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Category: Google

Unveiling Google Search Console’s AI Controls and Reports

As someone who eagerly follows Google’s updates, I was thrilled to learn about the latest developments in Google Search Console. Recently, Google has started to roll out new Search Generative AI performance reports. These reports, along with a feature to block your content in AI responses, are designed to give website owners more control.

Currently, these features are being introduced to a select group of website owners in the UK, but there are plans to expand access in the near future. This gradual rollout allows us to get accustomed to these changes before they become widely available.

Exploring the Search Generative AI Performance Report

The new AI performance report in Google Search Console is something I’ve been anticipating. Although it doesn’t cover everything, it does provide some important insights into how our content is performing within AI responses, AI Mode, and AI Overviews on Google Search. The report includes data on impressions, pages, countries, devices, and dates. However, a notable omission is click data, so we’re left guessing about the exact number of searchers clicking through to our sites from AI responses.

Google stated:

– We’re rolling out new insights for website owners regarding their pages’ appearances in generative AI Search features. These insights include impressions metrics and information on which pages appear in AI responses and in which countries. We’re working closely with website owners to determine what insights would be most helpful and will expand the metrics available over time.

Additionally, Google shared more details about the metrics we can expect:

– Impressions: Frequency of your site’s URLs appearing in generative AI features in Search and Discover.

– Pages: Identifying URLs that appeared within AI features.

– Countries: Understanding visibility on a country basis.

– Devices: Identifying the devices used to view your website. Available for Search results.

– Dates: Monitoring performance with hourly, daily, weekly, and monthly granularity.

I inquired about click data from a Google representative, who mentioned that they are exploring additional metrics that will help inform our strategies in the future.

Initially, this report is available to a subset of users in the UK, with plans to expand globally in the future.

If you want to explore more about this report, I recommend checking out the Google help center document.

Introducing AI Blocking Controls

Another exciting feature Google introduced is the ability to block your content from appearing in AI search features like AI Overviews, AI Mode, or AI Discover. Google described this as a “new toggle” within Google Search Console, allowing us to decide whether or not our site should be part of these AI search features.

Google notes that opting out will prevent your site from receiving traffic or impressions from these features. Importantly, this control won’t affect your ranking in standard search results outside of generative AI Search features, so there’s no risk of negatively impacting core web search visibility.

Again, like the performance report, this toggle is currently available to a subset of UK website owners, with plans to widen access as they complete further testing. Google had promised these controls after facing some backlash from the EU, and it’s promising to see them starting to roll out now.

One study even showed that 1/3rd of SEOs are willing to block Google from showcasing their content in AI search features.

Why It Matters

As site owners and publishers, many of us have been asking for control over how and if our content appears in Google’s AI features. Now, we have just that. Although it’s initially limited, I’m hopeful these features will eventually be available to all.

Moreover, we’ve been requesting AI Search reporting from Google from day one. With Google’s announcement following Bing’s release of its own AI performance report, we’re taking a significant step forward. While Google’s report currently targets UK site owners and lacks click data, it holds promise for a global rollout soon.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

June 3, 2026
How Google Ads’ AI Updates Impact Advertisers in 2026

As I dig into Google’s latest updates to the Google Ads Terms of Service, I’m struck by the emphasis on AI-driven automation and what it means for us as advertisers. These changes raise some intriguing questions about control and oversight.

The big picture? These updates, effective from July 1st, apply solely to Google Ads accounts, leaving other Google products like Workspace untouched. Conveniently, we don’t need to take any immediate action.

What’s Changing? It seems Google aims to bolster the role of automation and AI in its advertising platform. Let’s unpack the key changes.

First, there’s updated language regarding how our inputs might be utilized across Google Ads features to enhance campaign performance. Additionally, there’s clarity on how Google’s systems may leverage information from conversational tools.

Importantly, provisions concerning the URLs and accounts we’ve authorized for Google’s automated campaign setups have been refreshed.

Why This Matters The broader implications here hint at Google assuming wider authority for using AI to craft and optimize ad elements for us. This doesn’t relieve us from our responsibility to review and approve campaigns, keeping us accountable.

For brands worrying about transparency and control, these revisions play a crucial role in compliance and performance accountability.

A Significant Shift There’s notable new language around automated campaign management. It suggests that unlike before, where opting in or out of automation features was straightforward, we’re now inherently authorizing Google to deploy automated processes for ads on our behalf.

Yet, we remain accountable for final campaign results, holding onto the reins of responsibility.

What Critics Say Some voices in the industry are skeptical. Anthony Higman, founder of AdSQUIRE, voices concerns that these updates dilute two core tenets of Google Ads: relevance and control. He particularly points to the nuances giving Google greater leeway in automated ad management while maintaining our accountability.

Higman feels this erodes our ability to opt into automation features, hinting at a shift in decision-making power towards AI systems.

Between the Lines We need to pay attention to our responsibilities. This includes ensuring we hold the necessary rights to any inputs shared with Google Ads and staying vigilant in overseeing auto-generated campaigns and assets.

Regional Updates Google isn’t stopping at universal terms. It’s also introducing region-specific changes in several markets involving arbitration agreements and legal compliance.

This includes adjustments reflecting recent legal practices and specifics on arbitration or fees that apply depending on location.

Advertisers from Brazil, for instance, face clarified language about Google BR’s authority in their transactions.

What’s Next Come July 1st, the updated Google Ads Terms of Service will be in place. While no immediate account actions are needed, reviewing these terms is advisable.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

June 2, 2026
Google’s New AI-Powered Healthcare Ads: What You Need to Know
Hi there! Today, I’m thrilled to share some intriguing news about Google and its latest venture into AI-powered search advertising. Google has kickstarted testing for healthcare ads in AI Mode. This exciting development gives us a glimpse into the future of advertising within AI-based search environments.

The scope of this test is currently narrowed to healthcare advertisers in the United States and focuses only on English-language queries in AI Mode, as confirmed by Google Ads Liaison Ginny Marvin.

Amidst swirling industry rumors, it has now been officially confirmed that healthcare ads have indeed begun appearing in AI-generated search results.

What Google is saying. Addressing inquiries on LinkedIn, Marvin highlighted that Google has “begun a small test of ads in AI Mode specifically for the healthcare sector.” It’s an intriguing move, isn’t it?

She mentioned that a variety of campaign types can participate, including:
- Performance Max (PMax)
- AI Max with search term matching
- Shopping campaigns
- Broad match campaigns
These campaign types can also show ads within AI Overviews.

Why we care. As healthcare stands as one of Google’s stringently regulated advertising sectors, this test is crucial for understanding how Google might monetize AI-driven search results. If the test expands, healthcare marketers could gain a new platform for visibility, and advertisers in similarly regulated industries might get a sneak peek of future ad appearances in Google’s AI-generated search.

The fine print. This initial testing phase comes with some creative boundaries. Marvin noted that ads devoid of pinned assets or text disclaimers are presently the only eligible healthcare advertisements.

What to watch. It’s just the beginning, and we’re curious to see if Google will broaden the eligibility for more healthcare ads, introduce other ad formats, or extend into other regulated fields.

Such developments could provide early clues about Google’s strategy to harmonize monetization and user trust as AI Mode starts to play a more significant role in the search experience.

First spotted. Interestingly, it was Senior Strategist Ben Goldman who first noticed this test, which he shared in response to her GML 2026 summaries on LinkedIn.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.
June 2, 2026
Discover Google’s New Tool for Tracking Invalid Click Credits
Recently, I stumbled upon Google’s new documentation that sheds light on a handy tool called the Invalid Activity Credit Report. It’s designed to give us advertisers a clearer picture of refunds issued for those pesky invalid clicks and interactions.

The big picture. Although it’s not entirely clear if the report itself is brand new, it’s definitely showcasing some metrics we’ve seen before, like the invalid click rate. What’s exciting is that the documentation provides a detailed view of credits issued for invalid traffic in both Search and Performance Max campaigns.

How it works. Google mentions that they use automated systems to detect and filter out invalid traffic before it costs us anything. However, if any invalid activity slips through, these credits come to the rescue post-billing.

In such cases, Google might issue credits to cover the associated spend.

While I’ve seen these credits in billing and transaction histories before, this new report breaks down:
- Credited clicks
- Credited interactions
- Credited spend
- Campaign-level impact
- Adjusted performance metrics after credits are applied
Why we care. Having a transparent view of how much of our campaign budget is being refunded due to invalid activity helps me understand my true performance and costs much better. Plus, this new documentation is a gem for raising awareness about a tool many of us might not have known about.

Google’s goal with this report seems to be providing a better understanding of campaign performance after these adjustments.

They say that it helps us:
- See costs, clicks, and interactions post-credits.
- Reduce the hassle of manually reconciling billing credits with campaign performance.
- Gain insights into how Google’s invalid traffic protections affect each campaign.
How to access it. Finding this report is straightforward through the Report Editor in Google Ads.

Just go to the Template Gallery, and select “Invalid Activity Credit Report: Search & PMax” to generate a report with standard campaign metrics, alongside new columns for credited clicks, interactions, and amounts.

You can even add performance metrics to see how campaigns fare after credits adjustment.

What to watch. The report could soon become invaluable for those of us running large budgets, especially if we’re meticulously examining traffic quality and discrepancies in reported performance versus billing.

As AI-driven campaign automation grows, insights into invalid traffic and refunded spend will likely become critical in our campaign strategies.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.
June 2, 2026
Elevate Your Commerce Media with Demand Gen on Google Platforms
I’ve discovered an exciting update that expands the possibilities for brands in commerce media, now allowing access beyond just retail sites.

Brands can harness retailer first-party data to seamlessly run Demand Gen campaigns across platforms like YouTube, Discover, and Gmail through the Commerce Media Suite. It’s a remarkable expansion that takes retail media far beyond its traditional boundaries.

What’s happening: Google has broadened its Commerce Media Suite to support Demand Gen inventory, paving the way for enhanced collaboration between brands and retailers through shared audience data.

With this update, advertisers can activate retailer audiences across Google’s visual and discovery-driven channels, while still leveraging the insights that fuel powerful retail media campaigns.

Why it matters: This development integrates retailer first-party data with the vast reach of YouTube, Discover, and Gmail, ensuring brands can connect with high-intent shoppers even beyond retailer websites, and link ad exposure directly to actual sales figures.

How it works: Retailers provide their first-party audience data through the Commerce Media Suite, enabling brands to run Demand Gen campaigns across Google’s services.

Google’s AI optimizes delivery to boost conversions and sales along the customer journey. It also enhances reporting, linking ad exposure to purchase outcomes, giving advertisers greater insight into campaign success and business impact.

Key benefits:
- Utilizes retailer first-party data to reach relevant customers on a large scale.
- Harnesses Google AI to optimize for conversions and sales.
- Simplifies campaign management with a shared data activation framework.
- Improves reporting by tying digital engagement to final purchases.
The bottom line: The integration of Demand Gen inventory signifies a significant advancement in commerce media. As retail media networks expand beyond their own channels, brands now have the opportunity to merge retailer audience insights with Google’s impressive reach across YouTube, Discover, and Gmail.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.
June 1, 2026
Google Unveils Enhanced Data Manager API for Seamless Ad Integration

I’ve recently discovered that Google is taking major strides in helping advertisers streamline their measurement workflows and enhance audience match rates throughout its advertising ecosystem. Exciting times lie ahead for us marketers!

By incorporating new capabilities into the Data Manager API, Google enables us to send offline conversion data seamlessly across multiple Google Marketing Platform destinations. This can significantly boost Customer Match performance through IP-based matching.

What’s happening. The enhanced Data Manager API now accepts offline conversion event uploads to platforms like Campaign Manager 360, Search Ads 360, and Display & Video 360. This represents an expanded role for the API as a central data ingestion layer in Google’s advertising universe.

We can now rely on a single schema to distribute conversion data across several Google products, which is a game-changer compared to our previously disjointed workflows requiring individual integrations. Additionally, this API supports encrypted user identifiers, including email and phone numbers, enabling event routing to multiple destinations with just one request.

Between the lines: Google is urging us who still use the Campaign Manager 360 API for conversions to transition to the Data Manager API. They assure us that the new framework not only simplifies implementation but also offers more flexibility in measurement and attribution capabilities.

What’s new and fascinating is the introduction of IP ingestion support for Google Ads Customer Match through a new CompositeData field. This means alongside traditional identifiers like email and postal addresses, we can now upload IP addresses as well.

Starting in Q3 2026, incorporating IP addresses with corresponding observation timestamps promises us enhanced Customer Match rates, potentially widening audience reach and elevating match precision.

Why we care. These updates simplify the unification of conversion measurement across Google’s ad products and improve audience matching. For those of us managing large-scale data programs, the benefits could include better attribution and more effective audience targeting.

The bottom line. With the Data Manager API being positioned as the ultimate hub for conversion and audience data, Google offers us a more cohesive system to manage measurement and improve Customer Match across its platforms. Check it out for yourself through Google’s official blog post.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

June 1, 2026
Unlock DV360 API’s New Demand Gen Features for Enhanced Campaigns

As a digital marketer, I’m thrilled about the new tools that will soon enhance the way I automate campaign management and targeting through existing DV360 workflows. The opportunities for advertisers and developers are about to expand significantly.

Demand Gen campaigns are now more intricately woven into Google’s advertising stack. From June 10th, I’ll have the chance to manage Demand Gen resources directly via the Display & Video 360 API, aligning campaign automation and management workflows more closely with other DV360 inventory types.

What’s happening. Google is set to roll out Demand Gen resource support to Display & Video 360 API partners beginning June 10, with the rollout expected to be fully available by June 24.

The upgrade introduces support for Demand Gen line items, ad groups, and ad formats. This expansion allows developers and advertisers like me to retrieve, create, update, and delete Demand Gen resources through the API. Once enabled, Demand Gen resources will seamlessly appear alongside standard line item and ad group list responses with existing DV360 campaign objects.

Between the lines. For those of us who depend on API integrations, a major immediate effect is that our existing list queries might start returning additional Demand Gen line items and ad groups. Google’s advice to developers is to update integrations before June 10 to ensure our systems can handle these new resource types.

Why I care. This update simplifies automating Demand Gen campaign management within my current DV360 workflows, diminishing the necessity for separate tools or manual processes as I explore YouTube and other discovery-focused inventory.

The bottom line. Demand Gen is transitioning from a beta feature to a standard component of the DV360 API, offering increased flexibility for advertisers and partners like me to programmatically manage campaigns at scale.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

June 1, 2026
Mastering AI Traffic Tracking with Google Tools

Hey there! So, you’re interested in tracking traffic from AI overviews, right? Well, you’re in the right place. I’ve explored how we can utilize Google Search Console, GA4, and GTM text fragments to get a complete picture of our brand’s visibility in the AI sphere.

The process might seem a bit daunting at first, but trust me, once you get the hang of it, it’s incredibly insightful. Let’s dive into each tool and see how they can enhance our understanding of AI-driven traffic.

Starting with Google Search Console, it’s our go-to for understanding search queries and how they drive traffic to our site. By analyzing these queries, we can uncover the impact of AI overviews on our search visibility.

Next up is GA4. It’s fantastic for tracking user interactions and gaining a deeper insight into how AI-driven traffic engages with our content. We can set up specific events to see which AI overview delivers the most value.

Finally, Google Tag Manager helps us implement text fragments seamlessly. These fragments allow us to track specific sections and elements on our website, providing granular data that’s essential for optimization.

By leveraging these tools, we can significantly enhance our AI visibility strategy. So, are you ready to make your brand stand out in the AI world?

Inspired by this post on HiGoodie Blog.

May 28, 2026
Unlock New Audiences with Google’s AI-Driven Targeting Mode
I’m excited to share that Google is rolling out an innovative AI targeting mode designed specifically for advertisers who want to reach fresh, brand-unaware audiences early in their discovery phase.

Google is introducing this new “prospects” targeting mode to help advertisers, like myself, connect with consumers who have yet to engage with our brands.

What’s happening. Google is enhancing its New Customer Acquisition tools by introducing the “new prospects” mode, set to launch this year.

Unlike traditional methods, which target users who haven’t made a purchase, this mode aims to reach those completely unfamiliar with my brand.

Google ensures the system automatically excludes users who have:
- purchased previously,
- searched for brand terms,
- visited a website or app,
- or engaged with brand content across Google and YouTube.
The main goal is to focus advertising spend entirely on “cold” audiences, those who are still in the discovery phase.

Why this matters. For brands like mine, this gives us more control over pursuing incremental growth, rather than just continually targeting those we’ve already reached.

The new mode promises to connect us with new users earlier in their buying journey while improving efficiency through AI-driven exclusions and automation.

The bigger picture. Google is positioning AI-driven targeting as a method for balancing growth with efficiency.

Advertisers using the New Customer Acquisition Value Mode, like me, have seen a noticeable 9% improvement in ROAS when valuing new customers at twice the average order value.

Between the lines. As AI-driven targeting expands, platforms increasingly rely on behavioral signals and first-party data to identify potential customers earlier in their purchase journey.

What to watch. The effectiveness of the “new prospects” mode will largely depend on Google’s accuracy in identifying brand-unaware users and balancing reach with privacy concerns.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.
May 28, 2026
Unraveling Google Search Console: A Chat with Vanessa Fox
From the super early days of Google through using AI today for SEO – we covered a lot in this interview.

Vanessa Fox was the individual who was instrumental in what we call Google Search Console today. I sat down with Vanessa Fox for a one-on-one interview to discuss the early days of Google, how Search Console came about, and the industry’s evolution to what it is now.

We spoke about what it was like to work at Google in the early days, how XML Sitemaps turned into Webmaster Tools, which then evolved into Search Console, and what it was like collaborating with Matt Cutts. We also delved into the story of how she sold her Google stock options too early and her journey from Google to writing at Search Engine Land, this site.

Vanessa shared insights into the early days of SEO misconceptions, her Panda SEO audits and recoveries, and the fascinating ways AI is transforming search and SEO.

Here is the interview:

Watch this video on YouTube

Here is an outline of what we spoke about:
- The early days of XML sitemaps and the beginnings of Google Search Console.
- Vanessa’s professional background in UX and technical writing before joining Google.
- Joining Google: The Kirkland office culture and working with 200 employees worldwide.
- Collaborating with Matt Cutts and using help center data to educate site owners.
- A “sad story” about selling Google stock options too early due to a past experience at AOL.
- Leaving Google in 2007 and joining Search Engine Land to provide a unique technical perspective.
- Debunking early SEO misconceptions: The reality of the Google spam team vs. “”sneaky”” tactics.
- Investigating Super Bowl search trends and the disconnect between brands and searchers.
- Deep dive into the Panda algorithm: Analyzing sitewide quality over individual pages.
- Thoughts on outdated tactics: Subdomains, parameters, and the rise of “”bad”” SEO advice on TikTok.
- The impact of AI Overviews (AIO) on publisher traffic and searcher behavior.
- Is SEO ending? Why AI is an evolution of search, not its demise.
- Frustrations with Search Console data: The lack of metrics for Featured Snippets and AI Overviews.
- How Vanessa uses AI (Claude) today for structural tasks while maintaining human expertise.
- Proudest moment: Institutionalizing a culture at Google that listens to and supports site owners.
- The long-term impact of Search Engine Land and the Search Engine Roundtable on the industry.”
You can learn more about Vanessa Fox on her site over here.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.
May 28, 2026

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