Google’s John Mueller recently answered a question about phantom noindex errors reported in Google Search Console. Mueller asserted that these reports may be real. Noindex In Google Search Console A noindex robots directive is one of the few commands that Google must obey, one of the few ways that a site owner can exercise control […]
Most of the health advice summarized in Google’s AI Overviews relies on non-medical sources, a new analysis shows. This follows fresh concerns about users receiving misleading or unsafe guidance on sensitive health topics. What’s happening. The Guardian recently reported that Google’s AI Overviews sometimes surface incorrect or dangerous health advice. The reporting drew on reviews […]
On episode 337 of PPC Live The Podcast, I speak to Amy Hebdon, an international paid search expert and founder of Paid Search Magic. The show focuses on the real stories behind paid media work, including mistakes, surprises, and lessons learned, rather than just tactical advice. Amy’s breadth of experience spans multiple industries and digital marketing […]
Spending on Google search ads rose 13% year over year in Q4 2025, up from 10% in Q3, based on Tinuiti’s latest benchmark report. Click growth for advertisers hit its strongest rate since early 2021, while average CPCs declined slightly for the second consecutive quarter. AI-driven results continue to expand overall query volume, including commercial […]
Just today, OpenAI confirmed it will begin testing advertising in the United States for ChatGPT Free and ChatGPT Go users in the coming weeks, marking the first time ads will appear inside the ChatGPT experience. The test coincides with the U.S. launch of ChatGPT Go, a low-cost subscription tier priced at $8 per month that […]
OpenAI will start testing ads in ChatGPT in the U.S. in the coming weeks. The ads will appear at the bottom of responses, be clearly labeled, and only show when a sponsored product or service is relevant to the conversation. Who will see ads: Logged-in adult users on the free tier and users on ChatGPT […]
Google Ads is running a limited test that allows some advertisers to A/B test different product titles and images within Shopping Ads. The feature appears as “product data experiments” and promises results within three to four weeks. Who gets it. The test is currently live for a small number of merchants, according to Google Ads […]
Google Ads simplified access to Manual CPC during campaign setup. Instead of navigating through the “Select a bid strategy directly (not recommended)” option, advertisers now see “Manually set bids” directly under the Conversions goal. The change: Manual CPC is surfaced within Google’s primary bidding flow. Advertisers no longer need to bypass Google’s recommended strategies to […]
Over the last 12-18 months, the rhetoric across Search Engine Land has shifted. There’s now broad agreement that people don’t just “Google” to discover brands anymore. Audiences are finding brands on TikTok, researching on Reddit, watching YouTube, and increasingly asking AI to summarize everything for them – determining whether a brand is found or ignored. […]
Welcome to this week’s PPC Pulse. This week’s news centers around quite a few Google updates. Google rolled out campaign total budgets in open beta, introduced a new Direct Offers pilot inside AI Mode, and confirmed several Shopping promotion policy updates taking effect in early 2026. The updates affect how advertisers manage fixed promotional spend, […]