Google Ads
Search Engine Land is your premier source for Google Ads news, strategies, and in-depth content. You’ll find a variety of up-to-date and authoritative resources, including the latest news, tactic-rich tutorials, and the latest data to help you work smarter and make better decisions that boost your ROI.
Mastering Google Ads for maximum ROI
Google Ads is a powerful tool for driving targeted traffic, generating leads, and increasing sales — but staying ahead in paid search requires more than just a basic understanding of campaigns. Search Engine Land equips you with actionable strategies to optimize ad performance, reduce wasted spend, and maximize your return on investment.
Discover insights on everything from mastering campaign types like Performance Max to leveraging advanced strategies and features like audience targeting, responsive search ads, and bidding strategies. Whether you’re managing large-scale accounts or running ads for a small business, our resources are tailored to meet your specific needs.
What you read here is written by our experienced in-house team, alongside subject matter experts from leading agencies and top-performing brands across various industries
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Advertisers report Google Ads credits being revoked after spending
Advertisers report Google Ads promotional credits being invalidated after they’ve already spent budget to qualify for them.
Google Ads data shows query length shift post-AI Mode
Longer, more specific searches are gaining impression and conversion share, while short queries continue to lose ground.
The availability heuristic: 7 ways Google Ads can steer your decisions
What gets your attention in Google Ads can influence where you spend, what you change, and how you judge performance. Here's what to watch.
Manual vs. automated Google Ads campaigns: How to allocate your budget
Balance scale and control by matching automation to conversion volume, account maturity, and performance needs.
The 11x ROAS account that lost money on every order
High ROAS can mask negative contribution, weak incrementality, and costly inventory decisions. Here's how to measure what really matters.
Google tests traditional Search campaigns in AI Mode
Google is testing exact and phrase match Search ads in AI Mode when users show clear, direct intent.
Limited Ad Serving: Why Google Ads suddenly show less often
Google can limit ad serving without disapproving your ads. Learn what puts accounts at risk, how to spot a limitation, and how to appeal.
What your Google Ads hour-of-day report doesn’t tell you
Smart Bidding sees the auction-level signals your hourly report can’t. Know what you’re giving up when you cut an hour.
Google AdSense to change how it counts impressions: Begin-to-Render
This change is happening on February 17, 2027 and will result in a change in total impressions.
Google expands Demand Gen with messaging ads, travel tools and AI video creation
Google's Demand Gen tools aim to shorten the path from discovery to conversion while making it easier to scale creative across campaigns.
Moving from Google Display to Demand Gen: What you’ll lose and gain
New inventory and AI-powered creative come with trade-offs. See which controls and capabilities change in Demand Gen.
Google Ads API Developer Assistant gets major AI agent upgrade
Google Ads API Developer Assistant v4.0.0 brings specialized API dev, troubleshooting and reporting tools into AI workflows.
Google Ads adds reporting for AI-generated product titles
Google’s new Product titles report shows advertisers which AI-generated product titles are being served and how they perform.
Google tests channel prioritization controls for Performance Max
Google is testing new Performance Max controls that let advertisers influence which channels the algorithm prioritizes.
Google brings Gemini Omni video creation to Google Ads
Google is adding Gemini Omni to Asset Studio, making it easier to turn creative briefs and brand assets into campaign-ready videos.
Google expands direct booking for Local Services Ads
Google is expanding LSA direct booking to more than 500 partners, making it easier for customers to book straight from ads.
Google Local Services Ads will charge for some missed calls starting Oct. 1
Google will start charging Local Services Ads advertisers for some missed and follow-up calls that qualify as valid leads from Oct. 1.
Google expands Local Services Ads categories ahead of migration
Google is expanding LSA categories ahead of its migration into Google Ads, giving businesses more precise ways to target leads.
Google adds new AI Max testing and planning tools
Google is expanding AI Max with new experiments and planning tools to help advertisers test budgets, ROI targets and controls.
Google Ads API v25.1 expands measurement and insights
Google Ads API v25.1 adds new tools for lift measurement, benchmarking, brand sentiment, and loyalty reporting.
Google Ads tests Enhanced Matching for Customer Match
Enhanced Matching could help advertisers expand the reach of their first-party audiences using consented publisher signals.
Google Ads is finally building a stronger foundation for B2B lead gen
Three months after Google Marketing Live, Google Ads is laying the groundwork for better B2B lead gen. Here’s what to act on now.
Google Ads will use generative AI to resize Performance Max video ads
Google is expanding PMax video optimization with generative AI that automatically creates missing aspect ratios from existing ads.
The 4-step roadmap to AI agents for Google Ads
Know when to use off-the-shelf AI, when to build custom systems, and what foundations you need before agents can deliver real value.
Google sets AI Max migration timeline for Search campaigns
Google will begin automatically migrating legacy Search campaign features to AI Max in September, with DSAs following next year.
Demand Gen shows why PPC can no longer hide behind intent
PPC’s expanding role brings creative strategy, customer psychology, and full-journey measurement into the performance marketer’s job.
Google adds Local customer optimization to Performance Max
Advertisers can now use PMax store-goal campaigns to prioritize nearby, high-intent visitors across Google Maps, Waze and Search.
Google updates Merchant Center with cross-platform reporting
Merchant Center is updating its reporting with new YouTube traffic classifications and expanded product-level performance insights.
Google to migrate Travel campaigns to Search campaigns for Travel
Google will auto-transition Travel campaigns to Search campaigns for Travel starting in Q3 2026, which can also be done manually.
YouTube tests image ads during horizontal mobile playback
YouTube is overlaying static image ads during landscape mobile videos, potentially giving advertisers a new placement.
Google Ads adds dedicated reporting for new customer acquisition
Google now lets advertisers measure new customer acquisition without affecting bidding, replacing a reporting workaround.
Google to auto-upgrade automatically created assets to AI Max
Google will upgrade eligible Search campaigns to AI Max from Sept. 1, enabling search term matching and text customization.
New Google help doc details Deal Ends annotations for Shopping ads
A new Google help document explains how experimental Deal Ends annotations highlight eligible Shopping ads with urgency badges.
New Google Ads help doc outlines corporate email rules
A new Google Ads help document explains how corporate email requirements will affect sensitive account actions during the pilot.
Google tightens Ads policy for government document providers
Advertisers now need to prove explicit government authorisation before promoting government documents through Google Ads.
Google releases help doc for Performance Max pay-per-lead goals
The new guides explain how advertisers can set up, target and optimise Performance Max campaigns with pay-per-lead goals.
Google launches secure API access pilot for manager accounts
The new pilot lets advertisers restrict sensitive API actions to approved applications, adding an extra layer of security.
Google tests clickable hyperlinks in Search ad descriptions
Google is highlighting selected phrases within ad copy as clickable links, potentially helping advertisers improve CTR.
How to troubleshoot automated bidding in Google Ads
Poor data, conversion tracking, and campaign settings can derail automated bidding. Learn what to check and when manual bidding can help.
4 Google Ads settings and recommendations worth a closer look
Auto-apply, Display Expansion, Search Partners, and budget recommendations deserve a closer look. Learn what to review before making changes.