In March 2023, Google Ads announced new features for better ad targeting and optimization, while YouTube updated its policies for creators and advertisers. Google Trends introduced a new interactive visualization tool, and Google Workspace unveiled new collaboration features. OpenAI released GPT-4, the latest version of their powerful language model, promising even more advanced natural language processing capabilities. Stay up to date with these updates from some of the biggest players in tech.
March 1, 2023, | Google divided “Malicious and Unwanted Software Policy” into 3 parts
Google Ads announced on March 1st that its malicious and unwanted software policy has been divided into three parts:
- Malicious software
- Compromised sites
- Unwanted software
This division aims to provide clearer guidelines for advertisers, ensuring a safer online environment for users.
Violations of these policies can result in the suspension of your Google Ads account.
If your website hosts harmful software that gets downloaded to a user’s device, it will be considered a violation of the malicious software policy, regardless of whether the download was triggered by your Google Ads. Similarly, if your website is compromised and displays harmful content or redirects users to another page, this will also be considered a violation.
In both cases, you will receive a warning seven days before your Google Ads account is suspended. To avoid suspension, you must rectify your website within the given timeframe. The unwanted software policy deals with sites that download unwanted software to users’ devices; a similar seven-day warning period and potential suspension apply.
March 2, 2023, | Google Ads New User Interface
On March 2nd, Google Ads announced a new user interface with several cosmetic changes aimed at making navigation easier, particularly for new users. The navigation menu now has two columns, allowing users to find necessary items more quickly. Additionally, options for goals, audience, keywords, and content have been updated on the dashboard, streamlining the advertising process.
Another notable change is the overall look and feel of the interface, which has been enhanced to provide a more user-friendly experience. While no new features have been added, these cosmetic changes make Google Ads more approachable for advertisers.
March 6, 2023, | YouTube Overlay Ads Removal
Starting April 6th, Google announced that YouTube will no longer display overlay ads, which were primarily shown on desktop devices. These ads, which appear on top of video content, have been criticized for their intrusive nature and impact on user experience. The removal of overlay ads is a welcome change that will likely lead to a less cluttered and more enjoyable viewing experience for YouTube users.
March 8, 2023, | Google Trends Redesign
On March 8th, Google unveiled a new design for its Trends platform, which can be a valuable tool for SEO campaigns. This redesign features a more visually appealing interface that highlights hot topics in your country or worldwide, right on the homepage. The data is updated regularly, ensuring that users have access to the most current information. Additionally, the overall user experience within Google Trends feels more intuitive and fresh.
March 13, 2023, | AI Features in Google Workspace
Google announced on March 13th that it will be bringing AI features to Google Workspace, formerly known as G Suite, to improve user productivity and streamline workflows. For example, users will be able to utilize Google AI to complete tasks within Google Docs by simply providing a prompt. Google’s AI will also be integrated into email composition, allowing users to input main points while the AI generates a professionally written message. These features have not been launched immediately but will be available in the future.
March 14, 2023, | OpenAI Launches GPT-4
On March 14th, OpenAI launched GPT-4, a more powerful model than GPT-3.5, which was used to create the ChatGPT bot. While GPT-3 had 175 billion parameters, OpenAI has not disclosed the number of parameters in GPT-4, nor the amount of data and training time required. It’s important to note that GPT-4’s knowledge is still limited to data up until September 2021.
March 15, 2023, | Google’s March 2023 Broad Core Update
Between March 15th and 28th, Google rolled out its March 2023 broad core update. As with previous updates, Google did not provide specific details about this update. If you’re interested in understanding Google’s broad core updates and how they might affect your website.
March 17, 2023, | Meta’s “Buy a Blue Tick” Program
On March 17th, Meta (formerly Facebook) announced its “Buy a Blue Tick” program, allowing users to purchase a feeling of fame for $12 or $15. However, this service is not yet available in India.
March 21, 2023, | Google’s Bard Chatbot Public Beta
Google opened the public beta of its Bard chatbot on March 21st. Anyone can join the waitlist by providing their email address. The beta is currently only available for users in the US and UK, so those outside of these countries will need to use a VPN to access it. To join the waitlist, visit bard.google.com.
March 21, 2023, | Microsoft Bing Chatbot’s Image Creation Capacity
Microsoft added image creation capabilities to its Bing chatbot on March 21st. Users can now request any desired image, and the chatbot will create it using an AI model. This feature does not rely on image search but actually generates new images based on user input. Microsoft uses OpenAI’s DALL-E-2 model, which can create images from text instructions. To access this feature, users must select “creative mode” within the Bing chatbot.
With important improvements and announcements from Google AdWords, YouTube, Google Trends, Google Workspace, and OpenAI, March was a busy month for the digital world. With the release of GPT-4, these enhancements aim to advance AI capabilities while also improving user experience, security, and productivity. To maximize their online presence and utilize the features and resources offered, it is crucial for organizations and people to remain current with these advances.
