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Tag: Campaign Management

ChatGPT Ads Updates: New Drafts, Audiences and Formats

I’m seeing OpenAI continue to build out ChatGPT Ads with a new round of updates for advertisers. In an email, ChatGPT Ads announced changes across ChatGPT Ads Manager and the broader ad experience, including custom audiences, a new overview tab, suggested ad drafts, a refreshed static ad card format, and expanded availability in Japan and South Korea.

Here is what stands out to me from the latest update.

Custom audiences: I can now upload audience lists with 25,000 or more users to include or suppress audiences from campaigns. OpenAI is also allowing bid multipliers for audiences at the ad group level, which gives advertisers more control over how aggressively they want to reach specific segments.

Overview tab: The new overview tab gives me a more centralized place to monitor account health, review recommended tasks that may improve campaign performance, and analyze key performance metrics in a larger, more flexible trend chart.

A before-and-after look at ChatGPT's refreshed static ad card, turning a small sponsored grocery prompt into a cleaner, more readable format with larger visuals and a clear Ad badge.

Suggested ad drafts: If a campaign needs broader content coverage to improve delivery, I may see an option to select “Add new ad” from the campaign view. This feature uses existing website metadata to prefill an ad draft with an image, title, and description, which I can then review, edit, and assign to a campaign and ad group. Importantly, OpenAI says this does not generate new copy or imagery with AI.

Japan and South Korea expansion: ChatGPT Ads are now live in Japan and South Korea. That means campaigns can target users in both markets, giving advertisers more reach if they do business there.

Refreshed static ad card format: OpenAI is also rolling out a refreshed static ad card across web and mobile. I see this as a cleaner, more compact format designed to be easier to read while giving visuals more prominence. This format had already started appearing in late June.

A bold Google logo sits atop layered, colorful digital documents, evoking the fast-moving world of search marketing, ad formats, campaign assets, and platform updates.

Why I care: ChatGPT Ads are still new, and OpenAI is clearly moving quickly. New targeting tools, reporting views, draft workflows, market expansion, and format tests all point to a platform that is still taking shape.

My takeaway is simple: I need to keep watching these changes closely, test them as they become available, and continue refining ad creative, audience strategy, and campaign structure as ChatGPT Ads matures.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

July 9, 2026
Google Ads All Campaigns Redesign Makes Navigation Easier

I’m seeing Google Ads roll out a redesigned All Campaigns selector, and the goal is clear: make it easier to move through large, complicated account structures without wasting time hunting for the right campaign.

What’s happening is that Google is refreshing the All Campaigns selector across Google Ads with a cleaner layout and better navigation tools. For advertisers who manage bigger accounts, this should make day-to-day campaign work feel more organized.

The selector has also been moved to a new location in the interface, which means I’d expect some advertisers to need a short adjustment period before the new placement feels familiar.

The biggest improvement I notice is the new expandable hierarchy view. Campaigns now appear in a structure that makes campaign groups and nested setups easier to browse, especially when an account has grown beyond a simple list of campaigns.

Google has also added search inside the selector, which should help advertisers quickly find specific campaigns or campaign groups instead of manually scanning through long account lists.

Why I care: this update could save meaningful time for anyone managing large Google Ads accounts. When campaigns are split across multiple groups or complex organisational structures, faster navigation can make daily optimization work less frustrating.

The bottom line is that Google’s redesigned All Campaigns selector is meant to streamline campaign management with a clearer hierarchy and built-in search, helping advertisers navigate complex accounts more efficiently.

The update was first spotted by performance marketer Vivek Gupta on LinkedIn. Since the rollout is gradual, I would not expect it to be available in every Google Ads account immediately.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

July 3, 2026
Google Ads API Ending Smart Campaign Creation: My Take

I see Google’s latest Google Ads API change as another clear move away from legacy automation and toward newer AI-driven campaign types, especially Performance Max.

Beginning August 3, 2026, Google says developers will no longer be able to create new Smart Campaigns through the Google Ads API. For me, the key detail is that this change is about new campaign creation only.

Existing Smart Campaigns are not being shut down. They can keep serving ads, and advertisers and developers will still be able to update and manage those campaigns through the API.

What changes is the ability to create brand-new Smart Campaigns through API workflows. If I depend on automated campaign setup, that is the part I would review now.

I care about this because it signals where Google wants advertisers to go next. Smart Campaigns may continue running, but the path for new API-based campaign creation is moving toward newer products such as Performance Max, Search campaigns, and Demand Gen campaigns.

Google is specifically pointing advertisers toward Performance Max as the primary alternative. Since Performance Max runs across Google’s advertising inventory and uses AI to automate more of the campaign process, it fits the broader direction Google has been taking for years.

I also see this as part of a wider consolidation around automated campaign formats. Google has increasingly emphasized systems that handle bidding, targeting, and creative optimization across channels, and limiting new Smart Campaign creation reinforces that shift.

For developers, the practical next step is to audit any application that creates Smart Campaigns before the August 3, 2026 deadline. The affected requests are campaign creation operations where advertising_channel_type is set to SMART and advertising_channel_sub_type is set to SMART_CAMPAIGN.

After August 3, attempts to create new Smart Campaigns through the API will fail. In version 24 of the Google Ads API, developers will receive a SmartCampaignError.CREATION_FAILED error.

In version 23 and earlier, the same type of request will return an OperationAccessDeniedError.CREATE_OPERATION_NOT_PERMITTED error.

My main takeaway is that advertisers, agencies, and software providers should not treat this as a last-minute technical cleanup. If campaign creation is built into an internal tool, onboarding flow, or platform integration, I would start mapping the replacement path now.

Google is not ending existing Smart Campaigns, but it is removing a key creation path for new ones. To me, that is a strong signal that future campaign planning should center on Performance Max and other AI-driven Google Ads campaign types.

Dig deeper: Changes to Support for Smart Campaigns in the Google Ads API

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

July 3, 2026
Exciting Update: Google Ads Revives Target CPA and ROAS Names
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.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

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.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.
June 19, 2026
OpenAI Gears Up to Revolutionize ChatGPT Ads with New Features
As part of OpenAI’s exciting expansion, I’ve learned they’re extending ChatGPT ads into five fresh markets, including the UK. Excitingly, new campaign management features are on the horizon!

I can see OpenAI ramping up its ad strategies within ChatGPT through an early test that presents the possibility for multiple advertisers to showcase their ads in a single space.

What’s happening. From what I’ve gathered, OpenAI is trialing a new multi-advertiser format over a limited number of ChatGPT ads, which was confirmed in a recent update to their advertisers.

This new approach consolidates several relevant ads into one space instead of just one sponsored result. I understand these ads will be sold using a second-price auction model, commonly employed in digital advertising.

I’m excited to share that OpenAI aims to enhance user product discovery and provide ample avenues for advertisers to connect with users during high-intent interactions.

Meanwhile, in Ads Manager Beta. There’s more good news, as OpenAI rolled out some updates to campaign management features, and here’s what caught my attention:
- It’s now possible to shift existing campaigns from lifetime budgets to daily budgets, which makes budgeting more flexible.
- CPM campaigns can seamlessly transition to CPC bidding with just a click.
- I’ve noticed that impression-based campaigns now support customized CPM max bids.
- Bulk editing right in the Ads Manager interface—how convenient is that?
- Daily budgets will start working under an average daily budget system, touting weekly pacing flexibility.
- There’s fantastic geographic targeting expansion, beyond the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, now including the U.K., Japan, South Korea, Brazil, and Mexico.
Why we care. The updates are instrumental in aligning OpenAI’s ad structure with what we as marketers expect from established ad systems, easing campaign management while widening international targeting.

What to watch. This multi-advertiser test might just be the indicator of how OpenAI plans to monetize ChatGPT. If it’s successful, the strategy could be key to expanding advertisers’ reach during users’ purchasing and research phases.

The bottom line. I see OpenAI carefully crafting its advertising framework, with the introduction of multiple advertisers in a single placement potentially redefining sponsored content’s role within AI-driven conversations.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.
June 8, 2026
Unleash the Power of TV Ads: Drive Search Demand Effectively

I recently came across a fascinating insight on how TV ads don’t just create awareness, they actually spark searches. It made me realize just how crucial it is to be ready to capture this surge in interest effectively.

Every time a high-impact TV campaign airs, viewers like us are likely to head straight to search engines like Google and YouTube to learn more about the products or brands featured. The real challenge is not in generating that interest but in being prepared to capture it when it happens.

A great example of this is Fox Sports’ recent World Cup campaign. It highlights why SEO and PPC planning need to start way before an ad goes live to ensure we’re ready to meet the demand.

A World Cup Ad That Created More Than Just Awareness

DAIVID’s study ranked the most emotionally engaging World Cup ads, with Fox Sports’ “Miracle” leading the pack. This ad didn’t just create awareness; it generated a significant emotional response, prompting viewers to search for more information.

When “Miracle” aired, it wasn’t just an advertising victory; it was a roadmap of demand generation. Fox’s search teams needed to be ready to handle the influx of interest surrounding their branded terms well before the World Cup even began.

Throughout the ad, viewers are taken through an inspiring journey of Team USA winning the World Cup, and this prompted us to engage with various search queries like “U.S. World Cup 2026” and “Christian Pulisic.” It was amazing to see how emotional storytelling in advertising can drive such significant search activity.

Why This Matters for Search Marketing

Imagine the Fox ad airing; immediately, millions of us are reaching for our phones, searching for details on the U.S. World Cup team or the ad itself. The key takeaway here is the need for search campaigns to be live, optimized, and ready to meet this demand instantly.

One study highlighted that 75% of search activity related to a TV ad happens in the first two minutes. If our search strategy isn’t aligned and prepared beforehand, we risk losing significant opportunities to competitors.

Prepare for Four Types of Queries TV Ads Generate

The “Miracle” ad teaches us about the various search queries it generates, categorized into branded, campaign, asset, and category queries. Each type needs its own strategic approach, and preparing for them is crucial to capturing the interest they’re meant to drive.

Branded Queries

After an ad airs, simple branded searches like “Fox Sports” are the most common. It’s essential to ensure we’re capturing all potential impressions by boosting budgets accordingly.

Campaign Queries

Campaign-specific searches arise directly from the ad content, like “Miracle ad.” Building landing pages and keyword strategies around these queries before airing can capture significant interest.

Asset Queries

Queries related to elements like songs or celebrities in the ad, such as “song in Fox World Cup ad,” are common. Preemptively planning for these queries ensures we don’t miss out on highly engaged and curious viewers.

Category Queries

Viewers might search for solutions related to the ad’s theme, like “how to watch World Cup 2026.” Addressing these queries is vital to prevent losing traffic to competitors.

Strengthen Your Search Strategy and Creative Collaboration

As search marketers, we should be present during the creation process to identify searchable elements, align landing pages with ad content, and prepare teams for potential viewer questions.

A well-planned search strategy can significantly enhance a viewer’s journey from curiosity to conversion, ensuring that our hard-earned advertising dollars are not wasted.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

June 5, 2026
Unlocking Ad Success: When Not to Increase ROAS Budgets

I find myself often pondering the dilemma faced by many in paid media: when more budget isn’t the answer to achieving greater revenue. It’s important to understand when increasing your paid search efforts will genuinely add value versus when it may simply lead to higher expenses without meaningful gains.

Imagine this: a campaign that ticks all the boxes. From outstanding cost per acquisition to an impressive return on ad spend, everything shines. The quality of leads is satisfactory, and the average order value is spot on. Then, you receive that common request: “Double the budget to double the impact!” Before jumping in, let’s take a step back.

Scaling budgets can indeed drive performance, but only if there’s room for the budget to be effective. If I’ve already maximized the campaign’s potential, adding more funds might only mean higher costs which might not translate into significant revenue increases.

There are optimal times for budget increases, but first, understanding when to refrain from spending more is crucial.

(Disclosure: I’m with Microsoft Ads, so while I’ll provide some insights from there, my aim is to keep this guidance broader.)

Before increasing spend, it’s critical to assess whether the campaign can scale effectively without compromising efficiency.

Making significant changes to budget or targets can initiate a learning period, especially in platforms like Microsoft Advertising where changes beyond 15% might cause volatility. This means potential short-term disruptions before stabilizing performance.

To avoid unsettling successful campaigns, I recommend an incremental approach to budget increases, coupled with clear communication that growth will be gradual.

Lastly, it’s imperative to ensure that your high ROAS truly reflects real business value. Verify your conversion tracking, lead quality alignment, and profitability signals before committing to increased investment.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

June 2, 2026
Google’s Real-Time Ad Policy Review: Quick Approval Process

I’m excited to share that Google has introduced a new feature designed to streamline the ad approval process called Real-Time Policy Reviews. During the creation of campaigns, this system offers instant feedback, making it faster and easier to get ads up and running.

The feature is currently tailored for Responsive Search Ads, but Google has plans to expand it to other campaign types within the year. This means as I create ads within Google Ads, I receive immediate policy feedback, eliminating the need to wait in a post-submission review queue.

The real magic happens in two phases. First, as I draft my ad, the system flags any editorial issues instantly, like typos or errors with destination links, allowing me to correct these before finalizing my ad.

Once I’ve saved the ad, Google provides a policy decision immediately. Ads that pass without any issues can go live almost instantly, whereas those with more complicated violations are redirected to a post-save review page, detailing the problem and outlining possible solutions.

I find this update crucial because it reduces campaign launch delays, especially during promotions or product launches that demand immediate action and can’t afford postponements.

Google has segmented policy issues into two main categories: ‘editable,’ which are simple problems I can fix on the spot like formatting errors, and ‘complex,’ which need further certifications or appeals.

This aligns with Google’s ongoing mission to make campaign management smoother by integrating it into our day-to-day tasks, especially essential for those rapid-response campaigns.

As Real-Time Policy Reviews become available across more campaign types, I anticipate a faster transition from creation to delivery. However, it also emphasizes the importance of addressing compliance throughout my creative process.

Check out more about the updates on Real-Time Policy Reviews.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

May 27, 2026
Discover the New Era of Google Display Ads in Demand Gen Campaigns

I’ve recently discovered that Google is reshaping our approach to Display Ads by integrating them into Demand Gen campaigns, providing us with wider reach and innovative AI-driven features.

What’s happening? Now, I can effortlessly manage my placements on the Google Display Network (GDN) through Demand Gen campaigns. Interestingly, I still have the option to keep my ads running exclusively on GDN if that’s more suitable for my needs.

Through Demand Gen campaigns, I’m able to extend my ad reach across YouTube, Discover, Gmail, Maps, and a vast array of Display Network sites, all within a more centralized system.

Why do I care? This strategic shift by Google is crucial because it centralizes more inventory, harnesses automation, and leverages AI for enhanced campaign optimization. It’s become an essential factor for my performance and discovery ad strategies.

As a Display advertiser, these adjustments mean I gain access to advanced AI features, greater cross-platform reach, and potentially increased efficiency. I see this as a shift towards less reliance on traditional standalone Display management over time.

The bigger picture. Google is steering Demand Gen to be the go-to campaign type for visual discovery advertising, merging creative social-style distribution with its powerful AI targeting capabilities.

Google claims an average ROI increase of 9.5% for those who’ve added GDN inventory to their Demand Gen campaigns, and I’m intrigued by the potential benefits.

Between the lines. These changes provide me with access to the latest Demand Gen features announced at Google Marketing Live, including enhanced channel controls and forward-looking AI campaign tools.

What to watch. With Google’s ongoing journey towards consolidating campaign management under AI-led products, I find myself reevaluating my strategies for upper-funnel discovery, Display, and performance-centric media purchasing.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

May 26, 2026
Mastering Multi-Channel Marketing: Stop Juggling, Start Thriving

Every Monday, I dive into my role as a paid media manager knowing the chaos that awaits. From Google Ads to TikTok and Reddit, my task is to pull the data from each platform, put it into a comprehensible spreadsheet, and report to my boss by 10 a.m. Amidst all this, I try to decipher what worked last week and why. It’s a frenetic start to the week, to say the least.

Remembering when managing multi-channel campaigns meant juggling just Google Ads and a Facebook campaign feels almost nostalgic now. Today, it’s a tangled web of 12 channels, each with their peculiarities in terms of attribution logic and campaign structures. The disarray is real and mostly ignored, to the detriment of performance marketers like me.

I realize that this Monday morning ritual is less about campaign management and more about tedious chores like data entry and reformatting. Managing campaigns across numerous networks involves reopening platforms repeatedly just to align disparate data points.

The prevailing problem isn’t just the time I lose, but the lag it introduces to my operations. When my performance data is scattered across various platforms, delays in identifying key insights can lead to wasted budgets. The inconsistency in strategies across channels further exacerbates the issue.

I’ve come to understand that relying on native dashboards from Google, Meta, and others won’t rescue us from this inefficiency. These platforms prefer keeping us tethered to their interfaces, contributing to the fragmentation. But a paradigm shift is on the horizon: AI-native management tools that promise seamless cross-platform synchronization without the need for multiple dashboards.

The change is happening right now, reimagining how campaigns are managed with AI. It means planning campaigns with simple briefs and automatically syncing creative adjustments across all channels. This reorientation is not just an incremental improvement but a transformational leap that alleviates the operational burdens we’ve carried for too long.

For agencies like mine, AI brings another boon: automated and branded client reports that compile multi-network performance data without the Sunday-night grind.

What actions can we take this week? First, I’ll track where my hours truly go throughout a week — seeing is believing when it comes to confronting administrative bloat. Second, standardizing naming conventions across accounts is surprisingly effective in smoothing out cross-platform wrinkles. Third, I’ll delve into evaluating current AI-native tools, as I suspect many teams are operating on outdated assumptions about their capabilities.

Achieving an operational edge in paid media transcends budget size. It’s about faster data-action cycles, unified cross-network performance views, and liberating our teams from the laborious chains of manual processing. This operational edge could mean the difference between thriving and merely surviving in a competitive landscape.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

May 21, 2026

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