Google Ads Gets Smarter

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💡 What’s Actually Changing in Google Ads?

You’ve probably heard AI is taking over Google Ads. But what’s really shifting, and what’s just noise?

After an hour-long deep dive between Navah Hopkins and Google Ads Liaison Ginny Marvin, here’s what advertisers need to know heading into the next phase of campaign strategy.

1️⃣ Ad Rank Still Runs the Show: Despite rumors, Ad Rank isn’t vanishing. It still decides whether your ad shows and where. A stronger Ad Rank typically means lower CPCs. But in neck-and-neck auctions, the winner may pay more than expected. That’s not broken logic, it’s just competitive bidding.

2️⃣ Quality Score Still Counts: No, it’s not dead. But it is evolving. Landing page experience matters more than ever. Stripped-down “barebones” pages can now hurt your score, especially if they lack basic navigation. Google is also looking at things like layout stability (CLS). Speed + structure = relevance.

3️⃣ AI-Powered Ads Are Here: Think: AI Overviews and auto-generated creative. But they’re only as good as the assets you feed them. High-quality, consistent landing pages and ad creatives help the models learn and perform better. This isn’t “set it and forget it” automation, it’s partnership.

4️⃣ Performance Max Isn’t Replacing Everything: Performance Max is getting the spotlight, but standard campaigns (Search, Display, Shopping, Demand Gen) aren’t disappearing. PMAX works best when you want broad reach and conversion optimization, but overusing exclusions can tank results. Unlike Demand Gen, you can’t choose specific channels. That’s intentional. It’s made to run cross-channel for full-funnel coverage.

The Takeaway

Google Ads is evolving fast, but the core fundamentals, relevance, creative quality, and campaign structure still drive performance. AI is the accelerator, not the driver. Smart marketers will learn how to guide it.

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