1. AI in Conversational Search / AI Overviews
Google says: Your ads will appear inside AI-powered summaries and Gemini chat sessions.
Reality check: These placements are experimental, inconsistent, and hard to control. You can’t reliably target them, and reporting is vague at best.
⚠️ Until performance data and targeting options improve, treat this like beta fluff. Don’t spend time or money chasing it.
2. Meridian Scenario Planner
Google says: You can model future budgets and forecast outcomes.
Reality check: SMBs rarely benefit from high-level forecasting tools like this—especially when performance can shift rapidly based on creative, seasonality, or algorithm changes.
⚠️ Most small advertisers are better off using real-time data in Google Ads or GA4 to adjust budgets week to week.
3. “Agentic” AI Advisors
Google says: Their new AI agents will fix issues, make suggestions, and even do the work for you.
Reality check: Trusting Google to self-optimize your ads is like trusting a casino to gamble for you. These tools are unproven, and they still optimize for Google’s best interests, not yours.
⚠️ Use their suggestions as a starting point, but don’t let the system make changes automatically without a human gut-check.
👀 Keep an Eye On (But Don’t Prioritize Yet)
1. Shoppable YouTube CTV + Mobile Mastheads
These sound powerful, but they’re still premium placements that favor big brands. Until costs drop or results improve, most SMBs are better off with core Search and Shopping.
2. YouTube Creator Collaborations via Google Ads
If influencer marketing is already part of your strategy, great—this could streamline it. But if you’re not in that game yet, don’t let Google push you into it just because they built a hub.
3. AI Video Generation / Outpainting / Gemini-powered edits
Yes, this stuff is cool. But Google’s generative creative tools are still rough around the edges, and often produce bland, low-performing content.
If you already have strong visual assets, you’ll get more ROI by optimizing those—not generating low-effort AI filler.
✅ What SMBs Actually Need to Focus On
1. Smart Bidding Exploration
This is huge. It lets Google test broader queries and audiences without wrecking your ROAS. You can unlock conversions you weren’t previously eligible for—especially valuable if your campaign volume has plateaued.
🔧 Test it with controlled budget segments or geo splits.
2. Asset Studio + Creative Quality
You can now generate solid lifestyle images, branded content, and even short videos without hiring a designer or video editor. This democratizes creative quality—and that’s the #1 performance lever across all ad types.
🛠️ Audit your current assets. If they’re outdated, pixelated, or text-heavy, now’s the time to refresh.
3. Search Term & Channel Reporting in Performance Max
Google finally gave advertisers back visibility into how PMax is working. This lets you optimize your creative and decide where your budget is actually going.
📊 Use this to stop guessing and start trimming waste.
4. A/B Testing in Merchant Center
You no longer need to use a third-party app or developer to test your product titles, images, or pricing. This is the easiest win for ecomm SMBs.
🛍️ Set up tests and measure CTR and conversion rate—then roll out winners platform-wide.
5. Incrementality Testing (Now at $5K)
This used to be out of reach. Now it’s a smart way to prove your campaigns are driving brand interest and action. Use it to silence internal skeptics or justify scaling.
🧪 Run one test for your best-performing campaign and compare branded search volume pre- and post-flight.
The Bottom Line for SMBs
Forget the buzzwords and moonshots. Here’s your cheat sheet:
| What Google Wants You to Do | What You Should Actually Do |
|---|---|
| Embrace experimental AI chat ad formats | Focus on Smart Bidding & creative signal quality |
| Let Gemini co-write your campaigns | Run A/B tests and document what works |
| Trust agentic assistants | Audit your data, watch performance closely |
| Bet on premium video placements | Use Asset Studio to improve your product imagery |
| Forecast ad spend with complex models | Spend time where ROI is measurable today |
FAQ: What SMBs Actually Need to Know (Based on What Works)
1. What’s the most important Google Ads update for a small business with limited time and budget?
The Smart Bidding Exploration toggle is your best bet. It helps uncover additional conversions and reach untapped search queries—without needing a full overhaul of your current campaigns.
2. I don’t have a designer. Can I still make good ads?
Yes—Google’s Asset Studio is built for you. It helps you generate lifestyle images and videos based on your existing product data, all inside Google Ads or Merchant Center. No fancy tools or skills required.
3. Is Performance Max finally worth using now?
With channel-level performance and search term reporting, yes—Performance Max is now useful and transparent enough for SMBs to get real value. You can see where your budget goes and make smart optimizations.
4. How can I improve my ecommerce product listings?
Use the new A/B Testing in Merchant Center. You can test product titles, images, and descriptions to see what performs better—then roll out changes that directly improve conversions.
5. What if I want to test whether my ads actually move the needle?
Run an Incrementality Test. Google now allows these starting at $5K, making it realistic for smaller brands to measure campaign impact on brand lift or customer behavior.
6. Should I trust Google’s new AI tools to run my campaigns?
Not blindly. Tools like the Google Ads Expert or Marketing Advisor may offer helpful suggestions, but always review and log any changes they make. Think of them as interns with potential—not senior strategists.
7. What’s one action I should take this week?
Audit your current image and video creative. Then open Asset Studio and try refreshing a few assets with better visuals. Strong creative is the #1 way to boost campaign performance—and now, it’s easier than ever to do in-house.