Google Analytics to show that traffic was derived from mobile search on an iOS 6 device, and instead shows up as direct traffic.

Additional interesting announcements related to Google Search include the launch of the Google+ dashboard, which allows users to manage all Google tools on one platform. The dashboard provides search analytics, including the location of mobile searches, as well as Google+ post analytics. On June 17, it was also announced that Webmaster Tools would begin providing example URLs in trigger warnings (errors/issues identified by Webmaster Tools). While Webmaster Tools will not list all flagged URLs, the examples will provide information needed to identify which other URLs are causing a problem.

Google Analytics

In June, Google Analytics’ implemented a series of tools and changes that support digital marketing efforts, which includes Google Adwords integrations. On June 4, Google announced on the Analytics blog the launch of a new API for the Content Experiments tool that officially renders Analytics a full A/B testing platform, wherein users can test potential changes to a website and receive analytics data to understand if the change should be made.

On June 19, Google launched an integration with Google Display Network that would allow advertisers to track ad impressions under Multichannel Funnels. Originally, only click-throughs on ads could be measured, however this integration enables tracking for two new conversion metrics: Impression Assisted Conversions – conversions paths which include an ad impression, and Rich Media Assisted Conversions – conversions generated by customer interaction with rich media ads, such as pressing play or expanding a YouTube video ad. These new metrics also include dimensions to further segment conversions based on whether the ad was above or below the fold, and what percent of a video ad a consumer allowed to play, which helps advertisers understand the effectiveness of current ads, and what may need to be better optimized. Further changes to the Multichannel Funnels include the new Attribution Model Comparison tool, which extended viewable data to 90 days in arrears, and allows for measurement of ROI on digital marketing efforts with Cost per Acquisition and Return on Ad Spend.

Google Adwords

Changes in Google Adwords throughout June introduced new reports to assist in building ideal ad campaigns, as well as new ad extensions to increase ad attractiveness.

June 5^th saw the introduction of image extensions to ads, wherein Adwords ads in search results can now also display an image to complement the ad content, such as a brand logo, or a photo of the actual item being advertised. Mid-month, Google also announced on the Inside Adwords blog that Sitelinks (the 6 links displayed under the first site on organic search results page) could be implemented on Adwords ad.

Google Adwords’ Auction Insights Report, which enables advertisers to compare their ad performance against competitors who own related ads, received an upgrade that provides data on more than just single keywords. The improvement facilitates running the report on groups of keywords, multiple ad groups, and multiple campaigns. Google also introduced the Top Movers Report that quickly identifies large changes in ad clicks and bid costs, and provides suggestions as to what may have caused it.

Late in the month, Remarketing – traditionally a Display Network tool – became available for search ads in Adwords. Remarketing for search enables Adwords advertisers to make custom adjustments to keyword bids for searches from people who have previously visited their website, and bid on high competition keywords specifically for searches from repeat customers.  Remarketing for search ads uses the same tags as Remarketing in the Display Network, so those currently utilizing Display Network are automatically equipped to use Remarketing in their search ads.

It is important to note that for all Adwords advertisers who have not yet upgraded to Enhanced Campaigns, Google will automatically upgrade for them on July 22 using default bid metrics. Those that upgrade beforehand will not be touched by Google.