Google Ads & LinkedIn Updates: What Marketers Need to Know
Staying ahead in digital marketing means adapting to new features and updates. From Google Ads’ expanded Asset Testing and negative keyword limits to LinkedIn’s AI-powered Predictive Audiences, this week’s updates can help businesses optimize ad performance, refine targeting, and stay competitive.
Google Introduces Asset Testing for Performance Max Campaigns to Measure Creative Impact
Understanding which creative assets drive the best performance is crucial for campaign success. Google’s new Asset Testing feature allows advertisers to experiment with creative changes in Performance Max campaigns, comparing a control group (feed-only) to a treatment group (feed plus additional assets). This helps advertisers optimize ad performance quickly, reducing the guesswork in asset selection.
Google’s Asset Testing provides insights into how creative elements impact conversion rates, audience engagement, and overall campaign efficiency. The feature can be accessed through Google Ads’ Experiments section, where advertisers can set up and analyze results via the Experiment Report. https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/16030588
Google Ads Raises Negative Keyword Limit for PMax Campaigns from 100 to 10,000
Negative keywords help advertisers control where their ads appear, improving targeting efficiency. Previously, Performance Max campaigns had a restrictive limit of 100 negative keywords. Google has now increased this to 10,000, giving advertisers greater control over where their ads are displayed.
This update allows businesses to refine their targeting, ensuring ads reach the most relevant audiences while avoiding irrelevant placements. The higher limit aligns PMax campaigns with Search campaigns, providing more flexibility in audience exclusion strategies. Further refinements to negative keyword support in PMax are expected later this year. https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/15726455
LinkedIn Enhances Ad Targeting with New Predictive Audiences Feature
With only 5% of potential buyers actively in-market, reaching the right audience at the right time is critical for B2B marketers. LinkedIn’s Predictive Audiences feature leverages AI and LinkedIn’s first-party data to identify high-intent users, reducing cost-per-lead by up to 48% for early adopters.
Predictive Audiences automates audience selection, improving campaign efficiency and maximizing ROI. Businesses can create Predictive Audiences in LinkedIn Campaign Manager by selecting data sources such as contact lists, company lists, and conversion events. This feature is now available globally. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/use-ai-reach-audiences-most-likely-take-action-predictive-updjf/
Google News Announces Full Transition to Automated Publication Pages
Starting in March 2024, Google News will fully transition to automatically generated publication pages, removing manually created pages and customization options in the Publisher Center. While content eligibility remains unchanged, custom sections will be eliminated, and site favicons will replace manually uploaded logos.
This shift simplifies workflows for publishers, ensuring consistency in how news sources appear across Google’s ecosystem. Publishers should ensure their site information is up to date, as publication titles and logos will be derived from Google Search data. https://support.google.com/news/publisher-center/answer/15898024?utm_source=swipeinsight.app&utm_medium=referral
Google Launches First Search Core Update of 2025
Google has released the March 2025 core update, the first major algorithm change of the year. Expected to take two weeks to roll out, this update aims to enhance search result relevance and prioritize high-quality content from creators.
SEO professionals should closely monitor website analytics for fluctuations in rankings and traffic. Google will confirm the update’s full rollout on its official ranking release history page. https://status.search.google.com/incidents/zpmwuSwifjDjfrVdaZUx
Google Tag Manager Containers to Automatically Load Google Tag Starting April 2025
Starting April 10, 2025, Google Tag Manager (GTM) containers will automatically load a Google tag before sending events. This change aims to improve tracking accuracy, enhance measurement data volume, and streamline ad performance tracking.
Marketers should prepare by adding the Google tag to GTM containers and testing the impact of the update. This enhancement ensures better tracking consistency and access to advanced measurement features. https://support.google.com/tagmanager/answer/12131703#Data
Which of these updates will have the biggest impact on your business? Let’s discuss.
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