Google announced in mid-October that it was making major steps into connecting online and offline business data. Instead of relying heavily on third party directory sites, the search engine giant has instead been focussing on developing their own Google My Business service offering with the help of Google Duplex. They’re also pushing Google Maps AR even further, with plans for users being able to point their smartphone at a business, and being greeted with key information, including reviews. Read more about it here. 

Google has announced that BERT has been rolled out to almost 100% of English language search queries. BERT, a technique for natural language processing, improves context for Google and allows it to better understand user intent, so this is likely to improve result quality long term. Learn more here. 

Soon you’ll be able to find products and businesses directly through Whatsapp, without leaving the app. The move comes as Whatsapp follows Instagrams business model, pushing its own ecommerce platform in a bid to become a major player. The update will be rolled out on both iOS and Android, with the shopping button replacing the call button. Check it out here. 

With Christmas closing in, Pinterest has started the festivities early with their amazing Christmas Gift Guide. Split into 10 categories, including essentials such as ‘Spend small, give big’, ‘Gen Zers and the hard to buy for’, ‘The beauty enthusiast’ and most importantly, ‘Treat Yourself’ it gives excellent inspiration into hot trends and products right now. They’ve also shared which areas have seen a surge in pinning activity within gift searches, offering great insights for both marketers and gift buyers in time for the festive shopping period. You can read more here. 

Twitter are continuing their push to improve platform ad engagement with their recent rollout of its revamped carousel ads. Advertisers can now include between 2 and 6 swipeable images or videos, with a goal of website or app traffic. During beta testing, the new format gave a 15% increase in click through rate, in turn pushing Twitter Ads to a much wider market, just in time for Black Friday and Christmas. Learn more here.