Welcome to this week’s PPC Pulse. The massive information this week facilities on platform evolution: how advertisers get info, the place advertisements present up, and what codecs are gaining traction.
OpenAI introduced it’s testing advertisements inside ChatGPT for the primary time. Google launched a brand new podcast to assist advertisers navigate platform modifications. And Demand Gen added options designed to make video campaigns extra actionable for commerce and journey advertisers.
Right here’s what issues for advertisers and why.
Google Advertisements Launches “Advertisements Decoded” Podcast
Google is formally launching an ad-focused podcast, “Ads Decoded.” It’s aimed toward serving to advertisers higher perceive platform updates and AI-powered options.
Introduced on LinkedIn, Ginny Marvin, Google Advertisements Liaison, will likely be formally internet hosting the podcast. The primary episode launches on Monday, Jan. 26, 2026.
Within the announcement, Marvin acknowledged:
“The response to our pilot episodes proved that there’s a starvation for a unique type of dialog – one which strikes previous the headlines and bulletins and into the mechanics and nuances of how issues truly work.”
All through the podcast sequence, Marvin will usher in Google product managers and platform consultants to debate new options, reply neighborhood questions, and supply their distinctive insights on how updates work in follow.
The unique pilot episode featured product managers discussing AI Max for Search campaigns and Performance Max (PMax) channel performance reporting.
Why This Issues For Advertisers
Google Advertisements has no scarcity of releasing product updates, however this podcast indicators a shift in how these updates are being communicated.
As a substitute of relying solely on weblog posts, assist middle articles, and occasional webinars, Google is making a recurring channel particularly designed with PPC entrepreneurs in thoughts. It’s to higher clarify these options and why they matter.
For advertisers attempting to maintain up with the rate of platform updates, this must be extraordinarily helpful. Product managers have the possibility to elucidate extra technical particulars that don’t all the time make it into official bulletins from Google.
Listening to context immediately from the group constructing these options provides readability that entrepreneurs want.
The podcast additionally offers Google a option to tackle confusion or pushback on updates in actual time, fairly than ready for suggestions to bubble up by assist channels or neighborhood boards.
For advertisers preferring audio codecs or want to remain present on platform updates with out consistently checking a number of sources, “Advertisements Decoded” affords a centralized choice price including to your lineup.
What PPC Professionals Are Saying
The suggestions from advertisers on LinkedIn is all optimistic. Handfuls of entrepreneurs provided their enthusiasm and encouragement to Marvin.
Jonathan Milanes, founding father of Proverve, mentioned that is “lengthy awaited,” and lots of others, together with Tony Adam, founder and CEO of Seen Elements, can’t wait to tune in.”
Ben Luong, director at Copperchunk Ltd, requested:
“Is there a option to ask questions or the place do you get the questions from to reply?”
Marvin replied that entrepreneurs can drop their questions alongside the way in which, and also will attempt to “floor questions and solutions which may be buried.”
Additional studying: 25 Years Of Google Ads: Was It Better Then Or Now?
Demand Gen Provides New Options
Additionally this week, Google introduced a number of new options for Demand Gen campaigns that are actually stay. These had been beforehand previewed capabilities introduced at Google Marketing Live’s 2025 event back in May.
The updates embrace Shoppable CTV, attributed model searches, and journey feeds. The options are designed to assist advertisers attain new clients whereas having the ability to measure their impression extra successfully.
- Shoppable CTV: Customers can now browse and buy merchandise immediately whereas watching YouTube advertisements on linked TV screens. In response to Google’s information, Demand Gen campaigns that embrace TV screens drive a mean of seven% extra conversions on the similar ROI.
- Attributed Branded Searches: This function is now accessible for Demand Gen. It’s meant to indicate the amount of your marketing campaign’s branded searches on Google and/or YouTube to assist quantify the impression of upper-funnel campaigns.
- Journey Feeds: Advertisers can now join their Resort Heart feed in Demand Gen campaigns to construct dynamic video advertisements. The movies can function lodge pricing, scores, and availability.
Google cited LG Electronics for example of Demand Gen’s effectiveness, noting that the corporate achieved a 24% greater conversion fee than its paid social campaigns, whereas reaching high-value clients at a 91% decrease CPA.
Why This Issues For Advertisers
The long-awaited Demand Gen updates make this marketing campaign kind extra actionable for commerce and journey advertisers, particularly those that have been testing this marketing campaign kind however are wanting extra management over artistic and measurement.
Shoppable CTV may help tackle one of many greatest challenges with linked TV promoting: measuring direct response. If viewers can browse and buy with out leaving the display, that removes a layer of friction and makes TV stock extra accountable.
Attributed model searches may help advertisers justify upper-funnel spend by displaying how campaigns influenced search habits, not simply fast last-click conversions. That is particularly essential for groups that must show incremental impression to stakeholders who’re extra accustomed to last-click attribution.
Journey feeds deliver dynamic artistic to video promoting in a manner that mirrors how Procuring campaigns work for retail. As a substitute of generic lodge advertisements that may get misplaced within the noise, advertisers can now floor pricing and availability based mostly on what customers are literally trying to find.
What PPC Professionals Are Saying
Whereas advertisers are enthusiastic about these updates, there was some justified constructive suggestions as nicely.
Jyll Saskin Gales, Google Advertisements Coach at Inside Google Advertisements, responded to Google:
“Please make Attributed Branded Searches extra broadly accessible! It’s by request through Google rep solely proper now, and will probably be such a useful metric to justify elevated YouTube & Demand Gen funding.”
Alexandru Stambari, efficiency advertising and marketing specialist at ASBC Moldova, agreed that that is the suitable path for Demand Gen, however “the true impression of Demand Gen nonetheless closely is dependent upon information high quality, attribution, and feed setup.”
Additional studying: Demand Gen Vs. Lead Gen: What Every CMO Needs To Know
ChatGPT To Start Testing Advertisements In The US
Formally introduced final Friday, OpenAI confirmed it will begin testing ads in ChatGPT for Free and Go tier customers within the coming weeks. This marks the primary time advertisements will seem contained in the ChatGPT expertise.
Advertisements will seem on the backside of responses, solely when there’s a related sponsored services or products tied to the lively dialog. They’ll be clearly labeled, visually separated from natural solutions, and dismissible. Customers can see why a specific advert is proven and switch off advert personalization completely.
OpenAI was additionally specific about the place advertisements gained’t seem:
- No advertisements for customers beneath 18.
- No advertisements close to delicate or regulated matters (like well being, psychological well being, or politics).
In response to the discharge, conversations gained’t be shared with advertisers, and person information gained’t be offered. OpenAI additionally emphasised that promoting gained’t affect ChatGPT’s responses.
Learn our full protection: ChatGPT To Begin Testing Ads In The United States
Why This Issues For Advertisers
For the primary time shortly, we’re watching the beginning of a totally new advert surroundings.
The context of those advertisements is totally totally different in ChatGPT versus somebody looking out on Google or Bing.
For instance, when somebody asks ChatGPT for dinner recipes or journey suggestions, they’re possible in resolution mode versus a easy analysis mode. The question itself is additional down the funnel than most search queries. Usually, they’re searching for an answer they will act on.
If advertisements present up in that second with strict relevance guardrails and 0 skill to affect the reply itself, this resembles one thing extra like a advice engine than a conventional search advert. The intent sign is there, however the shopping for mechanism doesn’t exist but.
Whereas that is one thing advertisers can’t plan for but, what they need to truly take note of is the framework OpenAI is setting.
They’re not opening this as much as everybody. They’re not letting advertisers goal by dialog historical past. They’re explicitly saying advertisements gained’t change solutions. In the event that they follow that, it means the one manner in is thru real relevance to what somebody is already attempting to do.
What PPC Professionals Are Saying
There’s been no scarcity of feedback and opinions from PPC entrepreneurs surrounding this matter.
A mixture of pleasure and scrutiny gave the impression to be the theme of customers’ feedback.
In a extremely lively LinkedIn put up from Adriaan Dekker, co-founder of The PPC Expertise Community, together with 798 likes, 78 reposts, and 51 feedback, a recap of reactions is summarized beneath.
Ofer Miller, efficiency advertising and marketing group lead at TestGorilla, acknowledged:
“That is fascinating, however I’m extra involved in seeing their focusing on strategies and viewers constructing instruments: key phrases? Subjects? Demographics? Additionally I’d argue that it’ll begin extra as a B2C device as the vast majority of corporations and professionals who use GPT (in the event that they’re utilizing it, many are in Claude/Perplexity) can have a paid account, so no B2B relevancy.”
Some practitioners, like Joseph Williams, efficiency lead at ZIGGY, known as this “thrilling instances for paid promoting,” and Alex R., platform & companies director at Vibetrace, appeared excited for “new alternatives to earn cash.”
Aaron Levy, evangelist at Optmyzr, shared his distinctive perspective whereas analyzing the actual fact Google hasn’t introduced advertisements into Gemini but. His opinion is that the tech “simply isn’t there but and advertisements will really feel intrusive.” He continued by saying:
“It might be silly of us to dismiss Google for not being a primary mover, whereas we as advertisers typically lament them releasing merchandise too early.”
Theme Of The Week: Platforms Are Adapting To New Behaviors
This week’s updates present platforms responding to shifts in how folks uncover merchandise and devour info – each for entrepreneurs and shoppers.
Google’s new ad-focused podcast will assist advertisers sustain with platform modifications in a novel manner with extra in-depth info. Demand Gen now has accessible options that make video campaigns extra measurable, however adapts to how shoppers are researching and shopping for. Lastly, ChatGPT is testing whether or not advertisements can exist inside a conversational interface with out breaking belief.
In every case, the platforms are adapting to behaviors which can be already occurring. Individuals are utilizing AI for product analysis. Advertisers are struggling to remain present on platform updates. Video is turning into extra shoppable.
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