Google Ads News
LSA Renaming
Google has renamed its “Local Services platform policies” documentation to “Local Services Ads requirements” and substantially revised the content.
The update aligns terminology more closely with standard Google Ads policies, reflects changes to the Google Guarantee badge system, removes outdated rules, and reorganizes the guidance into clearer categories.
Google also added more specific examples of violations such as changing prices after arrival, soliciting reviews on-site, or failing to address customer disputes and clarified enforcement actions ranging from warnings and reduced impressions to temporary or permanent suspension.
The changes may be connected to the broader migration of Local Services Ads into the main Google Ads platform, although Google has not confirmed that link.
Thanks for sharing Barry Schwartz.
View Call report
Google Ads has added a “View call report” link directly within Phone Call conversion actions. The shortcut opens the detailed call report in a new tab, making it easier for advertisers to see the underlying data behind call-conversion metrics
.The update was spotted by Govind Singh Panwar & Menachem Ani Ⓜ️.
Google Ads is tightening security for sensitive account actions
In a new pilot, users signed in with free email domains like Gmail or Yahoo may be blocked from actions such as changing user access or account links.
Corporate email domains will become the key requirement for higher-risk account administration.
Agencies and freelancers relying on personal emails should review access now to avoid disruption.
Ad policy change
Google is expanding its Limited Ad Serving policy, making advertiser trust an even bigger factor in campaign reach.
Starting in August, Google will gradually expand the policy through 2028. Instead of disapproving ads, it may limit impressions for advertisers it considers higher risk.
Trust signals include: • Account maturity and verification • Policy compliance and user reports • Ad formats, industry and other account-level signals
The takeaway: verification, compliance and consistent branding may now affect not just approval, but reach.
Google recommends clear branding across ads and landing pages, avoiding overly generic Search copy, clearly identifying the business and, where possible, pinning the domain in Headline 1.
Advertisers affected will receive an in-account notification and can appeal.
ChatGPT
ChatGPT Ads is getting a major performance marketing upgrade.
OpenAI is rolling out new features focused on conversion optimization, measurement and ecommerce, including:
• oCPC campaigns for product feeds
• Automatic Advanced Matching for web pixels
• New integrations with Triple Whale, Sonar Optimize and Hightouch
• Dynamic URL parameters and improved Pixel diagnostics
• Multi-product carousel ad testing • Expansion into Brazil and Mexico
The direction is clear: ChatGPT Ads is becoming a more mature performance platform, with stronger attribution, better optimization and more ecommerce-friendly formats.
For advertisers, that could mean better measurement, faster scaling and more opportunities to turn product discovery into conversions.
Map change
AI ad disclosures are now appearing in Google’s Local Map Pack.
Through My Ad Center, users may see how an ad was created or edited with AI, why it was shown, and options to provide feedback.
For advertisers, this could signal broader AI transparency requirements as Google expands disclosures across regions.
Credit to Anthony Higman for spotting the update.
Screen program
Google Ads has launched a Third-Party Pre-Screen Program for the Search Partners Network, adding independent brand safety verification for SPN domains.
Partners including DoubleVerify, IAS, and Zefr can validate domains and help advertisers apply safety and suitability standards.
Credit to Hana Kobzová for spotting the update.
Deal Ends
Barry Schwartz discovered that Google Ads has a new experimental annotation named Deal Ends!
Free Credit
Google Ads is now offering free Ad Credit for current advertisers! Thanks for sharing Anthony Higman.
reCAPTCHA
Google Ads’ Ad Preview and Diagnosis tool is currently broken, showing an unremovable reCAPTCHA instead of ad previews. The issue has reportedly lasted over a week, with no confirmed fix date.
Thanks for sharing Barry Schwartz.
Sign-in
Google Search is testing to force searchers to sign in to get more search results. Found by Barry Schwartz.
Hyperlinks
Google tests clickable hyperlinks in Search ad descriptions! Found by Nayan Prakash.
New Pilot
Google is piloting a new security feature that lets manager account owners restrict sensitive Google Ads API actions to approved applications. Unapproved tools will be blocked, helping agencies and large advertisers protect account management, user access, and billing operations.
Government doc update
From October 5, 2026, only providers officially authorized by a government may advertise government documents and services.
Their website must be listed as authorized on an official government website, promote only the approved service, and target only permitted regions.
Contracts, licenses, business registrations, and government blog posts do not count as proof. Google may deny or revoke certification.
Pay Per Lead
Google has published three new help guides for Local Services Ads within Performance Max, covering campaign settings, targeting, and best practices for pay-per-lead campaigns. The update was discovered by Hana Kobzová.
Report on New Customers
Google Ads has introduced a “Report on New Customers Acquired” option, allowing advertisers to track purchases from new versus existing customers without changing their bidding strategy. The update was discovered by Vasant Chaudhary.
New YouTube test
YouTube is reportedly testing static image ads on mobile during horizontal video playback. The ads occupy part of the screen without pausing, interrupting, or covering the video.Thanks for sharing Hana Kobzová.
ChatGPT Update
OpenAI is reportedly enabling Automatic Advanced Matching for all ChatGPT Ads pixels, including existing ones, which may collect emails, phone numbers, and other personal data from websites without clear notice. The recommendation is to disable it and, when needed, share matching data manually to maintain control.
Google Ads update: ACA and broad match will automatically transition to AI Max
Starting 1 September 2026, Search campaigns using Automatically Created Assets (ACA) and/or the campaign-level broad match setting will automatically be upgraded to AI Max.
What’s changing?
🔹 Campaigns using ACA will have search term matching and text customisation enabled by default.
🔹 Campaigns using campaign-level broad match will have search term matching enabled by default.
🔹 The new settings will be configured to closely mirror the current campaign setup.
Google recommends switching to AI Max in advance. This gives advertisers more control over their campaign settings and helps avoid unexpected changes during the automatic migration.
Review your Search campaigns, look for the upgrade banner in Google Ads, and decide whether to enable AI Max now. To opt out of the automatic upgrade, disable the legacy features before the migration takes place.
New Guide
Google has published new guidance for adding text disclaimers to Search ads, helping advertisers include required legal terms and disclosures without using headline or description space.
Key details:
Available globally to all Google Ads advertisersAdded after campaign creation through the Assets menu
Limited to 90 charactersCompatible with AI Max campaigns
Disapproved disclaimers do not stop the ad from serving
Disclaimer text may be truncated in some languages or at larger font sizes
Advertisers should also note that a disclaimer can override a pinned Description Line 1, potentially changing the ad’s intended layout.
The update is particularly useful for regulated industries that must display legal disclosures.
Thanks for sharing Hannah Gillespie
YouTube Audio Ads
Google has published its first dedicated guide for YouTube audio ads, bringing setup instructions, technical requirements, and creative best practices into one place.
Key details:
Audio ads run across YouTube and YouTube Music during listening-focused experiences.
Advertisers upload a YouTube video, typically using a static image or simple animation.
Ads up to 15 seconds are non-skippable.
Ads from 16 to 30 seconds are skippable.
Campaigns use the Brand awareness and reach objective, the Audio video campaign subtype, and Target CPM bidding.The guide does not launch a new ad format, but it should make YouTube audio campaigns easier for advertisers to test and implement.
AI Label
Thomas Eccel discovered that the AI label from Google Ads is now live!
GA4 Update
Google Analytics conversions now support custom integer lookback windows for click-through conversions (CTC) and engaged-view conversions (EVC).
This update allows Google Analytics to align conversion attribution lookback windows more closely to your unique business cycles.
This update introduces the following custom options:Engaged-view conversion (EVC) windows:
Edit EVC conversion windows to any integer from 1 to 30 days (previously fixed at 3 days).
Click-through conversion (CTC) windows: Set CTC conversion windows to any integer from 1 to 90 days (previously limited to preset values of 1, 7, 14, 30, 60, or 90 days).
Update Merchant Center
Google Merchant Center for Agencies now supports up to 1,000 linked accounts. Found by Search Engine Land.
New design
Arpan Banerjee & Sachin Patel discovered that Google Ads just got a new design with reviews on the right!
Campaign Manager 360 update
You can now use the reportData.query endpoint in the Campaign Manager 360 API to synchronously query your campaign performance data and retrieve structured JSON data directly in the response!
Thanks for sharing Arpan Banerjee
Google is updating VTC optimisation in Demand Gen
Key changes:
*VTC bidding will apply to video assets only
* VTC optimisation will be on by default for new campaigns
* Display inventory will be supported
* Display video billing will shift from CPC to CPM
The main takeaway: advertisers should pay closer attention to the extent to which reported performance is driven by view-through conversions, especially as VTC optimisation becomes the default.
Thanks for sharing Arpan Banerjee.
Google Ads form
Arpan Banerjee discovered that Google support now gives the option to choose the campaigns in its form.
Political update
Make sure to put your Ads on not political or Google will put it on yes for you and limit you…
Thanks for sharing Denie Geertzen 🟢.
Language settings
Arpan Banerjee just texted me that Google is going to remove language targeting settings for search and Pmax!
Expanding AI features
Google is expanding AI features in Google Ads and Analytics, including AI-powered insights, Ask Advisor, visual reporting, performance summaries, and benchmarking to help marketers spot opportunities and act faster.
Political update New Zealand
Google is updating its Political Content policy in New Zealand to allow election and official government ads in supported languages, including contextually relevant Māori words or phrases, as long as they comply with other Google Ads policies.
Google contacting clients
Google Ads is contacting agency clients directly with optimization offers, raising concerns about bypassing agencies and undermining their role in managing strategy and bidding decisions.
Thanks for sharing Bia Camargo.
Non-clickable Sitelinks
Sachin Patel discovered that Google’s AI Mode ads are now displaying non-clickable sitelinks.
Ads migration
Google Ads is retiring Campaign-level Broad Match and standalone Automatically Created Assets (ACA) in favor of AI Max for Search campaigns. September 1–30, 2026: Google will automatically migrate eligible Search campaigns using Campaign-level Broad Match or standalone ACA to AI Max, rolling the change out throughout the month.
Migrated campaigns are updated in place to minimize disruption: Broad Match campaigns: Search Term Matching ON; Text Customization and Final URL Expansion OFF; existing brand inclusions/exclusions preserved.
ACA campaigns: Text Customization and Search Term Matching ON; Final URL Expansion OFF.
Since August 3, 2026, advertisers can no longer create new legacy Campaign-level Broad Match or ACA configurations in the UI, Editor, or API.
New Google Ads API versions released after September 1, 2026 will remove the old Broad Match/ACA entities entirely. Existing API versions will retain temporary support until their normal sunset, roughly through September 2027.
Dynamic Search Ads are not part of the September migration.
Their migration has moved to February 2027:
September 2026: UI migration warnings begin.
January 15, 2027: reminder notification.
February 1–28, 2027: remaining DSA campaigns automatically migrate to standard Search ad groups with AI Max enabled, and creation of new DSA ad groups ends.
What developers should do
Audit integrations for legacy Broad Match/ACA usage, move campaign creation and management to standard Search campaigns using AI Max settings, and make integrations resilient to errors when attempting to modify legacy DSA/eDSA entities.
Bottom line: Broad Match + ACA migration is happening September 2026; DSA migration is delayed until February 2027. Developers should start moving API integrations to the AI Max model now.
ChatGPT Ads update
OpenAI Tests Descriptive Headings Above ChatGPT Ads
OpenAI is testing a new ad format in ChatGPT that shows a descriptive heading directly above sponsored ads.
The test was spotted by Brodie Clark, who shared a screenshot on X. The heading appears to be generated based on the surrounding ChatGPT response, although OpenAI has not confirmed whether AI creates it automatically.
Google is testing something similar with its ads, but many advertisers prefer using their own ad copy rather than AI-generated messaging.
Thanks for sharing Barry Schwartz.
tCPA & Roas change
VIVEK GUPTA reminded me that you only have a few days left for the upcoming changes to Target-Based Bid strategy campaigns!
YouTube & Discovery change
Google updated its YouTube and Discover Feed ad requirements to make the policy documentation clearer and easier to read.
The changes are editorial only.
Google says there are no new requirements and no changes to enforcement, so advertisers don’t need to make any immediate campaign changes.
The revised wording is intended to help advertisers better understand the existing rules and assess whether their ads comply.
Key takeaway: Google has clarified the language of its YouTube and Discover Feed ad policies, but the underlying requirements and enforcement remain unchanged.
Local Pmax update
Google has added Local customer optimization to Performance Max campaigns with store goals, allowing advertisers to prioritize nearby users who show strong intent to visit or contact a business.
The feature targets people actively navigating, planning trips, or searching for nearby businesses across Google Maps, Waze, and local Search formats. It optimizes toward offline actions such as store visits, directions, and store sales.
A key limitation is that it doesn’t support Merchant Center product feeds or online conversion goals. Advertisers using those will need to remove the feed or create a separate store-goals campaign.
Key takeaway: Local customer optimization gives brick-and-mortar advertisers a more focused way to reach high-intent local customers through Performance Max, but it’s limited to store-goal campaigns without Merchant Center integration.
360 Update
Google has introduced a new reportData.query endpoint for the Campaign Manager 360 API that lets developers retrieve campaign reporting data in real time with a single synchronous request.
Instead of creating a report, running it, waiting for completion, and downloading a file, developers can now specify dimensions, metrics, and filters directly in the request and receive structured JSON.
Queries can run for up to 60 seconds, making the endpoint especially useful for dashboards, interactive analytics, and ad-hoc reporting.
The existing Reports API is still recommended for large datasets, scheduled reporting, and workflows that require downloadable CSV or Excel files.
Key takeaway: reportData.query makes CM360 reporting faster and simpler for real-time applications, while the traditional Reports service remains better suited to large-scale or scheduled reporting.
Data import GA4
Thomas Eccel discovered that the data import validation report is now live!
1500 Dollar
Google ads is now offering 1500 dollar to try Demand Gen 😅 found by Thomas Eccel.
Financial update
Google Ads is expanding its Financial Services Verification requirements to 13 additional EEA countries.
Applications via G2 open 11 August 2026, with enforcement starting from 15 September 2026.
Affected advertisers in sectors such as banking, loans, investments, trading and insurance may need to complete verification to keep their ads running.If Google flags your account, make sure verification is completed before your deadline.
Google Merchant Center reporting is changing on August 24
Expect some noticeable shifts in your numbers without necessarily seeing a real change in performance.Key updates:YouTube affiliate traffic will be separated from Organic.
YouTube organic reporting definitions are changing.
Google Ads product reporting will include more channels and formats.A new “Network” segmentation is coming to Merchant Center.
Historical data will also be adjusted back to July 1, 2026.
So if Organic suddenly drops or Ads metrics jump: check the reporting changes before blaming performance.
Thanks for sharing Arpan Banerjee.
Merchant Center
VIVEK GUPTA discovered that Google is now showing the ask Advisor in Merchant Center!
New button test
Google has confirmed a limited desktop test that adds new AI-focused buttons beneath the Google Search box.
The test surfaces three shortcuts Create images, Ask about files, and Brainstorm which send users into Google’s AI Mode. Google VP of Product Robby Stein said the goal is to help people discover more things they can do with Search, and emphasized that the traditional search box itself is unchanged.
The features are already available through the “+” menu beside the search field, so the new buttons appear mainly designed to improve their visibility and adoption.
Why it matters: If Google expands the experiment, it could push more users toward AI Mode directly from the homepage, further changing how people interact with Google Search and potentially how they discover websites and information.
Thanks for sharing Barry Schwartz
Migrating
Barry Schwartz discovered that Google will be migrating Travel campaigns to the new Search campaigns for Travel in Google Ads in Q3 2026!
Favicon test
Barry Schwartz discovered that Google Ads is testing favicon/domain at the top of the sponsored results!
New AI-powered solutions
Google is rolling out new AI-powered updates to Google Ads and Google Analytics to make performance analysis faster and easier.
New features include customizable dashboards built with natural-language prompts and competitive benchmarking that provides insights and recommendations based on industry performance.
Google Ads has launched a new Campaign Data Import Validation Report
The new report helps you assess the quality of your non-Google campaign data and imported campaign data. It makes it easier to identify campaigns that are missing important performance metrics such as cost, clicks, and impressions.
You can also use the report to review previously imported campaign data and spot potential issues more quickly.
A useful update for anyone working with campaign data imports and cross-platform reporting.
Thanks to Arpan Banerjee for sharing this update.
Strongest Match
Google is again testing with the strongest match! Found by Barry Schwartz.
DV Update
Google Ads is changing language targeting for Search, AI Max for Search, and Performance Max campaigns starting in late September 2026.
For Search and AI Max for Search, campaign-level language targeting will be removed. Instead, Google will determine language primarily from the language of the ads, alongside signals such as user language preferences.
For Performance Max, campaign-level language targeting will no longer affect ads shown on Google Search, but it will continue to guide targeting across other channels such as YouTube, Display, Discover, and Gmail.
For Google Ads API developers, existing language criteria will still appear in queries, but attempts to add or update CampaignCriterion.language for Search campaigns will return an OPERATION_NOT_PERMITTED_FOR_CONTEXT error. Performance Max campaigns will continue to accept language settings because they remain relevant outside Search.
What developers should do
Stop setting language criteria when creating or updating Search campaigns. Existing criteria can be removed for cleanup, but this is optional. Google recommends focusing instead on making sure ad copy and landing pages clearly use the intended language.
Bottom line: From late September 2026, Search and AI Max campaigns will rely on ad language rather than campaign-level language targeting, while Performance Max will keep language settings only for non-Search channels.
Looker Studio update
Google Data Studio is rolling out several new reporting and visualization features starting August 13, 2026.
The update adds fullscreen chart viewing, allowing users to expand individual charts directly from the chart header. Scorecards and gauge charts are excluded.
Report creators can now rotate text boxes, images, and shapes on non-responsive canvases, with an option to reset rotation back to 0 degrees.
Stacked bar charts also gain improved label positioning, with labels now able to appear centered inside bars when space allows.
Other improvements include the ability to search for settings within the Setup and Style tabs, copy charts as PNG images directly to the clipboard, and customize bubble border colors in bubble charts.
Bottom line: The update focuses on making Data Studio reports easier to design, customize, navigate, and reuse visually.
Policy update
Google has updated the misleading ads policy to provide additional examples and clearer information to advertisers!
Ad credit
Anthony Higman discovered that OpenAI now gives free ad credit!
7 days offline conversions
Google has clarified that offline conversions must be uploaded within 7 days to be included in data-driven attribution modeling. Conversions uploaded later will still appear in standard reports, but they will be ignored by the attribution engine.
Thanks for sharing Hana Kobzová.
New PMAX setting spotted: Only bid for new prospects
This is a pretty interesting one.
Google is testing a new “New prospects” option in Performance Max.
The idea is simple:→ Focus PMAX on new prospects→ Exclude existing customers→ Exclude people searching for specific brands
If this works as intended, it could make PMAX much more useful for actual new customer acquisition instead of spending budget on people who already know the brand.Still in Beta, so it’s not available in every account yet.
Credits to Emirhan Bayutmuş and Arpan Banerjee
500 X 500
Google is sending out emails announcing that, effective January 31, 2027, all product images in Google Merchant Center that are smaller than 500 × 500 pixels will be disapproved and will no longer be eligible to serve.
GTM Update
Google is rolling out updates across its tagging tools to make measurement easier. The idea is to build data strength without jumping through a ton of technical hoops. Here is what is new: Consolidated tagging.
Google Tag now integrates the advanced capabilities of Tag Manager, so you manage all your measurement settings for Google Ads and Google Analytics in one place.
Faster performance. Consolidating the tools simplifies data transmission, which can result in faster website performance. No-code event tracking.
Just walk through a purchase the way a customer would and the technical setup is handled automatically behind the scenes.
Visual tagging. A new map view shows which platforms (Google Ads or Google Analytics) are capturing your performance insights, so you can spot and fix errors at a glance. In-account update guide.
Soon you will be able to update and optimize your Tag Manager containers from the optimization banner in your account, with a preview of all changes before you publish to your workspace.
Why this matters: Clean measurement is the foundation of every profitable account. Less manual setup and clearer visibility into what is firing means fewer tracking errors and more trust in your data.
V25.1
Google has released Google Ads API v25.1, expanding access to lift measurement, category-level benchmarks, brand sentiment, loyalty reporting, and original conversion values before Google’s adjustments are applied.
New AI Max tools
Google is expanding AI Max testing and planning tools. Starting in September, advertisers will be able to A/B test different budgets and ROI targets across multiple Search campaigns, while AI Max experiments now support brand and location controls.
Performance Planner can also apply recommended bidding and budget changes directly to campaigns.
The core AI Max experiment feature itself isn’t new it was already reported in August 2025 and first surfaced by Dario Zannoni.
Native_commerce
Google has published a new help page for the native commerce [native_commerce] attribute in Merchant Center, enabling eligible products to support “Buy Now” flows in Gemini and AI Mode without sending users to an external site.
Credit to Hana Kobzová for finding the new help page.
Vehicles update
Google has tightened Vehicle Ads landing page requirements. Key details including dealership name, location, price, VIN, and availability must now be visible immediately, without extra clicks or scrolling. Credit to Hana Kobzová for spotting the update.
Watch-While Ads
YouTube has officially introduced Watch-While Ads, a non-disruptive image ad format that appears while videos keep playing. It’s supported across Demand Gen, Performance Max, and App Campaigns. Credit to Hana Kobzová for spotting the update in Google’s image asset specs.
Link
Arpan Banerjee just got the reminder that his account will be automatically linked with Merchant Center after September 19, 2026!
Limit
Arpan Banerjee discovered that in Google Merchant Center, you can now limit the maximum amount of money customers can receive.
Sitelinks
Arpan Banerjee discovered that Google Ads is now proactively surfacing sitelink suggestions for you.
Video update
Google Ads is making another big shift in video.TrueView in-stream and in-feed consideration campaigns are being upgraded to Video View Campaigns (VVC) and moving toward multi-format ads powered by Google AI.
One detail advertisers should pay close attention to: as part of the upgrade, campaigns that previously opted out of YouTube Search may be updated to include those networks.
The direction is becoming pretty clear: Google wants video campaigns to run across more placements and formats, with AI taking a bigger role in distribution and optimization.
Worth checking your existing video campaigns before these changes roll through.
Credit to Thomas Eccel for spotting and sharing the update.
Asset panel
Arpan Banerjee discovered that Google Ads has redesigned the Asset Optimization panel.
OpenAI Ads
OpenAI is expanding ChatGPT Ads to 31 European countries, including Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Austria. The rollout begins next week, following six months of ad testing and expansion beyond the U.S.
New promotion tool live
Julian Schreck discovered the new feature in Promotions in GMC! This feature has been spotted before, but I have not seen it live yet!
Pmax update
Arpan Banerjee discovered that he now has the option in Pmax to bid higher for loyalty members and that he can show members benefits.
Business logo to shopping
Arpan Banerjee discovered that you can now add a business logo to standard shopping!
CPA 10
Google has lowered the demand gen recommendation to 10 times the target CPA. Before it was 15. Thanks for spotting Hana Kobzová.
New placement
Arpan Banerjee discovered this new placement called sponsored placements with a map!
Blue hyperlinks
Sachin Patel & Barry Schwartz discovered that Google is testing with blue hyperlinks in Google Search Ad Descriptions!
Branded searches
Google Ads has added branded searches as a new conversion type for YouTube and Demand Gen campaigns. It tracks brand-related searches on Google and YouTube within seven days after users see an ad, with no additional setup required.
Thanks for sharing Hana Kobzová.
Postpone shopping
Google appears to have quietly reversed or postponed its planned Shopping expansion to 14 additional markets. The July 14 announcement has been removed, and countries including Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta and Serbia have disappeared from the supported countries table.
Thanks for sharing Hana Kobzová.
New function
New function spotted. By Joey Bidner!
Pmax video
Google Ads is upgrading Performance Max video ads with a new asset optimisation feature that uses generative AI to create missing video aspect ratios, helping ads appear across more placements and potentially improving reach and viewing experience.
The feature builds on existing automatic resizing of horizontal videos into vertical and square formats.
If you do not want Google to use the new generative-AI video optimisation, you need to contact your account team or submit the opt-out form by 4 September 2026.
You can also change video optimisation settings later in your Google Ads account.
Google TV Masthead Format Requirements Update
Google TV Masthead Format Requirements Update
Starting in September 2026, Google is relaxing some content restrictions for Google TV masthead ads:
Alcohol: Ads may depict or reference alcohol, provided they comply with Google’s existing Alcohol policy.
Consumer electronics: Newly permitted categories include headphones/audio equipment, laptops and desktops, wearables, cameras/imaging gear, routers, thermostats, and other smart-home infrastructure. TVs, smartphones, tablets, and soundbars remain prohibited.
Healthcare & medicines: Healthcare-related content will be permitted, subject to the existing Healthcare and Medicines policy.
Gambling: Sports betting will be permitted. Daily Fantasy Sports will also be allowed, but only when targeting the U.S. and Canada. Other gambling content—including offline gambling, other online gambling, non-casino games, and social casino games—remains prohibited.
Google is also adding a list of common masthead-ad disapproval reasons and restructuring the policy page for clarity.
Importantly, the change does not loosen the underlying policies themselves: existing certification, targeting, and other policy requirements still apply.
Google Tests ‘For You’ Label in Dynamic Remarketing Ads
Google Tests ‘For You’ Label in Dynamic Remarketing Ads. Thanks for sharing Hana Kobzová .
Google Ads Tests Swipeable Categories for Sponsored Results
Google Ads Tests Swipeable Categories For Sponsored Results Again thanks for sharing Barry Schwartz .
Upcoming Display & Video 360 API Changes
Google has announced three upcoming changes to the Display & Video 360 API and Structured Data Files that will take effect in October 2026.
From October 1, advertisers will no longer be able to exclude specific digital content labels through targeting, and most sensitive category exclusions will also be removed from the available targeting options. These changes affect both the DV360 API and related Structured Data File fields.
Then, from October 12, creating or updating YouTube responsive ads will require a business name and logo unless those values are already set at advertiser level. This also affects Ad Structured Data File uploads.
The practical takeaway: if you use the DV360 API or Structured Data Files in automated workflows, now is a good time to check whether your integrations rely on these targeting exclusions or on YouTube ad uploads without business name and logo fields.
Thanks for sending this over, Arpan Banerjee
Google Tests a New Sponsored Results Loading Animation
Google is testing a new loading animation for sponsored results on mobile Search.
During the test, users may see a message saying “Evaluating sponsored results” alongside Google and Gemini branding before the ads appear. At first glance, this made it look like Gemini might be involved in selecting or generating the sponsored results.
However, Google clarified that this is only a small experiment designed to show users that content is loading. The company specifically said Gemini is not being used to load sponsored results in Google Search.
Thanks for sharing Barry Schwartz .
Ask Advisor to Gain Shared Memory Across Google Marketing Tools
Google says Ask Advisor will soon gain shared memory across its marketing tools, including Google Ads, Google Analytics, and Merchant Center.
This means conversations will no longer be isolated to a single platform. If you discuss goals, campaign decisions, or performance in Google Ads, Ask Advisor will be able to use that context later when you move to Analytics, Merchant Center, or another supported Google marketing product.
Google says the shared memory will carry over goals, past decisions, and performance data, with the aim of providing more relevant recommendations across the entire marketing stack.
The feature was mentioned when Ask Advisor was originally announced, but Google is now signaling that the rollout is getting closer. Barry Schwartz notes that there is still no confirmed launch date.
Thanks for sharing Barry Schwartz .
Google Expands Campaign Performance Troubleshooting Guidance
Barry Schwartz reports that Google Ads appears to have published or updated a broader set of help documents focused on troubleshooting campaign performance fluctuations and changes.
The guidance now covers most major campaign types, including Performance Max, Search, Display, Video, Shopping, App, Smart, and Demand Gen campaigns. There is also a dedicated troubleshooter for Performance Max spend fluctuations.
These resources are designed to help advertisers diagnose why performance changes, covering campaign-specific factors that can affect metrics, spend, traffic, and conversions.
Barry notes that he believes several of these documents are new, although he couldn’t fully verify their history because the Wayback Machine was unavailable. Some may instead be existing pages that Google recently renamed or updated.
Merchant Center short_title Expands to Performance Max
Google has expanded the short_title attribute in Merchant Center beyond Demand Gen: it can now appear in visual Performance Max placements such as YouTube and Discover.
Merchants should aim to keep short titles under 40 characters to reduce mobile truncation, although Google still allows up to 65 characters.
Thanks for sharing Hana Kobzová
My Ad Center Adds ‘How This Ad Was Made’ AI Transparency
Google has added a new “How this ad was made” section to My Ad Center to improve transparency around AI-generated advertising.
The panel tells users when an ad was created or edited using artificial intelligence, giving more insight into how the content was produced.
The information can be accessed through the three-dot menu on ads across Google Search, YouTube, and Discover.
Ads created with Google’s own AI tools will automatically receive the appropriate disclosure. Advertisers that create AI-generated or AI-edited assets using external tools will need to declare this themselves.
In some regions, including the EU, India, and New York, visible AI labels are already required directly on the ad itself.
The practical takeaway: advertisers using AI-generated creative should expect more transparency requirements, and those using third-party AI tools will need to make sure the correct disclosures are added manually.
Thanks for sharing Arpan Banerjee .
Demand Gen Adds Multiple Conversion Optimization Goals
Google has updated Demand Gen campaigns to support multiple conversion optimization goals within the same campaign.
Advertisers can now optimize toward several actions at once, including lead form submissions, contacts, engagements, and YouTube follow-on views. Each goal can be enabled individually, and the new Add goal option makes it easier to manage the setup.
Previously, advertisers had less flexibility in combining different objectives within a single Demand Gen campaign. The change makes it possible to account for multiple valuable customer actions when optimizing performance.
The practical takeaway: Demand Gen campaigns can now reflect a broader range of business outcomes, giving advertisers more flexibility when a campaign has several meaningful conversion actions rather than one primary goal.
Thanks for sharing Hana Kobzová .
Performance Max Adds Local Customer Optimization
Google has introduced Local customer optimization for Performance Max campaigns focused on store goals.
The feature is designed to prioritize people who are physically nearby and showing strong immediate intent, such as searching for a local service, planning a route, visiting a store, or contacting a business.
Advertisers can use it to shift more budget toward locally relevant placements across Google Search, Google Maps, and Waze.
It can be enabled when creating a new Performance Max campaign for store goals or switched on in an existing eligible campaign.
There are some limitations: Local customer optimization cannot be used with online campaign goals or with campaigns that include Merchant Center products.
The practical takeaway: businesses that depend on nearby customers can now make Performance Max more focused on immediate local actions instead of broader online conversions.
Thanks for sharing Hana Kobzová
Asset Studio Adds ‘Upload as Drafts’ for Video Assets
Google Ads has added an Upload as drafts option for video assets in Asset Studio.
This lets advertisers upload and save videos as drafts without immediately choosing a YouTube channel.
Previously, videos had to be uploaded to YouTube before they could be added to a campaign. The new draft option gives advertisers more flexibility to review or edit videos first, or to prepare assets before deciding which YouTube channel to use.
The limitation is that the video still needs to be uploaded to YouTube before it can actually be used in a campaign.
The practical takeaway: advertisers can now prepare video assets earlier in the workflow without committing to a YouTube channel straight away.
Thanks for sharing Hana Kobzová .
Policy Manager Moves to Admin > Policy
Google has moved Policy Manager to a new location in the Google Ads interface.
Previously, advertisers could find it under Tools > Troubleshooting. It is now located under Admin > Policy.
Google has also added a new Ads tab next to the existing Account tab. The Ads section focuses on policy issues affecting individual ads, such as limited or disapproved ads, while the Account section continues to cover areas like verification and certifications.
The practical takeaway: if you regularly check ad disapprovals or policy restrictions, the functionality is still there, but you’ll now find it under Admin > Policy instead of the troubleshooting section.
Thanks for sharing Vojtěch Audy & Hana Kobzová .
Ask Advisor Expands Cross-Platform Intelligence
Google is expanding Ask Advisor with cross-platform intelligence across Google Ads, Google Analytics, Merchant Center, and Google Marketing Platform.
The biggest change is shared memory. Ask Advisor will be able to carry goals, previous decisions, and performance context from one Google product to another instead of treating each platform as a separate conversation.
Over time, it should also become more personalized by remembering what matters to the advertiser and using previous interactions to improve its recommendations and guidance.
Another benefit is continuity across products. Users should be able to move between Ads, Analytics, Merchant Center, and other Google marketing tools without losing context or having to start over.
Google is also adding access to previous chats, making it easier to revisit earlier conversations and decisions.
Thanks for sharing Vojtěch Audy & Hana Kobzová
Google Tag Manager Changes gtag(‘config’) Handling
Google is warning that Google Tag Manager snippets will soon stop recognizing or waiting for gtag(‘config’) commands.
This mainly affects websites that have a GTM container installed but still use commands such as gtag(‘config’, ‘G-…’) for GA4 or gtag(‘config’, ‘AW-…’) for Google Ads configuration. Google considers this combination an unsupported implementation.
Affected GTM container owners have reportedly received email notifications, and Google has published documentation showing which implementations are supported and unsupported.
The change is connected to Google’s broader move to unify Google Tag and Google Tag Manager. Advertisers and analytics teams using a mixed GTM/gtag setup should therefore review their implementation and move configuration into the supported GTM or Google Tag setup.
Thanks for sharing Hana Kobzová
Demand Gen Adds Three AI-Powered YouTube Tools
Demand Gen is adding three new AI-powered tools to help advertisers grow performance on YouTube:
Multimodal video creation: Generate publish-ready horizontal and vertical video ads from simple text prompts using Gemini Omni. Product feed expansion: Create dynamic travel ads featuring relevant local activities, events, and real-time offers. YouTube insights: Use Gemini-powered analytics to identify emerging cultural trends and measure performance across both paid and organic content.
Bottom line: Google is making Demand Gen more automated, personalized, and insight-driven to help advertisers capture more consumer demand on YouTube.
Local Services Ads Call Lead Charging Changes
Google is changing how Local Services Ads (LSA) call leads are charged starting October 1, 2026. The biggest change is that advertisers may now pay for certain calls even when nobody answers the phone.
A missed call during business hours can count as a valid, chargeable lead if the caller stays on the line for more than 20 seconds. Google can also charge for later follow-up calls between the business and the customer if the original call wasn’t charged but the follow-up meets its valid-lead criteria.
There is an exception for businesses using phone menus where callers must press a key to reach the right department. In those cases, the 20-second timer only starts after the caller presses the key. Google also says it is adding new protections against spam and automated calls, although it hasn’t explained those safeguards in detail yet.
Google Ads API Developer Assistant v4.0.0
Google has released Google Ads API Developer Assistant v4.0.0, a major update that turns the tool from a standalone project into a plugin that can be used directly inside AI coding environments such as Claude Code and Antigravity.
The assistant gives AI agents specialized Google Ads API capabilities. It can generate best-practice integration code, validate GAQL queries before they run, inspect current Protobuf schemas, troubleshoot issues such as failed offline conversion uploads, answer API questions using official definitions, and even run ad hoc reports against a Google Ads account from natural-language requests.
A major theme of the release is efficiency through progressive disclosure. Instead of loading huge amounts of Google Ads API documentation and schemas into the model context, the plugin only loads the rules and data needed for the current task. Google says this reduces token usage, response times, CPU and RAM usage, disk activity, and unnecessary multi-step LLM reasoning.
The release also adds native support for Claude Code slash commands such as /validate-gaql, /inspect-object, /troubleshoot-conversions, and /get-cids, alongside support for Antigravity.
Product Titles Beta Appears in Google Ads Reporting
Arpan Banerjee Arpan Banerjee now also saw the product titles beta! In this report you can see a sample of product titles created by Google AI!
Google Renames Multi-Source Conversions
Google has renamed conversions with multiple data sources to multi-source conversions across its documentation and Tag Diagnostics.
Multi-source conversions let advertisers connect an existing website conversion action with an additional backend source, such as a CRM or order database, using Data Manager or the Data Manager API. This can help recover conversions that may be missed because of ad blockers or browser restrictions, while avoiding duplicate counting.
To use the feature, advertisers need a unique transaction ID, the conversion date and time, and at least one attribution identifier such as GCLID, GBRAID, WBRAID, or hashed data.
The feature is currently in beta and does not yet support imported GA4 conversions or URL-based conversion actions.
Thanks for sharing Hana Kobzová
Customer Lifecycle Optimization Added to Conversions Summary
Google Ads has introduced a new Customer Lifecycle Optimization section within the Conversions Summary page, giving advertisers more tools to optimize campaigns across different stages of the customer journey.
The feature focuses on three key areas:
Customer Acquisition: Helps advertisers identify existing customers and optimize campaigns toward winning new ones.
Lapsed Customers: Uses audience segments to recognize previous customers and adjust bidding strategies to encourage them to return.
Loyalty Program Members: Allows advertisers to assign different conversion values to customers who are part of a loyalty program.
Some features require audience segments with at least 100 active members.
Overall, the update encourages advertisers to look beyond individual conversions and optimize for the full customer lifecycle, from initial acquisition to retention and repeat purchases.
Local Services Ads Booking Expands to 500+ Partners
Google is expanding Local Services Ads booking support from 20 to more than 500 Reserve with Google partners.
If a business already has an active partner booking link on its Google Business Profile, that link can now automatically appear in its LSA, allowing customers to book directly from Search and Maps.
These bookings are tracked as paid LSA leads, and businesses can manage booking links and preferences from their LSA settings.
Gemini Omni in Google Ads Asset Studio
New Google Omni in Ads
Gemini Omni in Google Ads helps marketers quickly create, edit, and scale on-brand video ads directly in Asset Studio.
It uses uploaded brand guidelines to maintain visual and tonal consistency, can generate video concepts from prompts or existing assets, and easily produces multiple horizontal and vertical variations for campaign testing.
In short, it turns a single creative idea into many brand-consistent video ads at scale.
Demand Gen Expands Multiple Conversion Goals
Google has expanded Demand Gen campaigns to support multiple conversion optimization goals, giving advertisers more flexibility in how campaigns are optimized and measured.
Advertisers can now select several goals within a single campaign, including lead form submissions, contacts, engagements, and YouTube follow-on views. Each goal can be enabled separately and managed through a new “Add goal” option in the campaign interface.
This update makes it easier to optimize Demand Gen campaigns around multiple business outcomes at once, helping advertisers better align campaign performance with their broader marketing objectives.
Source: Hana Kobzová
New Product Titles Report Shows AI-Generated Shopping Titles
Google Ads is starting to show a new “Product titles” report that reveals AI-generated product titles used in Shopping ads.
Google may replace a merchant’s original title with a customised AI version when it believes it’s more relevant, while still using the original when appropriate.
Advertisers can compare the AI and original titles and track metrics such as impressions, clicks, CTR, cost, and CPC giving them more visibility into how Google’s AI-driven title optimisation performs.
Thanks for sharing Yash Mandlesha
Maximize Conversion Value Waiting Period Gets Shorter
Google updated its help doc for Maximize Conversion Value bidding, and the standout change is a shorter waiting period before adopting the strategy after you start reporting conversion value (or change how it’s reported).
The old guidance said to wait 4 weeks or 3 conversion cycles for the campaign to stabilize at a similar conversion value rate. The new guidance drops that to just 1–2 conversion cycles and removes the “4 weeks” alternative entirely.
Two other things worth noting: the guidance now explicitly covers Shopping campaigns alongside Search (previously it named Search only), and Google added four new troubleshooting docs for performance fluctuations across Search, Shopping, Display, and Demand Gen campaigns.
Thanks for sharing Barry Schwartz .
New Beta Turns Websites and Ads into AI-Generated Videos
Google is beginning to roll out a new Beta video-generation tool in Google Ads Asset Studio, likely one of the features announced at GML 2026. Called “Transform your website or ads into video with Google AI,” it uses Google’s latest generative AI models, including Gemini Omni, to turn existing website or campaign creatives into polished 12-second videos with five scenes, voiceover, and horizontal or vertical formats.
Rather than generating videos entirely from scratch, the tool adapts and animates existing creative assets while still giving advertisers some control over imagery, messaging, visual direction, colors, scenes, and voiceover.
The workflow has five stages: selecting source material, reviewing an AI-generated creative brief, choosing among three creative narratives, editing a five-scene storyboard and voiceover, and finally reviewing, downloading, labeling, or uploading the finished video directly to YouTube.
Thanks for sharing Dario Zannoni .
Local Services Ads Changes Ahead of Google Ads Integration
Google’s quietly reshaping Local Services Ads before folding them into Google Ads.
Two things worth knowing:
→ Categories just got way more specific. “Restaurant” and “auto repair” are splitting into cuisine types and individual services (transmission, brakes, oil changes, sushi, pizza…). More precise targeting, higher-intent leads. → The migration into Google Ads has started. Phase one: select US home & storefront advertisers, August 2026. Non-US accounts follow in 2027.
The good news for anyone running LSAs: the model doesn’t change.
Still pay-per-lead, still keywordless, still Search + Maps only. Existing setups migrate automatically no rebuilding.
More control, same mechanics. Worth getting familiar with the new categories now if LSAs are part of your mix.
More PMax Control Over Conversion Prioritization
Google Ads is rolling out more control over how PMax prioritizes conversions across channels.
Useful when spend gets stuck in a low-performing channel but attribution still matters.
YouTube may assist a conversion that ultimately closes through Search.
More control is good. Use it carefully.
Credit to Heidi Sturrock
New ‘Re-review’ Status Appears in Google Ads
New status in Ads called re-review found by Barry Schwartz.
Expanding placements
Google is expanding ad placements within AI Mode, with Shopping carousel ads now appearing inline within AI-generated responses. Google is also testing single-product ad units inline, along with additional ads at the bottom of AI Mode results.
The change gives advertisers more opportunities to appear directly within AI-powered search experiences and signals Google’s continued push to monetize AI Mode with more integrated ad formats.
Thanks for sharing Barry Schwartz & Brodie Clark.
Popular products
Google Merchant Center has enhanced its Popular products report, improving both coverage and insights to provide a more accurate and comprehensive view of product performance.
The changes, introduced in late June 2026, may affect which products and brands appear as popular and could increase reported coverage, rankings, and performance across regions. Popular products data is refreshed weekly, although new metrics can take up to two weeks to appear.
The updates also apply to the Merchant API and BigQuery.Thanks for sharing Barry Schwartz.
Payment change name
Google Ads has renamed its payment settings: Automatic payments are now “Postpay,” while Manual payments are now “Prepay.” The new terminology is appearing across billing screens and roughly 60 related help pages.
Postpay means advertisers accrue costs before being charged, while Prepay means funds are added before ads run. Importantly, the change is terminology only—there are no changes to how or when advertisers are charged.
Thanks for sharing Hana Kobzová.
Lookalike segments
Google Ads has expanded Lookalike segments to Video campaigns, after previously limiting them to Demand Gen campaigns. Advertisers can now use existing audience data to reach new users with similar characteristics through Video campaigns.
For stronger audience quality, Google recommends using a seed list of at least 1,000 active users and incorporating value-based data when available.
Thanks for sharing Hana Kobzová.
ChatGPT Ads live
ChatGPT Ads are live 🔥 ! Thanks for sharing Lars Friis .
Video Spark
Arpan Banerjee discovered that Google has launched the Video Spark (beta).