The New Rules of Google Ads: How to Win in 2026

Google Ads released over 100 new features in the last year, but do you know which ones actually matter for your business? In episode 101 of the Inside Google Ads podcast, host Jyll Saskin Gales reveals the most impactful changes from the past year so you can build a winning Google Ads strategy for 2026 and beyond.

While Google loves to promote its shiny new AI tools, the reality is that Search remains the bread and butter for most advertisers. Jyll will discuss why you need to nail your foundation in Search and Shopping before expanding into other formats. She'll also do a deep dive into the major evolution of Performance Max, which has finally shed its "black box" reputation, and why she's incredibly bullish on Demand Gen for both lead generation and ecommerce. Plus, Jyll shares her honest, unfiltered thoughts on the new "agentic" AI Advisors and why you should treat them with extreme caution.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why you should keep Search Partners turned off for Search and Shopping campaigns.
• The specific Merchant Center updates that matter more than Google Ads tweaks.
• How to bid correctly when starting out with Demand Gen.
• The massive reporting improvements that make Performance Max easier to manage.
• Why the new Ads Advisor and Analytics Advisor tools aren't ready to run your account yet.

and more. Do you have a question for Jyll? Drop a comment on Spotify, YouTube, or any of her social media posts, and she'll answer it for you in an upcoming episode.

You can get Inside Google Ads episode transcripts delivered to your inbox each week by signing up for free at https://free.jyll.ca/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=episode101
 
Google Ads Coaching
Need some expert help with your Google Ads strategy or optimizing your campaigns? Book a call with Jyll! Learn more at https://jyll.ca/pages/google-ads-coach?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=episode101

Inside Google Ads course
Join more than 400+ Google Ads practitioners in Jyll's Inside Google Ads membership course. You'll find up-to-date Google Ads tutorials, and you can ask Jyll your questions at an exclusive live video call every single month. Learn more at https://learn.jyll.ca/iga?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=episode101

Resources mentioned in this episode
Inside Google Ads episode 70: Demand Gen for lead generation https://jyll.ca/insidegoogleads/70?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=episode101

Melissa Mackey on PPC Zone: Using YouTube to boost B2B paid search performance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kIzGt8FCMw

Google Ads Advisor: Awesome or Awful? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBEmKqpFMdk

PPC Zone podcast: https://ppc.zone?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=episode101

Read more about this topic on Jyll's Google Ads Blog

• What are Attributed Branded Searches conversions in Google Ads? https://learn.jyll.ca/blog/what-are-attributed-brand-searches-in-google-ads?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=episode101
• Google Ads Performance Max: Is it worth it? https://learn.jyll.ca/blog/google-ads-performance-max-is-it-worth-it?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=episode101
• PMax vs. Demand Gen: Which is Right for Your B2B Google Ads Strategy? https://learn.jyll.ca/blog/pmax-vs-demand-gen-which-is-right-for-your-b2b-google-ads-strategy?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=episode101

Follow Jyll on social media
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