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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Google Ads alert: broad match auto-toggle raises concerns
Switching to conversion-based bidding in Google Ads may automatically change keywords to broad match, risking inflated ad spend and irrelevant traffic.
Google overhauls ad policies for CTV and PETs
Google's ad policies embrace privacy-enhancing technologies and Connected TV growth empowering advertisers to securely reach audiences.
The future of paid search: 3 predictions for Google Ads in 2025
Get ahead of Google Ads trends with these bold predictions for 2025, from AI-driven campaigns to shifting client strategies.
How to beat audience saturation in PPC: KPIs, methodology and case studies
Audience saturation can crush campaign performance. Learn to monitor it proactively, refresh strategies, and maximize engagement.
Google Ads tests AI-powered reporting tool
Google Ads is testing an AI-powered reporting tool that lets advertisers generate custom reports using natural language prompts.
Top 10 Google Ads mistakes to avoid in 2025
Optimize your PPC campaigns by tackling issues like inconsistent tracking, old negative keywords, blind reliance on AI, and more.
Google Performance Max negative keyword exclusions now in beta
Google is rolling out a beta feature for campaign-level negative keyword exclusions in Performance Max, addressing a long-standing advertiser request.
Top 4 PPC tactics to try in 2025
Explore underutilized tactics like DSA research, CLS audits, Microsoft-based exclusions and micro-conversions to stay ahead.
How to use negative keywords in PPC to maximize targeting and optimize ad spend
Improve your PPC performance with a strong negative keyword strategy. Learn insights to reduce wasted ad spend and target the right audience.
How to build lead gen campaigns for B2B SMBs
Insights for crafting a targeted ad strategy, optimizing your channel mix and creating compelling offers to drive quality B2B leads.
Google details shopping annotations and badges for ads and free listings
Google’s new guide on Shopping annotations and badges outlines tools like "Price Drop" and "Free Shipping" that help products stand out and boost ad performance.
How to improve PPC lead quality for B2B campaigns
Get actionable tips for qualifying B2B leads, optimizing paid media channels and using data integration to improve your PPC campaigns.
6 tips for successful ecommerce search campaigns
From labeling best practices to maximizing automated bidding, these tips will streamline your ecommerce advertising efforts.
Performance Max vs. Search campaigns: New data reveals substantial search term overlap
Is PMax cannibalizing your Search campaigns? Learn insights on overlap rates and campaign prioritization, plus strategies to maximize ROI.
Google Ads outage disrupts campaigns
Google Ads is experiencing technical issues, causing error messages, slow response times, and disruptions for advertisers.
Google adds WhatsApp ‘conversation started’ conversion action
Google Ads' new 'conversation started' conversion action helps advertisers track WhatsApp engagements.
DOJ’s push to sell Google Chrome sparks industry debate over web’s future
Marketers and tech experts warn of unintended consequences while questioning Chrome's viability as standalone product.
Google outlines 2025 ads API roadmap
Google's 2025 Ads API roadmap outlines five planned updates, helping developers and advertisers strategically prepare for major and minor releases.
Google reshapes in-store shopping with AI-powered comparisons
Google’s shopping updates, including real-time price comparisons and local inventory searches, are poised to intensify retail competition.
How to leverage Google Analytics 4 and Google Ads for better audience targeting
Connect your Google Analytics 4 to Google Ads accounts to create dynamic audiences, set conditions and drive PPC success.
Google Lens for in-store and local shopping
Now just point and shoot a photo and get prices, reviews, product details and more while looking at products in a retail store.
Google AI Overviews ads seen on mobile search
Google AI Overviews ads officially launched last month in the U.S., but we've seen few examples of them in the wild.
Data: Q5 (Dec. 25- Jan. 1) ads can pay off big for brands
Brands that maintain PPC ads during Q5 can capture valuable ad inventory at lower costs, as CPCs drop and impressions surge, study finds.
A guide to split testing in PPC
Learn what split testing is and how to do it, along with the elements you can test and tips to evaluate your experiment’s performance.
How Microsoft Ads compares to Google Ads and when to use it
Thinking of expanding to Microsoft Ads? Learn its key similarities and differences with Google Ads, plus tips for getting started.
Google boosts curation capabilities for Ad Agencies
Google's new curation tools help agencies streamline media buying and access premium inventory, improving efficiency and audience targeting.
Google tightens Customer Match rules, warns advertisers about privacy
Google is reinforcing stricter privacy rules for Customer Match, warning misuse could lead to immediate account suspension without warning.
Data: PMax performance stable, but Search CPCs increasing
Google Ads' PMax campaigns had stable YoY ROAS and conversion rates despite rising CPCs and CPAs, Optmyzr study finds.
Google debuts Sale Event promotion type in Merchant Center
Google’s new Sale Event promotion type lets you easily promote broader sales and discounts across shopping placements.
Google Ads Editor 2.8 launches with AI image generation
Google Ads Editor 2.8 introduces AI-powered image generation, enhanced performance tools, and more but with no support for older versions.
Google to unpause political election ads Nov. 11
This update comes after Google had a temporary ban on US election based ads on Nov 5.
Google UI update – Demand Gen audience now seen as ‘signals’
Google redefined Demand Gen campaign audiences as signals instead of targeting parameters, reducing control over audience targeting.
Google sunsets Local Services Ads mobile app, shifts focus to web platform
Google will discontinue the Local Services Ads mobile app on January 6, making the web platform the only option for managing these campaigns.
PPC keyword research: What you need to know
Here's how to select the right keywords, use match types effectively and refine your strategy for optimal ad performance.
Google rolls out brand customization for Performance Max campaigns
Google’s new brand guidelines settings for Performance Max campaigns allow advertisers to customize branding elements like logos and colors.
How a Google breakup could change the PPC industry
With Google’s adtech antitrust trial, the future of paid search hangs in the balance. Here’s what it means for PPC marketers and advertisers.
Google Ads relaxes personalization rules for social casino game apps
Google will allow personalization for social casino game app campaigns, excluding them from the gambling-related restrictions.
Google adds ad inventory curation, programmatic tools for agencies
Google's curation tool and streamlined programmatic workflows, aim to simplify media buying by enhancing inventory discovery and performance tracking.
How does AI work in PPC?
From smarter targeting to automated reporting, learn ways AI can improve the efficiency, effectiveness and ROI in your paid search campaigns.
Google AdMob launches new controls for high-engagement mobile ads
AdMob’s new app-level setting offers more control over ad experience and performance, though the default opt-in signals.