Google Ads news
Meta Import
The new Meta import for GA4 is live in beta! Found by Himanshu Sharma!
New Ads tab:
Missed Growth Opportunities Maggie Humphrey discovered that Google is testing with a new tab called Missed Growth Opportunities!
Internal tool
Thomas Eccel & Anas Siddiqui discovered this bug in Google Ads. The internal tool bug was already identified and fixed a few months ago, but now we see that you may also have gained access to the video ads dubbing(Your access is probably denied)
Hover effect
Sachin Patel & Barry Schwartz discovered that Google is testing with new hover effect for Ads!
YouTube activation
YouTube has launched the YouTube Activation Partners program, a new initiative designed to connect advertisers and agencies with vetted third-party experts specializing in YouTube media buying, strategic planning, and campaign management.
The program establishes a curated network of trusted partners who meet Google’s quality and performance standards.
Certified experts receive a YouTube Activation Partner badge, signaling reliability and proven capability in managing YouTube advertising.
Advertisers can browse an official roster to find these verified partners for campaign support.
Google is expected to expand the Activation Partners network in 2026, further strengthening YouTube’s ecosystem transparency, media performance, and advertiser trust.
Google DOJ case
A two-week antitrust hearing has concluded in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, where Judge Leonie Brinkema will soon decide whether Google must split up its ad tech business.
The case centers on the Justice Department’s claim that Google illegally monopolized online advertising technology.
The DOJ argues that only a structural breakup forcing Google to sell its ad exchange and parts of its publisher tools can restore competition in the digital ad market.
Google counters that such a move would be disruptive, technically complex, and harmful to publishers and small advertisers.
Testimony from over two dozen witnesses, including Google executives, rival ad tech firms, publishers, and economists, highlighted deep divisions over how to fix the market. Competitors like PubMatic and Equativ support the DOJ’s call for divestiture, saying behavioral restrictions wouldn’t be enough to limit Google’s power.
Judge Brinkema has shown openness to a breakup but is also considering a settlement that would impose conduct restrictions instead of forcing sales.
Both sides will present closing arguments in November, with a ruling expected in early 2026.
If the court orders a breakup, it could fundamentally reshape the digital ad industry altering pricing, competition, and access to Google’s tools, with major implications for publishers, advertisers, and Big Tech regulation.
Google has rolled out a major YouTube Ads update
Advertisers can now directly book premium video ad formats like Mastheads and YouTube Select inside Google Ads without needing a Google rep.
Thanks for sharing Thomas Eccel
New Investment Strategy
Rajesh Nirmal discovered this new investment strategy.
Here, advertisers create their own investment strategy directly from the Recommendations page.
You can: Choose a primary campaign metric (e.g., conversions, revenue, CPA, ROAS).
Set a weekly cost or desired result to model how extra investment would affect performance.
The system then Optimizes the impact of additional investment across campaigns.
Focuses on campaigns that are budget-limited but show potential for more conversions or revenue.
Uses historical data and auction insights to estimate diminishing returns and where extra spend will perform best.
Before applying, you can review the suggested allocation and decide which campaigns to include.
New Recommendation
Google Ads has added a new “image quality” recommendation to help advertisers improve their visual assets.
The platform now reviews uploaded images and suggests edits to align with best practices for Display and Gmail ads.
The update was first spotted by Hana Kobzová.
Ad Network Blocking
Starting November 6, 2025, Google will replace Ad Network Blocking in AdSense with a new Authorized Buyers control.
This means publishers will no longer block individual ad networks instead, they’ll manage which Authorized Buyers can bid on their inventory.
Thanks for sharing Florijan Abazi.
MCP
Google has open-sourced the Google Ads API Model Context Protocol (MCP) Server, allowing AI tools and agent developers to access Google Ads data via the MCP open standard.
The MCP lets large language models (like Gemini) connect to and interact with external applications.
With this release, any MCP-compatible AI can now read and analyze Google Ads campaigns using natural language.
The first version is read-only, focused on reporting and diagnostics, not making account changes.
Developers can access and contribute to the project through the official GitHub repository.
New shopping test
Elmar Aga discovered this new Google Ads test for shopping products!
AI Mode
Casey Gill posted that Google’s AI Mode has officially arrived in Australia and many other countries.
New API center
Muhammad S. saw this new menu in his Google Ads account called API Center!
New type
Google Ads added a new “Campaign Type” column to the Channel Performance report, though it’s not yet functional.
The update hints that Google plans to expand this report beyond Performance Max to include other campaign types, like Demand Gen.
It aligns with recent efforts to unify reporting across campaigns, especially as network segmentation has also been added to Asset Group reports.Found by Smarter Ecommerce (smec).
Virtual Try-On
Google expands Virtual Try-On now including shoesGoogle’s AI “Try On” tool, which already lets shoppers see how clothing looks on them, now supports shoes from sneakers to heels.
The feature is also rolling out internationally, reaching new markets like Australia, Canada, and Japan.
How it works:
Upload a full-length photo, tap “Try it On,” and see how the shoes look on you using Google’s AI-driven shape and depth modeling.
Why it matters for marketers and brands:
Immersive shopping experiences: Makes online shopping feel more personal and interactive.
Higher conversion potential: Builds buyer confidence and reduces product returns.
Real consumer insights: Try-on data reveals which styles and colors drive the most engagement.
This is another big step toward more visual, AI-powered commerce where inspiration and purchase merge seamlessly.
Enforced Bidding
Google has canceled its planned update that would have enforced bidding based on the conversion environment for imported in-app conversions.Originally scheduled for rollout after June 30, 2025, this change could have affected campaign performance if the conversion_environment field wasn’t set.
Although enforcement is no longer happening, Google still recommends setting the field when importing conversions via the Google Ads API to improve:
– Cross-environment attribution accuracy (web + app)
– Ad destination reporting clarity
– Support and troubleshooting efficiency
In short: no performance change will occur automatically, but advertisers should still include the conversion_environment field for better insights and data quality.
Menu change
Aleksejus Podpruginas discovered that Google Ads has updated its interface in the Recommendations tab.
The Auto-Apply Recommendations button has been relocated and now appears above the regular recommendation list, rather than in its previous position.
Advertisers should double-check this setting, especially if they manage client accounts and rely on disabling auto-applied recommendations after onboarding.
In short:
– The Auto-Apply button has moved in the UI.
– Review your accounts to ensure the correct settings remain in place.
A small but important change that can impact campaign control and automation management.
Menu change
Still searching for the asset library? No shock.Google replaced it to the Asset Studio section.
Found by Anas Siddiqui!
Google just declared war on Meta’s algorithm
A new “View-through Conversion Optimization” beta in Demand Gen campaigns lets Google Ads optimize for people who see your ad not just those who click.
It’s the clearest sign yet that Google is coming for Meta’s upper-funnel territory, blending awareness and performance in one system.
Thanks for sharing Thomas Eccel
YouTube introduces the Brand Pulse Report
YouTube has launched the new Brand Pulse Report to help advertisers understand their full brand presence across the platform, combining both organic and paid performance in one view
.What it measuresTotal unique viewers: how many distinct users saw your brand across ads and organic videos
Share of watch time: your share of total viewing time within your category
Paid-to-organic lift: how ad exposure drives views on your organic content
Synergy with brand search: how combined paid and organic visibility correlates with increased brand search volume
The report uses AI and multimodal detection to identify your brand’s presence in text, speech, and visuals such as logos and product appearances within videos.
Why it matters
– It unifies paid and organic strategies for better performance insights
– It helps identify which creator or brand videos to amplify with paid promotion
– It shows how ads influence organic discovery and vice versa- It benchmarks your brand’s visibility against competitors in your category
Availability
The Brand Pulse Report is currently available to select advertisers, with a wider rollout expected later.
Key takeawayFor advertisers investing in YouTube, this is a major step toward understanding how paid and organic content work together to shape brand impact.
Instead of measuring ads and content in isolation, Brand Pulse provides a single, data-driven lens on total brand visibility.
New recommendation menu
Google Ads has quietly introduced a new Optimization Insights layer that organizes recommendations into three clear pillars:
– Build a Foundation: Focus on improving data quality (e.g., uploading Customer Match lists).
– Drive Performance: Implement tactical improvements like adding sitelinks or lead forms and removing redundant keywords.
– Expand and Grow: This section appears only if structural expansion is needed; if blank, your account is considered stable.
Thanks for sharing Natasha Kaurra
Misrepresentation
Emmanuel Flossie discovered that Google’s 2025 Misrepresentation Policy has been updated.
This update clarifies rather than changes enforcement rules in Merchant Center.
It explains what constitutes misleading behavior, how appeals work, and emphasizes full transparency.
Egregious violations can lead to instant, often permanent, suspensions, with only three appeal attempts allowed.
Common triggers include unclear business info, misleading product claims, unauthorized reselling, or missing refund details. Merchants should ensure accurate, transparent listings and policies, use genuine branding, and comply with verification requests.
The update reinforces that advertisers are fully responsible for truthful representation across all listings.
For more information check this video
Shopify May Just Break Your ROAS
It looks like the Google & YouTube App for Shopify now tracks conversion value, including VAT/tax in Google Ads.Your revenue looks higher. Your ROAS looks better. But it’s fake.
You’re now optimizing bids on inflated data, meaning Smart Bidding is chasing margins that don’t exist.
If you care about profit accuracy, disable the default Shopify app tracking and switch to a custom conversion setup (via Pixels or Customer Events) that excludes VAT.
Track net revenue, not tax.Because “industry standard” doesn’t mean “profit standard.”
Thanks for sharing Emmanuel Flossie
For more information, check his video.
Google Ads is testing a new “Creator Partnership” beta
It now suggests creators and Shorts that already mention your brand and lets you request to use their videos as ads.A smart shortcut for finding proven UGC, getting rights fast, and launching creator-led Demand Gen or Shorts campaigns in minutes.
Thanks for sharing, Thomas Eccel.
Promote button
Anthony Higman discovered that YouTube is surfacing a “Promote” button directly on uploads.
It walks you step-by-step into Google Ads if your YouTube channel is connected.
There’s even an Advanced Features button that links back to your actual Ads account, so campaign setup stays centralized.
Reuse details
Anthony Higman discovered that YouTube adds a “Reuse Details” button.
When uploading a new video, you can now instantly pull titles, descriptions, tags, and settings from previous uploads.
For creators uploading multiple versions or testing variations, this is a massive time-saver.
Rep Call
Book your Google call now straight from your SERP😂. I think I have seen it before but ignored it. Thanks for sending Felix Mayo!
Google Ads is deprecating Call-Only Ads and transitioning to Responsive Search Ads (RSAs) with Call Assets
Starting January 2026, advertisers and API users will no longer be able to create or duplicate call-only ads.
The format built on the deprecated Expanded Text Ad framework—will be fully phased out by February 2027, when all existing call-only ads stop serving.
Moving forward, phone call lead generation will be supported through Responsive Search Ads combined with Call Assets, which use Google’s machine learning to improve ad performance and efficiency.
Why this matters:
– RSAs with Call Assets deliver better performance and lower cost per lead.
– Built on a modern AI-driven framework, RSAs benefit from continuous optimization.
– Aligns call-based campaigns with standard Search ad formats for easier management.
What to do:
– Update your API integrations to stop creating call-only ads.
– Migrate existing campaigns to RSAs with Call Assets early to avoid disruption.
– Use multiple headlines and descriptions for RSAs, and link phone numbers as call assets at the customer, campaign, or ad group level.
Timeline:
– Jan 2026: Creation or duplication of call-only ads blocked.
– Until Feb 2027: Existing call-only ads continue to serve.
– Feb 2027: Call-only ads fully sunset and removed from all API versions.
Advertisers are encouraged to migrate well before these deadlines to maintain campaign continuity and performance.
Label test
Anthony Higman discovered that Google is testing with the sponsored logo on the left instead of the right side.
New test
Anthony Higman discovered that Google is testing with sponsored business above sponsored results!
