PPC

Update to the Unfair Advantage Policy

Today Google will be updating its Unfair Advantage Policy to clarify that ‘Using the Google Network to gain an unfair traffic advantage over other participants in the auction’ is prohibited now only in a single ad location. Violations of the policy will not lead to an immediate suspension, with a 7-day warning in place.

This update opens up opportunities for advertisers to dominate search results by showing multiple ads in different ad locations. This could lead to increased visibility, higher click-through rates, and more conversions.

However, it may also increase competition and costs, especially for smaller advertisers, as larger brands gain more SERP real estate.

We spoke to Victoria Chapman, Founder of TLC Ads, about her opinion on this update:

Expert opinion

Victoria Chapman, Founder of TLC Ads

"After analysing Google's Unfair Advantage Policy update, I think we need to look beyond the initial 'big brands will dominate' concerns and consider the real user behaviour patterns. Let's be realistic about what this means: according to industry data, only about 9% of users actually scroll to the bottom of search results. So while theoretically brands can now appear twice, the impact may be overstated for most searches. What's more interesting is how this fits into Google's broader shift toward an asset-first approach. The winners won't necessarily be those with the deepest pockets, but rather advertisers who create adaptable, standalone assets that can perform well across different placements - including emerging spaces like AI Overviews and Image Search. For our lead generation clients, this reinforces the importance of creating punchy, action-oriented headlines that can stand independently. Think less about controlling specific positions (especially with smart bidding) and more about crafting assets that can be effectively deployed anywhere on the SERP. Instead of worrying about competing for both top and bottom placements, smaller advertisers might find better ROI focusing on close variants of main keywords - potentially accessing valuable inventory that larger, less nimble advertisers haven't optimised for. The psychological impact is worth considering too. When users see the same brand in multiple positions, it creates an impression of authority. But the question remains: were bottom placements converting well anyway? If not, is this really as disruptive as initial reactions suggest? The metrics that matter most aren't impressions or clicks, but lead quality and acquisition costs. Multiple placements might increase brand awareness, but if they're not generating qualified leads, they're just expensive decorations."

New Performance Max features

Google has announced updates to PMax campaigns with a focus on customer lifecycle management and creative asset optimisation. 

• Retention Goals: Advertisers can now set specific goals to re-engage lapsed customers by identifying high-value former customers and prioritising ad delivery to them.

• New customer acquisition reporting: ‘New customer only’ and ‘new customer value’ are dedicated reporting columns to display customer acquisition cost.

• Landing page image sourcing: PMax can automatically extract images from landing pages to diversify ad creatives.

• Smart cropping: This feature generates multiple versions of existing images through intelligent cropping, thus increasing the variety of ad creatives. 

The update aims to provide advertisers with greater control over targeting strategies and creative assets.

Google Merchant Center latest updates

In an aim to streamline product data submissions and improve overall shopping experience for users, Google has announced updates to its product data specifications. These are effective from 8th April 2025.

• New downpayment reporting, a new downpayment sub-attribute within instalment. Where price reflects the full up-front cost.
• The energy efficiency class attribute is being made more inclusive. It provides support for products requiring energy labelling.
• New shipping attributes, to offer more precise delivery estimates there are three new offer-level shipping attributes; carrier_shipping, shipping_handing_business_days & shipping_transit_business_days.

The below are updates which will be effective 1st July 2025.

• Member pricing changes, merchants will have to use the loyalty_program attribute where applicable for member-exclusive prices.
• US sales tax settings will be removed, meaning there will be no requirement to submit US sales tax via tax or tax_category attributes within GMC.

Google launches automatic content extraction

Google has rolled out a new feature which automatically extracts marketing content to ‘enhance’ and dynamically create ads. The information can be extracted through email marketing, social accounts and content.

Google will extract and showcase:

• Links to primary social media channels.
• Highlighted social media content.
• Current and upcoming sales/promotions.
• Brand images and videos.
• Brand voice and values.

With no additional effort, Google can now display information about promotions, products and social media profiles across Search, Shopping and Maps. This creates increased visibility, which has raised initial concerns around brand protection. 

Every account has been automatically opted in to this feature. You are able to opt out of this through GMC’s marketing content usage options..

New Demand Gen conversion tracking columns

Google has introduced new conversion tracking columns for Demand Gen campaigns which attribute 100% of conversions to the last touchpoint. The new feature is available at both campaign and ad group level.

This update allows advertisers to directly compare Demand Gen campaign performance with paid social platforms by providing view-through conversion data. Thus providing advertisers more granular performance insights.

Immersive ads are expanding: Google Ad Manager collab with Roblox

Google has expanded its Immersive Ads program by partnering with Roblox, providing seamless ad integration into virtual gaming environments. The collaboration allows advertisers to place ads within Roblox experiences, such as appearing on billboards in virtual cities. This partnership encourages user engagement without disrupting gameplay and provides advertisers with another platform to reach users.

Google Merchant Centre will update its click reporting to align with Google Ads

Google has announced Google Merchant Centre (GMC) will update its click reporting to align with Google Ads. Currently, Merchant Centre counts all interactions as product clicks, however after this update clicks will be reported separately from other interactions which is similar to Google Ads. This change may impact current and historical data in Merchant Centre but it won’t affect Google Ads reporting or performance.

It has been highlighted that businesses using GMC should be aware that changes in reported clicks are expected due to this reporting update, it’s not a change in actual performance.

New search term visibility added to Performance Max

Advertisers can now view which search terms are triggering their Performance Max ads within the standard search terms report. This update therefore allows negative keywords to be added directly from the search terms report which consequently enables better control over ad placements.

This update improves transparency and control for advertisers over their Performance Max ads at a similar level to Search campaigns.

Channel control for Demand Gen campaigns

Google has begun rolling out channel control for Demand Gen campaigns. This new feature allows advertisers to specify ad placements across Google’s platforms, which include Youtube, Discover and Gmail. Alongside this, it has been confirmed that those who have access to this new channel control will also have availability to channel segmented reporting. This will enable advertisers more granular performance insights thus facilitating increased Demand Gen optimisation opportunities.

Google Ads introduces new campaign controls for Demand Gen campaigns

Google Ads has started rolling out channel control for Demand Gen campaigns, in the hopes of giving advertisers more control over where their ads appear across Google’s properties.

This update, first announced in January, allows for more targeted placement of ads, but with a significant limitation: individual channel segmentation (e.g., YouTube, Discover, Gmail) is not yet available. As a result, performance data is still aggregated under “Google-owned channels,” making it difficult for advertisers to make data-driven decisions.

We spoke to our PPC account manager, Lucy Dawes, about her opinion on the updates:

Expert Opinion

Lucy Dawes, PPC Account Manager at Embryo

"I would argue that Demand Generation campaigns are increasingly becoming a key component of a well-rounded digital marketing strategy to work alongside traditional Search activity to capture demand across the entire customer journey. The campaign allows wider reach across multiple audiences that may not be on traditional search or social platforms and taps into mid-funnel engagement, connecting with users before they even have specific search terms and leveraging engaging video or image content. The new updates are definitely a step in the right direction in giving further control in Demand Generation use, and I anticipate Google will roll out more over the next year - especially around innovation in YouTube formats (like Shorts) and integrating new search behaviours beyond text queries."

Google launches asset testing for Performance Max

This update provides advertisers the opportunity to measure the effectiveness of creative assets, without requiring the running of two separate campaigns simultaneously. Results are viewable in the Experiment Report, where performance of a feed-only (control) group is compared against a treatment group (with assets) within the same campaign. Splitting the traffic into the two groups is extremely valuable in reducing the learning period, alongside providing faster results than testing two campaigns.

We spoke to Aaron Young, Managing Director of Define Digital Academy:

Expert opinion

Aaron Young, Managing Director of Define Digital Academy

"Google's new asset testing for Performance Max is a welcome step in the right direction—finally cracking open a bit more of the PMAX black box. But like all good split testing features, the biggest winners will be advertisers with a clear testing process—where each ad variation has one clear difference. That’s how you get direct insight into what part of your creative is actually driving performance"

Google starts testing channel reporting for Performance Max campaigns

It has been reported that where advertisers currently use scripts to extract the data, Google is testing channel reporting for Performance Max campaigns. Although nothing has been communicated by Google, it has been spotted being presented at a Google event.

Receiving channel breakdowns is a great way for Google to increase transparency and control within Performance Max campaigns. We are excited to see it come to fruition.

Increase in Performance Max negative keyword limit

It has just been announced that the word limit to apply negatives within an individual Performance Max campaign has had a vast, and very much appreciated, increase to 10,000 (the limit was previously 100). The increase is inline with Search campaigns’ negative keyword limit.

The expansion of negatives provides advertisers with wider control over ads and increased flexibility. However, there has been note of the potential risk when limiting conversions with the misapplication of negatives. There is also mention of PMax negative keyword lists being implemented at some point.

Google enhances online shopping with AI

An interactive new Google Shopping feature for fashion and beauty products has been rolled out.

New features;

• Vision Match: Users can describe clothing items, through a ‘Can’t find it? Create it’ prompt, and AI provides similar shoppable products.
• Virtual Makeup Try-On: Shoppers can test looks they’re inspired by using AR.
• Expanded Virtual Clothing Try-On: View clothing items on a diverse range of model body types (XXS–XXL).

These tools will enhance the online shopping experience, allowing users to make informed buying choices. Businesses should benefit from greater user engagement, higher click-through rates, and subsequently boosted conversions.

Garrett Sussman, Director of Marketing at iPullrank, spoke to Embryo about AI in marketing:

Expert opinion

Garrett Sussman, Director of Marketing at iPullRank

"SEO is not dead; it's going through a renaissance. Brand has never been more important for Organic Search. Organizations must ensure that they continue to create relevant content, build authority, and improve the user experience on their sites. Search behavior is changing as search engines like Google and emerging chatbot platforms like ChatGPT allow people to use more complex and nuanced search results. While Organic Search traffic may seem to decline, for many brands, SEO strategies focusing on content that drives conversions, goals, and revenue have become critical for growth. Pay attention to how AI is being integrated into the search results for your most important queries because your visibility continues to be the thread that will lead your customers back to you."

Future updates to RSAs

Google is enhancing Responsive Search Ads (RSAs) to provide greater flexibility. Now, up to two headline assets may appear alongside sitelinks in a secondary link format if they are expected to improve performance. Also, Google is testing the value of excluding certain ad elements, like descriptions, when beneficial.

Key points:

• Headline assets used in secondary links will direct to the final URL.
• Stats will be reported to the original headline, not sitelinks.
• Pinning assets will still be prioritised.

These updates claim to aim to optimise ad performance by giving AI more flexibility to serve the most effective combinations based on user behaviour and advertiser goals.

New Google Ads feature spotted: Search Max

Some Google Ads users have spotted that Google Ads is experimenting with a new campaign type called “Search Max”. The main premise of the new campaign type seems to eliminate the need for advertisers to manually select match types.

Instead, Google’s AI determines the most suitable match type for each search query with the aim of optimising performance. This shift aligns with Google’s focus on automation, streamlining campaign setup and subsequently enhancing efficiency. However, it will limit advertiser control in not being able to specify broad, phrase, or exact match types.

Google introduces new ad prediction model

Google has introduced a new ad prediction model to improve landing page experiences.

The aim is to reduce frustrating ad journeys by ensuring users can easily find relevant information without needing to backtrack. The update assesses whether landing pages provide clear navigation and direct access to expected content. Emphasis is placed on prioritising user experience within the wider scope of landing pages used in paid ads. As a result, ads leading to confusing or hard-to-navigate pages may appear less frequently in search results.

This change encourages advertisers to focus on user-friendly website design to ensure ad visibility and engagement.

Google introduces codeless conversion tracking

Although not officially announced by Google, many Google Ads users have noticed a new codeless event tracking option. Simply, without needing to add any code to a website, you now can create an event which can be detected by your Google tag. This is a positive movement towards more advanced tracking, 2 years after Microsoft Clarity launched codeless conversion tracking. Google ads users will benefit from the codeless tracking reducing manual coding making it much more accessible and less time-consuming.

We spoke to Google Ads expert, Thomas Eccel, about his opinion on this update:

Expert opinion

Thomas Eccel, Google Ads expert

"This is a small positive step towards a more sophisticated codeless conversion tracking. Why small? Because for now this codeless feature includes only URL-conditions and not any more detailed events or other triggers. However, I think that Google is currently creating the foundation for more advanced triggers and soon we will hear new updates on this topic."

Google has announced several updates to ‘Demand Gen’ campaigns

Google has announced updates to ‘Demand Gen’ campaigns, providing further insights and control. The updates include:

Increased channel control

• Being rolled out globally from March, Google Ads users will be able to select exactly where their Demand Gen campaigns appear whether that’s specific to YouTube (in-stream, in-feed, shorts), Discover, and Gmail. Google Display Network is also being added to the Demand Gen channel control.

New asset formats

• Shorts ads will soon fill the screen, with a 9:16 vertical image format being introduced. As well as a new feature to assist with formatting shorter videos.

Improved purchase journey

• A retailer specific update, Demand Gen will include product feeds via Google Merchant Centre accounts. Providing users direct, instant access to the products they see in the ads.

New reporting columns

• Additional reporting columns will provide wider insights into the relationship between Demand Gen campaigns and paid social, to provide performance and budget visibility. There will also be more focus on Demand Gen specific reporting.

We spoke to Senior Digital Advertising Consultant at Hutter Consult AG, Georgi Zayakov, about his thoughts on the recent ‘Demand Gen’ updates:

Expert opinion

Georgi Zayakov, Senior Digital Advertising Consultant at Hutter Consult AG

"I am particularly intrigued by the newly introduced Channel controls feature for Demand Gen campaigns. More control is often better for advertisers, and it will ease them to test different strategies, such as Discover-Only, Gmail-Only, or Shorts-Only campaigns. Choosing only one of those inventories would be associated with lower cost and shorter time for asset creation too. However, the update raises two important questions: Why channel controls can be used for Demand Gen, but not for Performance Max campaigns? Both campaign types are becoming even more similar with the inclusion of Display inventories into Demand Gen. The second question: Would this inclusion mean that traditional Google Display campaigns will become soon obsolete? I can imagine that in 2 years GDN will be sunset in favour of Demand Gen, similar to Video for Action campaigns."

Performance Max: New features in 2025

Performance Max is growing this year to help users improve results and increase transparency into what is driving campaign performance. From improved exclusions to improved reporting tools, Google is really adding value to Performance max campaigns in 2025.

Some of the new features include:

• Campaign-level negative keywords are being rolled out to all advertisers
• New customer acquisition goal with a high-value mode
• Brand exclusions for various formats in retailer campaigns with product feeds
• ‘URL contains’ rules for any campaigns with product feeds
• Demographic exclusions
• Device targeting

We spoke to Tomasz Abbott-Wieczorek, Founder and Chief Profit Architect of PPC Profit Club, to get his thoughts on the new Performance Max features:

Expert opinion

Tomasz Abbott-Wieczorek, Founder and Chief Profit Architect of PPC Profit Club

"This is a massive step forward for Performance Max and finally gives advertisers more of the control we’ve been asking for. Honestly, these features should have been there from day one—but better late than never. Every day, I see Google Ads specialists wrestling with the ‘black box’ nature of PMax, trying to figure out what’s actually working. These updates bring a serious upgrade in transparency, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they lead to wider adoption. Now let’s see how well they actually work in the wild."

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