On the Radar: New Google Ads Tools Announced at Google Marketing Live 2025
- Josh Husbands
- Jun 16
- 2 min read
At this year’s Google Marketing Live, the tech giant unveiled a suite of powerful updates to Google Ads—many of which are already making waves across the digital marketing landscape. Here’s a breakdown of the key announcements and what they mean for your campaigns.
Performance Max gets smarter and more transparent
One of the most anticipated updates is channel-level performance reporting for Performance Max campaigns. Marketers can now see how ads perform across Google’s various channels—Search, YouTube, Display, and more—enabling sharper optimisation. Additionally, search term reporting is being rolled out, offering the same level of granularity previously reserved for Search and Shopping campaigns.
Another welcome feature is the ability to exclude users who have recently interacted with your brand. This allows advertisers to focus on acquiring new customers by filtering out those who’ve already visited your site, watched your YouTube content, or used your app. This feature is expected to enter beta later this year.
AI Max and Smart Bidding Exploration: The future of Search
Google is doubling down on AI with AI Max for Search campaigns. This new tool enhances targeting and creative performance by expanding keyword reach using broad match and keywordless technology—while still giving advertisers the control they need. Expect this to roll out globally in beta soon.
Meanwhile, Smart Bidding Exploration introduces flexible ROAS targets to help capture additional conversions from previously untapped queries. This feature is already available globally in beta.
Search and video ads evolve with AI
Google is expanding Ads in AI Overviews—placing ads directly within AI-generated search responses. This creates a seamless path from discovery to decision. Also in testing is Ads in AI Mode, which integrates ads into conversational search experiences. Both formats aim to make ads feel like a natural next step in the user journey.
On the creative front, advertisers can now add video assets to Performance Max campaigns across Search, Image Search, and Shopping. Plus, generative AI can automatically reformat videos into all aspect ratios, ensuring your content fits every placement perfectly.
These updates signal a clear direction: AI-powered advertising is no longer optional—it’s essential.
Stay ahead of the curve
At ThinkEngine, we’re already exploring how these tools can elevate our clients’ campaigns. Want to know how they could work for your brand? Get in touch with us today.
