Digital Industry Updates
At Embryo we keep a log of key industry updates within the digital marketing landscape. The updates cover changes with Google and algorithms and platforms that affect SEO, PPC, as well as social platforms such as Facebook, Pinterest, TikTok, and LinkedIn.
If you would like to contribute, then please contact h.middleton@embryo.com or e.murray@embryo.com.
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March 2026 core update complete
Just days after a quick, spam update roll-out was complete, Google have announced their latest core update has officially rolling out this morning. The March 2026 core update has been deemed a “regular update designed to better surface relevant, satisfying content for searchers from all types of sites”.
As we typically expect with all core updates, this may take up to 2 weeks to complete and we will be continuing to monitor all impact for clients and competitors across various industries. Ideally, impact will always be minimal for those sites which are improving organic performance, but it’s important not to knee-jerk react to any site changes until the update has finalised and rankings have stabilised.
See updateGoogle’s March 2026 Spam Update finished in record time!
How it works: Google has fully rolled out its March 2026 Spam Update, completing the entire process in less than 24 hours. The update targets “scaled content abuse,” site reputation abuse, and expired domain abuse. Unlike updates in the past that often take weeks to deply, this fast rollout highlights a far more efficient and likely automated approach to identifying and penalising poor-quality, AI-created spam.
Why it matters for SEO: With this update rolling out so quickly, it’s likely sites will be able to see an impact almost immediately. It’s a key reminder for businesses and SEOs to consistently be prioritising strong content that highlights strong E-E-A-T (experiece, expertise, authority and trust), rather than throwing out a high volume of low-value and poor quality pages.
Read moreGoogle introduces Gemini-powered ads advisor in marketing platform
How it works:
Google has launched Ads Advisor, an AI tool powered by Gemini within the Google Marketing Platform. It helps advertisers diagnose creative issues and automatically generate performance insights. The tool is now available for users managing campaigns through platforms like Display.
What’s the benefit:
This update makes campaign management faster and more automated, especially for large accounts. PPC teams can spend less time on manual troubleshooting and more time on strategy.
Google expands creative asset options in Google Ads
How it works:
Google has expanded the range of creative assets that advertisers can use in campaigns, including more media formats such as images, videos, and other visual elements. This gives advertisers more flexibility to build engaging ads across different placements.
What’s the benefit:
More creative options allow advertisers to improve ad quality and engagement. PPC teams can test different formats to identify what resonates best with their audience and potentially improve performance metrics such as click-through rate.
Google adds automatic end screens to video ads
How it works:
Google Ads is introducing automatic end screens for video ads. After a video finishes, Google will automatically add an interactive card encouraging users to take an action, such as visiting the website. These cards are generated automatically and may replace any manually added end screens in the video ad.
What’s the benefit:
This feature helps guide viewers towards a conversion after the ad finishes. By automatically adding a call-to-action screen, advertisers can see better engagement and more conversions from their video campaigns without manually designing end screens.
Google adds AI voice-overs to Performance Max video ads
How it works:
Google Ads is introducing AI-generated voiceovers for Performance Max video ads. The system can automatically add realistic narration to video ads using AI voice models. Advertisers will be automatically enrolled in the feature unless they choose to opt out.
What’s the benefit:
This makes it easier for advertisers to create engaging video ads without recording their own voice-overs. It can save time and production costs whilst making ads easier for viewers to understand.
Google Ads API enforces minimum daily budget
How it works:
From 1st April 2026, Google Ads will require a minimum daily budget of £5 for any Demand Gen campaigns when managed via the Ads API. In the UK, this means campaigns need a daily budget of roughly £4–£5. Any campaign set below this will not run until the budget is increased.
What’s the benefit:
This ensures campaigns have enough budget to deliver meaningful results. UK advertisers using API tools will need to check and update any low‑budget Demand Gen campaigns to avoid delivery issues.
Google’s February 2026 Discover core update has completed
Google has confirmed that the February 2026 Discover core update rollout has completed. It started on 5th February and finished on 27th February. This is the first confirmed Search update of 2026 and notably, the first core update that only impacts Google Discover.
The update only applies to English-language users in the USA, however Google has confirmed this will expand globally in the coming months.
Google says the update was designed to improve the Discover experience by:
- Prioritising locally relevant content from publishers based in the users country
- Reducing sensationalist headlines and clickbait
- Elevating original and timely content from sites with clear topical expertise
Importantly, expertise is assess topic by topic, not just at domain level, which means broad publishers can still perform well, but only where Google recongises genuine authority.
Read moreGoogle Search Console announces AI assistant
Google Search Console launched a new AI powered feature this week, allowing users to configure the performance dashboard through a chat box with the AI assistant. This new feature simplifies comparing time periods, setting up a custom regex, and identifying aspects such as CTR for specific pages.
The tool is currently labelled as ‘experiment’ and will continue to be developed over the coming months. Aiming to improve accuracy and determine how effective this feature is for identifying value and areas for improvement across a website’s organic presence.
Hear form GoogleGoogle Tests Shopping Ads In AI Mode
How it works:
Google is testing Shopping ads inside AI Mode, so product ads can show up in AI-assisted search chats, not just regular Shopping or search results.
What’s the benefit?
Marketers can reach shoppers earlier in their buying journey and connect with intent-driven users before they hit standard Google Search results.
