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Yesterday — 9 March 2026Main stream

Google Ads adds AI voice-over to Performance Max video ads

9 March 2026 at 21:34

Google Ads is set to enhance the viewer experience of Performance Max video ads with an innovative asset optimization feature. Leveraging advanced AI voice models, this update aims to infuse video ads with realistic voice-overs, ultimately enhancing user engagement and ad performance.

Why we care. Advertisers who don’t actively opt out by March 20, will have their video ads automatically enhanced with Google’s AI voice models, changing how their ads sound to viewers without requiring any creative production work.

How it works.

  • The feature only activates on videos that don’t already contain a voice track
  • Google’s AI selects text from advertiser-provided headlines and descriptions, then generates a realistic voice-over from that copy
  • The voice-over is layered onto the existing base video and saved as a new video asset

The catch. This is opt-out, not opt-in. The default setting means ads will be automatically eligible for voice enhancement unless advertisers proactively disable it.

Key dates. Advertisers can choose to exclude their ads from this feature until March 20th. To do so, they must opt out of the video enhancement control. After the opt-out period, all ads with video enhancement control enabled will automatically be eligible for voice-enhanced versions.

Action steps for advertisers. Advertisers can adjust their video settings by visiting their ads in Google Ads.

First seen. This update was shared by Paid Search expert Arpan Banerjee who shared the update on LinkedIn.

OpenAI updates privacy policy as ads expand in ChatGPT

9 March 2026 at 21:00
How to get cited by ChatGPT: The content traits LLMs quote most

OpenAI is updating its privacy policy with new details on ads, data usage and upcoming features across its products, including ChatGPT.

The update was shared with ChatGPT users and outlines how advertising will work inside ChatGPT — and what data advertisers can and cannot access.

Why we care. OpenAI’s update makes it clear that user privacy is a top priority: personal chats, histories, and details are never shared with advertisers. Ads can still be personalized using anonymized engagement signals, meaning brands can reach relevant audiences without compromising sensitive data.

This approach lets advertisers measure performance safely while building trust with users in a privacy-conscious environment.

Ads in ChatGPT Ads may appear for users on Free and Go plans, while paid tiers — Plus, Pro, Enterprise, Business and Education — will remain ad-free. OpenAI says ads will always be clearly labeled as sponsored and visually separated from chatbot responses.

The company also stresses that advertising will not influence answers generated by ChatGPT.

How ad targeting works. OpenAI says ads may be personalized using signals that stay within ChatGPT, such as ad interactions or the context of a user’s chat. However, the company says advertisers will not have access to conversations, chat history, personal details or user memories.

Instead, advertisers will only receive aggregated performance metrics such as total views or clicks.

Other privacy updates The revised policy also introduces optional contact syncing to help users find friends who use OpenAI services. Users can choose whether or not to enable this feature.

OpenAI also added new transparency around how long data is stored, how it is processed and what controls users have over it.

Safety and product changes. The policy update also references new tools and safeguards, including age prediction systems designed to create safer experiences for teens. OpenAI also added documentation for newer features and projects such as Atlas, Sora 2 and parental controls for teen accounts.

Bottom line. As OpenAI expands advertising in ChatGPT, the company is emphasizing strict boundaries around user privacy — promising advertisers performance insights without access to personal conversations or user data.

First seen. This update was first shared by Paid Media expert Arpan Banerjee who shared tips on this message on LinkedIn.

Google Marketing Live 2026 set for May 20

9 March 2026 at 20:40

Google has confirmed that Google Marketing Live 2026 will take place on May 20, when the company is expected to unveil its latest updates across advertising, AI, measurement and campaign automation.

The date surfaced in an email received by PPC News Feed owner Hana Kobzová from the Accelerate with Google program, which invited participants to submit entries for the Google Ads Impact Awards.

  • According to the message, winners of the awards will be announced during Google Marketing Live 2026.

Why we care. The annual event has become one of the biggest announcement days for advertisers using Google Ads. Google Marketing Live is where Google typically announces its biggest changes to Google Ads — including new AI features, campaign types and measurement tools that can directly impact how campaigns are built and optimized.

Many of Google’s most significant advertising updates each year are first revealed at this event, meaning it often shows where the platform — and advertisers’ strategies — are heading next.

The bigger picture. The event will land during the same window as Google I/O 2026, scheduled for May 19–20. While I/O focuses on Google’s broader ecosystem — including AI, Search and developer technologies — announcements there often influence the direction of advertising products.

What to watch. Expect updates tied to AI-driven advertising, automation and new ways to measure performance across Google’s platforms. For marketers, the event often sets the tone for where Google’s ad strategy is heading for the rest of the year.

First spotted. Kobzová shared the update on PPC News Feed

Dig deeper. Google Marketing Live 2025.

Before yesterdayMain stream

The latest jobs in search marketing

6 March 2026 at 23:53
Search marketing jobs

Looking to take the next step in your search marketing career?

Below, you will find the latest SEO, PPC, and digital marketing jobs at brands and agencies. We also include positions from previous weeks that are still open.

Newest SEO Jobs

(Provided to Search Engine Land by SEOjobs.com)

  • Job Description Crusoe is on a mission to accelerate the abundance of energy and intelligence. As the only vertically integrated AI infrastructure company built from the ground up, we own and operate each layer of the stack — from electrons to tokens — to power the world’s most ambitious AI workloads. When you join Crusoe, […]
  • Job Description Direct Agents is on the search for an SEO Analyst in our NYC office, who will assess and develop SEO strategy for a variety of mid to large-sized clients, and act as SEO expert for both internal and external teams. Who We Are Direct Agents is not a traditional agency. We are an […]
  • At NerdWallet, we’re on a mission to bring clarity to all of life’s financial decisions and every great mission needs a team of exceptional Nerds. We’ve built an inclusive, flexible, and candid culture where you’re empowered to grow, take smart risks, and be unapologetically yourself (cape optional). Whether remote or in-office, we support how you […]
  • About J&Y Law J&Y Law is a leading California plaintiff’s personal injury and elder abuse law firm headquartered in Los Angeles with multiple offices statewide. We are dedicated to protecting the rights of those injured through negligence and delivering the highest quality legal representation and client service. Our culture emphasizes Client Service, Quality Work Product, […]
  • Job Description Content Marketing Manager Location: El Segundo, California, USA (HQ) Reports To: Director of Marketing Role Type: Full-Time, On-Site Compensation: $75,000-$90,000 annually About QuikStor QuikStor is the leading SaaS facility management platform for the self-storage industry, delivering a purpose-built, scalable system that serves as the foundation for intelligent automation and modern facility operations. We […]
  • (Hybrid) Description We are expanding our marketing team and seeking a Content Marketing Specialist to play a key role in executing our marketing strategy. You will own the creation and publication of content across blogs, social media, email campaigns, and the company website, helping bring DMC’s brand to life across digital channels. A portfolio of […]
  • Job Description Position Title: E-commerce and SEO Specialist Compensation Range: $55,000 – $75,000 Location: Hybrid / On-site – Englewood, CO About GOLFTEC Enterprises: GOLFTEC Enterprises is a dynamic, technology-driven leader in the golf industry, uniting two premier brands—GOLFTEC and SKYTRAK—with a shared mission: to help people play better golf. GOLFTEC, the world leader in golf […]
  • The Role Wpromote is seeking a Senior Technical SEO Manager dedicated exclusively to the Southwest Airlines account. This isn’t a typical SEO role — it’s an opportunity to shape how a leading travel company competes in a transforming search landscape. You’ll be a key player focused on organic discoverability, cross-channel collaboration, and measurable revenue impact. […]
  • Our digital marketing agency helps multi-location home service brands generate leads across dozens of local markets. Our flagship client is a PE-backed home services company operating 40+ locations across the U.S. and Canada under several brands, and we are expanding our SEO team to support rapid growth. We are looking for a hands-on SEO Manager […]
  • Job Description Salary: $45,000-$50,000 DOE Position Summary We are looking for a creative and motivated Content Marketing Specialist to join our team in the roofing industry. This role is ideal for someone with at least one year of marketing experience who thrives in a fast-paced environment and enjoys creating visually engaging, results-driven content. You will […]

Newest PPC and paid media jobs

(Provided to Search Engine Land by PPCjobs.com)

  • New York, NY We are currently seeking a Paid Search Manager for a rapidly growing media agency in NYC. This is an amazing opportunity for someone to make a name for themselves in the industry with this progressive and growing agency. The position will work across various high-profile national and global accounts, supporting account teams […]
  • Lamark Media (“Lamark”) is an integrated digital marketing firm driven by a simple philosophy: create extraordinary marketing campaigns that yield positive, measurable results for their clients and strategic partners. Lamark’s methodology is to create a custom omni-channel strategy that leverages digital marketing assets like a portfolio which can be measured, optimized, and scaled for long-term […]
  • Paid Search Marketing Manager We’re currently hiring a Paid Search Marketing Manager to join our growing remote team. Lead high-scale SEM programs across Google Ads, Bing Ads, and Local Services Ads (LSA) for a rapidly growing multi-location business. You’ll own strategy + execution, turning analysis into performance gains through rigorous testing, optimization, and KPI-driven decisions. […]
  • Add3 seeks a Paid Search Marketing (SEM) Account Manager who will be responsible for account optimization and creation of new campaigns across multiple client accounts leveraging industry best practices. The individual will support overall efforts and deliver on client needs while recommending new opportunities for account growth. This position will report to the pod/account director. […]
  • The Role Wpromote is looking for a sharp Paid Social Manager to manage scalable full-funnel paid social advertising campaigns across a portfolio of clients. This is a hands-on role: build campaign strategy, execute high-quality activations, optimize to business KPIs, and partner with cross-functional counterparts such as Creative leads to test social-first creative as well as […]

Other roles you may be interested in

Advertising Media Manager, Vetoquinol USA (Remote)

  • Salary: $100,000 -$110,000
  • Develop and implement strategic advertising plans for Etail (Ecomm/Retail) accounts.
  • Analyzing advertising performance data with related ROAS & TACoS evaluations.

Programmatic Advertising Manager, We Are Stellar (Remote)

  • Salary: $75,000
  • Manage the day-to-day programmatic campaign approach, execution, trafficking optimization, and reporting across the relevant DSPs for your clients.
  • Build and present directly to client stakeholders programmatic campaign performance, analysis, and insights.

Marketing Manager, Backstage (Remote)

  • Salary: $100,000 – $140,000
  • Manage and optimize campaigns daily across Meta Ads, Google Ads, and other kay partners
  • Own forecasting, pacing, budget allocation, and optimization for high-scale monthly budgets..

Demand Generation Manager, Shoplift (Remote)

  • Salary: $100,000 – $110,000
  • Design and execute inbound-led outbound campaigns—reaching prospects who’ve shown intent (visited pricing page, downloaded resources, engaged with content) at precisely the right moment
  • Build and optimize Apollo sequences, LinkedIn outreach, and multi-touch campaigns that book qualified demos for AEs

Search Engine Optimization Manager, Confidential (Hybrid, Miami-Fort Lauderdale Area)

  • Salary: $75,000 – $105,000
  • Serve as a strategic SEO partner for client accounts, translating business goals into actionable search initiatives
  • Communicate SEO insights, priorities, and performance clearly to clients and internal stakeholders

Meta Ads Manager, Cardone Ventures (Scottsdale, AZ)

  • Salary: $85,000 – $100,000
  • Develop, execute, and optimize cutting-edge digital campaigns from conception to launch
  • Provide ongoing actionable insights into campaign performance to relevant stakeholders

Senior Manager of Marketing (Paid, SEO, Affiliate), What Goes Around Comes Around (Jersey City, NJ)

  • Salary: $125,000
  • Develop and execute paid media strategies across channels (Google Ads, social media, display, retargeting)
  • Lead organic search strategy to improve rankings, traffic, and conversions

Paid Search Marketing Manager, LawnStarter (Remote)

  • Salary: $90,000 – $125,000
  • Manage and optimize large-scale, complex SEM campaigns across Google Ads, Bing Ads, Meta Ads and other search platforms
  • Activate, optimize and make efficient Local Services Ads (LSA) at scale

Senior Manager, SEO, Turo (Hybrid, San Francisco, CA)

  • Salary: $168,000 – $210,000
  • Define and execute the SEO strategy across technical SEO, content SEO, on-page optimization, internal linking, and authority building.
  • Own business and operations KPIs for organic growth and translate them into clear quarterly plans.

Search Engine Op imization Manager, NoGood (Remote)

  • Salary: £80,000 – $100,000
  • Act as the primary strategic lead for a portfolio of enterprise and scale-up clients.
  • Build and execute GEO/AEO strategies that maximize brand visibility across LLMs and AI search surfaces.

Note: We update this post weekly. So make sure to bookmark this page and check back.

Google contacts advertisers with a mandatory EU political ads deadline

6 March 2026 at 20:47

Google is reaching out directly to advertisers via email, requiring them to confirm whether their campaigns contain EU political ads — with a hard deadline of March 31st.

Why we care. This isn’t optional. EU regulation now requires Google to verify political ad status across all active campaigns, and advertisers who don’t act before the deadline could face compliance issues.

What’s happening. Google is asking every advertiser to declare whether their existing campaigns include EU political ads. The requirement applies to all current campaigns and must be completed by March 31, 2026.

How to comply: Google has outlined three ways to submit the confirmation:

  • Campaign level — Go to Campaign Settings and select “EU political ads” to confirm individual campaigns.
  • Multiple campaigns — Go to the Campaigns tab and use the “EU political ads” option to confirm several at once.
  • Account level — Confirm for all new and existing campaigns in one go. Selecting “No” at account level automatically applies that answer to every campaign, including future ones. You can still override this for individual campaigns at any time.

Between the lines. The account-level option is the most efficient route for most advertisers who are confident none of their campaigns fall under the EU political ads definition. Google has made it straightforward to reverse or adjust the selection at any point, so there’s no risk in acting early.

The bottom line. Check your inbox — Google is contacting advertisers directly. If you run campaigns targeting EU audiences, log in and complete the confirmation before March 31st to stay compliant.

First seen. This update was spotted by Paid Search expert, Arpan Banerjee, who shared the details of the comms on Linkedin.

AI Max increases revenue 13% but drives higher CPA: Study

6 March 2026 at 00:09
Google Ads dashboard concept

Google AI Max drives revenue but at a higher cost, according to Smarter Ecommerce’s Mike Ryan, who analyzed 250+ campaigns. Outcomes vary, and much more testing is still needed.

Why we care. AI Max isn’t a minor update. It’s Google’s most significant reimagining of Search campaigns in years, shifting away from keyword syntax toward pure intent matching. For you, that’s both an opportunity (possible growth) and a risk (an efficiency tradeoff).

By the numbers. The result of the analysis:

  • Median revenue: +13%
  • Median CPA: +16%
  • ROAS range: +42% to -35%

Advertisers who activate AI Max typically see 14% more conversions or conversion value at a similar CPA or ROAS, rising to 27% for campaigns still relying on exact and phrase match keywords, Google says.

Turning on AI Max is essentially a coin toss: you may see a lift, but efficiency likely won’t follow, Ryan concluded

What AI Max actually is. Rather than forcing Search campaigns into Performance Max, Google went the other direction — bringing PMax-style automation into classic Search. The result is three core features:

  • Search Term Matching (broad match expansion plus keywordless targeting),
  • Text Customization (dynamic ad copy), and
  • Final URL Expansion (automated landing page selection).

Four pitfalls Smarter Ecommerce identified:

  • Broad match cannibalization: Up to 63% of the time, recycling existing coverage rather than finding new queries.
  • Competitor hijacking: In one account, AI Max scaled so aggressively into competitor brand terms that it consumed 69% of total Search impressions.
  • Reporting overload: Search term and ad combination reports can run to tens of thousands of rows, making manual auditing nearly impossible without automation.
  • Search Partner Network blowouts: One campaign saw half a million monthly impressions land on SPN at a 0.07% conversion rate, versus 3.04% on standard Google Search.

Between the lines. Google’s 14% uplift stat conspicuously excludes retail — an omission Ryan flags as significant for ecommerce advertisers. There’s also a deeper irony: you’re most likely to adopt AI Max if you’re already running Broad Match, DSA, and PMax — yet Google says those accounts will see the lowest incremental benefit.

What’s next. In a conversation with Ryan, Google Ads Liaison Ginny Marvin confirmed that Google plans to deprecate Dynamic Search Ads and migrate the technology into AI Max for Search. No firm timeline was given, though past Google deprecations often run about a year from announcement.

Ryan recommends activating AI Max’s keywordless features in your existing Search campaigns now and beginning to wind down DSA — not migrating it to PMax.

Ryan’s verdict is cautious optimism. About 16% of advertisers are testing AI Max, and few have gone all in. Start small, audit aggressively, and don’t let FOMO around AI Overviews drive your decision.

The report. The Ultimate Guide to AI Max for Google Search

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