Google Ads, LinkedIn & YouTube Just Dropped Major Ad Updates

This week: a wave of digital marketing updates is sharpening budget control, expanding creative testing and opening new doors for audience engagement. Google is making Performance Max more transparent with fresh reporting toggles and new targeting options, while YouTube is streamlining how brands promote content directly from Studio. LinkedIn is giving thought leadership a boost through event-based ads, and Meta continues to broaden its creator toolkit.

Key Takeaways

• Google Ads adds budget clarity: The new Share of Cost toggle in PMAX reports gives advertisers a clearer view of how spend is distributed, which helps refine allocation decisions.

• YouTube promotions get simpler: Direct promotion in Studio allows faster amplification of high-performing videos without going through the full Google Ads workflow.

• PMAX targeting sharpens: Gender exclusions reduce wasted impressions on irrelevant audiences, boosting efficiency for brands with gender-specific products.

• Consistency is critical on Instagram: Irregular posting weakens algorithmic reach and posting cadence is as important as content quality.

• AI Max brings balance: Google’s AI Max Beta introduces ad group controls, combining automation with advertiser-driven structure for more strategic campaign design.

• iOS app ads evolve with AI: New formats, bidding options and privacy-friendly measurement tools help sustain app growth in a restricted data environment.

• LinkedIn spotlights people over logos: Thought Leader Event Ads let brands amplify executive or employee voices to build trust and drive attendance.

• Meta expands creator insights: A more robust web dashboard gives marketers centralised access to creative tools and deeper analytics for planning and partnerships.

These changes reflect a wider move toward platforms blending automation with more granular levers for advertisers. For marketers, the opportunity is clear: act early to gain an edge in how budgets stretch, how campaigns are optimised and how your brand shows up in feeds where attention is scarce.

Below, we break down each digital marketing update with the Gurus’ take and practical action plans for turning them into competitive advantage.

#1: Google Ads Adds “Share of Cost” to PMAX Reports

Google Ads has added a new toggle in Performance Max (PMAX) reports called Share of Cost. This feature shows how much of your overall spend is allocated to a specific PMAX campaign. It gives advertisers visibility into how budgets are divided across channels like Search, Display, Shopping and YouTube. Until now, one of the biggest challenges with PMAX was the lack of clarity in spend distribution, which often left marketers questioning why campaigns were draining budget without clear attribution.

By surfacing this view, Google is giving advertisers a new way to connect budget allocation with performance outcomes. Instead of treating PMAX as a black box, Share of Cost lets you see whether spend is concentrated in channels that match your objectives, or if it’s being over-weighted in areas with weaker ROI. While it doesn’t replace core metrics like conversions or ROAS, it creates a valuable benchmark for budget efficiency.

The Gurus’ take on what this means for your brand

This digital marketing update is a step toward solving one of PMAX’s most persistent criticisms: opacity. Share of Cost provides brands with a practical tool to spot inefficiencies and align spend with strategy. If you manage multiple campaigns, you can now confirm whether budget allocation supports business priorities instead of simply trusting Google’s automation.

It’s not full transparency into PMAX’s decision-making, but it does put more control back into the hands of advertisers. For brands that have hesitated to scale PMAX due to uncertainty around spend, this metric helps build confidence by linking budget share with real performance signals.

Your action plan

Here’s how to use the new Share of Cost metric to optimise your PMAX campaigns:

• Run a baseline audit: Switch on Share of Cost across active PMAX campaigns and record spend allocation over a two-week period.
• Compare spend to results: Align Share of Cost data with conversions and ROAS to pinpoint channels where budget isn’t pulling its weight.
• Rebalance signals: Adjust audience signals, creative assets or campaign structure if spend is skewed toward underperforming channels.
• Isolate key products: Move high-priority campaigns into standard formats if Share of Cost shows too much dilution.
• Monitor over time: Track Share of Cost monthly to see how Google’s automation reallocates spend and whether trends align with your objectives.

#2: YouTube Rolls Out Direct Promotion Options in Studio

YouTube has introduced a new feature that allows creators and advertisers to promote videos directly within YouTube Studio. This digital marketing update simplifies the promotion workflow by removing the need to navigate into Google Ads for quick boosts. There’s less friction when testing campaigns and faster turnaround times when amplifying content that’s already performing well.

This streamlined process is particularly useful for brands reacting to trends or time-sensitive topics. Instead of losing momentum during setup, marketers can promote content in just a few clicks while it’s still gaining organic traction. While it doesn’t replace full-scale campaign management in Google Ads, it opens the door for lower-barrier testing and tactical boosts.

The Gurus’ take on what this means for your brand

By embedding promotion tools directly in Studio, YouTube is reducing the lag between organic success and paid amplification. Brands can capture engagement spikes at the right moment, rather than waiting until interest cools. Smaller teams or those with limited paid media resources will especially benefit from this quicker workflow, as it brings campaign management closer to the content creation process.

This digital marketing update also signals YouTube’s intent to make its platform more self-contained by blurring the line between organic and paid strategies. Brands that treat Studio as both a publishing hub and a promotion engine will be best positioned to maximise reach.

Your action plan

To capitalise on YouTube’s new direct promotion option, consider these steps:

• Identify early signals: Track the first 24-48 hours of engagement for new uploads. If a video shows strong watch time or click-throughs, consider promoting it immediately.
• Test lightweight boosts: Use Studio promotions as low-cost experiments to see which creative formats or topics respond well before scaling in Google Ads.
• Align with organic strategy: Prioritise content types that already drive community interaction, such as tutorials or product showcases, and amplify those.
• Measure performance crossover: Compare metrics from direct promotions with traditional campaigns to understand where Studio boosts provide the most lift.
• Create a playbook: Document the thresholds (e.g., view velocity or engagement rate) that trigger when to promote, so your team acts consistently and quickly.

#3: Smarter Targeting: Google Adds Gender Exclusions to PMAX

Google has rolled out gender exclusions within Performance Max campaigns, allowing advertisers to remove specific gender groups from targeting. Previously, PMAX was criticised for casting a wide net, often pushing ads to audiences unlikely to convert. Gender exclusions refine this approach, helping advertisers avoid irrelevant clicks and allocate more spend toward audiences that matter. It’s a subtle shift, but one that increases efficiency and makes PMAX more attractive for brands with clearly defined customer segments.

The Gurus’ take on what this means for your brand

This digital marketing update shows Google’s effort to balance automation with more advertiser-driven controls. Brands with gender-specific products can reduce wasted impressions and higher-quality traffic. Instead of relying on Google’s algorithm, marketers now have a direct lever to steer campaigns toward relevance.

While it won’t transform PMAX into a fully transparent tool, gender exclusions do move it closer to being a campaign type that balances automation with meaningful control. For brands cautious about PMAX due to targeting limitations, this is a step toward reducing risk.

Your action plan

Practical ways to apply gender exclusions in PMAX include:

• Audit your product mix: Identify which products or campaigns would benefit most from gender exclusions (e.g., women’s skincare, men’s footwear).
• Apply exclusions selectively: Don’t apply exclusions across all campaigns by default. Instead, use them where you have clear purchase intent by gender.
• Track efficiency gains: Compare CPA and ROAS before and after exclusions to measure how effectively spend is being reallocated.
• Pair with other signals: Combine gender exclusions with audience signals or first-party data to strengthen campaign targeting further.
• Test for edge cases: Some products may have crossover audiences despite appearing gendered. Run controlled tests before making exclusions permanent.

#4: Head of Instagram Explains Why Irregular Posting Hurts Your Performance

It’s not necessarily a social marketing update but it’s insight matters. Instagram’s Head, Adam Mosseri, recently clarified that irregular posting schedules can reduce reach and engagement. The platform’s algorithm prioritises consistency, as regular posting helps it predict which accounts are reliable sources of content for users. Sporadic publishing, on the other hand, signals lower relevance and can weaken overall performance, even if the content itself is strong.

The Gurus’ take on what this means for your brand

It confirms what many social teams have suspected: consistency is just as important as creativity when it comes to long-term results. Maintaining a regular schedule ensures your brand remains visible in feeds and keeps the algorithm working in your favour. Brands that treat publishing cadence as part of their strategy, not an afterthought, will see stronger reach and steadier engagement over time.

Your action plan

To strengthen your Instagram performance, put these steps in place:

• Set a sustainable cadence: Establish a posting frequency your team can realistically maintain, whether that’s daily, a few times a week or weekly.
• Use scheduling tools: Leverage platforms like Meta Business Suite or third-party schedulers to automate posting and avoid gaps.
• Batch-create content: Produce content in advance so you’re never scrambling for last-minute posts.
• Track the 90-day trend: Monitor reach and engagement over a three-month window to see how consistent posting impacts results.
• Balance quality with consistency: Don’t sacrifice strong creative for the sake of volume. Aim for a rhythm that allows both.

#5: Google Ads Launches AI Max Beta with Ad Group Controls

Google is piloting AI Max Beta, a new campaign type that combines the automation of Performance Max with ad group-level controls. Until now, one of the biggest criticisms of PMAX has been its “all-in-one” structure, which made it difficult for advertisers to segment campaigns by product line, audience or creative theme. With ad group functionality, brands can now separate campaigns into more granular clusters while still benefiting from Google’s AI optimisation.

This AI marketing tool or feature can give marketers a balance between automation and control. Ad groups allow more intentional budget allocation, tighter creative testing and better alignment between ads and audience segments. It represents Google’s acknowledgement that not every advertiser is comfortable handing over full control to the algorithm.

The Gurus’ take on what this means for your brand

Ad group controls make AI Max Beta a potential middle ground between traditional campaigns and PMAX. For the first time, advertisers can layer strategic intent onto Google’s automation. This AI marketing tool allows for structuring campaigns around specific categories, audiences or funnel stages while still tapping into AI-driven bidding and placement.

This shift gives brands more confidence to scale automated campaigns because they can now direct spend toward priorities instead of leaving everything to machine learning. The key opportunity here is for brands to use ad groups to test hypotheses, such as which product categories respond best to automation, while minimising wasted spend on irrelevant segments.

Your action plan

Here’s how to start experimenting with AI Max Beta if you have access:

• Structure by priority: Build ad groups around high-value products, top audience segments or funnel stages for more controlled testing.
• Test creative alignment: Pair ad groups with tailored creative assets to see how different audiences respond to messaging.
• Monitor budget flow: Compare how spend distributes across ad groups versus traditional PMAX campaigns.
• Use insights to scale: Apply learnings from AI Max Beta tests to refine both automated and manual campaign strategies.

#6: Google Ads Enhances iOS App Campaigns with New Formats & AI Tools

Google Ads has expanded its iOS app campaign options, introducing new ad formats, bidding models and AI-powered creative optimisation tools. These help advertisers continue driving installs and engagement despite Apple’s stricter privacy framework. One standout change is the addition of more flexible bidding strategies, which allow marketers to optimise for in-app events rather than only installs.

Alongside new formats, Google has also rolled out AI-driven creative testing for app ads. This AI marketing tool automatically evaluates multiple versions of creative assets and identifies which combinations resonate best with target users. On the measurement side, privacy-safe conversion tracking has been strengthened to give advertisers more reliable insights in an environment where granular user data is increasingly limited.

The Gurus’ take on what this means for your brand

App advertising is adapting in a privacy-first ecosystem. Apple’s restrictions have made attribution more difficult, but Google’s enhancements help recover some clarity by leaning on AI. The new bidding options allow optimisation for actions that represent long-term value, such as subscriptions or purchases, rather than just installs.

Combined with AI-driven creative testing, these tools improve efficiency for campaigns that need to scale quickly. The key message: app advertising is evolving to rely more heavily on automation and probabilistic measurement, and brands that move early will stay ahead of competitors.

Your action plan

To take advantage of Google’s iOS app campaign updates, focus on these tactics:

• Expand bidding strategies: Shift from install-only optimisation to in-app event bidding to target users more likely to deliver lifetime value.
• Leverage AI creative testing: Upload multiple assets (copy, visuals, CTAs) and let Google’s AI identify the best-performing combinations.
• Prioritise privacy-compliant tracking: Use the latest conversion measurement tools to align with Apple’s policies while still gathering performance signals.
• Segment campaign goals: Create separate campaigns for acquisition versus engagement to better measure ROI at different funnel stages.
• Review learning cycles: Allow sufficient time for AI marketing tools to optimise creative and bidding before making major changes to campaigns.

#7: LinkedIn Launches Thought Leader Event Ads to Sponsor User Posts

LinkedIn has introduced Thought Leader Event Ads, which gives brands the ability to sponsor posts from executives, employees or industry experts to promote upcoming events. Unlike standard event ads, this format amplifies individual voices by combining the reach of paid promotion with the authenticity of personal posts. It’s a way for companies to drive registrations while building credibility through people rather than logos.

The digital marketing update reflects LinkedIn’s broader push to centre conversations around expertise and thought leadership. With users increasingly engaging with human-driven content, this ad format allows brands to stand out in crowded feeds by spotlighting individuals associated with their business.

The Gurus’ take on what this means for your brand

This change blends paid reach with organic authenticity. Instead of relying solely on brand accounts, you can now elevate the voices of leaders and subject matter experts to represent your business. B2B marketers can use this as an opportunity to showcase expertise and build stronger event engagement through faces and names that carry credibility. Brands that pair this format with a clear event value proposition will benefit most, turning employees into trusted ambassadors amplified by ad spend.

Your action plan

To get the most out of LinkedIn’s Thought Leader Event Ads, start here:

• Select the right voices: Identify leaders or employees whose perspectives align with your audience and carry influence in your industry.
• Craft value-driven posts: Create sponsored posts that communicate why the event matters, not just the logistics.
• Promote strategically: Use this format for events where authority and trust directly influence attendance, such as industry panels or executive-led webinars.
• Measure beyond registrations: Track engagement quality, including comments, shares and profile visits, to gauge brand perception.
• Integrate with organic strategy: Balance paid amplification with organic content from the same thought leaders to maximise credibility and consistency.

#8: Meta Expands Web Dashboard with New Creator Tools & Insights

Meta has updated its web-based Creator Studio dashboard to add new creative tools, expanded analytics and deeper monetisation insights. This gives creators and brand managers more flexibility. They no longer need to rely exclusively on mobile apps to manage content performance. The social media marketing update is particularly useful for teams working across multiple accounts or campaigns, where centralised desktop-friendly reporting saves time and improves collaboration.

The enhanced dashboard also introduces more detailed breakdowns of audience behaviour and revenue streams. With these insights available in one place, brands can evaluate which content formats (Reels, posts or stories) deliver the strongest engagement and monetisation outcomes.

The Gurus’ take on what this means for your brand

By expanding the web dashboard, Meta is making performance data and creative tools more accessible for marketers managing at scale. It creates a single hub for analysis and planning, reducing friction in workflows and allowing for more data-driven creative decisions. It also improves visibility into how partnerships are performing and where to reinvest.

Your action plan

To make the most of Meta’s expanded Creator Studio dashboard:

• Centralise your workflows: Shift reporting and content planning from mobile to web for better visibility and easier collaboration.
• Compare content types: Use the expanded analytics to identify whether Reels, carousels or stories drive the highest engagement for your audience.
• Optimise partnerships: Track influencer-driven content performance more closely to inform future collaborations.
• Leverage monetisation data: If relevant, evaluate which formats deliver revenue alongside engagement to prioritise profitable content.
• Document performance trends: Build monthly reports using web data to inform long-term strategy and creative planning.

Digital ad platforms are blending automation with control

The updates from Google, YouTube, LinkedIn and Meta show how the industry is evolving: AI is powering optimisation, while advertisers are being handed new levers to guide spend, targeting and creatives. Features like Share of Cost in PMAX, ad group controls in AI Max and direct promotions in YouTube Studio show that platforms are no longer asking brands to choose between automation and oversight. They’re building both into the workflow.

For marketers, the advantage comes from recognising this shift early. The brands that treat these digital marketing updates and AI marketing tools as testing grounds will find efficiencies and performance gains faster than those waiting on best practices to emerge.

Turn platform changes into measurable growth with OMG

Keeping pace with digital marketing updates is only part of the challenge, but applying them effectively is what drives growth. From experimenting with gender exclusions, amplifying thought leadership posts or using new creative insights in Meta’s dashboard, these updates are only valuable if they’re put into practice effectively.

At Online Marketing Gurus, we help brands bridge that gap. Our team monitors every platform shift, evaluates its impact and integrates the right digital and AI-driven tools into campaigns that drive ROI. Get in touch to put the latest platform updates to work for your brand campaigns.

About the Author

Andrew Raso

Andrew Raso, Co-founder and Global CEO of Online Marketing Gurus, has been instrumental in transforming the agency from a start-up into a $15 million global powerhouse. Since co-founding OMG in 2012 with colleague Mez Homayunfard, Andrew has leveraged his deep expertise in SEO and digital marketing to drive OMG’s expansion across Australia, the US, and Singapore.