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Category: News

Unveiling Google’s Ask Advisor: Revolutionizing Ad Management
I’m thrilled to share that Google has just unveiled Ask Advisor, a new AI-driven tool designed to transform the way we approach campaign management, analytics, and optimization. Announced at Google Marketing Live 2026, this Gemini-powered AI is here to integrate seamlessly across Google Ads, Google Analytics, Merchant Center, and the Google Marketing Platform.

Making Waves. Ask Advisor is set to be a game-changer, acting as a unifying force that weaves together insights, workflows, and recommendations across Google’s vast marketing ecosystem.

For those of us in marketing, this means we can launch campaigns, analyze performance, and uncover optimization recommendations all without having to juggle between different tools.

Imagine asking Ask Advisor to “find new customers for my hair care products.” It would seamlessly pull details from the Merchant Center and assist in crafting a campaign right in Google Ads.

Understanding the Process. Ask Advisor connects the dots between Google Ads, Analytics, the Merchant Center, and the Marketing Platform via a Gemini-powered interface. This connectivity allows it to access a range of data to create recommendations, automate tasks, and offer insights that align with marketing goals.

It doesn’t stop there. The integration of insights from Google Ads and Google Analytics helps explain campaign performance and suggests subsequent steps.

The aim, Google states, is to democratize advanced campaign management, enabling even those without extensive technical expertise to make the most out of their advertising strategies.

This launch supports Google’s expanding lineup of AI-driven in-product agents, positioning Gemini as a fundamental layer in advertising and measurement tools.

Why This Matters to Us. Ask Advisor symbolizes one of Google’s most direct steps into agent-based advertising workflows.

Instead of interacting manually with separate reporting dashboards, campaign tools, and optimization settings, AI agents are being poised to handle operational tasks and present strategic insights.

The more substantial evolution is structural: Google is anchoring Gemini as the core across its advertising platform, potentially redefining how campaigns are developed, optimized, and evaluated.

Keep an Eye On. The biggest discussion point will be how much control advertisers are willing to cede to AI agents. Transparency over recommendations, automation choices, and reporting accuracy will be under scrutiny as Ask Advisor rolls out.

When You Can Get It. Currently in beta, Ask Advisor is available for English-language accounts, with more features anticipated later this year.

Want to Learn More? Here’s additional news from Google Marketing Live 2026:
- Google tests new conversational ad formats in AI Mode and Search
- Google launches AI Performance Insights and Conversational Attributes in Merchant Center
- Google expands Direct Offers with AI-generated bundles, native checkout, and travel deals
- Google brings Meridian marketing mix modeling into Analytics 360
- Google expands Demand Gen with YouTube creator tools
- Google upgrades Asset Studio with Gemini-powered creative generation and video tools
- Google expands Universal Commerce Protocol and launches new agentic shopping tools
Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.
May 20, 2026
Transform Your Search with Google’s Innovative AI Agents

I’m excited to share that Google has announced some transformative updates to its search capabilities. These updates include the introduction of information agents and enhanced agentic experiences that will elevate how we interact with search. Google’s AI will continuously scan the web, ensuring we receive the most current information, much like a personal assistant would.

In a recent announcement, Google revealed new search agents, focusing on information agents and additional agentic functionalities within Google Search. These information agents are designed to monitor the web for changes to our tasks, seamlessly supporting us on our journey through various challenges and questions.

Liz Reid, the head of Google Search, stated, “We’re entering the era of Search agents, where you can easily create, customize, and manage multiple AI agents for your many tasks, right in Search.” This new era provides a unique opportunity to tailor search experiences to our specific needs.

Information Agents. These agents are designed to keep us informed about our questions and tasks. Google’s agents will intelligently sift through the internet—exploring blogs, news sites, social posts, and accessing the freshest real-time data on finance, shopping, and sports, to ensure we receive the most relevant updates on our inquiries.

The information agents will then compile an “intelligent, synthesized update” that not only provides the necessary information but also enables us to take action.

The Example. Envision yourself apartment hunting. You can simply input all your specific requirements, and your agent will continuously scan listings, alerting you whenever a match surfaces. Similarly, if you’re keen on not missing any sneaker collaborations from your favorite athletes, your agent will notify you about new releases.

Availability. These exciting capabilities are set to roll out this summer, initially available to Google AI Pro & Ultra subscribers.

Agentic Experiences. Google is also extending its agentic booking capabilities within Google Search to encompass new tasks like finding local experiences and services. Imagine effortlessly booking a private karaoke room for an exact time and with specific food options, all handled by Google Search.

Google will provide the most current pricing and availability information, along with direct links for purchase, streamlining experiences across various services, including home, repair, beauty, and pet care. These features are expected in the U.S. this summer.

Personal Intelligence Expanding. In addition, Google has revealed plans to broaden its Personal Intelligence feature within AI Mode, now reaching around 200 countries and territories, supporting 98 languages.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

May 19, 2026
Explore Google Search’s New Power with Gemini 3.5 Flash

Today, I’m excited to share that Google has announced the launch of its latest AI model, Gemini 3.5 Flash. This powerful update is now the default engine for Google’s AI Mode, transforming how we experience search every day.

At the recent Google I/O, I learned about Gemini 3.5 Flash directly from Google’s head of Search, Liz Reid. She described this model as Google’s “newest Flash model delivering sustained frontier performance for agents and coding.” It’s thrilling to know that this technology is now impacting users worldwide.

What really excites me is that 3.5 Flash doesn’t just enhance AI Mode in Google Search; it also powers the Gemini app for everyone, regardless of whether they are paid users or not. It’s great to see Google making such advancements widely accessible.

Developers, you’re in for a treat! 3.5 Flash is now integrated into Google Antigravity, Gemini API for Google AI Studio, Android Studio, and more. For those in enterprise, it’s now part of the Enterprise Agent Platform and Gemini Enterprise.

Koray Kavukcuoglu, CTO of Google DeepMind and Chief AI Architect, shared that Gemini 3.5 Flash rivals the intelligence of large flagship models while providing the speed we expect from the Flash series. It outshines previous models, making remarkable strides in agentic and coding performance benchmarks. I’m truly impressed by its capabilities in multimodal understanding too.

Why should I care? Well, with Gemini 3.5, Google Search’s AI Mode is smarter and more efficient than ever. I’m eager to explore how AI Mode’s responses evolve, especially for the queries that matter most to my site.

The rapid changes in search technology mean it’s crucial to stay informed and adaptable. This update reaffirms the importance of keeping pace with Google’s innovations.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

May 19, 2026
Rising Google Ads Costs in 2025: Boosting Conversion Success

In 2025, I’ve noticed that while the costs of Google Ads continue to climb, there’s been a silver lining. Advertisers like myself have been improving conversion efficiency, which means growth is still within reach.

I’ve observed that although we’re paying more per click, the data from WordStream by LocaliQ shows we’re getting better at converting those clicks. The benchmark report, analyzing over 16,000 campaigns, highlights an increase in average CPC to $5.42, up from $4.66 last year, with 87% of industries seeing a rise.

Despite this jump in CPC, the average conversion rate has improved to 8.18%. This indicates we’re becoming more efficient, even as traffic costs rise.

Why advertisers should care. The benchmarks clearly point out that inexpensive traffic is fading fast. For us advertisers, this means absolute reliance on volume is not sustainable anymore.

To maintain profitability, I’ve realized that focusing on stronger targeting, creative enhancements, better landing pages, and smarter automation is vital.

The report suggests advertisers who adapt well to automation and intent-driven targeting are improving conversion efficiency, despite the rising costs.

By the numbers. Here’s what stands out:

$5.26 — Average Google Ads CPC in 2025, increased from $4.66 in 2024.

87% — Percentage of industries experiencing CPC hikes annually.

7.52% — Across-the-board average conversion rate in 2025.

$70.11 — Average cost per lead in Google Ads, 2025.

Highest CPCs. Industries like Attorneys & Legal Services led with $8.58, while areas like Finance & Insurance, and Home Improvement consistently hovered in the $7+ range.

Lowest CPCs. The Arts & Entertainment and Travel & Hospitality sectors fell in the $2–$3 range, benefitting from reduced competition.

Highest conversion rates (strong intent / local services)

Automotive Repair led with 14.67%, followed by other high-intent services like home services ranging from 12–14%.

Lowest conversion rates (complex or high-consideration journeys)

Finance & Insurance was at the bottom with 2.55%, and B2B, legal, and high-ticket items were between 3–5%.

The cost-per-lead is stabilizing, thankfully. Although the average CPL rose modestly by 5.13% to $70.11 in 2025, it’s a relief after years of sharper increases. Legal services remain costly, while auto repair is more cost-effective.

Automation is changing performance benchmarks. I’ve seen how Google Ads has embraced AI-driven optimization. As conversion rates rise, smarter bidding systems and improved intent matching are effectively connecting advertisers with high-quality users.

While automation like Smart Bidding and Performance Max is shaping campaigns, I know that not every account is thriving. Some have zero conversions, and failure to optimize or poorly set up tracking continues to waste spend.

Interestingly, accounts using negative keywords experience conversion rates up to three times higher, underscoring how foundational practices are essential even in an AI era.

Between the lines. The benchmarks present a mixed message. Costs are rising, yet Google’s automation aids efficiency for those optimizing their campaigns effectively.

The biggest challenge now isn’t finding cheap clicks—it’s enhancing conversion quality and maximizing value from expensive traffic.

Bottom line. Google Ads is more costly than ever, but by embracing automation, focusing on conversion quality, and improving account efficiency, growth is still possible.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

May 18, 2026
Unlocking Insights: Microsoft Clarity’s New Citations Dashboard

I’m thrilled to share that Microsoft has unveiled the Citations dashboard within Microsoft Clarity, their powerful analytics tool. This exciting update means you can now see how your content is being referenced in AI-generated responses across various AI platforms.

The introduction of this feature moves Citations in Microsoft Clarity into general availability, complete with all the refinements users have come to expect. With this, you’ll have clearer visibility into how your pages are performing in AI-driven experiences.

Citations Dashboard. With the Citations dashboard, I can monitor how my content is referenced in AI-generated answers by summarizing and aggregating citation activities. This is crucial because it covers essential areas such as:

Page Citations: This displays the frequency of page references from my domain in AI-generated answers during a specified period, even if multiple citations occur within the same answer.

Share of Authority: Here’s where I get a competitive view of how many citations my domain receives compared to others during the same set of queries.

AI Referral Traffic: This metric shows the percentage of my site’s sessions that originated from AI assistants in the chosen timeframe, calculated by dividing AI-referred sessions by total sessions.

Queries: Understanding the queries AI systems use to evaluate and retrieve my content gives me insight into AI’s interpretation of user intent.

My Cited Pages: I can view which URLs from my domain AI systems often cite, complete with citation counts and corresponding grounding queries.

Trendlines: These help me track changes in citation activity over time as content and AI query patterns evolve.

Microsoft also improved Clarity by enhancing the reporting model, query views, filtering, and pagination, making it more robust and efficient for analyzing larger datasets over extended periods.

To check out Citations, navigate to Dashboards, then select AI Visibility, and finally Citations. For additional details, you can visit this help document.

What it looks like. Here’s a glimpse of the Citations dashboard in Microsoft Clarity:

Why we care. As AI search continues to gain traction, understanding how users discover our content and websites through AI is invaluable. Clarity’s new Citations report equips us with the necessary tools to navigate this landscape effectively.

Similarly, Google Analytics has also introduced AI assistant traffic reporting to enhance our understanding of AI-driven traffic.

Expect these reporting tools to evolve and improve over time, providing even more robust insights.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

May 15, 2026
Google Shifts Offline Conversion Imports to Data Manager API

As a developer working with Google Ads, I’ve recently learned that Google is encouraging us to migrate offline conversion imports from the Google Ads API to the Data Manager API by June.

Starting June 15th, Google plans to phase out offline conversion imports through the Google Ads API for some developers, which could impact how we track conversions.

For those of us who depend on these offline conversion imports, including enhanced conversions for leads, it’s crucial to transition our workflows to the Data Manager API to ensure seamless operations.

Details. We’re now aware that after June 15, offline conversion imports using the UploadClickConversions request will become non-functional for accounts inactive with this feature for the past 180 days, as per Google’s notification to developers.

This change specifically targets offline conversion imports and enhanced conversions for leads, while all other operations in the Google Ads API will continue as usual.

According to Google, we should transition our workflows to the Data Manager API moving forward.

Why this matters. Offline conversion imports play a critical role in measuring leads, sales, and other actions occurring offline. Without timely migration, our conversion data might not integrate into Google Ads, affecting reporting, attribution, and automated bidding performance. This shift aligns with Google’s broader strategy towards AI-driven, centralized data infrastructure.

The bigger picture. This move signifies Google’s ongoing effort to centralize data ingestion and streamline measurement infrastructure through automation.

Google promotes the Data Manager API as a comprehensive system for sending advertiser data into Google Ads, embracing functions like Customer Match and conversion imports, with additional capabilities for developers.

Between the lines. With attribution leaning more on privacy-centric, first-party data, Google is narrowing down its advertising tools to more integrated systems that leverage AI-driven campaign products.

For developers and platforms, the migration necessitates updates to integrations, the redevelopment of import processes, and the testing of new workflows ahead of the deadline.

What’s next. We can continue using the Google Ads API for non-offline conversion functions, but must shift any workflows involving offline conversion imports to the Data Manager API before June 15th to avoid disruptions.

First spotted. I came across this update through a post by PPC Specialist Arpan Banerjee, who shared the communication he received on LinkedIn.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

May 15, 2026
Master Google’s Generative AI Optimization: A Step-by-Step Guide

I recently came across Google’s fresh guide on optimizing for its generative AI features, highlighting key tools like AI Mode and AI Overviews. This guide compiles insights from previous Google communications into a comprehensive help document titled Optimizing your website for generative AI features on Google Search.

Inside the Guide: This document delves into multiple essential topics, which include:

– SEO’s continued relevance for AI search, adhering to Google’s SEO best practices.

– Creating valuable, non-commodity content for your audience.

– Offering a unique perspective

– Developing content that is helpful, reliable, and prioritizes users

– Organizing content effectively for reader assistance

– Incorporating high-quality images and videos

– Focusing on user needs, avoiding unnecessary complexity

– Ensuring AI tools comply with Google’s guidelines

– Maintaining a clear, technical site structure:

– Meeting technical search requirements

– Adhering to best practices for web crawling

– Emphasizing human-readable semantic HTML

– Following Google’s guidelines for JavaScript

– Providing an excellent page experience

– Reducing duplicate content

– Focusing on optimizing local business and e-commerce details.

– Dispelling myths around AI optimization:

– No need for LLMS.txt files

– Avoidance of special markup

– Refraining from ‘chunking’ content

– No content rewrites for AI systems required

– Avoid seeking inauthentic mentions

– Not overly focusing on structured data

– Exploring agentic experiences and what steps to take next.

Why It Matters to Me: This guide is a comprehensive resource that summarizes Google’s past advice across various platforms and events. It’s invaluable for understanding how to align my site with Google’s expectations for AI-powered search engines.

You can read the full guide here.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

May 15, 2026
Google Targets AI Spam in Latest Search Policy Update

Recently, I discovered that Google has updated its search spam policies, explicitly stating that these rules also apply to generative AI responses within Google Search. This update clarifies that using spammy tactics to get your site or brand featured in AI Overviews, AI Mode, or other AI-based responses now classifies as spam. Google warns that it will take action against such practices.

What changed. Google revamped a key line in their policy:

“In the context of Google Search, spam refers to techniques used to deceive users or manipulate our Search systems into featuring content prominently, such as attempting to manipulate Search systems into ranking content highly or attempting to manipulate generative Al responses in Google Search.”

Originally, it said:

“In the context of Google Search, spam refers to techniques used to deceive users or manipulate our Search systems into ranking content highly.”

I came across a visual representation of this policy addition:

Why I care. I’ve noticed there’s a lot of advice circulating about optimizing for AI search engines. Some strategies might conflict with Google’s updated spam policies. It’s important for me, and anyone else trying to optimize their presence in AI responses, to carefully review these policies and ensure compliance, avoiding any spam techniques that could harm visibility on Google.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

May 15, 2026
Unlock Professional Reach: LinkedIn Targeting on Microsoft CTV
I was excited to hear that Microsoft Advertising is now expanding LinkedIn profile targeting to connected TV campaigns. This update offers advertisers like me a fresh opportunity to engage professional audiences by integrating LinkedIn data with streaming inventory.

Navah Hopkins, the Product Liaison, unveiled this development at the SEM Stories event on May 14. It’s a game-changer for us in the advertising space.

Why I care. Microsoft stands out by offering unique access to LinkedIn audience data. Extending these capabilities to connected TV formats that previously lacked such precise professional targeting is a big deal in an expanding digital advertising landscape.

For B2B advertisers like myself, this integration bridges the critical gap between brand exposure and measurable performance.

What’s new. According to Hopkins, we can now target CTV audiences by leveraging LinkedIn profile attributes that reflect users’ professional roles, which is a fantastic addition.

This means I can engage with viewers based on:
- Industry
- Job function
- Company category
- Professional identity signals
Hopkins framed this feature as an avenue to create meaningful audience lists, moving beyond mere click-based intent signals.

The bigger picture. This announcement aligns with Microsoft’s broader goal to offer AI-driven, audience-centric advertising experiences.

Hopkins emphasized the merging of brand and performance marketing, noting how AI is reshaping traditional marketing funnels.

Connected TV is at the core of this evolving conversation. Historically a branding-heavy channel, CTV often lacked the attribution robustness of search or shopping campaigns. LinkedIn-based targeting could make such campaigns more strategic for those of us who prioritize performance while requiring precise audience control.

This update also bolsters Microsoft’s standing against competitors in both the streaming and B2B advertising sectors.

What to watch. There are still questions regarding market availability, measurement capabilities, the granularity of LinkedIn audience segmentation in CTV, and privacy or compliance considerations for professional audience targeting.

Nonetheless, this advancement offers Microsoft a new edge in the crowded CTV market, allowing advertisers like me to achieve increased audience precision without compromising on scale.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.
May 14, 2026
Discover How AI is Transforming Google Search Queries

I’ve noticed that Google Search Query Reports are moving towards AI-driven interpretations, reflecting inferred intent rather than exact user searches.

What’s happening. Google has clarified that the search terms in Search Query Reports might not precisely match what users typed. Instead, the system displays the “closest approximation” due to the complexity of modern search behaviors.

What’s behind it. It’s fascinating how heavily AI now influences Google Ads’ matching systems. Rather than depending solely on specific keywords, Google increasingly interprets user intent, context, and behavioral signals to decide which ads to display.

Why we care. For those of us in advertising, Search Query Reports might become less of a mirror reflecting user language and more of a summarized representation of intent. This shift might complicate query analysis, decisions on negative keywords, and strategy around match types.

Discovered by. This update was brought to my attention by Adsquire founder, Anthony Higman, on an official Google help page discussing ad group and asset group prioritization in Google Ads.

The bottom line. Google Ads continues its evolution from keyword matching to AI-driven intent modeling, meaning we might have less insight into the exact searches that activate our ads.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

May 13, 2026

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