ReportWire

Tag: Google Apps

  • EU fines Google $3.5 billion over adtech antitrust violations

    [ad_1]

    The European Commission has announced that it will fine Google €2.95 billion, or around $3.5 billion, for violating European Union antitrust laws and “distorting competition in the advertising technology industry.” The decision follows from earlier in 2025, where a US federal judge concluded that Google maintains a monopoly in online advertising technology.

    Google displays ads in search results, but it also has a dominant position as a software provider for online advertisers and publishers looking to sell ad space and place ads. The Commission’s main issue is with the way Google’s ad buying tools (Google Ads and DV 360) interact with its ad exchange software (AdX) and ad publisher servers (DFP) in seemingly preferential ways. Google appears to favor its AdX ad exchange by “informing AdX in advance of the value of the best bid from competitors which it had to beat to win the auction,” according to the Commission. It also found that “Google Ads was avoiding competing ad exchanges and mainly placing bids on AdX,” maintaining the dominance of Google’s ad exchange even if an alternative is a better option for advertisers.

    The Commission is giving Google 60 days to share how it plans to address those issues or face an “appropriate remedy” for violating antitrust law. That could just be the fine, but might also include a forced sale of some or all of Google’s adtech business.

    Lee-Anne Mulholland, Google’s Global Head of Regulatory Affairs, shared that the company will appeal the decision in the following statement provided to Engadget:

    “The European Commission’s decision about our ad tech services is wrong and we will appeal. It imposes an unjustified fine and requires changes that will hurt thousands of European businesses by making it harder for them to make money. There’s nothing anticompetitive in providing services for ad buyers and sellers, and there are more alternatives to our services than ever before.”

    $3.5 billion is a staggering amount of money, but it’s not technically the most Google’s been charged for violating EU laws. In 2018, the company was for forcing mobile network operators to pre-install Google apps on phones. Though Google has been under an increasing amount of scrutiny in the last decade for its business practices, it so far hasn’t faced many structural remedies for what has been called anticompetitive behavior.

    For example, a US court found Google was in 2024, but a judge that the company wouldn’t have to sell off Chrome or stop paying Apple to make Google the iPhone’s default search engine. EU regulators have historically been more persistent than their US counterparts, and the European Commission is for at least one other advertising-related issue, but it remains to be seen if there’s any punishment that will actually faze the company.

    [ad_2]

    Ian Carlos Campbell

    Source link

  • Entrepreneur | How to Set Up Google Analytics in 7 Steps

    Entrepreneur | How to Set Up Google Analytics in 7 Steps

    [ad_1]

    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Google Analytics can do wonders for your business. If you have a website for your business and it’s not synced with Google Analytics, you’re missing out on a lot of data that you could use to drive more conversions, which ultimately will result in more revenue for your business.

    Google Analytics is a powerful tool that allows you to track your website’s traffic and gain insights into your audience’s behavior. Connecting Google Analytics to your website is an essential step in improving your website’s performance, but it can be daunting for beginners. This article will guide you through connecting Google Analytics to your website in easy-to-follow steps.

    Related: Using Data Analytics Will Transform Your Business. Here’s How.

    1. Create a Google Analytics account

    The first step in connecting Google Analytics to your website is to create an account. To do this, go to the Google Analytics website and sign up with your Google account. If you don’t have a Google account, you’ll need to create one before proceeding.

    2. Set up a new property

    Once you’ve created your account, the next step is to set up a new property. A property is a website or mobile app that you want to track. To set up a new property, click on the “Admin” button on the bottom left-hand side of the page. Then, click the “Create Property” button, and follow the prompts to enter your website’s details.

    3. Get your tracking code

    After you’ve set up your new property, you’ll need to get your tracking code. Your tracking code is a unique snippet of code that you’ll need to add to your website to start tracking your visitors. To get your tracking code, click the “Tracking Info” button on the left-hand side of the page and select “Tracking Code.”

    Related: 10 Questions to Ask When Using Google Analytics

    4. Add your tracking code to your website

    Now that you have your tracking code, it’s time to add it to your website. The method for adding your tracking code will depend on the platform you’re using to build your website. Most platforms can add code snippets to your website’s header or footer.

    For example, if you’re using WordPress, you can add your tracking code by going to Appearance > Editor and selecting your theme’s header.php file. Paste your tracking code just before the closing tag, and save your changes. Rest assured, this tracking code works for all types of websites, not just WordPress.

    If you’re uncomfortable editing your website’s code, you can use a plugin to add your tracking code. For WordPress, the Google Analytics plugin is an excellent option. This is the most popular option for business owners who don’t want to edit their website code.

    Related: How to Calculate SEO ROI Using Google Analytics

    5. Wait for data to start populating

    After you’ve added your tracking code to your website, it can take 24 hours for data to start populating in your Google Analytics account. Once data starts appearing, you’ll be able to see information about your website’s traffic, such as how many people are visiting your website, how long they’re staying on it, and which pages are most popular.

    6. Set up goals

    Setting up goals is essential in maximizing the value you get from Google Analytics. Goals are specific actions you want your visitors to take on your website. For example, a goal could be completing a purchase or filling out a contact form.

    To set up goals in Google Analytics, click on the “Admin” button and select “Goals.” From there, you can create a new goal and define the parameters of what you want to track.

    Related: A Small-Business Guide to Google Analytics (Infographic)

    7. Monitor your analytics data

    Once you’ve set up your tracking code and goals, it’s time to monitor your analytics data. Google Analytics provides a wealth of information that can help you improve your website’s performance. Some of the key metrics you should be monitoring include:

    • The number of visitors: This tells you how many people visit your website.
    • Bounce rate: This tells you the percentage of visitors who leave your website after viewing only one page.
    • Average session duration: This tells you how long visitors stay on your website.
    • Pages per session: This tells you how many pages, on average, visitors are viewing during a single session.

    Save your business time and money by setting up Google Analytics to track more data. Remember, the business owner with access to the most data will ultimately win the long game as they have more leverage. In future blogs, we’ll discuss how your business can optimize your Google Analytics account to achieve more success. Google Analytics 4 will be launching in a few months, so you need to be prepared as well to make sure you’re staying up to date on the latest tips and strategies to grow your business.

    [ad_2]

    Sean Boyle

    Source link

  • Learn How to Maximize Your Google Apps for $40

    Learn How to Maximize Your Google Apps for $40

    [ad_1]

    Disclosure: Our goal is to feature products and services that we think you’ll find interesting and useful. If you purchase them, Entrepreneur may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners.

    Once upon a time, Microsoft Office was essential learning for any professional, particularly Microsoft Excel. Excel became the world’s most ubiquitous office software and had a monopoly on office programs for a very long time. However, monopolies drive innovation and, eventually, Google came up with a free solution that, really, is just as good.


    StackCommerce

    If you aren’t maximizing Google Workspace yet, it’s high time you do so because switching from Microsoft Office is an easy way for entrepreneurs to save some money on subscription-based technology. Before you go, The 2023 Complete Google Sheets & Docs Super Bundle will prepare you to leverage Google’s office tools like a pro.

    This extensive 12-course bundle takes aim at all of Google Workspace, including some of the more basic programs like Gmail and the basic Drive organizational features. The bundle is curated and taught by Intellezy Learning (4.4/5-star instructor rating), a leading online education organization that has been recognized by top influencers like eLearning Journal and The Craig Weiss Group.

    Through these dynamic, task-focused courses, you’ll get a beginner-to-advanced training in all aspects of Google Drive, beginning with Google Docs and progressing through Sheets, Slides, and more. You’ll delve into some of the more powerful entrepreneurial tools like Keep and Jamboard to improve their note-taking and collaboration. You’ll also learn how to maximize Google Chat and Meet to effectively streamline communication within your organization and discover how to make incredible presentations with Slides. There’s even a course on Google Classroom should you decide you want to invest in professional development training for your employees.

    It’s time to make the switch to Google Workspace, and this Google Sheets & Docs Super Bundle will help you do it seamlessly. Right now, you can get this 12-course bundle for just $41.

    Prices subject to change.

    [ad_2]

    Entrepreneur Store

    Source link