Bing has enabled the ability to make a search using images in the latest update to its mobile app on iPhone. The feature allows Apple users to use an image from the web or a picture they have taken on their smartphones as a basis for the search.

Google has revealed that there was a notable increase in the number of websites using “thin, low-quality content” during the last year, while its own spam-fighting efforts and algorithm updates have had a positive impact on curbing hacks and other attacks, and have eliminated the “vast majority” of issues.

Marketers can now access Callout and Review Extensions at the ad group and campaign levels in Bing Ads. The new updates on the pay-per-click platform aim to drive click-through rates and “build trust” by making a website more visible to potential customers on the Bing Network.

Google AdSense is offering brands new ways to earn money from the content they publish on mobiles with a new family of ad formats known as Page-level ads. The “next-generation” formats include two new ad types, Anchor/overlay and Vignette, which will be only be shown at optimal times to increase their relevance.

Google has launched a new “snackable” six-second video ad format called Bumper ads, which aims to drive incremental reach and frequency on smartphones. Google says that the new arrival is a reaction to changing viewing habits, with recent research showing that 50 per cent of 18- to 49-year-olds are now watching videos for the first time on their mobiles.

Less than a quarter of SEOs have started to implement Google’s open source Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) initiative to improve the performance of mobile web, a new study shows. This is despite the majority understanding that it is likely to have a notable impact on their rankings in SERPs.

Consumer-generated content (CGC) is key in helping brands to drive business value, increase revenue and convert customers, according to a new study by US analytics enterprise Bazaarvoice. The report found that CGC, such as images, chat comments and videos, is becoming increasingly relevant for marketers.

Google parent company Alphabet posted revenues of $20.3 billion in its latest financial report but missed its targets for both revenue and profit for the first quarter of the year. This was due to heavy investment in its efforts to build traffic for its mobile advertising platforms.

Google has announced that mobile-friendly content will be given more prominence in Google News on web, Android and iOS platforms. The update will introduce a new Accelerated Mobile Pages Project (AMP) carousel at the top of the page featuring a selection of the most important headlines for users who want fast-loading and simple access to news stories.

Hootsuite has become the latest platform to enable publishers to manage their videos within a one-stop hub for all channels after launching a new integrations service. The company claims that the move will help brands to boost engagement and reduce complexity across all social channels.