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
Don’t miss out on crucial Google Ads updates! Get the Search Engine Land newsletter delivered daily to your inbox. Subscribe for free and stay ahead in the dynamic world of paid search!
Paid media efficiency: How to cut waste and improve ROAS
Up to 30% of paid media spend is underperforming. Learn how to audit accounts, prioritize spend, and improve measurement.
Google tests swipeable location carousel in search ads
Google is testing a swipeable location carousel in search ads, making local results more interactive and competitive for multi-location advertisers.
Google rolls out onboarding guide for Universal Commerce Protocol
Google’s new commerce protocol signals a shift toward in-search checkout, changing where and how conversions happen for advertisers.
Google Ads adds “Results” tab to show impact of recommendations
Google Ads now shows the real impact of its recommendations, giving advertisers a way to evaluate performance instead of relying on trust.
Google Ads lets marketers reuse AI text rules across campaigns
Google Ads now helps advertisers scale AI-generated ads faster while maintaining consistent brand voice and creative control.
Google starts showing sponsored ads in the Images tab on mobile search
Eligible campaigns can pick up incremental impressions in a brand-new visual placement on Google Image search, without changing any settings.
Google, Meta, and the long history of misaligned incentives in paid media
From default settings to reporting, here’s how ad platforms shape performance — often making results look better than they are.
Building high-ROAS ecommerce search campaigns in Google Shopping and Amazon Ads
Turn search intent into profit by routing queries from discovery to high-performing terms across Google and Amazon Ads.
6 Google Ads mistakes that hurt ecommerce campaigns
Expanding beyond paid social? Learn how to structure campaigns, control spend, and unlock demand without relying on the Meta playbook.
Google adds channel performance timeline view to PMax campaigns
Google's new channel performance view for PMax gives advertisers a timeline breakdown of what's working across Search, YouTube, Display
Google Ads experiments now auto-apply results by default
New Google Ads shortcut speeds rollout after a test wins, but only the metrics you picked get protected when changes move into campaigns.
Why too many micro-conversions hurt PPC performance
Overusing micro-conversions can distort CPA and ROAS. Learn how to structure signals to align PPC performance with real revenue.
Google expands Merchant Center loyalty features to 14 countries and AI surfaces
Member perks are now baked into product listings — and showing up on Gemini and AI Mode for the first time.
Google Ads Editor bug links structured snippet languages across accounts
A bug in Ads Editor is causing copied structured snippets to stay linked, leading to unintended language changes across accounts or campaigns.
Where paid media optimization should stop in long sales cycles
Sales in long cycles is shaped by people, timing, and operations. Lead valuation gives paid media platforms clearer, more reliable signals.
How SEO maturity unlocked a 133x ROAS in medical device marketing
From $12K in ad spend to $1.6M in revenue, see how authority, clean conversion signals, and CRM feedback loops made PPC scalable.
AI-forward campaigns are a B2B growth gold mine — if you’re patient
B2B buyers are influenced long before they search. Here's how AI-powered Google Ads campaigns build demand early — and pay off over time.
Google released v23.2 of the Google Ads API
Google's v23.2 API update introduces a resource that identifies whether a video ad is Google-generated or advertiser-provided
Google adds seasonal creative theming to PMax asset groups
Google's Asset Group Theming lets advertisers clone and apply seasonal themes to PMax asset groups, without touching the original.
Google PMax gets new exclusions, expanded reporting features
Google’s Performance Max now includes customer-list exclusions, demographic insights, spend forecasts, and network segmentation.
The parts of Performance Max you can actually control
Focus on what you can control in Performance Max to reduce wasted spend and improve efficiency with search terms, placements, and targeting.
Google is testing AI-generated animated video clips inside PMax
Google's AI image animation feature could be a win for advertisers who've been running PMax campaigns on static images alone.
Apple is bringing ads to Apple Maps this summer
The long-awaited Apple Maps ads move opens up a new high-intent, location-based advertising channel on Apple's popular mapping apps.
Why better signals drive paid search performance
Algorithms optimize what they’re given. Learn how signal quality, conversion data, and KPI alignment shape paid search performance.
EU signals imminent decision on Google DMA probe
The EU's imminent ruling for the DMA March 2024 case against Google will potential have consequences for how the company operates in Europe.
Google Ads API to block duplicate Lookalike user lists
Google will soon block the creation of duplicate Lookalike user lists in the Google Ads API, returning an error code for any violations.
Duplicate website stats appear in Google paid search ads
Identical web statistics are showing across competing Google paid search ads, potentially undermining a key trust signal for advertisers.
Google Ads account suspensions: What advertisers need to know
Seeing the dreaded 'Your account has been suspended' banner in Google Ads? Learn its potential causes and how to get your account reinstated.
Google retires several legacy ad format policies
Google is removing legacy ad format policies in Google Ads, reflecting the shift toward newer, automated campaign types.
Google brings vehicle feeds to Search campaigns
Vehicle feeds in Google Ads let automotive advertisers show real inventory directly in Search, creating more visual and high-intent ads.
30-day vs. 7-day attribution in Google Ads: What the shorter window revealed
Overlapping attribution can inflate channel performance. Learn how tightening the window reduced overlap and increased ROAS 62%.
YouTube tests sticky banner after ad skip
YouTube is testing a sticky banner that keeps ads visible after skips, giving advertisers extended exposure beyond the initial view.
Google adds video visibility to Performance Max reporting
A new video usage segment in PMax reporting gives advertisers clearer insight into how video impacts performance in Google Ads.
Google says AI Mode stays ad-free for Personal Intelligence users
Google AI Mode will remain ad-free if you link apps, even as ad testing expands in its U.S. rollout of more personalized features.
Google Ads Editor 2.12 adds creative control and campaign flexibility
The latest update gives advertisers more creative flexibility, budget control, and tools to better guide AI-driven campaigns in Google Ads Editor.
Google tests “Sponsored Shops” blocks in Shopping results
“Sponsored Shops” in Google Shopping could shift competition from individual products to full store visibility within Google Shopping results.
Beyond keywords: Mastering AI-driven campaigns
PPC experts explain how AI Max and Performance Max reshape search, when automation wins, and where human strategy still drives better leads.
Google leaves door open to ads in Gemini
A senior Google executive says the company is "not ruling out" ads in its Gemini AI app — a notable reversal from denials made just months ago.
Google Ads refreshes Asset Optimization layout for Demand Gen
Google Ads' new Asset Optimization panel lets Demand Gen advertisers automate creative formatting and placement with a few simple toggles.
What 23 tests reveal about Google AI Max performance
Testing across 16 advertisers reveals how text customization, URL optimization, and account-wide adoption influence AI Max results.