What’s new in Paid Media: July 2025 industry updates

Welcome to the latest blog from the Impression Paid Media Team, where we uncover the hottest news and trends to help you stay ahead of the curve. 

As we’ve experienced heatwave after heatwave this Summer, the digital marketing landscape has also been heating up. With the growing influence of AI and a multitude of platform updates, let’s dive into July’s paid media news and what these changes mean for you.

Read on to find out about…

Google Ads Editor 2.10 update is here

Google Ads editor 2.10 released early July, with new features to streamline ad creation, refine targeting, and utilise AI. Let’s outline what’s changed: 

Greater Targeting Controls

• Exclude negative keywords at the campaign level in PMax
• Opt out of targeting specific device types on PMax, e.g. tablets by assigning a -100% bid adjustment 
• Target users by specific OS’ in desktop targeting

Video upgrades

• 9:16 are now supported for Demand Gen on Ads Editor
• Vertical videos can now be generated in video reach campaigns
• Demand Gen video landing page previews are now available to be viewed within the ads in platform

AI Enhancements

• AI Max for Search
  • Enables smarter keyword matching that can be toggled on and off
  • Final URL expansion now available on search as well as PMax
  • New ad-group level controls: location targets, brand lists, & search term matching
  • Feature validation: ensures the above is only available when AI Max is turned on
• Performance builder for PMax – AI generated assets available during campaign creation
• Search theme incrementality column in search themes view

Bulk Editing Features

• Partial download for extensions – quicken downloads by only syncing those you need
• Export CVS/Sheets with ad preview URLs before publishing]
• Expanded ad previews – more ad types have been added, including Demand Gen and Demand Gen video ads

Optimising features

• New link checker tool available
• Set CPC targets for Demand Gen at the campaign and ad-group level
• Optimise for reengagement with Customer Retention Goals in PMax
• Access Google’s Deep Link Impact Calculator
• Option to add recommended App Conversion Goals as account level default 

• Barcodes and QR codes are now supported in promotions
• Set individual lead form questions as options, for more flexibility

What does this mean for you?

This large update allows advertisers more opportunities to make enhanced bulk changes to their campaigns without needing to go into the web platform, streamlining workflows and making it easier to scale and optimise large accounts fast.

Google Shopping Market Trends: 3 major retailers pull back

An analysis of Q2 marketing trends has revealed changes in Google’s Shopping auction that influenced shifts in PPC strategy for retail brands. Tinuiti’s Digital Ads Benchmark Report found that overall, Q2 saw Google Shopping clicks surged by 18%, up from a 9% rise in Q1. This coincides with Temu retreating from the shopping auction in April and Shien pausing for a period in the same month, following steep US tariffs. Amazon also reduced their shopping presence on Google in late May, seeing their sharpest drop in impression share seen since March 2020. We’ve also seen advertisers lean more into PMax and Microsoft become a more cost-effective PPC channel in Q2.

What does this mean for you?

Due to the reduced competition in the auction, opportunities for brands who saw these retailers as competitors have opened up. Amazon seems to have retreated from the auction again in late July, after the report was published, creating further opportunities for advertisers to grow traffic with reduced CPCs. Keep an eye on the shifts occurring in the competitive shopping landscape to ensure you don’t miss out.

Updates to Demand Gen campaigns

Google has rolled out a number of updates to Demand Gen over July. Let’s review…

Gmail ecommerce ads in promotions tab

• E-commerce ads showcasing a product listing are now being seen in the promotions tab in Gmail. When clicked, these expand into a shipping ad with multiple side-by-side products displayed, similar to a shopping carousel. 

What does this mean for you?

• The promotion tab changes in Gmail point towards a shift towards Google favouring ecommerce placements in their ecosystem, allowing retail brands to focus on product visibility over text-based ads. 

Campaign changes available to be changed in Gmail via recommendations

• A new button has been spotted on Gmail allowing advertisers to implement recommendations with one click, without logging into Google Ads. 

What does this mean for you?

• Gmail’s new one-click recommendations in platform allows access for quick and easy optimisations, but this increases the risk of accidentally enabling changes that don’t align with your specific campaign goals. Advertisers have expressed worry and discontent about the lack of control auto-recommendations that are applied this easily may lead to.

Image posted by Jyll Saskin Gales on LinkedIn

Youtube follow-on views now available in Demand Gen

• After setting Youtube engagements as a conversion goal, you can optimise for follow-on views by setting it as a primary action, which will prioritise finding users who are more likely to watch the original content on your channel after viewing your ad.

What does this mean for you?

• If one of your campaign goals is to drive traffic to the brand’s original content on Youtube, ensure you enable this conversion goal!

Image from  ‘YouTube follow-on views optimization now available in Demand Gen campaigns’ on Google Ads Help

Auto-upgrades from Video Action Campaigns to Demand Gen

• In April Goggle started phasing out VAC’s, not allowing advertisers to create new campaigns, and in July any remaining VAC’s are being upgraded to Demand Gen.

What does this mean for you?

• Demand Gen offers a wider range of formats across not only Youtube but also Gmail and Discover, with the ability to toggle placements on and off for targeted reach. This switch reflects a shift in how users shop today, favouring omni-channel browsing and discovery-based engagement.

Branded Search: A new conversion metric

Google is adding a new way to measure the impact of top-of-funnel ads by adding a new conversion metric, currently in beta. The branded searches conversion type allows you to track users who have seen your ad and then later go on to search your brand on Google or Youtube. This has a 30-day attribution window and tracks searches after seeing an ad from a Youtube, PMax (Youtube, Discover, Gmail) or Demand Gen (Youtube, Discover feed, Gmail) campaign.

Branded Searches will be set as primary conversion to track, however, they are not yet able to be used in bidding optimization, only in reporting. Note that Branded Searches will be able to be viewed when segmenting the All conv. column, not the Conversions column. 

What does this mean for you?

The ability to track brand-lift from upper funnel campaign types like Demand Gen has been long awaited; this conversion type gives PPC advertisers a new lens to analyse brand awareness. However, we will have to wait for the ability to optimise TOF campaigns towards this new conversion action.

New localised forecasting in Keyword Planner

Google Ads have upgraded their Keyword Planner to include enhanced forecasting tools that break down keyword volumes by location type (city, state, region and DMA) and device type (mobile, desktop and tablet). While this has not yet been formally announced, the new interface was spotted by Amiya Prakash, PPC specialist at CausalFunnel, who shared a screenshot on LinkedIn. This update seems to be still rolling out and might not yet be available in the EU.

What does this mean for you?

More granular forecasting options in the keyword planner allows advertisers to accurately utilise localised targeting, especially if they are aiming to target specific locations or user contexts. Knowing which keywords are likely to get traffic in specific locations or on specific device types allows for more precise forecasting, as high-performing geographic areas can be accurately identified before setting the ads live, allowing campaigns to be more effectively split by area and budgets accurately allocated, increasing your campaign’s efficiency. 

Google proposes changes to SERP in efforts to avoid antitrust fine

In March, Google was accused by the EU of promoting and favouring its own services, like Google Shopping, Google Hotels, Google Flights etc., over third party search engines, like Skyscanner and Booking.com. As this is noncompliant with the EU’s Digital Marketers Act, in an effort to avoid an antitrust fine of up to 10% of their global annual revenue, Google has proposed some changes to the search results page. 

• In late June Google proposed introducing a vertical search service (VSS) box at the top of the SERP, designed to link specialised search engines, both third party and its own, and to hotels, airlines, restaurants and transport services.
• In July, Google proposed adding an additional box, whenever a VSS is shown, that contains free links to direct suppliers. This is meant to give visibility to direct suppliers without labelling the box they are in as a Google service.

What does this mean for you?

Changes to the SERP can directly impact ad performance, brand value, and traffic flow. Advertisers should pay close attention to shifts in Google’s dominance in the search page; if Google is giving its competitors more space and visibility, it could affect user behaviour. The dispute is currently unresolved, so look out for further possible changes to the search engine results page.

Advertising opportunities in Whatsapp’s Updates tab

Towards the end of June Whatsapp announced three major updates to its Updates Tab, adding ads, discovery tools, and subscriptions:

• Promoted Channels: admins can now boost visibility on sponsored channels in their Updates directory, making discovery easier for users
• Paid Channel Subscription: users can subscribe to creators and brands for a monthly fee to receive exclusive updates and communications
• Ads in Status: businesses can showcase products and promotions and allow users to start conversations

What does this mean for you?

The Updates tab in WhatsApp represents a large, untapped audience; it is used by 1.5 billion people according to Meta and is becoming a hub for creators and brands. This provides advertisers the opportunity to promote businesses, run status ads, and have conversations with high intent customers in a space consumers already use, increasing opportunities for brand awareness. By confining ads to the updates tab, WhatsApp retains its ability to be used  only as a private messenger platform, without the intrusion of ads, but also opens up a space for creator and commercial activity.

Among concerns about privacy, Meta has assured that personal messages, calls, and groups remain encrypted and will not be used to collect data for ads. Ads personalisation will instead rely on wider data such as the users’ city, language, and channel engagement. This marks WhatsApp becoming a space for paid media without encroaching on existing audiences’ privacy or day-to-day experience.

Meta announces Advantage+ Gen AI features to enhance creative

Meta have announced a set of new suite of genAI tools for Advantage+ to help advertisers  enhance their creative. These updates are as follows:

• Logos, brand colours, and fonts are now applied across creative assets automatically, ensuring consistent branding
• AI video generation: turns images into videos by adding animations, text overlays and music – this is still in testing
• Video highlights: pulls key scenes and phrases from videos to highlight product benefits
• Creative sticker CTA buttons: advertisers can create customised stickers of products, slogans and graphics with CTAs. This will start exclusively on Facebook reels and stories, and be rolled out to Instagram later in the year.
• Business AI’s new features: AI generated prompts, FAQ buttons for ads, new voice features, & new placements on stories and reels in the US

What does this mean for you?

Meta reports that advertisers that use Advantage+ already see a 22% boost to ROI, and says that using new and innovative AI features will help drive performance even further. These features will also help reduce the time and resources needed to create videos for your ads, as well as refreshing your ads to avoid creative fatigue.

Make sure that any Meta AI enhancements you implement align with your brand guidelines and fit your campaign goals.

Reddit Ads integration into GA4

Google Analytics is adding Reddit integration, allowing advertisers to import cost data into the platform. This means that GA4 can automatically track paid traffic, impressions, and cost from Reddit Ads. 

What does this mean for you?

Cost data being directly integrated into GA4 provides easy access and more visibility into Reddit Ads performance. It allows unified reporting across other platforms, streaming data collection, comparisons, and analysis. 

For guidance on how to import cost data from Reddit Ads, see Google’s supporting article. 

Look out for our August edition of “What’s New in Paid Media” for a monthly round-up of industry updates to inspire your PPC, Paid Social, and Programmatic strategy. If you want to talk about your business’ aspirations, get in touch!