Google’s New Ads & Podcast: PPC Trends to Watch
▼ Summary
– OpenAI is testing ads in ChatGPT for the first time, placing relevant, labeled ads at the bottom of responses for free-tier users in the U.S.
– Google launched the “Ads Decoded” podcast, hosted by Ginny Marvin, to provide advertisers with in-depth explanations of platform updates and AI features.
– Google’s Demand Gen campaigns received new features, including Shoppable CTV for direct purchases and attributed brand searches for measuring upper-funnel impact.
– The new Demand Gen features are designed to make video campaigns more actionable and measurable for commerce and travel advertisers.
– This week’s platform updates reflect an adaptation to new user behaviors, such as using AI for research and the need for advertisers to keep pace with changes.
Keeping pace with the rapid evolution of digital advertising requires a keen eye on platform developments. This week brought significant shifts from major players, focusing on how updates are communicated and where advertisements can appear. Google launched a new podcast for advertisers and rolled out key features for Demand Gen campaigns, while OpenAI confirmed it will begin testing ads within ChatGPT. These moves highlight a broader industry trend of adapting to changing user behaviors and marketer needs.
Google has officially introduced “Ads Decoded,” a podcast hosted by Ads Liaison Ginny Marvin. The series aims to move beyond basic announcements, offering deeper dives into the mechanics of new features and AI-powered tools. The first full episode is scheduled for late January 2026. The initiative stems from positive feedback on pilot episodes, which featured product managers explaining elements like AI Max for Search and Performance Max reporting.
This represents a meaningful change in how Google communicates with its advertising community. Rather than relying solely on written documentation, the podcast creates a dedicated, recurring channel for PPC professionals. It allows product experts to clarify technical details and provide practical context that often gets lost in official bulletins. For marketers overwhelmed by the constant stream of updates, this audio format offers a centralized and efficient way to stay informed. Furthermore, it gives Google a direct line to address confusion or feedback in a more timely and conversational manner.
Reaction from the advertising community on platforms like LinkedIn has been overwhelmingly positive. Many professionals expressed enthusiasm, calling the podcast “long awaited.” Questions about how to submit topics for discussion were met with assurances from Marvin that the team would surface queries from the community.
Separately, Google activated several previously announced features for its Demand Gen campaigns, enhancing their utility for commerce and travel advertisers. The newly live capabilities include Shoppable CTV, Attributed Branded Searches, and Travel Feeds.
Shoppable CTV allows viewers to browse and purchase products directly from YouTube ads on connected TV screens, addressing a core challenge in measuring TV ad performance. Attributed Branded Searches help quantify the impact of upper-funnel campaigns by showing how they influence subsequent branded searches on Google and YouTube. Travel Feeds enable dynamic video ads for hotels, pulling in real-time pricing, ratings, and availability from a connected Hotel Center feed.
These updates make Demand Gen a more actionable and measurable option. Shoppable CTV reduces purchase friction, while attributed searches help justify brand-building spend. The dynamic nature of Travel Feeds allows for highly relevant ad creative. Google cited a case where LG Electronics saw a 24% higher conversion rate using Demand Gen compared to paid social campaigns.
Feedback from PPC experts welcomed the features but noted some limitations. One prominent coach pointed out that access to Attributed Branded Searches is currently restricted, available only by request through a Google representative. Others emphasized that the campaign type’s success still fundamentally depends on data quality and proper setup.
In a parallel development, OpenAI confirmed it will start testing advertisements within ChatGPT for users on free tiers. Ads will appear at the bottom of responses only when deemed relevant to the active conversation, will be clearly labeled and dismissible, and will not appear for users under 18 or near sensitive topics. The company stated that conversations will not be shared with advertisers and that ad presence will not influence ChatGPT’s responses.
This introduces a novel advertising environment. The context differs fundamentally from traditional search; a user asking for recipe or travel advice is often in a decision-making mode. The ads are designed to function more like a recommendation engine, relying strictly on conversational relevance rather than user targeting. For advertisers, this framework suggests that future opportunities will hinge entirely on genuine alignment with user intent at a specific moment, as OpenAI has ruled out using conversation history for targeting.
The PPC community’s reaction has been a blend of curiosity and scrutiny. Some professionals are excited about the new potential channel, while others are keen to understand future targeting capabilities and note that early adoption may skew toward B2C applications. One industry analyst observed that Google has not yet introduced ads into its Gemini AI, speculating that the technical integration for a non-intrusive experience remains a significant hurdle.
This week’s announcements collectively demonstrate how platforms are evolving in response to user and marketer behavior. Google is enhancing both education for advertisers and the functionality of its video campaigns. Simultaneously, OpenAI is cautiously exploring how commercial messages can fit into a conversational AI experience. Each adaptation seeks to meet audiences where they already are, whether that’s listening to a podcast, shopping from a TV screen, or asking an AI for advice.
(Source: Search Engine Journal)
