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Tag: Advertising

Boost Your Google Ads in 2026 with v23 API Insights

As I delve into Google Ads API v23, I’m excited to share this update marks the beginning of a faster-paced release cycle in 2026. With this update, I’m now able to access improved Performance Max reporting, sophisticated AI-driven audience tools, and more detailed campaign controls.

What’s new:

Performance Max Transparency: I’ve discovered that PMax campaigns now offer ad network type breakdowns, making it easier for me to analyze performance.

More Detailed Invoices: Through InvoiceService, I can retrieve campaign-specific costs, regulatory fees, and adjustments, allowing for more precise financial tracking.

More Precise Scheduling: It’s a game-changer for me to now schedule campaigns using precise start and end date-times instead of limiting to date-only fields.

Local Data Access: I’m now able to access store location details via PerStoreView, which matches the data in the Stores report accurately.

New Audience Dimension: With life-event-based audience building through LIFE_EVENT_USER_INTEREST, my Insights tools are more powerful than ever.

Smarter Demand Gen Planning: The conversion rate forecasts I rely on now vary by surfaces such as Gmail and Shorts, enhancing my strategy planning.

Generative AI Audiences: I can efficiently translate free-text audience descriptions into structured attributes, simplifying audience target creation.

Expanded Shopping Metrics: The inclusion of new competitive and conversion metrics by conversion date helps me improve my shopping ads performance.

Why I care: A quicker update cycle means I can leverage new features faster. With Google’s shift towards automation and AI-driven insights, staying on top of these updates helps me optimize campaigns effectively.

Between the lines: These updates require my team to upgrade client libraries and code, so scheduling development time is crucial to benefit fully from v23.

Bottom line: The Google Ads API v23 is setting the stage for 2026. I’m ready to embrace these improvements that introduce faster releases coupled with enhanced AI insights, refined reporting, and better campaign control for large-scale advertisers.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

January 29, 2026
Explore ChatGPT’s Costly Ads: Visibility at a Premium

I’ve noticed that OpenAI is introducing premium-priced ads on ChatGPT, but here’s something interesting: the data provided to advertisers is significantly limited compared to what we’re used to.

What’s happening. Reports indicate that OpenAI is offering ChatGPT ads at around $60 per 1,000 impressions. That’s about three times the rate of standard Meta advertisements! Yet, even with this higher cost, advertisers only receive basic metrics like total impressions or clicks, without insight into actions like purchases.

Why we care. ChatGPT is becoming a fresh, highly engaging ad space, but it’s not without its challenges. The hefty CPMs and limited insights mean that early advertising efforts will lean more toward enhancing brand presence and gathering learnings than achieving performance-driven efficiency.

For marketers who are open to trying new avenues, this presents a unique chance to gain insights into how ads function within AI-driven conversations before the format becomes more widespread or measurable.

The tradeoff. OpenAI is contemplating expanding its measurement capabilities in the future, yet it remains committed to user privacy. It has pledged not to sell user data or invade the confidentiality of conversations, which limits traditional targeting and attribution possibilities that platforms like Google and Meta offer.

Who will see ads. Initially, these ads will be available to those using ChatGPT’s free and lower-cost Go tiers, but won’t be shown to users under 18 or in conversations concerning sensitive topics like mental health or politics.

Between the lines. OpenAI is branding ChatGPT ads as a top-tier, trustworthy product, banking on the idea that context, focus, and brand safety can validate the higher pricing, despite the lack of detailed performance data.

Bottom line. Brands eager for prominent visibility in a cutting-edge AI-driven environment may find ChatGPT ads appealing, but those focused on performance metrics might hesitate due to the absence of detailed measurement.

Dig deeper. OpenAI Seeks Premium Prices in Early Ads Push (Subscription needed)

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 Ads Glitch Halts Performance Max Edits: What to Do

A recent bug in Google Ads is causing frustration among advertisers, as it has started blocking any attempts to edit Performance Max (PMax) asset groups. I’ve personally encountered error messages when trying to update asset groups, making it impossible to save any changes directly in the platform.

Why This Matters to Us. As an advertiser, the freshness and adaptability of our assets are crucial for campaign success. Without the ability to update asset groups, there’s a risk of my campaigns running with outdated content, potentially harming their performance and efficiency.

What I’m Experiencing. Like others, I’ve faced an error message stating, “An error occurred. Please try again later. Value is required,” each time I’ve tried editing any asset group details. This error shows up in the Google Ads UI, stopping me from saving any changes even if all required fields appear to be filled.

Google’s Response. Google acknowledges this issue and is looking into it. However, they haven’t provided a timeline for a fix or any further guidance through their official channels yet.

Temporary Workaround. For now, I’ve found that using the Google Ads Editor allows me to make necessary changes and upload them directly. While this method works, it introduces additional steps that disrupt my usual workflow of managing PMAX via the web interface.

Next Steps for Advertisers. If you’re running Performance Max campaigns like I am, it’s essential to revisit recent changes to ensure they’ve been saved correctly. In the meantime, directing any necessary updates through Ads Editor may be a wise choice until Google resolves the issue.

Looking Ahead. Until Google addresses this glitch, a new level of uncertainty might accompany managing Performance Max campaigns. It’s important for us to double-check our versions and explore alternative workflows.

First to Report. PPC professional Chelsea Harding initially flagged this issue and shared her experience about the error message on LinkedIn.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

January 23, 2026
Meta Unleashes Threads Ads to 400M Users Globally

I’m excited to share that Meta is set to expand Threads ads to all users worldwide beginning next week. This move opens up new opportunities for advertisers to engage with over 400 million users.

Threads, which rivals the platform X, has seen rapid growth since its debut in July 2023. With its soaring popularity, CEO Mark Zuckerberg has high hopes that Threads could reach 1 billion users in the near future.

Advertiser Access. Advertisers have already been testing Threads ads in the U.S. and Japan. As of last April, global advertisers gained access. Meta helps streamline campaign expansions to Threads through its Advantage+ program, supporting various ad formats like image, video, and carousel. This can all be managed alongside campaigns on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp within Business Settings.

Third-Party Verification. Meta is ensuring brand safety by extending third-party verification tools from Facebook and Instagram to Threads. Although ad delivery will start modestly, this scaling should ensure more confidence in the brand’s safety across the platform.

Why This Matters. With Threads integrating into Meta’s vast ad ecosystem, there’s an exciting opportunity for you to leverage this dynamic social platform. Early participation can give brands an edge as Threads offers a range of advanced ad formats and verification measures to avoid challenges like deepfakes.

Bottom Line. Meta’s global rollout of Threads ads is a pivotal moment for advertisers. It not only offers a channel on a rapidly expanding platform but also includes enhancements like brand-safety verification, making early adoption a strategic advantage.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

January 21, 2026
Embrace the Future: Prepare for the Rise of ChatGPT Ads

I’ve noticed that ChatGPT ads have officially entered the scene, and it’s quite the development in the world of digital marketing. It’s exciting yet comes with its own set of challenges and risks.
While this new ad frontier opens up fresh opportunities for brands, it also raises questions about AI’s role as an advertising platform. I’m keen to explore what this means for the industry and how we can strategically position ourselves for this upcoming shift.
As we dive deeper into this topic, I’ll share insights on potential risks involved, the implications for artificial intelligence as an ad surface, and practical steps brands like ours can take to adapt and thrive in this new landscape.

Inspired by this post on HiGoodie Blog.

January 20, 2026
Unlock Advanced Ad Targeting on YouTube: Reach Your Ideal Audience
I’ve noticed that YouTube has recently upgraded its Promotions tool, offering creators like us a smarter way to reach our audience. Now, we can target viewers based on their interests rather than just simple demographics like age, gender, or location. This change is making things more personal and effective!

What’s new: With the latest update, we can target specific interest categories, such as Food & Dining. These categories are crafted from aggregated, anonymized data, giving us insights based on viewing habits and search behaviors.

For example, if someone frequently searches for recipes and enjoys watching cooking videos, YouTube may place them within a food-related interest segment, allowing us to tailor our promotions more precisely.

How it works: YouTube uses patterns it detects across Google services to infer viewers’ interests, applying these insights on a broad scale while keeping individual data private.

Why this matters: As creators investing in promotional videos, we can now target audiences based on their true interests, making our ads more effective and as viable as traditional Google Ads.

The big picture: Historically, YouTube’s promotion tools have felt somewhat blunt, relying heavily on demographics. This new interest-based approach aligns with a full-funnel advertising strategy, making paid promotions notably appealing for:
- Growing channels looking to build a dedicated audience
- Established creators experimenting with new content formats
- Brands working with creators to widen their reach
What’s next:
- Currently, this feature is only available on desktop
- We can expect a mobile rollout in the near future
First seen: This upgrade was first discovered by Google Ads Specialist Georgi Zayakov, who shared the news on LinkedIn.

Bottom line: YouTube is equipping us with better tools to connect with the right viewers. Instead of just increasing viewer numbers, we’re now closer than ever to narrowing the gap between creator marketing and traditional digital advertising.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.
January 15, 2026
AdSense Revenue Crashes: Publishers Face Sudden Income Plunge

I’ve recently noticed a wave of concern sweeping across Google AdSense publishers due to a sudden drop in earnings. Many publishers like myself have experienced a steep decline in eCPM and RPM by up to 70%. This unexpected turn of events has left us fearing another shock to our revenue streams.

Why this matters to me is simple: relying heavily on AdSense for funding operations makes me vulnerable to such sudden swings. When traffic flows and costs remain steady, a sharp revenue decrease poses a real threat to my sustainability.

The buzz in the community intensified late on January 14th, peaking through January 15th. From the U.S. to Europe, publishers reported drastic drops in both page RPM and eCPM. Interestingly, multiple sites within the same accounts felt the impact simultaneously, and some even reported that their ads had partially or completely vanished.

Publishers like myself have voiced concerns:

“My RPM dropped by more than 80% overnight.”

“Same traffic, same placements — revenue collapsed.”

“I used to earn $500 a day, now it’s $35.”

“Never seen figures like this before.”

The numbers paint a grim picture across various regions:

Germany (.de): –64%

France (.fr): –63%

Italy (.it): –76%

Spain (.es): –90%

U.S.-focused sites report drops of 35–70%

Digging deeper, the timing of these drops coincides with an unconfirmed Google Search ranking update. This connection raises worries that visibility shifts and monetization issues are overlapping — an unsettling pattern that I, with many others, have witnessed before.

There’s another twist. Google has recognized systemic issues within Google Ad Manager. These issues include:

Declining AdX match rates

Reduced delivery from Google Ads and DV360

The hardest-hit areas are web and mobile web display inventory.

According to Google, affected users might face errors, high latency, or unusual behavior, with an update promised by Jan. 15th, at 7:00 PM UTC (2 pm E.T.).

However, a few critical questions remain unanswered:

Does the Ad Manager issue completely account for the AdSense revenue declines?

Is this all a reporting bug, an ad serving issue, or the beginning of a long-term monetization shift?

The indirect impact of AI Overviews, which currently display zero ads, is also a mystery.

In the broader context, it’s not just a recent occurrence for us; many publishers, including myself, have been experiencing a decline in revenue for months. Some have seen losses of 70–80% since mid-2025, driving fears that traditional content sites are being gradually deprioritized.

The bottom line is that, whether this is a temporary glitch or a sign of a continuing trend, we’re once again in a position of uncertainty — monitoring our dashboards with little clarity and even less control.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

January 15, 2026
Google’s New Campaign Setup: Faster and More Efficient

I recently discovered that Google Ads is experimenting with a quicker way for new advertisers like me to get up and running. This advancement promises a seamless account setup experience by integrating pre-built campaigns.

Driving the news. Over the past few weeks, there’s been a buzz about a new setup option in Google Ads called “Create an account with campaign for faster setup.” It caught my attention when I saw others, including Anthony Higman, mention it on X. It seems to be a recent addition.

Why we care. Account setup has always been a potential roadblock for new advertisers like me. By offering a bundled account creation with a ready-to-go campaign, Google could significantly shorten the time it takes to launch, reducing the risk of stalling before I’m fully onboarded.

The big picture. Google aims to make onboarding simpler and quicker, pushing for more automated and pre-configured settings. This latest test highlights Google’s commitment to convenience and efficiency, which is exciting for someone looking to dive into advertising without the complexities of manual setup.

Between the lines. While this faster setup could be a huge help for advertisers just starting out, it might also limit my initial control over campaign structure and settings, particularly if I’m not yet familiar with Google’s automated recommendations.

What to watch. Google hasn’t officially announced this feature, indicating it could still be in a testing phase or gradually rolling out. I’m eager to see if Google decides to expand this feature based on its success in improving user activation and expenditure.

The bottom line. Google’s move to expedite advertisers’ journey to going live underscores a shifting priority towards speed, albeit with less emphasis on early-stage decision-making nuance.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

January 14, 2026
Unlock Premium Olympic Advertising with Google’s New CTV Access

I’m thrilled to share some exciting news for advertisers. Google has opened the door to Olympic live sports inventory, now accessible through biddable CTV buys, capturing massive reach with enhanced control and measurement.
Live sports advertising is revolutionizing how we connect with audiences—more programmatic and measurable than ever before.
Driving the news. I’m particularly excited about Google’s latest move: introducing new abilities to bid on live sports through Display & Video 360. This includes access to NBCUniversal’s Olympic Winter Games inventory, just in time for the bustling 2026 sports calendar.
Why it matters to us. Live sports consistently engage vast and attentive audiences, and now with Google’s enhancement, advertisers like us gain more control and precision without losing reach.
What’s new. We can now reach fans directly on the big screen by merging Google audience data with NBCUniversal’s live sports CTV inventory and engage them further across YouTube and Google’s platforms. Google introduces household-level frequency management, powered by AI, to avoid ad overexposure and link CTV impressions to purchases seamlessly.
Additionally, Google has revamped its Marketplace to make accessing and activating curated sports packages a quick and easy process, saving us time and hassle.
The big picture. As viewers move across connected TV, YouTube, and social feeds, we’re challenged to maintain their attention across multiple screens. Google’s Display & Video 360 is emerging as the essential hub to capture these moments, from our living rooms to our mobiles.
The bottom line: By integrating Olympic and live sports inventory into Display & Video 360, Google has made purchasing premium sports advertising more efficient, transparent, and accountable.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

January 12, 2026

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