On this week’s PPC Pulse: updates embrace a list growth for Apple Advertisements, and Google confirms that Actual match key phrases should not eligible to serve for Advertisements in AI Overviews.
Apple introduced extra advert placements coming to App Retailer search ends in early 2026.
Google confirmed that actual match key phrases can’t serve in AI Overviews, even when similar broad match key phrases exist in an account.
Each updates reinforce an ongoing shift. Search stock is rising throughout new surfaces, however the degree of management advertisers as soon as relied on is altering.
Learn on for extra particulars and why they matter for advertisers.
Apple Search Advertisements Will Add New Search Placements In 2026
Apple formally introduced that it’s going to introduce additional ads within App Store Search Results beginning in 2026. At the moment, advertisers can seem solely within the high place. Starting subsequent yr, advertisements may even present additional down the outcomes web page throughout extra queries, increasing complete accessible stock.
In its e-mail announcement, Apple shared a number of supporting knowledge factors in its announcement:
- Almost 65% of App Retailer downloads happen instantly after a search.
- The App Retailer sees 800 million weekly visitors.
- Greater than 85% of tourists obtain at the very least one app throughout their go to.
- Present Search Outcomes advertisements see 60% or increased conversion charges on the high of outcomes.
Per the announcement, advertisers won’t want to regulate campaigns to qualify for the brand new placements. Apple famous that advertisements will probably be robotically eligible and can’t be focused or bid individually by place. The format and billing mannequin will stay the identical.
Increasing On An Already Huge 12 months For Apple
Apple has constantly rolled out upgrades and expansions all through 2025, together with:
- Custom Product Page expansion (March 2025): Apple expanded testing capabilities by permitting extra CPP variants tied to particular key phrases, bettering message alignment.
- Reporting enhancements (June 2025): Apple launched clearer diagnostics round impression share, key phrase efficiency, and CPP affect. These updates made it simpler to determine friction factors in search campaigns.
- Artistic refinements for Today Tab and Search Tab (August 2025): Apple improved visible consistency and added assist for higher-funnel experimentation, hinting at broader growth throughout App Retailer surfaces.
These updates all level towards a extra sturdy Apple Advertisements advertising and marketing platform, making the 2026 stock growth really feel like a pure development.
Why This Issues For Advertisers
Extra placements sign increased attain, but additionally extra variability. High-position efficiency is unlikely to vary, however extra placements might deliver new site visitors patterns as extra customers scroll previous the primary consequence.
Advertisers ought to count on incremental installs paired with barely wider efficiency swings.
This additionally implies that metadata, product web page high quality, and CPP technique will affect efficiency greater than earlier than, since each placement will depend on the identical inventive basis.
Learn Extra: An In-Depth Guide To Apple Search Ads
Google Confirms Actual Match Key phrases Not Eligible For AI Overviews
A number of questions got here in to Google Advertisements Liaison, Ginny Marvin, this week on X (Twitter) concerning the eligibility of actual match key phrases for advertisements in AI Overviews.
Marvin confirmed via a thread on X (Twitter) that actual match advertisements are not eligible to serve advertisements inside Google’s AI Overviews. This clarification explains a sample many advertisers have seen over the past yr. Even when an account accommodates the identical question in each actual and broad match, solely broad match can enter AI Overview auctions.
The replace circulated rapidly after Arpan Banerjee shared it on LinkedIn, giving the subject extra visibility amongst PPC practitioners.
This implies advertisers might even see broad match triggering queries that they assumed can be dealt with by actual match. It additionally means AI Overview impressions are routed by means of a distinct layer of Google’s system with its personal eligibility guidelines. Since Google doesn’t present separate AI Overview reporting, adjustments in efficiency is probably not clearly attributed to this shift.
Why This Issues For Advertisers
This replace makes it clear that match sorts don’t function the identical approach inside AI-driven surfaces.
The long-standing assumption that actual match gives clear, remoted protection doesn’t apply inside AI Overviews. Broad match turns into the one entry level, which might affect spend allocation, marketing campaign construction, question mapping, and efficiency diagnostics.
Advertisers ought to count on shifts in question distribution on phrases the place they rely closely on actual match management.
Learn Extra: AI-Enhanced Keyword Selection In PPC
This Week’s Theme: Search Management Appears to be like Totally different Than It Used To
Each updates spotlight the same sample. Platforms are increasing search stock, however advertisers have much less management over how placements are allotted.
Apple is opening new advert positions with out letting advertisers bid individually for them. Google is routing some search protection by means of AI Overviews, the place actual match doesn’t take part. In each instances, the legacy construction of “key phrase plus bid plus placement” is giving option to a extra interpretive system.
This doesn’t imply advertisers lose affect. It means affect shifts to metadata high quality, inventive alignment, first-party knowledge, and sensible segmentation. Each updates remind advertisers to remain versatile as a result of new surfaces will proceed to emerge.
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