1) Automation is the default — but control is the advantage

AI is running more of the account than ever: bidding, targeting, creative suggestions, placements, even “helpful” assets you didn’t ask for.

What’s working:

• Using automation where it’s strong (scale + efficiency)

• Keeping humans in charge of strategy, guardrails, and brand voice

• Building reliable “inputs” (tracking, audiences, creative, product data)

What to do:

• Treat automation like a high-powered intern: great at volume, needs oversight

• Build a weekly habit of checking search terms, placements, assets, and change history

• Use scripts/alerts (broken URLs, conversion drops, spend spikes) so issues don’t silently cook your budget

2) Performance Max isn’t “set and forget” — it’s “set and supervise”

PMax can perform — but it’s brutally honest: bad signals in, bad results out.

What’s working:

• Strong conversion tracking and clean data

• Clear audience signals (first-party lists, remarketing, qualified segments)

• High-quality creative and structured assets

What’s not working:

• Letting budget flood into one placement type without noticing (often display)

• Blind trust in automatically created assets

What to do:

• Use PMax when you can support it with real conversion signals

• Review channel/placement insights regularly

• Keep your best-controlled campaigns (Search/Shopping) running alongside it for stability

3) Privacy-first targeting isn’t a trend — it’s the new baseline

Third-party data is fading. Consent and first-party data are now performance levers, not admin tasks.

What’s working:

• CRM audiences + Customer Match

• Consent-led measurement setups that don’t fall apart

• Strong landing pages that turn clicks into known users

What to do:

• Build a simple first-party system:

  • capture leads cleanly

  • tag properly

  • segment by intent

• Make sure your tracking is solid (enhanced conversions where relevant, clean event setup)

4) AI is changing the SERP — and your ads need to adapt

AI summaries and AI-influenced placements are shifting how people scan results. Less time. Less patience. More “answer-first” behaviour.

What’s working:

• Short, punchy messaging that lands instantly

• Creative built for skim reading (especially on mobile)

• Strong brand presence that makes users trust the click

What to do:

• Build ad copy that leads with the outcome, not the feature

• Refresh messaging more often (fatigue hits quicker now)

• Track performance changes and don’t assume your old CTR benchmark still means the same thing

5) The creative shift: real beats polished

There’s a growing “too perfect = fake” reaction. Glossy ads can still work, but authentic creative is winning attention.

What’s working:

• UGC-style video (even for brands)

• Creator partnerships as scalable ad assets

• Variation at speed (multiple angles, hooks, and formats)

What to do:

• Build a simple creative pipeline:

  • 3–5 hooks

  • 2–3 offers

  • 2–3 formats (static, short video, UGC-style)

• Test meaningfully different concepts — not tiny wording tweaks

6) Multi-channel isn’t optional anymore

People discover on TikTok, research on Google, validate on Reddit, and convert later. If you only show up in one place, you’ll pay more to force the sale.

What’s working:

• Using each channel for what it’s best at

• Matching KPIs to intent (not everything is last-click purchase)

What to do:

• Map your journey simply:

  • Discovery: TikTok/Meta/YouTube

  • Intent: Search + Shopping

  • Proof: Reddit, reviews, creators

  • Retention: email/SMS/CRM

• Keep messaging consistent, but adapt the format for the platform

7) Measurement is harder — so your reporting needs to be smarter

Last-click alone will lie to you in 2026. Multi-device behaviour and privacy changes mean “perfect attribution” is gone.

What’s working:

• Blended measurement: platform data + analytics + CRM reality

• Better KPIs (not just CPA/ROAS)

What to do:

• Track outcomes that show real business movement:

  • branded search lift

  • lead quality (not just lead volume)

  • assisted conversions

  • pipeline / LTV where possible

• Set expectations with stakeholders: PPC is part of a system, not a vending machine