In 2024, the team at Google was incredibly busy with numerous updates to the Google Ads platform. These changes ranged from increased control over search campaign placements to enhancements in AI for Display Ads. While these updates may be overwhelming to keep up with, it’s essential to understand the implications they have for your advertising strategies in 2025.
Contents
- Increased and improved control over Google search campaign placements
- More transparency for Google Ads Performance Max campaign insights
- Changes to Demand Gen audience size and placement controls
- AI enhancements for Google Display Ads
- More options available for first-party data usage
- New tools for image and video asset generation across campaigns
The biggest Google Ads news from this year and what it means for 2025
- Increased and improved control over Google search campaign placements
- Google introduced brand inclusions for branded search campaigns and brand list exclusions for Dynamic Search Ad campaigns.
- Search queries now include misspellings, providing more insights for advertisers.
- Negative keywords now automatically block misspelled versions, reducing the need for manual additions.
- More transparency for Google Ads Performance Max campaign insights
- New insights were added for Performance Max campaigns, including asset performance, budget pacing, audience segments, and search/shopping impression share.
- The content suitability center now allows advertisers to view placements on YouTube and the Search Partner Network.
- Changes to Demand Gen audience size and placement controls
- The minimum audience size for lookalike audiences was lowered to 100 users, benefiting smaller businesses.
- Creative preferences now enable advertisers to control placements for videos in Demand Gen campaigns.
- AI enhancements for Google Display Ads
- AI enhancements for Display Ads allow for animated static images, aspect ratio adjustments, and improved resolution.
- Google Display Ads expanded their network to include inventory on X (formerly Twitter).
- More options available for first-party data usage
- Google simplified the Google Ads Data Manager to centralize data integrations and control access to third-party platforms.
- Confidential matching enables secure leveraging of first-party data with Google’s measurement and audience solutions.
- New tools for image and video asset generation across campaigns
- Google Ads now offers tools for asset and image generation within the platform.
- Integration with third-party design platforms like Canva makes asset creation and collaboration easier.
What this Google Ads news means for your business next year
Google’s continuous updates to the Google Ads platform indicate a shift towards more automation and AI solutions. However, the increased controls provided to advertisers show a commitment to empowering businesses with more customization options. It’s essential to stay informed about these updates and explore how they can enhance your advertising strategies in 2025.
FAQs
- How can I stay updated on future Google Ads updates?
- To stay informed about future Google Ads updates, regularly check the Google Ads Help Center and follow Google Ads social media accounts for announcements.
- Is it necessary to utilize all the new features in Google Ads for successful campaigns?
- While it’s beneficial to explore and test new features, focus on utilizing the ones that align with your campaign goals and target audience for optimal results.
- What should businesses prioritize when adapting to Google Ads updates?
- Businesses should prioritize understanding the impact of updates on their current campaigns, experimenting with new features gradually, and analyzing performance metrics to make data-driven decisions.
- How can businesses leverage first-party data effectively in Google Ads campaigns?
- Businesses can leverage first-party data effectively by integrating it into Google Ads Data Manager, utilizing confidential matching for secure data usage, and creating targeted campaigns based on enriched customer insights.
- Are there any resources available to help businesses navigate the latest Google Ads updates?
- Yes, Google offers resources such as Google Ads Grader, online courses, and support documentation to assist businesses in understanding and implementing the latest updates effectively.