I’m thrilled to share our latest innovation: the Profound Google Search node, designed to seamlessly integrate real-time Google SERP data into our Agents. This powerful tool empowers us to monitor, analyze, and act on crucial search intelligence without leaving the platform.
With this integration, I can stay on top of my SEO strategy, making informed decisions based on live data. Whether I’m optimizing content or adjusting marketing tactics, having instant access to search insights is a game-changer.
I recently received thrilling news about Google Marketing Live 2026, which is officially scheduled for May 20. I’m eagerly anticipating the event where Google will unveil the latest enhancements in advertising, AI, and campaign automation.
In fact, I discovered the date through an email from the Accelerate with Google program. This communication not only confirmed the event date but also invited entries for the prestigious Google Ads Impact Awards.
You might be interested to know that the winners of these awards will be announced during the event, adding an extra layer of excitement.
Why it matters to me. As a user of Google Ads, I’m always on the edge of my seat for this annual event. It’s the moment Google reveals its groundbreaking innovations—new AI features, campaign types, and measurement tools that will hugely impact how I manage and optimize my campaigns.
Each year, the most pivotal updates in Google’s advertising strategies are first introduced at this event. It provides invaluable insights into the future of digital advertising.
The bigger picture. This year’s event aligns with Google I/O 2026 (May 19–20), which goes beyond just advertising. I/O covers the broader Google ecosystem including AI and Search technologies, which often guide the direction of advertising products.
What to watch for. I’m eagerly expecting announcements related to AI-driven advertising, automation, and enhanced performance metrics. It’s a must-watch for any marketer keen on staying ahead of Google’s ad strategy for the coming year.
First heard about it. The PPC News Feed by Hana Kobzová was where I initially got the scoop. It’s always exciting to find such vital information from reliable sources I trust.
Almost two years ago, when the Digital Markets Act (DMA) came into effect, I was hopeful. But today, it’s clear that the user experience has worsened, business metrics have plummeted, and Google’s monopoly is as strong as ever.
As an SEO professional, I’ve joined countless others in agreeing that Google has long abused its dominant position in search to favor its own services over others. The DMA was supposed to be the solution—a regulation promising to level the playing fields in the digital world.
The European Union was hailed for finally taking steps against tech giants with the 2022 passage of the DMA, which came into force in March 2024, aiming to balance competition. Headlines were optimistic, signaling a fair and promising digital era.
Back in 2024, my perspective was captured in an article where I wrote about this legislation being a ‘much-needed piece.’ Fast forward two years, the DMA is doing more harm than good and this is not just speculation—it’s supported by concrete evidence.
The DMA was born from understandable frustration over Google’s well-documented abuses, where it would promote its own services like Google Shopping, often at the cost of others with better offerings.
Years of watching Google rank its own products first while burying competitors ignited the creation of this act, attempting to enforce fairness by having tech giants, the gatekeepers, treat all services equally.
For those like me, who have seen clients lose traffic to Google’s products despite providing superior content, the promise of algorithmic neutrality and fairness was nothing short of intoxicating.
But, as a comprehensive assessment reveals, the reality is different. Findings from a recent survey of 5,000 European consumers indicate that users find the online experience more cumbersome since the DMA was enacted.
It’s disconcerting when users, who previously received services for free, express willingness to pay to regain their prior experiences.
In professional circles, we have to acknowledge a truth: many users favored the integrated Google experience that we spent years criticizing. Now, users must jump through more hoops—and they aren’t pleased with this supposed ‘fair’ competition landscape.
The business implications have also been damaging. Metrics reveal declines in click-through rates and a drop in direct bookings, highlighting a disconnect between DMA’s objectives and real-world outcomes.
The issue of enforcement is daunting. Without addressing the core monopoly, any attempts to fine or regulate Google amounts to levying cost of doing business fees for them, rather than ushering in real change.
Long term, it raises a pivotal question for regulators: is it time to consider breaking monopolies to genuinely foster competition? Or continue to enforce rules that fail to address the underlying problem?
We need to create conditions that truly allow emerging companies to compete, not just manage monopoly symptoms with ineffective regulations. The DMA had the right intent, but it’s the wrong solution to this complex problem.
I recently received an email from Google reminding advertisers about a critical deadline. They’re reaching out directly, requiring us to confirm if our campaigns include EU political ads by March 31st.
Why this matters to us. This requirement isn’t optional. The EU regulation mandates Google to verify the political ad status of every active campaign, and missing this deadline could mean compliance issues for us.
Here’s what’s happening. Google needs each advertiser to declare whether their current campaigns involve EU political ads. This request applies across all campaigns, and we must act by March 31, 2026.
How can we comply? Google offers three ways to submit our confirmation:
Campaign level — In the campaign settings, we can select ‘EU political ads’ to confirm for individual campaigns.
Multiple campaigns — By visiting the Campaigns tab, we can use the ‘EU political ads’ option to confirm multiple campaigns simultaneously.
Account level — We can confirm for all existing and new campaigns at once. Opting ‘No’ at the account level applies to every campaign, but we can override this anytime.
Read between the lines. The account-level option seems the most efficient for most of us who know our campaigns don’t involve EU political ads. Google makes it hassle-free to reverse our choice later, so there’s no harm in acting early.
The takeaway. It’s time to check our inboxes because Google is contacting us. If you’re targeting EU audiences, ensure you log in and complete the confirmation before the deadline to remain compliant.
First noticed. This update was first observed by Paid Search expert, Arpan Banerjee, who shared the communication details on LinkedIn.
I’ve come across something intriguing in the world of digital advertising—Google’s AI Max. After *examining independent research and hearing straight from Google Ads Liaison, I’ve discovered some exciting yet intricate trade-offs with AI Max that you might want to know about. Let’s dive in!
The first thing that caught my attention is how AI Max increases revenue while driving up costs. Mike Ryan from Smarter Ecommerce analyzed over 250 campaigns and noted this trend. It’s clear that while the outcomes can be promising, we still have a lot more testing to do.
Why we care. Google’s introduction of AI Max isn’t just a minor upgrade. It’s a completely new approach to Search campaigns, shifting from traditional keyword syntax to intent matching. As someone who looks for growth opportunities, I see both potential benefits and risks involved in this shift.
By the numbers. After analyzing the data, here’s what emerged:
Median revenue increased by 13%
Median CPA rose by 16%
ROAS varied anywhere from a 42% increase to a 35% decrease
According to Google, advertisers activating AI Max often notice a 14% boost in conversions or conversion value at nearly the same CPA or ROAS. If you’re relying on exact and phrase match keywords, this figure jumps to 27%.
In my experience, turning on AI Max can feel like a gamble. While you might see an uplift in results, don’t expect a corresponding boost in efficiency, as Mike Ryan would agree.
What AI Max actually is. Unlike previous iterations, Google is bringing PMax-style automation into traditional Search campaigns through AI Max. This transformation introduces three main features:
Search Term Matching, which includes broad match expansion and keywordless targeting
Text Customization through dynamic ad copy
Final URL Expansion for automated landing page selection
Four pitfalls identified by Smarter Ecommerce:
Broad match cannibalization: Often recycling existing coverage instead of discovering new queries.
Competitor hijacking: In some cases, AI Max aggressively targets competitor brand terms, consuming significant Search impressions.
Reporting overload: The sheer volume of search term and ad combination reports can be overwhelming without automation.
Search Partner Network blowouts: Campaigns sometimes see disproportionate impressions on SPN with low conversion rates compared to standard Google Search.
Between the lines. Interestingly, Google’s impressive 14% uplift statistic notably omits the retail sector—a critical exclusion for ecommerce advertisers, according to Mike Ryan. There’s also a nuanced irony here. If you’re already leveraging Broad Match, DSA, and PMax, you might be considering AI Max, but these accounts potentially benefit the least incrementally.
What’s next. I had a fascinating discussion with Google Ads Liaison Ginny Marvin, where she confirmed AI Max would eventually replace Dynamic Search Ads, although no official timeline exists. Historically, though, such changes take about a year post-announcement.
Mike Ryan advises starting to incorporate AI Max’s keywordless features within your existing Search campaigns right now while gradually phasing out DSA instead of migrating to PMax.
His take is one of cautious optimism. With about 16% of advertisers dipping their toes into AI Max, few have committed fully. If I could offer advice, it would be to begin small, audit thoroughly, and don’t let the fear of missing out on AI Overviews dictate your choices.
I recently discovered that Google is refining its AI Mode for recipe searches, which is great news for those of us who blog about food. According to Robby Stein from Google, they’ve listened to our feedback about AI Mode’s recipe results.
They’ve made these changes to help us connect better with our audience online. Though I’m still unsure if AI might simplify our recipes too much, these updates should make it easier for users to visit our sites directly.
Starting today, when people look up meal ideas like “easy dinners for two,” they’ll be able to tap on dishes to find links to our recipes and even get a quick overview to spark their culinary creativity.
What it Looks Like Take a look at this video showcasing the feature in action:
More Recipe Details Google is also adding cook time and other details to the results. They found that having this information helps users decide on which recipe to try.
Stein mentioned that more updates are on the horizon, which is promising for us content creators.
Why We Care This update is crucial because traffic from Google’s AI features hasn’t been kind to our visitor numbers. Google’s efforts to make these AI interactions lead more users to our blogs is a step we all welcome.
Will these enhancements bring significant changes? Only time will tell, but I’m hopeful.
Many advertisers might be experiencing discrepancies in reporting on Google Ad Manager, which could impact their ability to effectively track performance and optimize their campaigns.
Google has acknowledged a disruption in the Google Ad Manager service, as noted on the Google Ads Status Dashboard, and they are actively investigating the matter.
The incident surfaced at 13:49 UTC on March 4. By 13:54 UTC, Google identified the issue where users could log into Ad Manager but not access the most current data.
What’s happening: The issue primarily affects reporting consistency. There’s a mismatch between Ad Exchange match rate and request values in Ad Manager’s reports when compared to the legacy reporting tool, which complicates data interpretation.
Why this matters to me: This discrepancy in reporting can hinder my ability to accurately evaluate performance and make informed decisions on campaign pacing, forecasting, and revenue adjustments.
What it means: While I’m still able to log into Ad Manager, the issues may lead to inaccuracies in my data, affecting campaign insights temporarily. Although there’s no complete outage reported, the mismatch in metrics can pose challenges for real-time performance analysis.
Next steps: Google is actively investigating the situation and will issue updates as more information becomes available. Meanwhile, I’m advised to monitor the status dashboard for further updates and reach out to support if I encounter any unlisted issues.
When I first started thinking about Google Ads retargeting, I assumed it was all about banner ads chasing people across the web. But I’ve since learned that our first-party data is now the fuel for AI performance in advertising.
One of my go-to strategies in Google Ads is retargeting, which involves showing ads to individuals who already know about my business. If you still see retargeting as merely display campaigns with flashy banners, we’re missing out on the transformative potential of “Your data segments.”
I want to dive deeper into how we can use our proprietary audience data in innovative ways while also steering clear of common pitfalls as we move into 2026 and beyond.
The concept of “Your data segments” in Google Ads is a nuanced take on retargeting. Essentially, it represents all the retargeting lists in our accounts, rebranded under Google’s parlance.
Google Ads offers a suite of retargeting options, akin to what you’d find on platforms like Meta or LinkedIn. I find grouping them into four main categories quite helpful:
Website Visitors: This category targets visitors to our website, tracked through Google Tag Manager or Google Analytics.
App Users: If your brand has a mobile app, pulling data from Firebase or another analytics tool into Google Ads lets us retarget app users.
Customer Match: This is the ultimate form of retargeting. We can upload our proprietary data like email addresses to Google Ads to find these very users across Google’s platforms.
Content Engagers: This targets individuals who’ve interacted with our content on platforms Google owns. This includes YouTube viewers or users entering from search results, known as the Google Engaged Audience.
Now, when it comes to uploading “your data segments,” some might wonder if it’s worthwhile without an immediate plan for retargeting. Interestingly, these segments do more than just aid ad targeting.
Even absent any retargeting campaigns, uploading these lists can enhance Smart Bidding and Optimized Targeting. For example, providing a customer list signals to Google, “These are our real buyers.” Even if I don’t use this for direct audience signals in Performance Max, Google can leverage it for understanding likely converters.
Various campaigns handle audience data differently, so having clarity on these approaches is crucial for crafting an effective targeting strategy.
For instance, in Search, Shopping, and Display campaigns, we have three tactics with our data segments: Targeting, Observation, and Exclusion. Meanwhile, Performance Max and App Campaigns allow the inclusion of data segments within the audience signal and recently added exclusion options.
If new to retargeting, Demand Gen campaigns are a solid starting point since they emphasize visual storytelling, harmonizing well with our lists.
A pitfall I’ve encountered? Over-segmenting. The urge to create detailed lists like “Tuesday cart visitors” can arise, but unless your ad spend is exceptionally high, such granularity could hinder us. Google’s AI flourishes with dense data, so simplicity is key for efficiency.
Keeping strategies straightforward and trusting the AI with our unique data can lead to powerful retargeting outcomes.
This guide is part of the ongoing Search Engine Land series, where we explain Google Ads features for optimal results in under three minutes.
I came across an interesting update from Google, which released a new help page that explains its Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP). This guidance provides merchants with detailed directions on how checkout processes work across Google’s platforms, powered by AI-driven enhancements.
Why It Matters. Google’s documentation illuminates how UCP and its associated checkout feature enable a native “Buy” button, which takes the transaction straight onto Google’s surfaces while still letting merchants stay as the seller of record. To leverage this feature, merchants need to implement the native_commerce attribute in the Merchant Center.
Transactions flow through stored Google Wallet credentials, and payment processors are required to support Google Pay tokens. This seamless integration is designed to enhance the user experience.
The Value for Merchants. Initially part of Google’s push for agentic shopping, UCP was later confirmed as a live feature in Merchant Center, promising to streamline the path from product discovery to purchase. By embedding checkout directly on Google surfaces, it could potentially uplift conversion rates, particularly in AI-enhanced experiences like Gemini and AI Mode.
Additionally, the new documentation provides clarity on what’s needed for implementation, aiding merchants to adjust their feeds and payment systems to perfectly align with Google’s evolving commerce ecosystem driven by AI.
The Larger Context. By centralizing the checkout process while maintaining merchants’ positions as the sellers of record, Google is making it easier for shoppers navigating AI-powered commerce. This strategic move by Google also tightens its grip over the transaction layer.
Key Takeaway. With this fresh documentation, the concept of UCP transitions to an actionable playbook, marking a significant step for AI-driven, on-Google checkout as an integral element of Google’s commerce approach.
Initial Discovery. This helpful document first came to light thanks to Hana Kobzova, founder of PPC News Feed.
In 2021, my fascination with Google Discover began when I noticed it generating millions of clicks monthly for publishers. I never imagined how significant it would become.
As I scroll through my feed, it covers everything from soccer, television, Baltimore news, SEO, to global happenings. This variety underscores just how intuitively Discover knows users.
Remarkably, Discover isn’t confined to a single app. It shows up in Chrome’s new tabs, Google app, Android homescreens, on Google.com via mobile browsers, and elsewhere on Google platforms.
Given Discover’s pervasive presence, it’s imperative for us SEOs to leverage the opportunities it presents. Let me guide you on how to do just that.
To start, it’s essential to understand that Discover traffic isn’t suitable for every brand, similar to how search may not be the answer for all.
In Discover, timely content takes precedence. The most successful content is often from reputable sources, particularly major publishers, and is usually time-sensitive. Evergreen content is a rare sight.
Interestingly, sites I’ve collaborated with often draw more traffic from Discover compared to traditional search.
There’s an ongoing decline in Discover traffic due to the influx of social posts and AI summaries, which now occupy space in the Discover feed, pushing aside traditional articles.
Previously, crafting articles about viral social media topics was highly effective for attracting clicks. However, the landscape is shifting, prompting Google to experiment with tracking social platform traffic.
Nevertheless, quality and relevance in content continue to hold significant value. Regardless of technical optimization, content that resonates with user interests will always triumph over less relevant material.
Should your content miss the mark on Discover, assess whether it aligns with what Discover seeks to highlight. And in case of a traffic dip, critically examine your content before delving into technical issues.
Don’t be discouraged from optimizing for Discover. These strategies won’t impact traditional search negatively, and they might unexpectedly boost your Discover traffic, as I’ve observed non-publishers enjoy temporary spikes in clicks.
The three primary factors I scrutinize during new client audits are the Discover publisher profile, article images, and signals from the publisher and author. These form the basis of your optimization process.
Your publisher profile should reflect your website and social profiles accurately. Tools like Damian Tsuabaso’s app, albeit in Spanish, can help identify your profile page.
Discover profiles are linked to your entity’s Knowledge Graph ID and this is crucial for your representation as a publisher. Focus on whether your profile pages accurately portray your brand’s identity.
Incorporate your social media handles into your publisher’s profile. This linkage often requires patience, as manual updates are necessary.
Verify if you have the max-image-preview:large tag, which is vital for showcasing large images in article previews, a detail often overlooked in many CMSs.
Images, especially hero images, should be at least 1,200 pixels wide, aligning with Google’s recommendations for optimal display in Discover.
Ensure your Open Graph image tags are correctly configured and reflect high-quality images instead of logos, enhancing Discover visibility.
Prioritize author transparency by ensuring details such as author photos, bios, and social links are visible, underpinning credibility.
Maintain thorough publisher transparency by linking robust About Us and policy pages, as well as implementing structured data carefully.
Discover thrives on relevance, timely content, and authority. Optimization can’t substitute the necessity for high-quality, suitable content.
Remember, Discover is just the starting point. Uncover larger opportunities for your content through comprehensive audits.
