MarTech Today: AOL’s new BrandBuilder, a guide to SSL certificates & Taboola adds site optimization

Here’s our daily recap of what happened in online marketing today, as reported on MarTech Today, Marketing Land and other places across the web.

From Marketing Land:

• AOL introduces BrandBuilder, a suite of goal-based ad programs and new ad formats
  Jan 5, 2017 by Ginny Marvin
  In addition to brand awareness and direct response programs, the Beta program includes a new format that offers data incentives to Verizon Wireless customers.
• A comprehensive guide to SSL certificates
  Jan 5, 2017 by Stephanie LeVonne
  Need to secure your site, but not sure where to start? Check out columnist Stephanie LeVonne’s helpful guide to SSL certificates and get informed.
• Taboola adds Commerce Sciences as part of its evolution ‘from widget to platform’
  Jan 5, 2017 by Barry Levine
  The acquisition of the personalization/optimization service is intended to help publishers segment their sites for types of users, as e-commerce sites do.
• Marketing automation for the little guy is helping to power the new economy
  Jan 5, 2017 by Mary Wallace
  Just because startups and freelancers lack dedicated marketing departments, it doesn’t mean they can’t take advantage of marketing automation. Contributor Mary Wallace outlines the emerging opportunities.
• Amazon Alexa now has more than 7,000 voice apps, Google Assistant coming to TV
  Jan 5, 2017 by Greg Sterling
  Competition among virtual assistants heating up as they move to a broader range of connected devices and appliances.
  
• How programmatic and header bidding will disrupt all media in 2017
  Jan 5, 2017 by Kevin Lee
  Columnist Kevin Lee explains the ins and outs of header bidding in programmatic display and how it will make its way into other forms of media.
  
• Google launching free mobile site creation tool in India. Will it come to North America?
  Jan 5, 2017 by Greg Sterling
  Google has offered similar programs in the US in the past.
  

From Around The Web:

• A threat to the importance of domain names, domainnamewire.com
• Alexa can now order takeaway from Amazon Restaurants, www.theverge.com
• The Science of Ecommerce Eye Tracking: Your 2017 “Vision”, company-enterprise.myshopify.com
• Why eCommerce Product Filtering Is Broken (and How to Fix It), conversionxl.com
• 5 Things to Consider Before Investing in Content Technology, contentmarketinginstitute.com
• Ad Tech Is Butchering Your User Data, adexchanger.com
• Executives’ Marketing Technology Budget Plans for 2017, www.marketingprofs.com
• Setting the Stage for Change in MarTech, www.tune.com
• Twitter confirms it will shutter Vine on January 17, TechCrunch
• How The Associated Press Trains its Journalists To Shoot in 360 Degrees, media.fb.com

About The Author

Barry Levine

Barry Levine covers marketing technology for Third Door Media. Previously, he covered this space as a Senior Writer for VentureBeat, and he has written about these and other tech subjects for such publications as CMSWire and NewsFactor. He founded and led the web site/unit at PBS station Thirteen/WNET; worked as an online Senior Producer/writer for Viacom; created a successful interactive game, PLAY IT BY EAR: The First CD Game; founded and led an independent film showcase, CENTER SCREEN, based at Harvard and M.I.T.; and served over five years as a consultant to the M.I.T. Media Lab. You can find him at LinkedIn, and on Twitter at xBarryLevine.