Free advertising: I heard from a reader who runs a nonprofit and wants to get the word out. That led me to Google Ad Grants. Qualifying nonprofits get up to $10,000 a month in free search ads. More info here.
Hidden trackers invade your browser – How to delete them
Internet cookies have been around for the last 30 years. Blame them on a programmer at Netscape who figured out a way for websites to “remember” users. Today, there are a few different types of cookies.
A first-party cookie is stored in your browser when you visit a website. It keeps things like your account or login info and shopping cart so you don’t have to fill them in each time. We like those kinds of cookies.
But what about cookies companies use to track where you go and what you do online? Some track you on websites other than the one you’re visiting. These are called third-party cookies. (I’d rather have a snickerdoodle, thanks.)
Blocking third-party cookies and tracking is one thing, but how about not being subjected to tracking methods to begin with? That’s where AdChoices and WebChoices come in. You’re gonna love this!
Secret to blocking tracking cookies
AdChoices is from the Digital Advertising Alliance, a group of advertising and marketing companies that self-regulates their targeted advertising. They do this so no one else like the government steps in to do it, of course.
The next time you see an ad online, look for the small AdChoices icon. It’s a blue triangle with a lowercase “i” in the middle. Click that to get details about the ad and block it.
AdChoices offers a nifty but virtually unknown tool called WebChoices. You can use this sweet thing to opt out of receiving ads from many companies in one step.
I kicked out 106 different cookies
- Go to https://optout.aboutads.info. WebChoices will scan your browser settings and computer to find out whether first-party and third-party cookies are enabled, along with a list of companies creating targeted ads for you.
- Click Continue. At the bottom of the page, you’ll see an option to Opt out of All. Click that.
- After the site processes your selection, click View Updated Results to see how it turned out.
The WebChoices tool works in whatever browser you have open at the time, so be sure to run it for each browser you use. Wow, where else can you get these practical, useful tech tips for free?
🍪 Speaking of … One time, I ate too much cookie dough and got sick. I guess you could call it an overdoughs. (I had to, sorry.)
5 genius tech tips you’ll use all the time
I read every comment you leave at the end of this newsletter, and one theme always stands out: You want to know all the hidden things your tech can do! Lucky for you, uncovering those “I had no idea!” moments is my superpower. I’m here to teach you the things you didn’t even know you were missing!
Winging it: Forget those small prop planes carrying advertising banners over beaches. Drones are replacing planes in places like Miami Beach. They’re quieter and — get this — they track ad views in real time and fly about 400 feet lower than planes. There’s no avoiding ‘em.
The first banner ad on a website appeared in 1994. Was it for … A.) AOL, B.) Apple, C.) AT&T or D.) Intel?
$300 billion industry
Online advertising is huge, and Google is losing its chokehold to AI. Next year, Google could control less than 50% of the search ad market in the U.S. That hasn’t happened in over a decade (paywall link). Times are a-changin’.
Tech ahead: AI coming for our cars
Remember “Knight Rider?” The ’80s TV show centered around a detective whose sidekick was a talking car called KITT. This futuristic sassy AI on wheels could maneuver over obstacles, drive itself at high speeds and detect a bad guy’s presence from miles away.
Google alternatives that don’t sell all your data
Google is one of the best examples of “If it’s free, you’re the product.” And its employees, business decisions, stock price, biases and preferences have a big impact on what its “products” (Smile! That’s you and me!) see when we use Google Search.
Smart ways to make more money and find new customers
Small business owners must build trust, set trends and share their customers’ values. Connecting with customers is one of the most important ways to make money.
Success starts close to home. Before connecting with customers, you must build strong bonds with your teammates. Tap or click here for five leadership secrets every small business owner should know.
Forced advertising: Soon, you’ll see ads on Snapchat next to messages from your friends. Sponsored snaps will show as unread messages in the main chat tab, but they won’t trigger push notifications, at least. Snap’s stock price is hovering near an all-time low. This is def not a coincidence.
🐔 Chick flicks: Chick-fil-A is dreaming up its own streaming platform. Step 1 is family-friendly content like game shows, followed by original series, animation and other licensed content. If it works, think of all the advertising bucks and data they’ll get their hands on.
$1.25 per issue
For a Popular Science magazine in 1978. Old editions like this one were loaded with cigarette promos, limited-run cars like the Jeep Honcho and DIY kits for early home computers like the Sol-20. I always get a kick out of ‘70s ad copy. They just don’t write them like they used to!
⛔ I hate when tech companies do this: Firefox’s new default feature, “privacy-preserving ad measurement,” actually gives your data to advertisers. Turn it off. Click the three-line icon in the top right corner, followed by Settings > Privacy & Security. Scroll to Website Advertising Preferences, and disable Allow websites to perform privacy-preserving ad measurement.
Ad detour: Google Maps is pushing pop-up ads to drivers that appear as notifications, covering the bottom half of the screen. Google says the ads only expand when tapped on and disappear quickly. Still, talk about a distraction.
I miss the bouncing DVD logo: Remember when I told you how YouTube hijacks your TV screensaver with its own videos? Now Amazon’s doing it, too, but it’s way more annoying. When you let your Fire TV fall asleep, it’ll show you a 30-second ad before your screensaver pops up.
🚫 NSFW ads on YouTube: A Redditor spotted ads for a p*rn game. Somehow even worse, the sketchy footage was stolen from a different p*rn game. Talk to the kids about not clicking these ads. Funny how YouTube is slow to remove this kind of garbage but quick to disable ad blockers. Priorities, eh?
53% of kids under 12
Remember ads they’ve seen on YouTube better than ads watched on any other platform. That’s two times better than TV ads! Even crazier, 60% of teens watch the full ads on YouTube instead of skipping. You can thank Google’s world-class ad targeting.
✅ Check out my new website: Komando.com is now full of all kinds of surprises, including 60% less advertising, a search tool that actually works, and better ways to listen to my podcasts and watch my videos. Reply to this email and let me know what you think, or drop a comment when you rate this issue below.
Don’t look for a job on Facebook: An ad campaign is pushing “digital advertising” jobs. Click it, and you’ll end up with password-stealing malware on your machine. Stick with finding a real, good job on LinkedIn,folks.
Don’t click the ads – Might be malware
When I have a question now, whether it’s finding a recipe or doing math, I’m using AI a lot more than doing a good ol’ Google Search. My go-to is ChatGPT, but Perplexity is useful, too. I often ask both AI bots the same question as a way to double-check things. Google Gemini is a big “meh” to me so far.