Google clearly didn’t get the memo about slow summer Fridays.
Five updates dropped, and here’s what actually matters for you.
Pack your bags: Google Ads is expanding its Travel campaign beta to Things to Do and Events.
Sell attractions, tours, or tickets? You can now test the campaign type as a controlled experiment, not a replacement.
Small but shiny: Google is also testing favicons across every link in sponsored sitelinks, not just the main listing.
If the test is successful, sponsored ads will take up even more visual attention on the SERP.
Coming clean: A new “How this ad was made” panel will flag AI-made ads across Search, YouTube, and Discover.
Used AI to build ads outside Google’s tools? You’ll get a control to self-declare it, and in some regions, a label may appear whether you like it or not.
Mark your calendar: On August 17, Smart Bidding changes mean budget-limited campaigns will hug the target you actually set.
Running $20 against a $35 target? Lower it before rollout, or watch efficiency drift.
Last one to watch: Google is also reportedly testing google.com/goto passthrough URLs in results, which could quietly break your tracking and third-party tools.
Phew, that’s a lot right before the weekend, isn’t it?
