I’m excited to share that Google is expanding its financial services ad verification across 24 European countries. As of this summer, financial advertisers in these markets will face new compliance checks to continue running ads in the European Economic Area (EEA).
Here’s the scoop: Starting July 23rd, Google’s new requirements for financial services advertisers apply to 24 EEA countries, including Austria, Belgium, and Sweden, among others.
As advertisers in designated financial categories, we must undergo verification when prompted by Google. This initiative targets financial fraud and aims to ensure ads are from genuine and regulated providers.
Why it matters: If I don’t complete this verification process, my ads may no longer run in these markets. This policy impacts not just banks and insurers but also the agencies that manage their campaigns.
The big picture: This is part of Google’s efforts to improve transparency and protect consumers. If notified, I’ll receive alerts on the Google platform indicating that ad performance could be impacted unless verification is completed.
Failing to comply means I might lose the ability to serve financial services ads in these countries. It’s crucial for continued campaign success.
How does verification work? I need to complete two steps: First, I’ll verify through G2, a third-party compliance partner. Next, I’ll submit Google’s financial verification application using a code from G2.
During this process, I’ll provide details about the services offered, regulatory status, and necessary evidence of authorization or exemption from a relevant financial regulator.
Agencies, beware: These requirements also apply to agencies like mine managing campaigns for financial services clients. We’ll need to pass compliance checks before continuing operations.
A key point to note: Third-party advertisers don’t have the same freedom. If I promote services approved by a verified institution but lack direct authorization, I must rely on them to submit verification requests on my behalf.
Depending on the financial services being promoted, such as banking or credit products, I might need to undergo this verification. Google can update its list at any time, so staying informed is crucial.
Stay vigilant: As a financial brand targeting European customers, I must ensure compliance now to avoid disruptions later. This could affect agencies handling multiple clients due to administrative demands.
Dig deeper: For more details on the new requirements, I can visit Google’s support page.
The job posting from Anthropic that everyone seems to be discussing is becoming the new standard. Companies who get this right are poised to quietly dominate the next decade.
The latest Anthropic job listing is causing a stir in the SEO community. They may as well have called it the Search Gawd position. To be honest, this is a reality across the board.
I’ve penned this kind of job description multiple times and even interviewed for it myself. I’ll admit, I haven’t seen many of these roles actually filled, but I’ll touch more on that shortly.
Titles vary—from Head of SEO to Director of AI Search, and even VP of Search or Agentic Commerce GEO Consultant. Lots of titles, same core responsibilities: manage technical SEO, grasp paid search, direct content, collaborate with engineering, build metrics, prepare for AI discovery, and translate it all into growth.
It’s predictable that people think this sounds like several jobs rolled into one—a single employee carrying the weight of an entire agency. This might be a fair observation, but it misses the critical point.
Businesses have been on the lookout for such talent for years. The rise of generative search is now compelling action.
Publicis / Starcom: VP, SEO (Performance Content).
Accenture: Agentic Commerce GEO Consultant.
SailPoint: AEO/GEO Manager.
AirOps: Senior SEO Manager spanning SGE, Perplexity, ChatGPT, Gemini.
Responsive: Senior Manager, Web Strategy — SEO, GEO, plus Next.js, React, Vercel, DNS.
Danaher, Experian Health, Amazon News: variations of SEO + AEO + GEO.
Anthropic: SEO Lead, $255K–$320K.
Diverse industries, varying salaries, yet they’re all unconsciously seeking the same elusive candidate.
Misalignment Between Titles and Responsibilities
Consider Agency X looking for a “Director, SEO/SEM,” whose job includes no SEO—just paid platforms, vendor management, and leading a team of seven.
Then there’s Consulting firm Y, seeking a “Director, SEO/AIO,” without clarifying what AIO entails. A smaller agency’s “VP/Director, SEO” asks for paid search, social, and pharma marketing as preferred skills.
A research firm is hiring a “Director, SEO & AEO,” which accurately reflects SEO and AEO duties—an unusual alignment worth highlighting.
If the company can’t settle on pre-defining the role, a candidate standing a chance seems improbable. The taxonomy says one thing, the JD another, the recruiter screens for something else, and the manager interviews for yet another role. Meanwhile, the applicant tracking system (ATS) disregards viable candidates.
In Search of the Missing Link
You’re searching for someone who can bridge technical search, content, PR, product, engineering, analytics, performance media, and brand—someone who knows these interactions are more intertwined than they appear on organizational charts.
Search highlights these intersections. Technical issues may seem like content issues, and content problems could stem from product issues. Visibility issues might be about authority, not just optimization. Paid search often uncovers messaging issues quicker than brand research does.
In the era of generative discovery, these connections can’t be ignored. When results provide answers, SEO shifts from being purely traffic-driven.
To sidestep into Yoda-speak to avoid AI jargon: information exists only if the infrastructure supports it. Content helps understanding, brand garners trust, and product transforms discovery into utility—or it doesn’t.
You’re not expecting one individual to tackle every task; rather, you want someone who understands the cohesion of these parts. That candidate exists, but traditional systems make it difficult to find them.
The Résumé Might Surprise You
The candidate you need won’t be evidently showcased by years with an SEO title or specific software lists. It’s about their judgment:
Identifying crucial technical issues versus distractions.
recognizing when content struggles require external resolution.
Knowing when to invest, automate, or pause, and when to advise leadership against certain actions.
This kind of discernment doesn’t easily translate onto a résumé. The right candidate might have navigated through various roles in agencies, publishing, product, consulting, and operations. Their career might not appear streamlined like a specialist’s, yet that very diversity equips them for this role.
Unfortunately, your ATS will likely disqualify them, while your recruiter labels them as “non-linear.” Your hiring panel might note they’ve never held the precise title before. But remember, this role didn’t exist before, and there’s no consensus on its name.
Clearly, this selection process is heading off-course.
The Alsotative Possibility
Some processes may be more about absorbing insights from interviewing candidates than actually filling the position.
Senior candidates often diagnose: detailing function structure, identifying organizational weaknesses, outlining first-90-day plans, recommending tools, and highlighting tasks to abandon. By inviting numerous candidates, companies might inadvertently gather varied organizational strategies and priorities without making any hires.
Perhaps that wasn’t the original intent. But if roles remain unfilled for months, resurface repeatedly, alter their titles and scope, and produce interview-like advisory sessions, candidates are right to question what the company truly seeks: talent acquisition or strategic input?
Addressing the Real Issue
Narrowing the job description won’t eradicate the work needed. Focus on deciding the core requirement. Is it:
A specialist to execute tasks?
A leader to assemble a team?
An executive to integrate search, content, product, brand, and performance?
A consultant to advise on necessity?
These are distinct roles, and expecting them to merge into one is unrealistic.
A Final Thought
I’d excel at such a role, along with a few others who’d be filtered out for the same reasons.
Concerning the Anthropic opportunity, it isn’t materializing for me.
Five years under a nonexistent title from five years ago? My resume doesn’t show that. It matches the job spec — perfectly tailored for ATS rejection. It’s a straightforward system to manipulate, especially for those seasoned in the field.
The elusive talent is indeed genuine. Generative search only spotlighted the gap. Before your company finds someone to bridge these systems, ensure the capability to recognize, hire, and support them.
The companies that master the art of identifying the right candidate—and not just crafting an ideal job description—will take the lead in the coming decade. Meanwhile, others will continue LinkedIn debates about whether GEO is truly a word.
I’ve always been fascinated by how technology can change the way we interact with advertisements, and Amazon’s latest innovation, Alexa+ Agentic Ads, is a game-changer.
This incredible new format allows us to browse, inquire, and purchase products within the comforting interface of an Alexa conversation, dramatically simplifying the buying process.
Introducing Alexa+ Agentic Ads. Today, Amazon unveiled this forward-thinking advertising solution that seamlessly transitions users from viewing an ad to making a purchase, all without leaving the Alexa environment.
They’ve partnered with key players like Papa Johns for food orders and artists like Beck, Jill Scott, and Omar Courtz for concert ticket sales, making this experience accessible on Echo Show devices.
The Impact. By eliminating the typical handoff between an ad and a checkout page, Alexa+ Agentic Ads aim to enhance conversion rates and reduce drop-off. This could be especially beneficial for early adopters looking to engage high-intent customers right at their moment of decision.
How It Operates. Unlike traditional ads that redirect you to another platform, Alexa+ Agentic Ads maintain the entire purchasing journey within a dialogue.
With interactive capabilities, it enables us to ask questions, compare options, check availability, and finalize purchases through natural conversations with Alexa, minimizing friction between desire and acquisition.
Concerts and Culinary Delight. The format is initially being utilized for live events and dining experiences.
Imagine seeing an ad for a concert; you can inquire about show specifics, compare seat options, and buy tickets—all directly through Alexa. Tickets are then seamlessly added to your Ticketmaster account, bypassing the need for additional apps or sites.
Similarly, when pondering dinner plans, a Papa Johns ad may spark immediate ordering as Alexa+ employs past interactions and preferences to suggest your favorite toppings before completing the order—all within the same conversation.
Looking Ahead. As we witness the evolution of digital advertising through Alexa+ Agentic Ads, we’re glimpsing a future where AI assistants are pivotal commerce platforms, offering brands a revolutionary way to engage consumers right at the point of action.
I’ve noticed something exciting happening with Google Search Console lately. The AI performance reports are becoming accessible to a wider audience, and it’s a game-changer for those of us eager to see how our content performs in Google’s AI environments.
John Mueller from Google recently shared on Bluesky, “We’re just rolling these out incrementally to sites, and reviewing the feedback along the way. I know everyone wants the new shiny thing immediately… but first, patience.” It’s like waiting for a gift you’ve been longing for!
AI performance report. These reports offer insights into how well our content and websites are featured in AI-driven searches, showcasing metrics such as impressions, pages, countries, devices, and dates. Although it doesn’t yet track click data, it’s still a significant step forward.
Expanding access. Earlier today, I spotted several SEOs sharing that these reports are now available beyond the UK! They’re able to access reports for sites in the US, India, Switzerland, and more.
As John mentioned, Google is gradually rolling these updates out to more sites, listening to feedback, and hopefully moving towards a global release.
What it looks like. Here’s a snapshot of the report:
Why we care. As someone deeply invested in how content is presented, I find this development thrilling. Publishers and site owners like me have long wanted more control over Google’s AI features. The speed at which Google has rolled this out is impressive—just within 20 days of its initial release!
Google has just unveiled some exciting AI-powered tools on YouTube. These tools are designed to reveal creator trends, enhance understanding of audience behaviors, and optimize marketing campaigns.
YouTube’s expansion of its toolset for creator marketing and campaign intelligence now includes features powered by Gemini. With these updates, I’m able to delve deep into identifying trends, understanding the creator audiences, and boosting the performance of my campaigns.
What’s happening: Google has introduced several insights and optimization tools across YouTube and Google Ads. As a marketer, these tools give me crucial visibility into trends, creator performance, and audience behavior.
The opportunity to make smarter creative and media planning decisions is more important than ever, especially in an AI-driven marketing world. That’s exactly what these new tools are designed to support.
Why I care: With deeper insights into YouTube trends, I can see which creators are resonating most with audiences and assess how my brand is performing in terms of both paid and organic content. This empowers me to make smarter choices about creator partnerships and campaign strategies.
What’s new:
More detailed trend insights: Google Ads’ Insights Finder now provides even more detailed trends in the U.S., giving advertisers like me a better view of what’s capturing attention on YouTube.
Brand Pulse data in Insights Finder: With the integration of select Brand Pulse metrics, I can now evaluate both my paid and organic efforts from a single location.
New creator insights API: The fresh Content & Creator Insights API offers agencies and partners more detailed information about YouTube creators and their audiences, enhancing my media planning and creator selection process.
Gemini-powered creative recommendations: Soon, Gemini will offer creative optimization suggestions for Demand Gen campaigns, including tips on visuals and creative elements that could boost performance.
The bigger picture: As content created by influencers plays a growing role in purchasing decisions and brand discovery, advertisers like me are keen to spot trends early and gauge creator impact effectively.
Google is banking on AI to help marketers like myself uncover insights quickly and plan more efficient campaigns.
I’ve come across important news about Google Ads that could significantly impact how we manage our campaigns. Google is on the verge of altering its target-based bidding strategies, particularly for campaigns running on limited budgets.
Mark your calendar for August 17th when these changes will take full effect. But don’t worry, a Bid Target Adjustment Tool will be available as of July 6 to help us prepare and adjust our goals accordingly.
What’s going on? Google’s update aims to closely align target-based bidding strategies such as Target CPA with our set goals, even when budget constraints come into play.
They’re introducing a new tool that allows us to tweak our targets before the updates hit, which is crucial for maintaining our campaign performance.
Why should we care? If your campaigns are currently exceeding their target CPA or ROAS goals, they might not continue to do so post-update without adjustment. This update is meant to ensure budget-constrained campaigns stay true to their targets.
For example, if my campaign is achieving a $5 CPA against a $10 target, the performance might shift towards $10 unless I make some changes.
Thankfully, the new tool is there to help us proactively update our bidding goals before the changes roll out. If we don’t take advantage of this, we might end up paying more per conversion or see our performance realign with Google’s targets instead of our historical results.
Why is Google doing this? Google wants to reduce fluctuations and provide more predictable results when we tweak or adjust our budgets.
The tool is designed to help us synchronize our bidding targets more closely with actual business outcomes before the automatic implementation begins.
What should we do? It’s a good time for us to reevaluate campaigns using target-based strategies and verify if our current targets still align with desired results.
Notifications will be sent through Google Ads accounts before the update, and the Bid Target Adjustment Tool can highlight which campaigns might be affected.
Key takeaway: For those of us with campaigns that consistently outperform their targets, maintaining current performance might require tweaking target settings instead of leaving them unchanged.
When it comes to PPC, some of the toughest lessons aren’t about bidding strategies or keywords. It’s about knowing when to walk away from a client. On a recent episode of PPC Live The Podcast, I, Laura Abreu, a performance marketing strategist, shared a pivotal experience from early in my career that taught me invaluable lessons.
My first client was launching an ecommerce store featuring beauty products from well-known brands. On paper, it looked promising, but deep down, something felt off. The products were available at the same price elsewhere, giving consumers little reason to choose our store. Despite this, I ignored my instincts and accepted the project.
Despite our team’s best efforts with search campaigns, Meta ads, seasonal offers, and product bundles, we didn’t manage a single sale over three months. The issue wasn’t with our marketing strategies—it was the lack of a unique value proposition in the business model itself.
I’ve learned that great marketing won’t fix a weak business proposition. Engaging with a new client now involves ensuring they’ve done market validation before investments in advertising.
This experience also revealed the importance of not letting personal preferences cloud judgement in marketing. We focused heavily on creating visually appealing content without realizing that resonating with customer needs and desires is what truly drives sales.
The emotional turmoil from this misstep was profound, affecting my confidence to the point where I took a break from PPC clients. I realized I was unfairly shouldering the blame for a structural business issue beyond my control.
Setting clear expectations from the start with every client has become another cornerstone of my practice. I ensure advertising is positioned as a way to test assumptions instead of promising immediate growth. This approach helps in maintaining honest conversations and prevents misunderstandings.
I’ve also decided never to mix business with personal relationships. Working with friends and family often involves emotional challenges that can interfere with objective decision-making.
Protecting one’s reputation is crucial, especially when campaigns don’t meet expectations. Honest dialogue, even if it means discussing failures or refunding fees, is necessary to build trust, which is invaluable in our referral-driven industry.
Through auditing various PPC accounts, I often encounter the mistake of treating campaigns as “set and forget.” It’s vital to constantly refresh ad copy, scale winning creatives, and streamline lead-generation processes for better conversion rates.
AI has become a significant asset in automating routine tasks, allowing more time for strategic thinking and client interactions. However, I advise marketers to maintain human oversight to avoid the pitfalls of poor-quality AI outputs.
I’ve got some news to share about Google Ads that’s made my analytical heart skip a beat. Google’s latest update is set to simplify how advertisers differentiate between target-based and volume-based bidding strategies.
This month, Google is reinstating the names we’ve all been familiar with: “Maximize conversions with a Target CPA” will revert to the plain and simple Target CPA, and “Maximize conversion value with a Target ROAS” will go back to just being Target ROAS. It’s like welcoming back an old friend!
Why this matters to us. This change brings clarity to whether our campaigns are focused on maximizing volume or achieving specific performance targets. It’s a small shift with potentially big implications for how I manage my ad strategy.
The fine print.
Maximize Conversions is still there for us advertisers who aim to drive the maximum number of conversions without overspending on our budget.
Maximize Conversion Value remains for those of us focused on squeezing out the absolute highest conversion value possible, balancing along the fiscal tightrope.
What’s staying the same. Rest assured, this update is purely cosmetic. The mechanics beneath the surface remain untouched.
Google assures us that there will be:
No shifts in bidding behavior
No change in campaign performance
No action required from advertisers like you and me
Our campaigns will continue to roll forward just as they always have.
For the API enthusiasts out there. Google is aligning the user interface more closely with the API, which is great if, like me, you’re juggling integrations, reporting tools, and campaign workflows. The goal is to accurately recognize standalone TARGET_CPA and TARGET_ROAS strategies.
For those utilizing the API, Google encourages us to stay alert to upcoming adjustments related to:
The BiddingStrategyType enum
Standalone TargetCpa and TargetRoas messages
Optional target settings within MaximizeConversions and MaximizeConversionValue
The takeaway. Although Smart Bidding itself remains stable, the simplification in naming might make setting up and reporting on campaigns that little bit easier to navigate, thanks to Google’s fresh clarity on strategy names.
Maximize Conversions is still there for us advertisers who aim to drive the maximum number of conversions without overspending on our budget.
Maximize Conversion Value remains for those of us focused on squeezing out the absolute highest conversion value possible, balancing along the fiscal tightrope.
What’s staying the same. Rest assured, this update is purely cosmetic. The mechanics beneath the surface remain untouched.
Google assures us that there will be:
No shifts in bidding behavior
No change in campaign performance
No action required from advertisers like you and me
Our campaigns will continue to roll forward just as they always have.
For the API enthusiasts out there. Google is aligning the user interface more closely with the API, which is great if, like me, you’re juggling integrations, reporting tools, and campaign workflows. The goal is to accurately recognize standalone TARGET_CPA and TARGET_ROAS strategies.
For those utilizing the API, Google encourages us to stay alert to upcoming adjustments related to:
The BiddingStrategyType enum
Standalone TargetCpa and TargetRoas messages
Optional target settings within MaximizeConversions and MaximizeConversionValue
The takeaway. Although Smart Bidding itself remains stable, the simplification in naming might make setting up and reporting on campaigns that little bit easier to navigate, thanks to Google’s fresh clarity on strategy names.
I recently discovered that Google Ads is elevating the game for advertisers by automatically enabling conversion-based customer lists for those who qualify. This intriguing update aims to start processing data on August 18th.
As part of this change, advertisers who are already utilizing both Enhanced Conversions and Customer Match but have not yet switched on conversion-based customer lists will benefit from this automatic feature enhancement.
Why this matters to us. In a landscape where privacy changes are constantly evolving, advertisers are being gently nudged to lean on first-party data. Conversion-based customer lists offer a fresh approach to build audiences using data collected from existing conversions.
This feature could be a game-changer, allowing advertisers to create highly relevant audience segments and boost campaign performance—and all of this without any extra implementation work.
Here’s the scoop. If you’re eligible, relax; you won’t need to do anything to enjoy the benefits. Starting on August 18th, Google will kick-start data processing and automatically make these lists available within your account.
Advertisers then have the opportunity to decide whether to integrate these audiences into their campaigns and ad groups, molding their targeting strategies accordingly.
But wait, there’s more! If for some reason this auto-feature doesn’t appeal to you, opting out is simple. Just disable conversion-based customer lists in your account settings before August 18th. Otherwise, Google will go ahead with generating these lists automatically.
Heads up. This update was initially discovered by Menachem Ani, the Founder of JXT Group. Menachem shared his insights in communications that he posted on X.
I’ve discovered an exciting development for UK advertisers as OpenAI launches the ChatGPT Ads Manager in beta. This new tool offers businesses an innovative way to engage with a potentially transformative advertising channel.
OpenAI is expanding its advertising tools, providing UK businesses with early access to the self-serve Ads Manager for ChatGPT. This is a clear indication of OpenAI’s commitment to scaling its advertising capabilities on their fast-evolving AI platform.
What’s happening. According to a recent email from OpenAI, the Ads Manager Beta is now available for UK businesses, allowing advertisers to explore the platform’s potential.
The self-serve interface is user-friendly, built to help businesses quickly set up accounts and dive into campaign management with ease.
How it works. The dashboard is organized into four key areas: campaigns, tools, billing, and settings, ensuring digital marketers find the navigation intuitive and straightforward.
The platform’s interface feels familiar, with campaign controls and user management features easily accessible through streamlined navigation.
For agencies. OpenAI suggests that agencies and freelancers should avoid creating accounts on behalf of their clients.
Clients should independently:
Create their own Ads Manager account.
Go to Settings → Users → Invites.
Invite agency partners with suitable permission levels.
Once invited, users receive an email to accept access and can then switch between client accounts on the platform.
The catch. Unlike Google Ads’ MCC structure, current limitations mean users can’t manage multiple accounts simultaneously in a centralized way. Account switching is required for individual access.
Why we care. The UK launch of Ads Manager represents a significant opportunity for brands and agencies to familiarize themselves with the interface and workflows before it gains wider acceptance.
By eliminating upfront billing requirements and simplifying account creation, OpenAI reduces barriers for marketers eager to explore ChatGPT’s burgeoning advertising environment.
What to watch. The rollout in the UK suggests OpenAI is transitioning from experimental phases to establishing a scalable advertising platform.
Advertisers will soon need to consider inventory, targeting options, measurement tools, and how ads integrate into ChatGPT conversations.
For now, marketers are getting a firsthand look at this promising new ad infrastructure that could shape OpenAI’s future advertising success.
First spotted. This update was first shared by Chris Ridley, Head of Paid Media at Evoluted, on LinkedIn.
