Google Ads update
New look App Ads
Arpan Banerjee discovered this new look of App Ads!
Leads from message conversion
Arpan Banerjee discovered that Google Ads now recommends using the leads from message conversion!
Three days ago Google launched more information about the Automated Discounts
This tool uses Google AI to optimize product sale prices across Shopping ads and landing pages, improving performance and simplifying pricing.
Benefits
– Effective Pricing: AI-driven, market-based price optimization.
– Higher Performance: Boosts profit/revenue, conversions, clicks, and ROI.
– Ease of Use: Saves time with automated, consistent pricing.
Key Features
– Adjusts prices based on demand, competitiveness, seasonality, and shipping costs.
– Prices align across Shopping ads and landing pages.Requirements
– Enable conversion tracking with cart data.
– Provide attributes for 20% of inventory:[auto_pricing_min_price] ≤ 95% of current price but ≥ [cost_of_goods].
– Integrate Google’s JSON pricing tokens on your site.-
Support ramp-up: 10% products optimized initially, expanding to 90%.
Launch & Reporting
– Monitor metrics like clicks and profit in the Merchant Center’s “Automated discounts” tab.- Ramp-up stages start with 10% optimization, scaling to 90%.
For more information read this article.
Demand Gen
Thomas Eccel spotted this new infinity landscape Demand Gen image ad on YouTube!
Video conversion goes away
Arpan Banerjee discovered that Google now reminds us about the Video Conversion transition to Demand Gen in early 2025!
Edit images with AI
You can now edit images with AI in Google Ads asset library posted by Barry Schwartz & discovered by Menachem Ani Ⓜ️!
Three dots go away
Arpan Banerjee discovered this ad without the famous three dots behind the brand name! Why are they not there 🤔
New Google Ads Goal
Zeeshan Ali discovered that Messages from your ads is now a goal in Google Ads.More focus on the WhatsApp extension in 2025 👀 .
YouTube Ad without call to action
Thomas Eccel discovered that Google Ads is testing this new type of YouTube ad format that shows view counts but no call-to-action!
Pop-up dynamic sitelinks
Anthony Higman discovered this new pop-up when he wanted to turn off dynamic sitelinks.
New Attribute
It looks like Google launched a new attribute for vehicle ads called Date first registered! Required for used vehicles in France, Italy, Spain and Germany.
2025 Strategy by Google
Brendon Kraham, VP of Global Search Ads and Commerce at Google, has discussed his team’s 2025 strategy.
He highlighted their mission to enhance advertiser-consumer connections through AI-driven creative, media, and measurement solutions.
By focusing on tools like Performance Max, Demand Gen, and Search, they aim to deliver innovative, user-friendly products that prioritize privacy.
Key Insights from Brendon Kraham:
Major 2025 Projects:
Enhance user privacy.Develop AI-powered tools for smarter ad visuals and campaign optimization.
Shift focus from simple keyword searches to immersive, visual ad experiences.Importance of AI:AI represents a revolutionary shift, surpassing the mobile revolution.
Benefits include improved consumer answers and higher ROI for advertisers.2025 Predictions: A fundamental transformation in consumer search behavior, emphasizing immersive, multimodal experiences.Increased adoption of AI-powered tools by marketers, amplifying creativity and scalability.
A critical focus on precise measurement and data analysis for tracking customer journeys and campaign success.Technological Edge:Predictive and generative AI will streamline creative processes, optimize spending, and enhance campaign measurement.
Tools will enable advertisers to achieve efficiency and growth by automating tasks and unlocking valuable insights.
In summary, Google Ads will leverage AI to create advanced tools that align with evolving consumer behaviors and empower marketers to achieve better results while maintaining user privacy.
New Merchant Center Page
Google launched a new get started with Merchant Center Page! Fore more information read this article.
Message Ads
Update* Message ads on Whatsapp are only eligible to serve on iOS!
Perplexity Ads
Thomas Eccel discovered that Perplexity AI has launched follow up Ads!
No description
Anthony Higman discovered that Google is testing with just call outs instead of descriptions…
New Pmax DSA page
Google just launched a new page on how to Set up Dynamic Search Ads or Google Display Ads campaign vs. Performance Max experiments !
No Stars
Looks like Google is testing with not showing stars in the map Ads discovered by Anthony Higman
Pmax Update
Some advertisers are now able to enabling/pausing/removing individual conversions. Spotted by Carolin Carvalho da Silva & Thomas Eccel.
Shopify script tags
Benjamin Wenner posted that starting Feb 1, 2025, Shopify script tags on checkout pages cannot be created anymore.
FALSE ALARM
Earlier this week I posted that ad scheduling could maybe go away for smart bidding but good news.
Ad scheduling remains supported! Google will update the help center page to make it clearer. Thanks for reaching out Ginny Marvin.
Brand report rolling out?
Looks like the brand report is rolling out! Just got this picture from Anjay Ramanlal.
Chat Beta
Chat is now appearing in the field next to appearance in Google Ads! Found by Arpan Banerjee.
LSA Update: Major Changes for Tax Specialists!
Anthony Higman discovered that Google is removing lead credits, message leads, booking, and call recording for the tax specialist vertical. It started two days ago before they even notified us!
Negative keywords Pmax
Thomas Eccel discovered what looks to be the first picture of negative keyword in Pmax! Picture from: ilikebusness from X.
Deliver to a collection point
Hana Kobzová discovered that Deliver to a Collection Point is now available in GMC Next!
New campaign type?
Has anybody ever heard about Vehicle Top Ads? Just saw this page for the first time. Looks new top me.
150 Google Ads Credit for Trying Pmax
Dominik Laß just send me this message that he got from Google.If he tries Pmax he will get 150 euro.
Gambling update
On January 8, 2025, Google will update the Nigeria country specifics of its Gambling and Games policy to reflect the impact of a recent court ruling. As a result, Google changed their policies to disallow gambling content from targeting Nigeria effective immediately.
Political Ads
In January 2025, Google will update the Political content policy to include a form related to California restrictions. California residents may use this form to report ads that may violate California Elections Code Division 20, Chapter 7.
Google Ads AI Essentials: Data Foundations for Success
Google launched this new AI Essentials: Data Foundations Best Practices
These are their key practices:
Build Infrastructure:
– Use Google tag or Tag Manager for tagging with Consent Mode.
– Link Google Ads and Analytics for a full customer view.
– Enable enhanced conversions for accurate measurement.
Optimize Measurement:
– Set up cross-domain linking to track journeys across domains.
– Use Analytics key events as conversions for smarter bidding.
– Refine attribution to focus on impactful data.
Engage Smarter:
– Use Customer Match to reconnect with customers.
– Export Analytics audiences to Ads for tailored campaigns.
– Try Performance Max for AI-driven acquisition and retention.
Revisit regularly to adapt to privacy updates and platform changes! You can read the page here.
Dynamic learning phase
Thomas Eccel discovered that Demand Gen got a new Learning phase estimates forecast!
Permitting Google Pictures
Anthony Higman discovered that by pressing the save button you are permitting Google to use those images all over the Internet when Interacting with the new Ai features in Google Ads.
Trim attribute
Google has launched the trim [trim] attribute to indicate the trim of the vehicle model.
Parallel Tracking for CSS [Partner Center]
Google is holding a new Tech Breakfast Training series.
This training teaches you how you can supercharge merchant website speed and dominate every Google surface!
For more information check this page.
Looker studio update
January 09, 2025:
Increased field count limits for Looker
You can now include up to 100 dimensions and up to 100 metrics in table charts that are connected to a Looker data source.
Warnings for external links
When users click an external link, Looker Studio displays a redirect notice.
New Promo option
Thomas Eccel discovered that you can now use promo barcode for promotions!
Google market share fell below 90%
Google’s global search market share fell below 90% for the first time since 2015, reaching 89.34% in October, 89.99% in November, and 89.73% in December 2024.
The drop was most significant in Asia, with the U.S. showing a December decline to 87.39%. Microsoft Bing, Yandex, and Yahoo gained some of the lost share, though Bing remained under 4%.
This trend highlights growing challenges for Google, including criticisms of search result quality and competition from alternative search engines and AI platforms. The decline appears consistent, signaling a potential shift in the search engine landscape.
Clarity integration live
Josh Silverbauer discovered that the new Microsoft Clarity Google Ads Integration is live!
New/update on the Conversion Webpages Reporting!
Today I saw a new/update from the guide to Conversion Webpages Reporting, designed to help you understand where your conversions happen online.
This page provides insights into the URLs where conversion actions occur, with tools to troubleshoot when URLs aren’t tracked.
Key Highlights:
– Track the URL of conversion actions when possible.
– Learn why “Webpage Unknown” may appear and how to address it.
– Understand technical limitations like query parameters, iframes, and pixel-only implementations.
Check out the new guide to streamline your conversion tracking here.
Looker Studio error?
Alessandro Guittini discovered that the data control property does not work for him and I have the same error. Are other people experiencing the same?
Negative keyword cleaner
Google has introduced our new open-source solution called Negative Keyword Cleaner!Learn more here.
New Box
Anthony Higman discovered that Google Added this new box for automated assets.
New vertical LSA
Anthony Higman discovered that Google is making a med spa vertical in local services Ads!
First GA4 update 2025
You can now explore and manage consent settings through a centralized hub in Google Analytics Admin.
This hub allows you to understand how Analytics handles consent signals, view the collection status of consent signals across your property’s streams, and review and address consent-related diagnostics.
To access it, go to Admin, then under Data Collection and Modification, click on Consent Settings.
New site link
Thomas Eccel discovered this new swipeable Demand Gen site link layout!
Sign-up for important updates
Natasha Kaurra just send me that you can now sign up for important updates from Google!
Search Max is coming?
This showed up in the match type report from Lars Thoning Dybro.
Update child & teen ads policies
Anthony Higman just discovered that Google is going to update the child and teen ads policies.
Important Update: Migrate to Brand Guidelines for Performance Max Campaigns
Google now launched a page for the update on how business names and logos are managed in Performance Max campaigns.
This migration allows you to maintain consistent control over your brand’s appearance in ads.What is Changing?
Campaigns will now support a single business name and up to five logos, managed through brand guidelines.
By March 2025, you need to migrate your preferred business name and logos to brand guidelines.
After March 2025, Google AI will automatically use the best-performing assets from your campaign’s asset groups if no updates are made.
Migration Timeline:Until April 2025, existing campaigns can continue using current business names and logos.After this date, all campaigns will rely on brand guidelines for automated assets.
Next Steps:To avoid losing data or inconsistencies, manually migrate your assets by moving business names and logos from the asset group level to the campaign level.
This update ensures greater consistency and control over your brand’s representation in Performance Max campaigns.
Push back Google Local Services Business profile extension
Anthony Higman discovered that the Google Local Services Business profile extension deadline has been pushed back.
Enhanced conversions by campaign type
Thomas Eccel discovered that you can now see the enhanced conversions by campaign type!
New Metric Demand Gen
The Served metric has been available for video for years. But it looks now like they also have introduced it to Demand Gen! Found by Joey Bidner.
New Pmax category?
Arpan Banerjee just sent me this search category called private search terms. I have never seen this before.
New Source Column Pmax
Natasha Kaurra discovered that Google has added this new source column to Pmax!
Google Announces Updated Hotel Pricing and Availability Policy
Rudolph Dekker just texted me that Google has introduced a new policy for hotel pricing and availability, aimed at improving how hotels display their rates and room availability on Google Search.
These updates are designed to provide users with clearer and more reliable information.
Here’s a summary of the changes:
Display Final Room Availability and Rates Before Requesting User Information
Hotels must implement live price and availability checks on their booking pages to show accurate details upfront.
Transparent Pricing
Hotels are required to display the full price, including taxes and fees, directly in Google Search results.
Additionally, prices must not change after users provide their personal information.
These updates aim to enhance transparency and trust in hotel listings, ultimately benefiting travelers. The new policy will take effect on February 17, 2025.
New Feedback Dynamic Links
Geert Groot just sent me that Google now shows examples of the dynamic site links when you putt them off!
New Expandable video
Thomas Eccel spotted this new expandable video ad on YouTube!
Google Ads Event
Google is holding a new enhanced conversion event on 13 February. You can register here.
Used since
Petra Koucka & Hana Kobzová discovered the used since column! Looks new to me.
New Interface offers
Zeeshan Ali discovered this new interface to select a promotion offers!
New GA4 alert
Google Analytics 4 ( 360 accounts) has started to show alerts about incorrectly sent events as well as clarifications with the (not set). Found by Jose Angel P.
Local product feeds gone?
Hana Kobzová discovered that Local product feeds are gone. Bug or a phase out 🤔
New Update from Google Ads
Andres Valderrama discovered that Google Ads is now showing the new Re-engagement Goal for Performance Max campaigns, complementing the New Customer Acquisition goal. This feature helps reconnect with lapsed customers, reduce churn, and boost loyalty.
Test Ad Google
Looks like Anthony Higman discovered a test ad from Google?
Video view campaign changes
Rakshit Shetty just posted that Max CPV bid strategy will no longer be available for new video view campaigns & video view campaigns will use multi ad-formats.
New Google Ads Succes Guide
The guide includes dedicated sections for Performance Max (PMax) and Search, designed to help you optimize your campaigns and maximize results:
Performance Max Highlights
All-in-One Campaigns: Reach customers across Search, YouTube, Display, Shopping, Gmail, Discover, and Maps.
Set Clear Goals: Align your campaign objectives with your marketing strategy, like driving sales or generating leads.
Engage Customers: Use Generative AI to create high-quality assets and leverage audience signals to find the right customers.
Smart Optimization: Maximize results with strategies like Target CPA and ROAS, and use the Insights page to uncover new growth opportunities.Search Section Highlights
Optimize Keywords: Use the search terms report to select relevant keywords and exclude ineffective ones.
Create Impactful Ads: Add assets to boost visibility and engage more potential customers.
Refine Strategies: Implement location targeting and automated bidding to reach the right audience efficiently.
Follower count in Ads
Aleksejus Podpruginas discovered that Google is now showing the follower count in some Ads!
YouTube product carousel
Thomas Eccel discovered this YouTube Shopping Product carousel. Not 100% sure if it is new. But this just shows that Google is integrating shopping more and more into YouTube!
DV360 update
Google’s Publisher Advertiser Identity Reconciliation protocol is now available for all advertisers using DV360.
2 new LSA Verticals
Anthony Higman got the mail that Home Services LSA users are reminded that two new verticals, Kitchen Remodeling and Bathroom Remodeling, are being created, replacing the broader General Contractor category.
This change will take effect in 14 days, and users must opt into the new categories. Note that Bathroom Remodeling may require a plumbing license under the new rules.
Kick Off 2025 with New Performance Max Features
Google Ads is starting the year with new updates for Performance Max, Here’s what’s new:
Campaign-level negative keywords: Rolling out to all advertisers for better query exclusions.
High-value customer acquisition: Prioritize and bid for customers likely to maximize lifetime value.
Brand exclusions by format: Gain precise control over Search and Shopping ads for product feeds.
“URL contains” rules: Target specific page categories with ease.
Demographic exclusions (beta): Exclude specific age groups.
Device targeting (beta): Customize campaigns by device type.
Enhanced Reporting
Search themes insights: Understand the source of your search queries and refine strategies.
Usefulness indicators: Evaluate the impact of your search themes on traffic.Improved asset group reporting: Segment performance data and download it for deeper analysis.
Copy reports and explorations across properties
You can now copy the configuration of a custom detail report or exploration from one property to your other properties, so you can avoid configuration differences across properties, save time creating the reports and explorations, and spend more time analyzing and getting insights from their data.
Key Takeaways from the Q4 2024 Digital Ads Benchmark Report by Tinuiti
Here’s a snapshot of the key insights:
Steady Growth:Google search ad spending increased by 10% YoY, driven by a 7% rise in CPC.
Performance Max (PMax) campaigns now dominate, accounting for 67% of shopping ad sales.
Performance Max Adoption:Over 95% of Google Shopping advertisers use PMax campaigns, with nearly 30% of spending going to non-shopping inventory like video and text ads.
YouTube Trends:YouTube ad spend rose 7% YoY, with connected TVs capturing 39% of ad spend, up from 26% in 2023.
AI and Text Ads:Click-through rates rebounded in Q4, and spending on text ads increased 9% YoY, bolstered by Google’s AI-driven tools.
Holiday Impact:A late Thanksgiving shifted shopping activity, with Google Shopping ads seeing 20% sales growth during the week leading up to the holiday.
Update advertiser verification
Google has updated and reorganized the help center articles related to Google Ads Advertiser Verification for improved clarity and readability.
This update, effective November 2024, aims to provide clearer information to advertisers and does not change enforcement of the Advertiser Verification policy.
Update Other Restricted Businesses
On February 5, 2025, the Google Ads policy for “Other Restricted Businesses: Government Documents and Services” will be updated as follows:
Advertisers will no longer need to apply for certification to run ads for vignettes/e-vignettes across Europe.
Advertisers promoting “Business identifiers” and exclusively targeting France will not need to qualify as a government or authorized provider but will still need to apply for an exclusion from the policy to ensure their ads are not improperly disapproved.
Ads for any other restricted government documents and services covered by this policy will still require certification, with advertisers needing to select the appropriate option for their specific case.
Policy enforcement will begin on February 5, 2025, and full enforcement will ramp up over approximately eight weeks.
Meta launched Ads for Threads
Meta is rolling out ads on its Threads app, targeting a rapidly expanding social media platform with over 300 million monthly active users!
Updates to Google’s Cryptocurrency Ads Policy (Effective February 12, 2025)South Africa
Cryptocurrency Exchanges & Software Wallets: Ads allowed if:
– Advertiser is registered with the FSCA.
– Local legal requirements are met.
– Advertiser is certified by Google.
Hardware Wallets: Ads allowed if:
– Only offer storage for crypto/NFT private keys (no buying/selling/trading).
– Local legal requirements are met.
– Advertiser is certified by Google.
Global Requirements:- Advertisers must follow local laws where ads run.- Violations: At least 7 days’ notice before suspension.- Certification with Google is required.
For more, see Google’s restricted financial products certification.
Deprecation Extension for Authorized Buyers Real-time Bidding Protocol, Friday, January 24, 2025
The sunset of the Authorized Buyers Real-time Bidding protocol has been extended to April 30, 2025 to provide additional support for the transition to OpenRTB, the only supported protocol after this date.
For migration guidance, refer to the OpenRTB migration guide or contact Google via the Authorized Buyers support forum or adxbuyerapi-support@google.com.
Looker Studio update
Sort Pivot Tables by Any Metric: Users can now sort pivot tables by any metric or calculated field in the data source.
Modern Charts in Preview: The new Modern Charts experience includes improved styling, default configurations, and enhanced settings for greater control in data presentation.”Is Any” Filter for Looker Data Sources: A new filter condition option ensures blank LookML filter values are treated correctly, allowing default conditions that accept any value.
New the Fuel Consumption Attribute
The fuel consumption attribute specifies the amount of fuel (in liters) consumed to travel 100 kilometers using a specific vehicle.
This value must be measured under the combined test cycle.
Usage:
Required: For vehicle ads in Germany, Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands when:The engine type is gasoline, diesel, hybrid, or plug-in hybrid.The vehicle condition is new.
Optional: In all other countries.Format Guidelines:Type: Number + unit (e.g., l/100km).
Example: 6.2 l/100km (note the lowercase ‘L’ in “liter”).
File Formats:Text/Tab-delimited: 6.2 l/100kmXML: <g:fuel_consumption>6.2 l/100km</g:fuel_consumption>
For Content API formatting, refer to the Vehicle Ads Content API guidelines.
Minimum Requirements:Engine Types:Plug-in hybrid: Use “combined weighted fuel consumption.”
Other engine types: Use “combined fuel consumption.”Values must comply with local regulations.
Non-compliance will result in product disapproval, with notifications provided in the Merchant Center account.
First positive recommendation
Thomas Eccel discovered a positive recommendation:)
New advertiser page
Thomas Eccel discovered that Google has launched a new look for the Advertiser Identity page!
Google Update: Control Ads Identifier Usage with IMA DAI SDK
Google’s IMA DAI SDK now supports adding a network code when creating full-service stream requests using LiveStreamRequest and VODStreamRequest classes. This ensures Ad Manager settings, such as disabling local storage for limited ads, are applied when programmatic limited ads are turned off.
This feature is supported on HTML5, Android, iOS, tvOS, Chromecast, and Roku. For more information, refer to Google’s Ad Manager documentation or contact the IMA technical forum.
GA4 Update: New Consent Mode live
Thomas Eccel discovered that the new GA4 consent report is live
Insights:
1. EEA Traffic Split: Percentage of traffic and conversions from the EEA.
.2. Behavioural Impact: Inactive cookie consent affects user reporting and modelling.
3. Advertising Signals: Inactive ads consent impacts measurement, remarketing, and demographics.
Note that having consent mode these days is crucial for your privacy policy. My preferred way to install it is with Cookiebot Web CMP by Usercentrics .
YouTube Tests Cost-Per-Hour Masthead Ads
YouTube is introducing a Cost-Per-Hour (CPH) Masthead, allowing brands to own its top ad space by the hour.
This new model offers 100% share of voice across all devices during specific timeframes, ideal for major launches and cultural moments.
Key Details:
How It Works: Brands purchase specific hours for guaranteed Masthead impressions on desktop, mobile, TV, and tablets.
Why It Matters: Provides maximum visibility and precise control during critical marketing moments, complementing YouTube’s existing CPM (Cost-Per-Thousand) Masthead ads.
Benefits: Flat hourly pricing ensures predictable budgeting, making it suitable for product launches, time-sensitive announcements, and events.Advertisers should contact their YouTube representative to explore this option.
Vehicle ads live
Nice. Seeing vehicle ads for the first time live in The Netherlands! Interesting to see that AutoScout is advertising because that is a big platform. For all the smaller car resellers make sure to test and try!
Google Updates Performance Max Campaign Controls
Google Updates Performance Max Campaign ControlsGoogle has now clearly communicated that API-based placement exclusions are effective.
This contradicts months of official documentation and support guidance claiming such controls only worked through the user interface!
Credit to Navah Hopkins for diving deeper into this topic and sharing with Search Engine Land.
Google Ads API & Scripts Update:
Search Term Insight Report Changes (March 3, 2025)Starting March 3, 2025, Google Ads API and Google Ads scripts will no longer return search subcategory data in search term insight reports, aligning with the Google Ads UI.
What to Do:
Ensure your code can handle empty values for segments.search_subcategory.
Remove segments.search_subcategory from queries to avoid issues.This update ensures consistency across Google Ads platforms.
Meridian general available
As of January 29, Google has made Meridian, its open-source Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM) tool, generally available to all marketers and data scientists.
Initially launched in March 2024, Meridian was first offered in limited availability but has since been fully released to the public.
Meridian is designed to help businesses measure the impact of their marketing efforts across various channels in a privacy-conscious manner.
It offers features such as advanced Bayesian modeling, cross-channel measurement, and budget optimization insights.
File uploader
Hana Kobzová discovered that Google made an update to the file uploader window in Merchant Center!
Google Ads API Research Group
Google has announced the launch of the Google Ads API Research Group. As a member of the research group, Google will invite you to participate in user research opportunities, such as surveys and usability studies.
Google is going to test with AI-generated images
For a limited time your products may appear with a background generated by AIGoogle is aiming to improve the performance of Ads with this test. If you got this mail and you want to have control opt out.
New Ways to Enhance Performance with Demand Gen
What’s New in Demand Gen?
Expanded Channel Controls
– Choose where your ads appear across YouTube, Discover, and Gmail.Target YouTube Shorts specifically.
– Google Display inventory is now available, reaching 90% of the global internet population
Enhanced Creative Tools
– New 9:16 vertical image ads for YouTube Shorts.
– AI-powered video enhancements to generate shorter versions of videos.
– Improved ad creation flow with easier collaboration.
– Boost Sales with Seamless Shopping Experiences
– Product Feeds (coming soon) enable deeper product discovery.
– Local Offers show real-time product availability, driving in-store visits.
Performance Comparison Across Platforms
– New reporting columns help compare Demand Gen vs. paid social performance.
– View-through conversions provide clearer cross-channel insights.
Upgrading from Video Action Campaigns
– April 2025: No new Video Action Campaigns can be created.
– March 2025: Upgrade tool launches to transition smoothly.
– July 2025: Automatic upgrades for remaining campaigns begin.
Download with filters
Emmanuel Flossie discovered that you can finally download based on specific filters in the Merchant Center.
Remarketing Bug
Guy Schepers discovered that in some accounts, the remarketing tag hits are not displayed in the interface. I have heard some more complaints in the last few days. Guy posted that the remarketing tag is firing.
Tagging appointment
Natasha Kaurra discovered this new tagging appointment pop-up in Google!