Google Ads news
Bumper Ads
Thomas Eccel discovered that Google just added bumper and 15 seconds Ads for their YouTube Ad Formats.
With this update Google keeps up with their trend. That is divers creatives in different formats!
ChatGPT product listings are coming.
Sign up to get in early!ChatGPT now recommends products when people search with buying intent.
Queries like: “Best gifts for coffee lovers” “Top noise-cancelling headphones under $200” trigger real product suggestions.These aren’t ads.
Just relevant results based on what’s found online.If you want your products to show up:
Make sure you’re not blocking OpenAI’s crawler: OAI-SearchBotCheck your robots.txt file.
If it’s blocked, ChatGPT can’t index your site.Sign up to get notified when product feed submissions open.
OpenAI is working on a way for merchants to submit product data directly.
For the submission, check this page.
New edit with AI button
Arpan Banerjee spotted this new copy and edit with AI button in the Google Ads Library!
DV360 Update
Google announced updates to Display & Video 360 at NewFront 2025.
Advertisers can now access more CTV inventory, including live sports (like NFL Sunday Ticket), short-form video, and new integrations with Tubi, Spotify, and Roblox.
A new retail media solution lets brands run full-funnel campaigns using data from partners like Costco, Intuit, and United Airlines available across YouTube and DV360.
Campaign setup is also faster and smarter, with automated recommendations, real-time insights, and instant reporting built into the platform.
Followers in Ads?
Anthony Higman discovered that Google is now testing with media follower count on paid ads!
New Charts & Reporting
Thomas Eccel discovered that Google Ads has added new chart types to its reporting tools, including 100% stacked bar and column charts, combo charts, and stacked area charts. These updates offer more flexible ways to visualize metrics across dimensions and time.
GOOGLE LAUNCHES AI MAX
Google is launching AI Max for Search campaigns, a new one-click feature that brings AI-powered targeting and creative tools to Search campaigns.
Designed to help advertisers reach new customers and improve performance, AI Max combines broad match, keywordless technology, real-time asset generation, and enhanced controls.
Key benefits :
Expanded reach through new, high-performing queries beyond your current keywords.More relevant ads with AI-generated headlines, descriptions, and landing pages tailored to user intent.
Enhanced controls & insights, such as geographic intent targeting, brand exclusions, and improved reporting on assets, search terms, and URLs.
Claims from Google:
“Stronger performance: Advertisers using AI Max typically see +14% conversions at similar CPA/ROAS — or up to +27% when mostly using exact/phrase match”
New features:Core Feature Suite:
One-click AI Max toggle
Instantly activates AI-powered targeting and creative tools in any Search campaign.
Search Term Matching (new backend behavior)
Uses broad match + keywordless matching based on signals from your keywords, assets, and landing pages to identify high-performing, relevant queries.
Follows existing keyword prioritization logic.Text Customization (automatically created assets)
Dynamically creates and adjusts headlines and descriptions based on landing pages, ads, and keywords to match real-time search intent.
Final URL Expansion with Exclusion Controls
Automatically sends users to the most relevant landing page for their query.
You can exclude specific URLs (just like in Performance Max).
New Targeting Controls:
Locations of Interest (exclusive to AI Max)Targets users based on geographic intent, not just physical location, at the ad group level.
Brand Inclusions/ExclusionsControl which brands your ads appear alongside or avoid, at both campaign and ad group levels.
New Reporting & Transparency Tools:
Search Terms Report Enhancements
Now includes dynamic headlines and final URLs shown to users increasing visibility into AI-generated combinations.
Asset Reporting Upgrades (rolling out):
– Reports now include performance by spend and conversions, not just impressions.
– Ability to remove specific AI-generated assets.
New “Value Track” URL Parameter:Uses AI to offer privacy-safe visibility into search terms across all match types for improved tracking and optimization.
Note that AI Max is rolling out globally in beta later this month.
New extension
Anthony Higman discovered a new read reviews extension in Ads!
Optimize IMA Android Monetization with Faster Loading (May 5, 2025)
The IMA Android SDK v3.35.1 introduces ImaSdkFactory.initialize(), a method that preloads SDK resources before the first ad request.
Calling this early right after app launch significantly reduces ad load time, especially for pre-roll ads, boosting impressions and monetization potential.
Key benefits:
– Reduces time to first ad frame by 0.25–0.5 seconds on average.
– For Android TV apps, load time can improve by up to 5 seconds.
– Helps minimize buffering and waiting time for users.
Deprecation of “Video Games (Casual & Online)” Sensitive Category in Google Ads Blocking Controls
Starting May 15, 2025, Google will begin removing the “Video Games (Casual & Online)” sensitive category from ad Blocking controls.
If you’re not using this category, no action is needed it will be automatically removed.
If you’re currently using this block, it will be labeled as “Deprecated” on May 15, and the block will stop working on June 15, 2025.
To continue blocking similar content, use general categories like:- “Video Games, Consoles & Accessories”- “Online Games & Puzzles” – or their subcategories.
Recommendation: Review and update your Blocking controls to maintain brand safety.
Update API Release plan
Google has adjusted its 2025 Ads API release plan to accelerate feature availability and improve versioning clarity.
Key updates:
– v20_1 is now a major version, renamed to V21.
– The previously planned V21 becomes V22.
– Two minor versions—v19_2 and v20_1—will also launch to bring new features to existing versions.
– No changes to projected launch or sunset dates.
AI Max for Search Campaigns open Beta (May 6, 2025)
Google Ads is launching AI Max for Search campaigns in open beta on May 27, 2025 via the UI.
Full API support comes with v21 in August 2025.
Key Points:
– AI Max groups features like ACA, campaign-level broad match, and brand inclusions/exclusions.
– Enabling/disabling AI Max in the UI can break compatibility with older API versions.
– Errors may occur if you manage ACA or brand lists via API after toggling AI Max in the UI.
Current API (v19) works only if AI Max hasn’t been used on that campaign.v21 will fully support AI Max, and legacy features will be deprecated soon after.
Recommendation: Hold off on using AI Max in the UI for API-managed campaigns until v21 is live.
New Ad grouping test
Barry Schwartz & Ian Atkin discovered these new grouped ads test!
New GA4 Budget tool
Brais Calvo Vázquez discovered a new GA4 Budgeting tool (under Advertising > Budgeting) that lets you set goals, model scenarios, and see how budget changes affect performance.
It includes:- Projections vs. goals- Scenario Planner to test budgets.
This tool uses up to 2 years of ROAS/CPA data based on your attribution model (DDA or last click).
Performance labels go away
Performance Labels Are Being Deprecated confirmed via Google Support, and this was found by Jérôme Cid, the Performance Label column for assets (like headlines, descriptions, etc.) is being phased out.
What’s Changing? Previously, Performance Labels (like “Best” or “Low”) gave a quick benchmark by comparing assets against others of the same type (e.g., headline vs headline). That’s going away.
What’s Replacing It? Now, Google encourages advertisers to rely on full performance stats instead, which offer a more detailed view of asset-level performance tailored to your campaign goals.
What This Means for You:
You’ll need to dig into the actual performance metrics (like CTR, conversions, etc.) rather than relying on broad labels.
Parked domains
I just got a reminder about the auto default opt-out of parked domains.
New Pause Ads?
Thomas Eccel spotted that pause ads are now appearing on the YouTube mobile app, including on iPhones. Google said they will only show on Connected TVs, but it looks like they are testing or rolling it out to mobile also.
New Size Image Ads
Thomas Eccel discovered that Image Ads for Google Ads are now available in 9:16 for Demand Gen.
GTM Update
Google just rolled out two key improvements:
First-party mode is now Google tag gateway for advertisers, now available to everyone, with support for both client-side and server-side tagging.
You can also set it up using domain names and tag IDs for more flexible implementation.
Cleaner Tag coverage reports, the “Suggested” label for detected pages is gone.
Pages with no tagging signals for 60 days will now be automatically removed to keep your reports focused on active content.
Structured Data Files v7
Google is deprecating Structured Data Files v7
Small but useful update in Looker Studio
You can now customize grid lines per axis in cartesian charts (if modern charts are enabled).
– Set different colors or line styles for the left and right y-axes.
– Super helpful when you’re plotting multiple metrics with dual axes.
Makes your reports easier to read and cleaner to present.
Google Now Tracks Actual GBP Calls as Conversions
Anthony Higman discovered that actual GBP Calls are now available.
Previously, only call clicks were visible.
Now, real tracked calls from Google Business Profile can be counted as conversions in Google Ads.
Callout test
Arpan Banerjee discovered that Google is again testing with a lot of callouts in the Ads!
New image enhancements
Hana Kobzová told it 1-2 weeks ago. The new image enhancement feature for Pmax will be shown at the asset optimization section!
And now Thomas Eccel has spotted it as first! Now let’s wait for the landing page enhance tool 🤣 .
Shared budget
Saquib Syed discovered that you can now directly choose between an individual campaign budget or a shared budget within the campaign settings!
YouTube Ads
YouTube is introducing new tools to help brands tap into the influence of creators and build stronger connections with audiences.
Key updates include:
Creator Partnerships Hub: Enhanced discovery of sponsored videos, creator search, and performance reporting.
New APIs: Enabling influencer agencies and SaaS platforms to access creator insights.
Insights Finder Update: A new report helps brands identify relevant creators and understand their fan communities.
Partnership Ads in DV360: BrandConnect’s creator ads are expanding to Display & Video 360.
Creator Takeovers: Personalized video intros boost fan engagement.
AI + Creator Integration: Combine creator trust with AI-driven campaigns to elevate social performance on YouTube.
Adsense update
Google has updated the Auto optimize feature in AdSense to give publishers more control and flexibility:
Site-level control: You can now enable or disable Auto optimize per individual site.
New location: Auto optimize settings are now managed from the Ads page, not the Experiments page.
Simplified options: “Suggestions only” is now a checkbox labeled “Auto-apply experiment winner”, letting you choose if Google should apply winning experiments automatically.
Clearer overview: A new Auto optimize column on the Ads page shows which sites have it enabled.
Default for new sites: Newly added sites will have Auto optimize turned on by default, with “Auto-apply experiment winner” selected, 50% traffic split, and no blocked experiments but you can change this anytime.
These changes are rolling out in the coming weeks, and your current settings will carry over automatically.
Most shown search ads
Zeeshan Ali discovered this new Most-shown search ads overview in ads!
Apple Search
Apple plans to integrate AI-powered search, including tools from OpenAI and Perplexity, into its Safari browser, potentially ending its exclusive search deal with Google.
This move threatens Google’s dominance in search and led to a 7.6% drop in Alphabet’s stock. Apple is also exploring AI partnerships with Meta and Anthropic.
