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Tag: Ad Optimization

Understanding ChatGPT Ads: Behavior Over Targeting
Ads in ChatGPT signify a major transition from focusing on keyword intent to understanding user behavior. This evolution changes how we approach relevance, creativity, and performance measurement.

Currently, ads are being tested in ChatGPT in the U.S., appearing to various users across different account types. For the first time, we see advertising stepping into an AI environment designed for answering queries, which fundamentally changes the game for marketers like me.

AI has been an integral part of ad creation and planning across platforms like Google and LinkedIn for years. However, placing advertisements inside an AI that people trust to assist with thinking, decision-making, and actions is a completely new challenge. It’s not just another channel in our existing media strategy.

The primary concern for us isn’t targeting, but understanding psychology. Replicating strategies successful in search or social may lead to disappointing performance or even damage trust.

To thrive, brands must comprehend why users engage with ChatGPT, and what implications that has for capturing attention and enhancing the customer journey.

ChatGPT is a Task Environment, Not a Feed

When people use ChatGPT, they have a purpose. Whether it’s:
- Solving a specific problem.
- Refining a shortlist.
- Planning a trip.
- Writing something.
- Making sense of a complex decision.
Unlike feed-based platforms, where users passively scroll and consume content, ChatGPT users are goal-oriented.

In such a task-centered environment, behavior shifts:
- Goal shielding: Users focus narrowly on finishing tasks, filtering out distractions that don’t contribute.
- Interruption aversion: When focusing, unexpected distractions feel more annoying.
- Tunnel focus: Clarity and speed take priority over exploration.
This means gaining clicks will be more challenging than some advertisers might anticipate. If ads don’t assist users in progressing their tasks, they’ll seem irrelevant, no matter how topically aligned they might be.

Considering trust in AI is still being established, tolerance for distracting ads is particularly low.

Dig deeper: OpenAI moves on ChatGPT ads with impression-based launch

Behavior Over Search Volume: Designing a Strategy for ChatGPT

Traditionally, search volume has directed our planning.

Keywords informed us about what users sought, how often, and the level of demand competition. This framework informed both SEO and paid media strategies.

However, ChatGPT changes this model. Instead of searching for keywords, users describe situations, ask detailed questions, and pursue outcomes beyond mere information.

Without query data to optimize, our success depends on understanding:
- The task the user aims to complete.
- The journey stages they’re outsourcing to AI.
- The specific help they need at that moment.
This is where behavioral insights replace keyword demand as the foundational strategy.

Transitioning from Keyword Intent to Behavioral Targeting

Instead of centering our plans around queries, we should focus on behavior modes, representing the mindset of users when they turn to ChatGPT.

We can consider these modes as follows:
- Explore mode: Users seek inspiration or shape a perspective.
- Ads here should ignite ideas, offer options, or reframe the problem.
- Reduce mode: Users aim to narrow choices effectively.
- Ads should clarify differences, simplifying decisions.
- Confirm mode: When users want reassurance, trust trials such as reviews or guarantees matter most.
- Act mode: Users aim to complete the task, so ads that eliminate friction, like clear pricing, will succeed.
These modes correspond with recognized human drivers in search behavior: forming perspectives, informing, reassuring, and simplifying. ChatGPT condenses these moments into one interface.

Dig deeper: What AI means for paid media, user behavior, and brand visibility

In ChatGPT, Relevance is About Utility

The key shift is that relevance in ChatGPT is not merely about a match but about functionality.

An ad can align with a category but still fall short if it doesn’t help users with their tasks. Anything creating extra work or that distracts from goals feels frustrating in a task environment.

High-performing ads are likely to act less like traditional ads, and more like:
- Tools.
- Templates.
- Guides.
- Checklists.
- Shortcuts.
- Decision aids.
Such ads integrate seamlessly into user workflows.

Generic brand ads, mere awareness messages, and content serving as detours are likely to underperform.

Dig deeper: Your ads are dying: How to spot and stop creative fatigue before it tanks performance

Helpful Content Bridges Channels

The assets that create compelling ChatGPT ads—guides, frameworks, and reassurance-focused content—do more than boost paid performance. They enhance authority for SEO, earn media coverage for digital PR, and strengthen brand trust across social and owned channels.

Here, silos can break performance.

Paid media teams cannot create “helpful ads” in isolation while SEO focuses on authority, PR works on trust signals, and brand teams shape voice independently. AI-driven discovery blends these signals.

The best-performing ads may rely on:
- Brand voice for consistency.
- Trusted voice from reviews, experts, or validation.
- Amplified voice through media coverage and authority.
The line between advertising, content, and credibility is increasingly blurred.

Rethinking Measurement

Evaluating ChatGPT ads purely on click-through rates risks missing their broader influence. These ads might sway decisions without triggering immediate clicks, aiding in brand recall or re-entry through different channels.

More significant indicators might include:
- Shortlist inclusions.
- Brand recall.
- Assisted conversions.
- Branded search increases.
- Direct traffic improvements.
- Conversion boosts further down the line.
This underscores the need for cross-department collaboration. If performance spans the customer journey, so too must measurement and accountability.

Dig deeper: AI tools for PPC, AI search, and social campaigns: What’s worth using now

Winning Brands Master Behavior

This is not just a new ad format; it’s a shift in behavior. Brands that succeed will deeply understand:
- What people use ChatGPT for.
- Journey stages being shifted to AI.
- How to support these moments without losing trust.
We should revisit jobs-to-be-done thinking, mapping actions leading up to a purchase, inquiry, or commitment, and identify where AI reduces effort, uncertainty, or complexity.

This approach empowers us to ask, not simply, “how do we advertise here?” but “how can we be genuinely helpful when it counts most?”

Adopting this mindset will not only shape performance in ChatGPT but influence the broader future of AI-led discovery, where understanding behavioral intent will surpass the old focus on keywords.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.
February 2, 2026
Google’s New Search Ad Feature: External Endorsements Tested
I recently discovered that Google’s testing a fascinating new feature in Search ads. They’re incorporating third-party endorsements, complete with publisher logos and quotes, to offer a layer of external validation for paid results.

This experiment places brief endorsements from external publishers right under the ad description, showcasing the third party’s name, logo, and favicon.

What’s showing up. I first spotted this test when Sarah Blocksidge, Marketing Director at Sixth City Marketing, shared a screenshot on Mastodon. In that example, a Search ad included the line “Best for Frequent Travelers,” attributed to PCMag, along with the publication’s favicon.

The endorsement is positioned directly beneath the ad copy, making it visually distinct from the standard text written by advertisers.

Why we care. If this feature is expanded, it could transform Search ads to mirror product reviews more closely, potentially granting advertisers with substantial third-party validation an edge in highly competitive auctions.

What Google says. A spokesperson from Google Ads confirmed that this is a “small experiment” being conducted:
- “This is a small experiment we are currently running that explores placing third-party endorsement content on Search ads.”
However, Google hasn’t revealed any specific details regarding eligibility, the content sourcing process, or how endorsements are chosen.

What we don’t know yet. It’s not yet clear if advertisers will be able to opt into this feature, request specific endorsements, or influence which third-party sources are displayed. Google hasn’t clarified whether this test is linked to existing review extensions, publisher partnerships, or other trust and safety initiatives.

What to watch. Should Google decide to broaden this experiment, the prominence of third-party credibility could significantly impact ad performance, shifting focus from advertiser claims to external validation at the search stage.

For the moment, this intriguing test is limited, but it offers a glimpse into how Google might continue to merge ads, trust signals, and editorial-style context within search results.

Dig Deeper. Screenshot shared on Mastodon.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.
January 30, 2026
Streamline Ad Reviews with Google’s Instant PMax Previews

I’ve noticed something pretty exciting in Google’s recent update to Performance Max. They have introduced one-click ad previews, making it incredibly easy to review creatives directly from the asset group table. This update feels like a breath of fresh air to anyone who’s ever been bogged down by the previous clunky process.

What’s new? Now, with just a click on any image or video within the Asset Groups table, I can instantly see how my ads will look across different Performance Max placements, without needing to navigate away from the page.

Why we care. Before this, checking ad previews meant jumping through various hoops into different views or settings. Now, everything is streamlined, keeping my workflow smooth and efficient, which makes creative quality assurance and iteration a lot less of a hassle.

Between the lines. There has been consistent feedback about the transparency limitations of Performance Max. So, even these small UI changes that bring creatives to the forefront are a big deal for me and many others in the field.

The bottom line. While one-click previews aren’t a game-changer in terms of strategy, they are a real time-saver. This especially helps when I’m handling large asset libraries or frequent creative updates.

First seen. This handy update was first spotted by Paid Search marketer Bia Camargo, adding another reason to appreciate these nuanced yet impactful changes.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

January 28, 2026
Discover Meta’s AI: The Power of Andromeda and GEM

When I think about Meta’s advertising journey, it amazes me how far we’ve come from the manual days of targeting and account tweaking. Back then, I had to rely on finely tuned audience definitions and schedule constant tests to keep ad performance up.

But as privacy policies evolved and signal clarity dimmed, those methods began to lose their effectiveness. This change prompted Meta to harness the power of AI in reshaping its ad platform.

With Andromeda at the helm, Meta launched its first major AI initiative for personalized ad retrieval, soon followed by the expansive GEM, Meta’s Generative Ads Recommendation Model. These systems reinvent how ads are chosen and delivered across Meta’s ecosystem.

Our role as advertisers has transformed significantly. It’s crucial now to understand how Andromeda and GEM operate in unison and to align our strategies with this AI-first approach that’s defining ad success in 2026.

Let’s dive into the specifics—

Andromeda: Unveiling Meta’s AI Evolution

Andromeda, to me, feels like the beating heart of Meta’s AI transformation. By leveraging past user interactions, it flips traditional targeting on its head, going beyond pre-defined audiences to assess the most engaging ad elements.

Personally, the introduction of Andromeda in 2024 reshaped how I approached advertising. I noticed that broader target groups started to outperform detailed interest-based setups, signaling a shift towards creative-first strategies.

By 2025, it was clear that simplified structures and continuous creative refreshes were the keys to unlocking Andromeda’s potential.

The Shift with Andromeda

With Andromeda, a shift occurred from audience-centric to creative-centric matching, making the creative elements the primary indicators of relevance over traditional targeting metrics.

As I experimented, I found that broader campaigns offered more data for AI to optimize, proving highly effective in meeting diverse campaign objectives.

Source: Engineering at Meta

Enter GEM: The Brain Behind Ad Precision

GEM, the core intelligence engine of Meta’s advertising realm, brought with it a new era of predictive precision. It adds depth by analyzing wide interaction datasets to enhance ad selection and sequencing.

For me, the seamless integration of GEM with Andromeda led to noticeable improvements in campaign efficiency by late 2025, driving results more effortlessly than ever before.

Why GEM Transformed the Ads Landscape

GEM isn’t just about displaying an ad—it’s about the continuous learning and anticipation of what should come next. Imagine Andromeda as your ad’s gatekeeper and GEM as its storyteller, predicting the next successful narrative in real-time.

Source: Engineering at Meta

My approach has evolved to value long-term engagement patterns over short-lived peaks, requiring both patience and strategic creativity.
Dig deeper: Rethinking Meta Ads AI: Best practices for better results

Harnessing AI in Advertising: Strategies for 2026

This year, my focus is set on innovative creative strategies and stability, as simplicity in structure seems to generate superior results.

Creative Strategy: The Cornerstone

I’ve learned that providing a rich array of creative content enhances Meta’s AI learning. Tailor content to different personas and employ diverse media formats to keep engagement high.

Streamline for Impact

Simplifying campaign structures has shown remarkable improvements. Fewer campaigns with broader reach enable Andromeda and GEM to identify patterns swiftly.

Giving up granular control wasn’t easy, yet it has proven essential for the AI systems to optimize effectively.

The Power of Patience

I’ve discovered that patience, coupled with a stable strategy, is a game-changer. Avoid making hasty modifications; instead, monitor performance over broader time scales to truly grasp overall trends.

Budget as a Strategic Tool

Generally, larger budgets accelerate learning. Meta’s AI thrives on consistent data flow to optimize performance and develop effective solutions.

Redefining My Role

Today, I see myself less as a manual optimizer and more as a strategic architect, focusing on creative originality and brand fidelity while trusting the AI to handle optimization duties.
Dig deeper: 3 PPC myths you can’t afford to carry into 2026

Mastering Meta’s AI Ecosystem

From observation, AI is the cornerstone of Meta Ads now, transforming how I handle campaigns. Merging human-created strategies with AI insights unlocks immense potential.

By feeding diverse, quality inputs into the system, I’m able to align better with Meta’s AI, which is now the linchpin of ad success.

The rules may have changed, but the opportunity for creative success remains immense.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

January 28, 2026
4 Timeless Facebook Ad Templates That Will Boost Your Success
Have you ever scrolled through your Facebook feed, searching for ad inspiration?

If so, you might have noticed that most ads don’t really grab your attention. Let’s be honest, scrolling through Facebook can feel oddly exhausting these days.

Here’s the reality: the top-performing ads in 2026 aren’t winning because they’re exceptionally original or going viral (does that term still hold?).

They stand out by adhering to reliable templates that savvy marketers have relied on for years.

Even today, with AI and creative strategies, these frameworks remain as relevant as ever.

In this article, I aim to bypass the conceptual buzz and focus on proven strategies.

Below, I share four Facebook ad templates to boost your results, each with real examples showcasing top brands’ creative strategies.

1. Problem? Meet solution

Pain point → Relief → Simple next step

This classic approach has stood the test of time, unchanged from 1926 to 2026.

Customers are more focused on their own problems than on your business.

They ponder their challenges:
- “I’ve spent too much money.”
- “I lack time.”
- “I’m feeling stuck.”
- “I’m overwhelmed.”
- “I can’t seem to stay consistent.”
You need to meet them where they are emotionally.

Customers won’t buy if they don’t see their situation as solvable.

Even as the best solution, recognition of the problem is crucial for them to seek answers.

Example: ClickUp

ClickUp converts a common tech frustration into an actionable solution:

Fed up with juggling numerous tools? Opt for an all-in-one platform to streamline everything.

The ad transcends “project management” by offering:
- Mental peace.
- A unified source of truth.
- Reduced transition time, increased productivity.
- Team cohesion.
- An alluring promise of control.
Plug-and-play copy starter

Still dealing with [problem]?

You’re not alone – and you don’t have to stay stuck.

[Product/service] helps you [benefit] without [common objection].

Get started → [CTA]

Dig deeper: Meta Ads for lead gen: What you need to know

2. Can your competitors do this?

Unique selling point → Instant comparison → ‘Oh, hey’ moment

If you’re in a saturated market, the standout brands help customers easily answer one crucial query:
- Why should I choose you?
You don’t need groundbreaking innovation; sometimes it’s about your execution, priorities, or target audience.

Understanding your differentiator quickly is key.

Example: The Woobles

Crocheting’s been around forever, yet The Woobles claimed significant market share in this timeless craft.

This ad reveals their method.

They distinguish themselves by illustrating why their kits are irresistible:
- Contemporary projects that people cherish.
- Designed for true novices.
- Thicker yarn and a chunky hook.
- Step-by-step video guides.
Great USP ads do more than state uniqueness; they communicate why they’re simpler, better, and swifter.

Plug-and-play copy starter

Most [category] products do [expected thing].

Ours does [unexpected/uncommon benefit].

Here’s what makes it different:
- [Differentiator 1]
- [Differentiator 2]
Try it for yourself → [CTA]

Dig deeper: Rethinking Meta Ads AI: Best practices for better results

3. Say more with less

Testimonial/UGC → Minimal brand talk → Trust does the selling

Not all ads have to scream “advertisement.” In 2026, some of the best Facebook ads take a moment to even register as sponsored.

This “let the customer speak” template thrives on platforms like Instagram and TikTok.

Think user-generated content (UGC), testimonials, and authentic reviews that seem raw and sincere.

The minimal polish adds a touch of honesty, avoiding the usual sales pitch impression.

Example: Allbirds

Allbirds features a simple, product-centric ad for the Tree Dasher 2, coupling a customer quote with the shoe’s image.
- “Wore these @allbirds for 13 hours and could’ve gone another 13. I never want to take them off.”
That line does all the talking.

It implies:
- Day-long comfort.
- No need for a break-in phase.
- Fit for real-world use.
The ad’s simplicity mirrors its honesty, making it both unpretentious and credible.

Plug-and-play copy starter

“I didn’t think anything would help, but this actually worked.”

[Show the proof]

If you’re dealing with [problem], try [product] → [CTA]

Dig deeper: How to test UGC and EGC ads in Meta campaigns

4. The ‘quick win’ checklist

3-5 bullets → Easy decision → Low-friction CTA

Sometimes simplicity is what people crave over complex stories.

This template is ideal for the fast-paced, easily distracted Facebook scroller who wants a quick fix.

Rather than lengthy paragraphs, provide a few key benefits captured in moments.

The ‘quick win’ Checklist format:
- Minimizes decision fatigue.
- Makes value quickly understandable.
- Emphasizes benefits without detailed explanations.
- Appeals to fresh audiences unfamiliar with your brand.
Example: Little Sleepies

Little Sleepies uses simple visuals and benefit callouts to tap into parenting needs:
- “Is this actually going to make my life easier?”
Without cleverness, the ad shares practical wins:
- Double zippers for quicker diaper changes.
- Ultra-soft bamboo for added comfort.
- Fits longer (up to 3x) for better value.
It’s a testament to how the winning ads in 2026 make purchases feel effortless.

Plug-and-play copy starter

Everything you need to [achieve outcome]:
- [Benefit 1]
- [Benefit 2]
- [Benefit 3]
Get it today → [CTA]

Dig deeper: How to get better results from Meta ads with vertical video formats

Templates beat inspiration every time

In 2026, the Facebook champions aren’t those reinventing the ad wheel or investing in glossy campaigns.

They are those who:
- Embrace tried-and-tested frameworks.
- Communicate clearly.
- Speedily trial variations.
- Allow their results to lead the way.
Inspiration is optional; a dependable structure is invaluable when crafting Facebook ads.

Select a template, test two versions, analyze outcomes, and iterate.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.
January 27, 2026
Discover Google Ads’ Game-Changing Experiment Center

I’m thrilled to share that Google Ads has launched a transformative new Experiment Center, providing us advertisers with a centralized platform to test strategies and analyze their impact before scaling them up.

What’s new. With Google’s latest update, we now have access to a comprehensive help page introducing the Experiment Center. This innovative dashboard merges traditional Experiments and Lift Studies, allowing us to handle tests regarding bidding, targeting, and creatives. Simultaneously, we can measure brand, search, or conversion lift, all in one place.

Why it matters. Previously, experimenting within Google Ads was a bit scattered. Different tests lived in separate areas, making it cumbersome to streamline our strategies. A unified hub simplifies this process drastically, reducing complexity and enabling us to confidently validate our strategies before increasing our budgets.

How it works: The new layout is a breath of fresh air, enhancing setup and reporting efficiency. Now, key insights from our tests are displayed together, rather than being spread out across various tools. This consolidation allows us to quickly compare outcomes, grasp the impacts, and take action faster.

Between the lines. Google is clearly investing heavily in experimentation, and the Experiment Center is the latest in a line of updates. With enhancements like expanded A/B testing in Shopping and Performance Max campaigns, alongside the new Campaign Mix Experiments beta, this platform equips us with the tools needed to adapt to an automated landscape, ensuring our strategies remain impactful and clear.

Bottom line: If you haven’t already, it’s time to dive into the Experiment Center. Formalize your testing around bidding, targeting, and creative strategies, leveraging lift studies and experiments to validate your approaches before rolling them out on a larger scale.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

January 26, 2026
Frustration Grows: Google Ads Bug Hinders Note Accessibility

I’ve recently experienced a glitch in Google Ads that’s been quite the headache. It has unexpectedly removed the option for adding notes in some accounts, making change tracking and documentation far more challenging. I know how important these notes are for keeping track of optimizations and performance shifts.

This issue was initially brought to my attention by Odi Caspi, a fellow paid search consultant. Over the past couple of weeks, the problem has surfaced sporadically, causing quite a bit of disruption. Let me share what advertisers are meant to see in their dashboard:

I find it incredibly essential to understand why we care about this issue. Account notes are an invaluable tool for agencies and in-house teams to trace changes over time. When we lose the ease of access to these notes, troubleshooting performance fluctuations becomes tougher, and our collective memory weakens.

In accounts affected by this bug, the “Add note” option simply vanishes from the popup where I usually annotate changes. It’s an intermittent issue, with the functionality sometimes working perfectly and disappearing at other times.

As for workarounds, Caspi mentions that clicking on an existing note could reveal the option to add a new one. However, this method works only if there’s already a note available within the current date range we’re examining.

Another workaround I came across, suggested by Paid Media Specialist Dids Reeve, involves opening the Notes panel from the “More” menu. It seems this option still allows for adding notes in some cases.

Looking forward, it’s frustrating not knowing when Google might officially recognize or address this bug. Until it’s resolved, I’ll need to be more vigilant about documenting significant changes using alternate methods.

The first reported instance of this glitch came from Caspi himself, who shared insights from his campaign reports on LinkedIn.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

January 23, 2026
Google’s Ad Systems at Risk: The Impact of Forced Syndication
Recently, I’ve been following a concerning development involving Google, where the tech giant is urging a federal judge to halt the Department of Justice’s antitrust remedies. The primary concern? Forced ad syndication could lay bare Google’s proprietary technology and negatively affect advertisers.

In an affidavit filed on January 16 by Google’s director of product management, Jesse Adkins, the company stresses how these measures could lead to irreversible damage. The crux of the argument is about maintaining control over proprietary ad technology, which could be jeopardized if exposed.

The big picture. In Adkins’ testimony, the likely fallout includes forced exposure of confidential technology, detrimental effects on advertisers, and a loss of authority over query and pricing data.

Mehta’s final ruling could compel Google to share its search results, features, and ads with any qualified competitor for the next half-decade under the current terms.

Google contends that employing these remedies before the conclusion of their appeal would result in immediate and unchangeable damage.

Risk to Google’s ad technology. At the center of Google’s warning is the potential exposure of its search ad auctions, developed over many years by an enormous team of engineers.

Syndication on a large scale might allow competitors or outsiders to decipher Google’s ad targeting techniques, relevance factors, and auction mechanisms, according to Adkins.

Competitors could potentially use this data to enhance their ad systems, stripping Google of its competitive edge.

Sub-syndication amplifies risk. The judgment permits competitors to further share Google ads with third parties, creating multiple layers of vulnerability to scraping and misuse.

Even the most compliant partners might lack the motivation to monitor downstream entities, effectively transforming Google’s ad system into a near-open utility with limited protection.

Advertisers could face fraud. Adkins mentions advertisers are caught in this struggle, citing tactics like “trick-to-click” that incite accidental clicks or artificially inflate expenses.

One example involves a syndicator adding names of wealthier countries to queries while diverting low-cost international traffic to ads, resulting in tens of millions in click fraud within a couple of months.

As a result, users might see less relevant ads, yet advertisers would still be charged, leading to diminished conversion rates.

Pricing uncertainty. Google is also expected to offer syndication terms no less favorable than existing agreements, which are highly customized to each partner’s traffic quality and technical setup.

Imposing these terms universally could lead to suboptimal pricing and financial uncertainty linked to unpredictable query volumes.

Irreversibility is key. Throughout the affidavit, Adkins underscores the irreparable nature of the potential harm. Once proprietary ad insights are revealed, they can’t be recaptured.

Once advertisers lose confidence, it is nearly impossible to win back. Moreover, once competitors craft products based on Google’s systems, the market’s impact becomes permanent.

Google suggests that even if their appeal succeeds, it could be too late to undo the ensuing damage.

Why we care. Any court-mandated ad syndication could potentially dilute Google’s control over ad placement and targeting, resulting in irrelevant advertising and reduced conversion rates. Essentially, this affidavit highlights the risk of higher costs, lower returns on investment, and less predictable campaign performance.

What’s next. The court is set to decide whether to temporarily halt the syndication remedies while Google’s appeal is pending. Without this stay, Google might have to start licensing search ads and results to qualifying competitors under new regulations, reshaping the search advertising landscape in unexpected ways.

Dig deeper. For further reading, I recommend checking out the following resources:
Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.
January 22, 2026
Unlock Ad Performance with Google’s Mix Experiments Beta

I’ve discovered that Google is introducing a fascinating new tool called Campaign Mix Experiments (beta). This innovative framework allows me and other advertisers to experiment across various campaign types, budgets, and settings all within a single, unified setup.

How it works:

As an advertiser, I can create up to five experiment arms, each with its own unique combination of campaigns. This means I can include the same campaign in multiple arms and distribute traffic among them.

Google’s mix experiments support a wide range of campaigns, including Search, Performance Max, Shopping, Demand Gen, Video, and App campaigns, though it does exclude Hotels.

I’m able to customize traffic splits starting at a minimum of 1%, and the results are adjusted to the smallest split for a fair comparison — ensuring accuracy in our findings.

What I can test:

The beta provides an exciting opportunity to explore and test budget allocation across different campaign types. I can also assess account structures, varying between consolidation and fragmentation.

It allows me to examine differing bidding strategies, targeting options, and feature adoptions, alongside studying cross-channel performance interactions, beyond just individual campaign impacts.

Why I care. With this new tool, I can go beyond individual campaign testing, gaining insights into how various campaign types interact and identifying which combinations yield the most substantial business outcomes.

Reporting details: I can monitor results through the Experiment summary and campaign-level reporting, selecting from confidence intervals like 95%, 80%, or 70%, and focus on key metrics such as ROAS, CPA, conversions, or conversion value.

Best practices:

I make sure to keep the experiment arms similar, only altering one variable at a time. I align the total budgets across these arms unless budget allocation itself is the variable being tested.

It’s advised to avoid shared budgets and significant changes while the experiment is underway, and to run these tests for at least six to eight weeks to ensure the results are statistically reliable.

Between the lines: Google is shifting the focus from a single-campaign victory to understanding how the right mix of efforts can lead to success, especially as automation reshapes the landscape.

Bottom line: By utilizing campaign mix experiments, I gain a realistic view of how different campaign types and financial plans work collaboratively. This empowers me to make informed decisions on where my spending truly adds value.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

January 22, 2026
Maximize Ecommerce Success with Demand Gen & Performance Max

When Google introduced Demand Gen campaigns in 2023, I saw them as a promising way to boost engagement across platforms like YouTube, Discover, and Gmail.

Initially, they felt experimental, straddling the line between awareness and performance, but they’ve come a long way since.

Now, the creative flexibility and enhanced audience control make Demand Gen a go-to campaign type for my ecommerce clients.

This strategy allows me to scale revenue in a controlled manner, maintaining brand consistency while testing creative approaches to drive conversions.

I’ve found that Demand Gen delivers the best results when strategically paired with Performance Max and Search campaigns.

Advertising with Demand Gen is ideal if you crave more control.

One major drawback of Performance Max is its lack of transparency and manual control.

If precise targeting, placement, or creative control is essential, Demand Gen stands out as the better option.

Performance Max auto-generates ads from your uploads, relying on Google’s AI to mix and match for the best performance.

This makes it crucial to provide top-notch creative assets.

For example, a fitness brand might create separate asset groups for products like leggings, shorts, and vests.

While this helps target relevant audiences, the control isn’t exhaustive.

However, Demand Gen offers far superior flexibility.

It allows me to upload, preview, and tweak ad combinations before launch, adapting each creative to its unique placement.

For instance, I can customize YouTube ads for in-feed, in-stream, and Shorts placements.

This control is perfect for ecommerce brands focusing on creative precision, message testing, and maintaining a strong visual identity.

Dig deeper: The Google Ads Demand Gen playbook

Using Demand Gen alongside Performance Max can be incredibly effective if you leverage their roles within the customer journey. They enhance each other rather than compete.

Demand Gen builds awareness and sparks interest by reaching higher-funnel audiences before they actively start product searching.

Conversely, Performance Max focuses on converting lower-funnel users who are primed to purchase.

For example, a fitness retailer might utilize Demand Gen for lifestyle videos and discovery ads promoting their latest activewear.

When a potential customer begins to research or exhibit purchase intent, Performance Max engages with tailored Shopping and Search ads to finalize the sale.

I’ve set up feed-only Performance Max campaigns, providing only a product feed within the asset group.

This restricts Performance Max activities to Shopping placements, focusing it sharply on direct conversions.

Meanwhile, Demand Gen operates across platforms like YouTube, Gmail, Discover, and Shorts, covering the upper and mid-funnel with more visual, creative content focused on awareness.

This configuration minimizes overlap between campaign types while ensuring user engagement throughout the funnel, from brand discovery to purchase.

For larger accounts with flexible budgets, this dual structure drives holistic performance and clearer attribution.

In contrast, smaller accounts seeking efficiency should prioritize mastering high-intent campaigns before layering in Demand Gen once the core conversions are stable.

The diverse campaign types now offer advertisers more flexibility than ever, yet it requires understanding Google’s restructuring of video and discovery products.

Dig deeper: Why Demand Gen is the most underrated campaign type in Google Ads

Since July 2025, Google’s Video Action Campaigns (VACs) have been replaced by Demand Gen.

It streamlines Google’s visual placements into one campaign type, including YouTube in-stream, Shorts, in-feed, Gmail, and Discover.

This change is significant. VAC was successful for ecommerce, particularly for conversion-centric video. Its removal underscores Google’s encouragement to embrace Demand Gen.

The advantage is that Demand Gen provides stronger creative control and diverse testing options across YouTube placements.

If you previously ran VAC campaigns, they are now under Demand Gen. Ensure your top-performing assets and audiences have migrated correctly, then use the new controls to optimize performance.

Audience control is a significant benefit of Demand Gen, and it’s a reason why I consistently use it for ecommerce.

Demand Gen allows precise audience creation, letting me decide who sees the ads.

I can select placements, merge audience types, and allocate the budget strategically.

It’s the only Google Ads campaign type supporting lookalike audiences, valuable for brands focused on acquiring quality leads.

While Performance Max utilizes audience signals over fixed targeting, Demand Gen excels for control, testing, and segmentation strategies.

In mid-2025, Google rolled out an open beta for advertisers to opt out of specific Demand Gen channels manually.

This means I can now control ad display, excluding Discover or YouTube Shorts if they don’t align with my objectives or creative format.

This small but significant update offers more control, a feature often lacking in many of Google’s automated campaign types.

Dig deeper: Google Ads rolls out channel control for Demand Gen campaigns

In early 2025, Google introduced product feed integration for Demand Gen campaigns. This change allows me to link the Google Merchant Center feed, incorporating live product data directly into visual ads.

This development bridges performance and branding for ecommerce, enabling storytelling through creative visuals while displaying actual products.

For instance, a fashion retailer can showcase a new collection in a video advert while featuring shoppable product cards below.

This update positions Demand Gen as a hybrid between Shopping and Display, a much-anticipated capability among ecommerce advertisers.

Demand Gen typically demands a larger budget than other campaign types.

Google recommends starting at about £100 per day per campaign or 20 times your target CPA/tROAS, whichever is higher.

Practically, the £100-per-day baseline is a viable starting point for effective data collection and optimization. Lower budgets restrict data flow and slow progress.

Demand Gen complements your broader Google Ads strategy, rather than replacing Search or Performance Max.

It’s a premium, visually led campaign type that boosts awareness leading to conversions, particularly effective when you have accurate measurement, a clean product feed, and clearly defined audiences.

The table compares Demand Gen and Performance Max on key aspects that matter to advertisers.

Dig deeper: Google pushes Demand Gen deeper into performance marketing

Performance Max excels in scale but can be opaque.

Demand Gen offers the control advertisers have demanded—genuine creative testing, audience precision, and placement visibility.

For sustainable ecommerce growth, I recommend using both. Performance Max captures demand, while Demand Gen creates it.

Together, they form a comprehensive framework for scalable and sustainable growth.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

January 22, 2026

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