SEO in Australia is about to become a whole lot more regulated. Recently, the Australian government has released reports recommending stricter monitoring over megacorporation digital platforms such as Facebook and Google. The increase in regulations and reviews of Facebook and Google Advertising is to focus on fairness for other media platforms. This increase will provide companies with more control regarding their platform’s data and how it’s used.
- ADVERTISING IN AUSTRALIA.
Australian SEO advertisement rates when posting on platforms such as Facebook and Google are heavily controlled. For approximately every $100 spent on advertising online in Australia, $47 goes to Google and $24 goes to Facebook. The remaining amount of this fee is then distributed amongst other platforms and sharers.Due to the Australian government seeking the introduction of regulations, the media industry have altered their advertising processes. Reports released by the ACCC examine how Australian SEO agencies have been impacted and how they can overcome this change.
- SEO REGULATIONS.
Over the last 18 months, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has been investigating the impacts of major digital search engines. Platforms such as Facebook and Google have proved to have an upper hand surrounding their bargaining power. Due to this, the ACCC agreed that regulations need to be strengthened. This change is necessary to help small businesses use services to connect to their community without basis and unfairness.
Preventing Shady Operators.
This new and upcoming change can assist companies in preventing shady operators from gaining data from their websites. Altering how advertisements on media platforms such as Facebook and Google will ultimately be beneficial for small businesses.
Sectors of the Australian Government along with the ACCC have recommended the implementation of a code of conduct. This anticipated code of conduct will come into action to assist consumers in understanding how digital platforms collect their data.
- CODE OF CONDUCT.
This new code of conduct will assist small businesses along with consumers in preventing shady operators from creeping on platforms for information. An ACCC ombudsman will be appointed to this new code to resolve and settle any complaints made. These proposed regulations will stop any shady operators from gaining an unfair advantage regarding platform data.
- NEW AUSTRALIAN LAWS.
Another source that will prevent shady operators is a new law that will be enacted by the Australian Government. This law requires global tech companies like Facebook and Google to help the authorities by decrypting messages sent by criminals.
What’s to Come?
Based off of these new and upcoming advances, a lot of changes will be made regarding the regulation of SEO Providers in Australia. What’s to come is a major question that all Australian SEO providers are wondering.
- AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION.
The ACCC has reported on their establishment of a specialised digital marketing branch that will deal will global tech companies like Facebook and Google. This specialised branch will focus on assuring that no digital agency unfairly deals with any Australian SEO agency.
- NEW AUSTRALIAN LAWS.
Australian laws enacted by the Australian Government will be holding global tech companies like Facebook and Google accountable for their actions. Regulators in Australia will be holding companies accountable and will force platforms to make their activities more transparent. These companies are amongst the most powerful in the world, thus, their activities must be monitored to guarantee their actions are fair.
- CONNECTIVITY AND DISTRIBUTION.
This change will heavily focus on regulating and outlining the new digital news distribution rules. For Australian SEO providers, these regulations mean that their platforms will be heavily regulated. This is to clarify that they are complying with the new distribution rules.This is necessary as the information posted on platforms such as Facebook and Google impact approximately 16 million Australians. These platforms connect, share and build communities. The new distribution rules are to make sure the connectivity focuses on helping hundreds of thousands of small businesses.
- REGULATIONS AND FINES.
Whether it’s print, radio or television the regulations coming into effect will focus on content posted and generated by small Australian businesses. This need for constant monitoring and regulation is due to platforms such as Google and Facebook using this information without negotiating an agreement on how this information is used.Recently, regulators in countries such as Australia, America and Europe have noticed this unfairness from bigger platforms. As a result, Facebook now faces potentially billions of dollars worth of fines as well as potential new worldwide restrictions. Australia’s has now elected to fine Facebook a record $5 billion for privacy violations.
