1) Why match types are far from dead (but AI-Max campaigns are bringing them closer to the end)
Optmyzr data shows that expanded match is now widespread, but it’s not as effective + AI-Max exception that proves the rule
https://www.optmyzr.com/blog/google-ads-match-type-performance/ (broad, phrase, or exact? – Frederick Vallaeys)
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7460971185309331456/ (AI Max for brand searches – Bia Camargo)

2) Meta increases purchase event audience retention
Bram Van der Hallen reports that the buyer audience segment will last 730 days (instead of 180)
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7460375781249179648/

3) AI Skills: The New Frontier of Automatic PPC Audits
Frederick Vallaeys (unstoppable this week:) shares some interesting insights on the “skills” (set of basic rules) needed for professional AI audits
https://searchengineland.com/ai-skills-the-next-layer-of-marketing-automation-477308

4) Be careful about blocking super-generic queries in AI-driven campaigns
AI Overview and autocomplete generate very generic queries, but be careful about immediately blocking them as negatives
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7460981267430432768/ (generic queries – Anthony Higman)
https://hopskipmedia.com/your-negative-keyword-management-is-broken-heres-the-fix/ (negative management – Ameet Khabra)

5) Google adds Gemini to GAds Dashboards
Announced the launch of an agentic operator capable of real time changing the data displayed in dashboards
https://searchengineland.com/google-ads-adds-gemini-powered-dashboards-for-real-time-insights-477254 (Anu Adegbola)

6) The 5 most common GAds errors in e-commerce accounts
Andrew Lolk had AI summarize the most recurring issues in 50 audits conducted over the last 18 months. The result is a very interesting post.
https://savvyrevenue.com/blog/google-ads-mistakes/

7) Why ChatGPTAds is moving so fast (and this week’s releases)
The speed of releases and gloomy forecasts + pixels, product feeds, and expansion to the UK, Japan, Croatia, Brazil, and Mexico
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-chatgpt-ads-fail-spectacularly-daniel-gilbert-y3dze/ (speed and future – Daniel Gilbert)
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7460375473236099072/ (conversion pixel – Utku Gulden)
https://searchengineland.com/openai-adds-product-feed-ads-to-chatgpt-477208 (product feed – Anu Adegbola)
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7460375191890702336/ (Market Expansion – Benji Shomair)

8) We’re not there yet with the AI ​​Advisor results in GAds
Phil Jensen shares a case of a clear error in the reporting of Google’s agentic AI in Google Ads
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7461027566234128385/

9) GA4 creates a default channel for AI assistants
A special classification for agents of the most popular AI engines is coming (+ list of identifiers in logs)
https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/9164320?hl=en#05132026 (official announcement) Google)
https://www.searchpilot.com/resources/blog/how-does-ai-traffic-show-up-in-analytics (AI traffic identifiers – Will Critchlow)

10) Amazon makes its MMM available
Oleksandr Kovalov reports that Amazon’s Marketing Mix Model is now available to everyone
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7460376109625274368/

EXTRA CONTENTS

AMA session with Ginny Marvin on Ai-Max (May 15 at 1pm EST) – Sarah Stemen / Paid Search Association

MicrosoftAds will use Linkedin targeting signals in CTV Ads – Anu Adegbola
Help us to choose 2026 Focus Group topics & get 50€OFF + win our iconic Keep Calm and Follow Your ROI T-Shirt. – ADworld Experience

And this week’s lucky winner is… William Zattra!!! Yay :-)

Subscribe our YouTube channel to get updates: 
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PS: I HATE “COMMENT-TO-SEE” contents (which are the new black on LinkedIN), but IF YOU LIKE THE PPC NEWS-PARADE AND WANT ME TO KEEP IT OPEN: LIKE IT, COMMENT ON IT OR SHARE IT, or we’ll see it only me, you and my uncle (but I can call him by phone, which is faster! Thaaanks ;-))

May the ROI be with you! And… more peace for everyone!

Original source of Top 10 PPC News-Parade May 8-15, 2026 is Gianpaolo Lorusso. All rights reserved.

1) LinkedIn Targeting in Amazon’s CTV
Linkedin and Amazon have announced an agreement that will enable Amazon DSP advertisers to target B2B users using LIAds options
https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/linkedin-partners-with-amazon-ads/819655/

2) ChatGPT launches the open beta of its Ads Manager in the US
OpenAI’s self-service platform for managing ads is here (in the US), with ads currently running in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand
https://openai.com/index/new-ways-to-buy-chatgpt-ads/ (official OpenAI announcement)
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7457806786478219265/ (recap by Bram Van der Hallen)

3) How to (effectively) launch a new GAds account or a new country for e-commerce
Andrew Lolk explains the key steps and his methodology
https://savvyrevenue.com/blog/launch-new-google-ads-accounts/

4) Expanding AI Max campaigns within an existing campaign? Nope.
Joey Bidner points out that the AI-Max experiment within a search campaign doesn’t provide the necessary comparison data to evaluate it. A separate test is better.
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7458438101015756800/

5) Big news for tracking in GAds/GTM
Google announces deeper integration of gtag and Big Query in GTM and GAds + GeoX in Meridien
https://blog.google/products/ads-commerce/google-marketing-live-2026-turn-your-data-into-decisions/ (official announcement)
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7458035871251005440/ (Simo Ahava on gtag in GTM)
https://ppcnewsfeed.com/ppc-news/2026-05/google-brings-tag-manager-interface-into-google-ads/ (GTM will open in Gads – Hana Kobzova)

6) Preview of the new Auto Pixel and use cases for AI connectors in MetaAds
Bram Van der Hallen shows all the options of the new auto tracking pixel, and Jon Loomer shares interesting insights into the new AI connectors
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7458032252497596416/
https://www.jonloomer.com/meta-ads-ai-connectors-claude/

7) Bidding & Budgeting Updates in GAds
Ginny Marvin discusses three upcoming innovations (Journey-aware tCPA in search, smart bidding exploration in PMax & Shopping and Planned Budget Distribution)
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7458443762885902336/

8) How to Use Negative Keywords in 2026 (and beyond)
Sarah Stemen provides a nice summary of the different possible approaches to query sculpting in Google Ads
https://searchengineland.com/negative-keywords-strategy-476563

9) Site Visit Extensions Are Coming to Be Official
Hana Kobzova intercepted the new support page explaining them
https://ppcnewsfeed.com/ppc-news/2026-05/google-officially-introduces-site-visits-asset/

10) Microsoft includes conversion metrics in custom columns and launches the “Activate” event for May 20
Conversion metrics now included in customizable columns & the official announcement of Activate event
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7458445465169227777/ (Navah Hopkins)
https://ppcnewsfeed.com/ppc-news/2026-05/microsoft-advertising-activate-may-2026/ (Hana Kobzova)

EXTRA CONTENTS

AI built feeds in GMC (let’s hope they are better than the previous automatic site scan) – Arpan Banerjee
AI Max will have the same DSA URL controls – Gabriele Benedetti & Ginny Marvin

Ads Decoded Ep. 7 – Creative AI in GAds – Ginny marvin, Charles Boyd & Sarah Hathiramani
Help us to choose 2026 Focus Group topics & get 50€OFF + win our iconic Keep Calm and Follow Your ROI T-Shirt. – ADworld Experience

And this week’s lucky winner is… Maria Denaxa!!! Yay :-)

Subscribe our YouTube channel to get updates: 
https://youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=adwexp

PS: I HATE “COMMENT-TO-SEE” contents (which are the new black on LinkedIN), but IF YOU LIKE THE PPC NEWS-PARADE AND WANT ME TO KEEP IT OPEN: LIKE IT, COMMENT ON IT OR SHARE IT, or we’ll see it only me, you and my uncle (but I can call him by phone, which is faster! Thaaanks ;-))

May the ROI be with you! And… more peace for everyone!

Original source of Top 10 PPC News-Parade May 1-8, 2026 is Gianpaolo Lorusso. All rights reserved.

1) MetaAds releases official connectors for popular AI agents in open beta (but must revise plans for Manus)
Important announcement for those who want to safely integrate popular AI engines like ChatGPT & Claude (while the Chinese government blocked its acquisition of Manus)
https://www.jonloomer.com/meta-ads-ai-connectors/ (Jon Loomer on connectors and other new features released this week)
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7457012180555796480/ (Bram Vand der Hallen)
https://www.facebook.com/business/news/meta-ads-ai-connectors (official Meta announcement)

2) AI Max is the new black for search campaigns
Google announces the arrival of shopping and travel in AI Max, the agent for defining copy and targeting, and mandatory disclaimers for regulated sectors
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7456949489161969664/ (comment by Jyll Saskin Gales on shopping)
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7456949814711185409/ (recap by Ginny Marvin)
https://blog.google/products/ads-commerce/ai-max-new-features/ (official Google announcement)

3) Google Search (and Revenue) Growth
Fred Vallaeys reflects on Google’s latest quarterly earnings data and publishes aggregate data on accounts managed with Optmyzr
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7457038503076409345/
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7454790848149422081/

4) ChatGPTAds and “Organic” Reputation
Two great posts that remind us that power is nothing without control (quoted from an advert by a famous tyre manufacturer) and what we’ve seen so far with ads on ChatGPT
https://www.seerinteractive.com/insights/buying-ads-on-chatgpt-why-you-should-check-organic-reputation-first (Wil Reynolds & Brittany Sager)
https://searchengineland.com/inside-chatgpt-ads-what-the-data-tells-us-and-whats-coming-next-474504 (ChatGPTAds insights by Adthena)

5) It is now possible to limit Search Partners and GDNs in PMax
Riley Slater was among the first to notice a small but interesting update, which adds greater control to Performance Max campaigns.
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7457023438579249153/

6) Google will analyze call content to identify conversions
Starting from July 1st, all campaigns not opted out will begin recording calls via Google forwarding numbers to identify conversions (Privacy festival is here :-)
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7457361858040209408/ (Arpan Banerjee)
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7457017556982407168/ (some legitimate concerns by Anthony Highman)

7) Lift studies now in the experiments tab
Thomas Eccel comments on the new features in incremental brand and search tests released (or in the process of being released) in Google Ads
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7454891082250686465/

8) It is now possible to promote events on external sites with Linkedin Event Ads
Official announcement of this new feature, which will be available to all advertisers starting on the 6th May 2026
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/expand-event-promotion-linkedin-offplatform-ads-linkedin-for-mktg-hcvzc/

9) SnapchatAds launches sponsored chatbots
Andrew Hutchinson comments on the new format for Sponsored Snaps
https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/snapchat-launches-sponsored-ai-chatbots/818757/

10) Microsoft includes spend and conversion data for PMax placements
The new Performance Max campaign placement report finally shows spend and conversion data
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7455503066356760576/ (Navah Hopkins)

EXTRA CONTENTS

Product Attributes to improve feeds (in Italian) – Massimiliano Contessotto

Sometimes they come back (banners in Demand Gen campaigns) – Dario Zannoni

Nice infographic on Demand Gen – Adriaan Dekker

Help us to choose 2026 Focus Group topics & get 50€OFF + win our iconic Keep Calm and Follow Your ROI T-Shirt. – ADworld Experience

And this week’s lucky winner is… Valentina Peri!!! Yay :-)

Subscribe our YouTube channel to get updates: 
https://youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=adwexp

PS: I HATE “COMMENT-TO-SEE” contents (which are the new black on LinkedIN), but IF YOU LIKE THE PPC NEWS-PARADE AND WANT ME TO KEEP IT OPEN: LIKE IT, COMMENT ON IT OR SHARE IT, or we’ll see it only me, you and my uncle (but I can call him by phone, which is faster! Thaaanks ;-))

May the ROI be with you! And… more peace for everyone!

Original source of Top 10 PPC News-Parade 4/24-1/5/26 is Gianpaolo Lorusso. All rights reserved.

1) How to Create Effective AI Max Text Guidelines
Brad Geddes shared an excellent post on AI Max text guidelines for Google Ads campaigns, which also includes a template prompt for writing ads.
https://adalysis.com/blog/how-to-create-effective-ai-max-text-guidelines/

2) Simulation of How MetaAds Incremental Testing Could Work
Great post by Peter Quadrel, sharing the results of an independent study that achieved comparable results to those of Meta’s internal tool.
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7453388396674179072/

3) Did you know that CTR is calculated differently for shopping and PMax campaigns?
I don’t! Witold Wrodarczyk explains that in Performance Max campaigns the data is deduplicated for multiple SERP placements and therefore appears slightly higher.
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7452320823773687808/

4) If you want to compare Broad with Phrase or Exact, you need to do it right
Andrew Lolk explains that the broad match data in GAds is now inflated with data that should appear for narrower matches
https://savvyrevenue.com/blog/phrase-match-vs-broad-match/

5) Call conversions are now more accurate (in the US and Canada)
Google has launched an AI tool that can determine whether call conversions are truly relevant based not only on duration (currently active only in the US and Canada)
https://searchengineland.com/google-adds-ai-qualified-call-leads-to-improve-measurement-475040 (Anu Adegbola)

6) Cheaper ChatGPTAds, with tracking pixels and Ads Manager
OpenAI is accelerating its efforts to offer self-service AdManager, tracking pixels, cost-per-click (lower than the initial $60 CMP), and is expanding ads to non-logged-in users
https://ppc.live/library/chatgpt/chatgpt-ads-walkthrough/ (overview of main settings – Menachem Ani)
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7452000124773408768/ (Pixel – Juozas) Kaziukenas)
https://digiday.com/marketing/everything-is-coming-down-chatgpt-ads-are-getting-cheaper/ (cheaper clicks – Krystal Scanlon)
https://searchengineland.com/advertisers-test-chatgpt-ads-manager-475114 (Ads Manager – Glenn Gabe & Anu Adegbola)

7) Mini-guide to value rules for audiences in MetaAds
Jon Loomer explains in detail the main settings and when to use them
https://www.jonloomer.com/meta-value-rules-audiences/

8) Automatic products from the site are coming to Catalog Ads
Bram Van der Hallen reports that Meta may now add missing products to Catalog Ads if they are found on the advertiser’s site (as it already does Google)
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7452720376482246657/

9) It’s best to avoid LinkedIn Conversation Ads for now
AJ Wilcox reports that this type of promotion significantly underperforms message ads (probably due to the way they’re displayed).
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7452708282634317826/
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/stop-using-linkedin-conversation-ads-heres-what-use-instead-aj-wilcox-2ubge/

10) Is Asset Studio already a game changer?
Not yet, according to Amy Hebdon (and I agree) due to its several limitations.
https://searchengineland.com/google-ads-asset-studio-game-changer-474709

EXTRA CONTENTS

Digital Ads Benchmark Q1 2026 Recap – Amita Pereira (Karooya)
So long to the AW prefix in Google tags – Arjun Singh
5 Microsoft Ads extensions Google is missing (& how to use them) – Sarah Vlietstra
Microsoft integrates UCP in Merchant Center and releases AI Max – Microsoft
First steps of policy enforcement will be agentic – Ginny Marvin (Google)
Ads Decoded Ep.7 (YouTube Creator Partnership) – Ginny Marvin & Melissa Nikolic

Help us to choose 2026 Focus Group topics & get 50€OFF + win our iconic Keep Calm and Follow Your ROI T-Shirt. – ADworld Experience

And this week’s lucky winner is… Andrea Núñez!!! Yay :-)

Subscribe our YouTube channel to get updates: 
https://youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=adwexp

PS: I HATE “COMMENT-TO-SEE” contents (which are the new black on LinkedIN), but IF YOU LIKE THE PPC NEWS-PARADE AND WANT ME TO KEEP IT OPEN: LIKE IT, COMMENT ON IT OR SHARE IT, or we’ll see it only me, you and my uncle (but I can call him by phone, which is faster! Thaaanks ;-))

May the ROI be with you! And… more peace for everyone!

Original source of Top 10 PPC News-Parade April 17-24, 2026 is Gianpaolo Lorusso. All rights reserved.

1) Meta and Google are neck-and-neck in ad revenue
Emarketer predicts that MetaAds will overtake Google by 2026 (Editor’s note: together they cover more than half of the online advertising market) – Anu Adegbola
https://searchengineland.com/meta-is-on-track-to-overtake-google-in-global-ad-revenue-for-the-first-time-474292

2) GAds Dynamic Search Ads campaigns will be replaced by AI Max in September 2026
Google announces the switch (which will take place during September) and Ameet Khabra reminds us what this means for advertisers
https://blog.google/products/ads-commerce/dsa-upgrade-to-ai-max-2026/
https://ppc.live/library/google/ai-max/dsas-are-done-heres-what-that-actually-means-for-your-account/

3) Big news for Pixel and CAPI in MetaAds
Bram Van der Hallen and Jon Loomer explain Meta’s announcement and some new features already released (instant form, custom audience labels, dataset attributes, etc.)
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7450860336309698560/ (Bram VdHallen – Pixels and CAPI)
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7450860683262500865/ (Bram VdH – instant forms)
https://www.jonloomer.com/one-click-conversions-api-pixel-updates/ (Jon loomer – Pixel/CAPi and other minor updates)

4) How to predict what smart bidding will do
Great post by Andrew Lolk explaining the benefit of understanding exactly how Google’s bidding algorithm will move and how to predict it
https://savvyrevenue.com/blog/read-smart-bidding/

5) Brand splitting and incremental testing
Why, when, and how is it possible to obtain data purified from searches which are likely to convert anyway to complete the ROAS picture?
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7450578962411364354/ (Bianca Bergshoeff – Meta)
https://savvyrevenue.com/blog/split-brand-pmax-framework/ (Andrew Lolk – PMax split)

6) Google “Simplifies” the collection of users’ data in ads
Krista Seiden explains the implications of Google’s decision to allow user data to flow into GAds even if Signals is disabled in GA4
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7450222888328024064/

7) New data on ads in AI Mode
Ashley Fletcher (Adthena) publishes a new infographic on ads displayed in AI Mode
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7450222215641563137/

8) Beware of auto-generated assets and videos in PMax
Tymoteusz Kalicinski reports a case of assets that were spectacularly missed by the algorithm + spending relevant money on them
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7449698067655671808/

9) How Reddit Disrupts Campaign Self-Optimization and the Importance of Offline Conversions
Ameet Khabra explains why additional data is so important when platforms like Reddit are part of the conversion journey
https://searchengineland.com/reddit-ppc-signals-474323

10) New settings for Delivery and Video in Google Product Feeds
Google has officially announced the launch of some additional fields that were tested in recent months (Hana Kobzova and Emmanuel Flossie).
https://ppcnewsfeed.com/ppc-news/2026-04/gmc-product-data-specification-2026-released/

EXTRA CONTENTS

TikTok Ads benchmark for 2026 – Rob Glover (Wordstream)
Remarketing pro-memoria in GAds – Lisa Raehsler
Ads Decoded Ep. 5 (Retail Best Practices) – Ginny Marvin, Firas Yaghi and Nadja Bissinger (Google)
Microsoft Ads Updates for April – Microsoft
Google Marketing Live EMEA (May 21 – 11:00am BST) registration open – Google

Help us to choose 2026 Focus Group topics & get 50€OFF + win our iconic Keep Calm and Follow Your ROI T-Shirt. – ADworld Experience

And this week’s lucky winner is… Tamara Stolic!!! Yay :-)

Subscribe our YouTube channel to get updates: 
https://youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=adwexp

PS: I HATE “COMMENT-TO-SEE” contents (which are the new black on LinkedIN), but IF YOU LIKE THE PPC NEWS-PARADE AND WANT ME TO KEEP IT OPEN: LIKE IT, COMMENT ON IT OR SHARE IT, or we’ll see it only me, you and my uncle (but I can call him by phone, which is faster! Thaaanks ;-))

May the ROI be with you! And… more peace for everyone!

Original source of Top 10 PPC News-Parade April 10-17, 2026 is Gianpaolo Lorusso. All rights reserved.