Search Engine Hubbub

Less hubbub, more actionable insight, better performance. The latest Pay-Per-Click (PPC) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM) news, with actionable insight.

[Greg @PPCGreg]

Channel control live in our accounts 🥲

[Search Engine Hubbub @sehubbub]

Google’s RSA update brings more AI + flexibility—but here’s what most missed:

⚠️ Duplicate sitelink URLs are no longer disapproved.

Why? RSA headlines can now show as clickable links 👀

Full breakdown 👇
🔗 https://t.co/NtIgSdqQa9

#PPC #GoogleAds #RSA #PaidSearch

[AdsLiaison @adsliaison]

And lastly, our open-source Marketing Mix Model (MMM) Meridian will roll out to everyone later this year
https://t.co/LtCeyK7abO
#GML2024 #GML

[AdsLiaison @adsliaison]

Reports at the drop of a prompt …

🌟Soon in Google Ads, Merchant Center Next, SA360 & CM360, you’ll be able to generate a report with visuals just by asking.

#GML2024 #GML

[AdsLiaison @adsliaison]

🌟The brand new Trusted Execution Environments will bring a new level of control & protection over how your data can be used.

More to come on this, stay tuned.

#GML2024 #GML

[AdsLiaison @adsliaison]

Turning to data & measurement. . .

Google Ads Data Manager is now available globally!

You’ll find it under tools in your Google Ads account. It makes connecting your 1P data sources a breeze.

(It’s one of my favorite recent product updates.)
#GML2024 #GML

https://t.co/LajmBvlJVT

[AdsLiaison @adsliaison]

New Shopping ad formats that use generative AI are on the way:

🌟3D Spin: Starting with shoes, you’ll be able to show 360 degree views of your products in Shopping ads.

🌟With Video Highlights, you can chose short brand & creator videos to be featured in your Shopping ads.

🌟Virtual try-on is soon coming to Shopping ads and will feature an inclusive range of models.
#GML2024 #GML

[AdsLiaison @adsliaison]

In Product Studio …

🌟 Give us one image of your brand’s style, and Product Studio will use that reference to create more visuals in your brand aesthetic.
#GML2024 #GML

[AdsLiaison @adsliaison]

New creator collabs for YouTube ads …

🌟 Partnership ads powered by BrandConnect enable you to promote videos from the YouTube creators you collaborate with.

🌟 Easily find videos in which creators have tagged your products or mentioned your brand to promote as ads.

🌟 Create audience segments for viewers of the creator videos you’ve linked to your account.

🌟 We’re expanding YouTube’s affiliate program, which allows creators to tag products in their content, to all Shopify Plus & Advanced merchants in the US.
#GML2024 #GML

[AdsLiaison @adsliaison]

Ads in YouTube Shorts:

🌟 Stickers will be coming to Shorts ads & will be clickable on top of your ad.

🌟 Animated image ads in Shorts will be built automatically from the images in your account for a more Shorts-native feel.

For example, when you add your feed to Demand Gen, it will be able to pull product images together and animate them into one ad.
#GML2024 #GML

[AdsLiaison @adsliaison]

Now on to Demand Gen & Youtube ads:

🌟 Audience lists of just 100 users can now be used for lookalike segments in Demand Gen, down from 1,000!

🌟 Demand Gen will also roll out to DV360 & SA360
#GML2024 #GML

[AdsLiaison @adsliaison]

If you’ve got a loyalty program . . .

🌟 Loyalty promotions in Shopping ads can highlight exclusive offers for members. This is now in pilot in the U.S.

Note: Loyalty promotions in free listings are already available in the U.S. More here: https://t.co/WBpQxVerwc
#GML2024 #GML

[AdsLiaison @adsliaison]

🌟 Profit optimization is a new goal launching for PMax & Standard Shopping campaigns (yes, you read that right!)

Now you can use Smart Bidding to optimize for profit with data from your cart-level conversions & COGS.

You can also switch between revenue (max conv value / tROAS) and profit goals without disrupting performance.
#GML2024 #GML

[AdsLiaison @adsliaison]

On to a new dynamic ad experience we’re starting to test. . .

🌟Search ads with AI-powered recommendations.

Check out this example:
You’re searching for short-term furniture storage & find an ad for a local storage business.
- You can click into this new ad experience and upload photos of your rooms with the furniture you need to store.
- You’ll quickly get a description of the belongings captured in the photos to verify.
- Next, you’ll get a recommendation for the storage unit size & even packing supplies you’re likely to need.
- From there you can go to the website and complete the transaction
🤯

#GML2024 #GML

[AdsLiaison @adsliaison]

Turning to visual search – think Lens and Circle to Search …

🌟 Shopping Ads will now be eligible to show at the top of visual search results.

#GML2024 #GML

[AdsLiaison @adsliaison]

We’ve been showing ads above and below AI Overviews (fka SGE) in Search, based on a user’s query.

🌟We are now starting to test showing Search & Shopping ads in AI Overviews for users in the U.S. They’ll appear in a section labeled “Sponsored.”

Ads in AI Overviews will be matched based on both the user’s query and to the information in the AI Overview.

And ICYMI, check out the latest on AI Overviews from IO https://t.co/6qlSBaQGvd
#GML2024 #GML

[AdsLiaison @adsliaison]

And more reporting is coming to PMax . . .

🌟 Placement reporting & exclusions for YouTube videos.

🌟 Asset-level reporting with conversion metrics for each asset.
#GML2024 #GML

[AdsLiaison @adsliaison]

🌟 Introducing brand guidelines for Pmax creative assets:

You’ll soon be able to set your brand colors, either by providing them directly or confirming the colors we detect from your website.

We’ll also aim to closely match the brand font detected on your website.

Don’t worry, you can preview and adjust before accepting.
#GML2024 #GML

[Search Engine Hubbub @sehubbub]

@elonmusk

[Kirk Williams @PPCKirk]

One of the greatest arguments I can think of for not utilizing AI to write your content for you, is that it will stifle *your own* education. I am always amazed how much *I LEARN* when I write.

Writing for me is the literal exercising of my mind (can't outsource fitness, right?), it is through the process that I come out in a different place than I was.

I am convinced AI-Generated Content literally robs you of important learnings. I'm not saying it can never be used (I think it could be really helpful for Policy docs, FAQs, etc) but I think innovative writing and pondering shouldn't be outsourced for that reason. 🤔