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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Click fraud in Google Ads: Where exposure rises and how to reduce it
From Video Partners to Search, fraud exposure isn’t equal. Learn where invalid clicks spike and how to shift toward higher-intent traffic.
Google Ads API enforces daily minimum budget for Demand Gen campaigns
Starting April 1, Google will require a $5 daily minimum budget for Demand Gen campaigns in the Google Ads API.
Google Ads’ three-strikes system: Managing warnings, strikes, and suspension
Google can suspend your account after three policy strikes in 90 days. Here’s how the warning system works and how to keep your ads running.
Google launches non-skippable Video Reach campaigns for connected TV
Now globally available in Google Ads, you can buy non-skippable YouTube CTV ads, using automation to manage format mix and delivery.
Google expands recurring billing policy
Certified online pharmacies can now offer prescription drug subscriptions and bundled services under Google’s updated recurring billing policy.
Google publishes new Google Ads passkey help doc
Google has published new passkey guidance for Google Ads, helping advertisers strengthen security amid rising account hacks.
How to use Google Ads Performance Planner and Reach Planner
Model budget shifts, forecast KPI impact, and estimate YouTube reach before scaling. See how these underused planning tools work in practice.
Google expands AI Max text guidelines globally
Google’s AI Max now lets you guide AI-generated ad copy worldwide with custom text rules to keep messaging on-brand.
Google to change budget pacing for campaigns using ad scheduling
Google’s new pacing update could increase monthly spend for ad-scheduled campaigns by pushing budgets harder within allowed run times.
Google Ad Grants now lets nonprofits optimize for shop visits
You can now tie ad spend to foot traffic, aligning bids with in-person visits across Maps and local search placements.
Merchant Center becomes a central video hub as Google auto-imports content
Google’s move to auto-populate video assets in GMC allows video to be a built-in, commerce-ready component of retail ad strategy.
Google Ads support requires account change authorization
Advertisers contacting Google Ads must now authorize support-led account changes — while keeping full responsibility for results.
What it takes to make demand gen work for B2B and ecommerce
From scroll-stopping creative to smarter budgets, learn why search tactics fail and what actually drives MQLs, SQLs and sales.
Merchant Center flags feeds disruption
An incident affecting Feeds on the Google Merchant Center status dashboard could disrupt product listings and Shopping ad performance.
Google now attributes app conversions to the install date
Google's app conversion attribution just shifted from ad click to install date — and it could meaningfully improve Smart Bidding performance.
Google Ads shows how landing page images power PMax ads
Google Ads now gives advertisers clearer visibility into how Landing Page Images may be automatically turned into creatives in PMax campaigns.
Google Ads shows PMax placements in “Where ads showed” report
Google Ads now shows where Performance Max campaigns run, giving advertisers clear insights to optimize performance.
Google Ads adds Results tab to show impact of applied recommendations
Google Ads now shows the real performance impact of applied recommendations in a new Results tab, comparing outcomes against estimated baseline results.
Google shifts Lookalike to AI signals in Demand Gen
Google is turning Lookalike audiences into AI signals that expand reach and could significantly change campaign performance.
Google Ads adds beta data source integrations to conversion settings
Google Ads now lets advertisers connect external data to conversions, improving measurement and performance.
Google Ads tool is automatically re-enabling paused keywords
Google Ads may be re-enabling paused keywords automatically, raising concerns about unexpected campaign expense
Google Ads adds ROAS-based tool for valuing new customers
Google Ads is testing a ROAS-based tool that suggests conversion values to help advertisers bid smarter for new customers.
Why creative, not bidding, is limiting PPC performance
Smart Bidding and Meta’s delivery systems have leveled the field. To scale PPC, fix creative fatigue, increase asset volume, and test faster.
Google Ads shows recommended experiments
Google Ads now suggests ready-to-run experiments, helping advertisers test optimizations faster and improve performance with less setup.
Google Ads simplifies product campaign tracking
Google Ads now shows per-product campaign eligibility, making gaps and overlaps easier to spot.
How to reduce low-quality leads from Performance Max campaigns
Performance Max often optimizes for cheap conversions by default. Learn how guardrails and better signals can improve lead quality.
Google pushes AI Max tool with in-app ads
Google is advertising its AI Max feature inside Google Ads campaign settings, promoting its own tools within the paid platform.
Amanda Farley talks broken pixels and calm leadership
Amanda Farley shares lessons on overcoming setbacks and balancing AI with human insight in modern marketing leadership.
Performance Max built-in A/B testing for creative assets spotted
Performance Max now supports built-in A/B testing for creative assets, giving advertisers a clearer way to measure and optimize what works.
Google Ads adds a diagnostics hub for data connections
Google Ads’ new diagnostics tool helps advertisers spot data connection issues early and protect conversion tracking and campaign performance.
Performance Max reporting for ecommerce: What Google is and isn’t showing you
Explore how to make smarter use of search terms, channel and placement reports, and device-level performance to improve campaign control.
Google Ads no longer runs on keywords. It runs on intent.
If you’re still building Google Ads around keywords, you’re behind. Here's what that means for eligibility, structure, and PPC strategy.
In Google Ads automation, everything is a signal in 2026
Automation performance depends on signal quality. Learn how Google Ads prioritizes signals, how pollution starts, and how to correct drift.
How Google Ads quality score really affects your CPCs
High CPCs? Low ad quality, not bids, may be the real culprit — improving your Quality Score drives better results.
Why Google’s Performance Max advice often fails new advertisers
Early Performance Max adoption often reduces insight and control. Shopping campaigns provide clearer performance signals and faster learning.
Google Ads API update cracks open Performance Max by channel
Google Ads API v23 lets advertisers break down PMax campaign results by channel, offering more precise insights for optimization.
How to build a modern Google Ads targeting strategy like a pro
Learn a practical PPC framework that predicts intent, reaches beyond search, and connects the right audiences to the right content.
Google tests third-party endorsements in search ads
Google is testing 3rd party endorsements in Search ads, adding publisher logos and quotes to introduce external validation into paid results.
Google Ads API v23 brings PMax data, richer invoicing, scheduling
Google’s v23 Ads API speeds up releases while adding deeper Performance Max insights, AI-driven audiences, and more granular reporting.
Is your account ready for Google AI Max? A pre-test checklist
AI Max can unlock incremental conversions – or drain budget fast. Validate tracking, bidding, and broad match readiness before enabling it.