Marketing Mavens,
Welcome back to This Week in Digital - where marketing chaos is the vibe, and 2025 shows no signs of slowing down. Grab your coffee, your notes, and maybe a stress ball. Let’s dive in…
TikTok’s Weekend Meltdown: Ads, Chaos, and a Whole Lot of “WTF?”
TikTok’s 14-hour shutdown had advertisers sweating harder than an intern presenting Q4 results. While the app is mostly back, Apple and Google still haven’t let it out of app store jail, leaving future ad reach in question. CPMs dropped 29%, refunds are being whispered about, and Tinuiti’s calling the algorithm “iffy at best”- not exactly the “new year, new you” vibes we were hoping for. Lesson of the week? While low CPMs may be enticing, if you haven’t diversified your ad spend you’re officially tempting the marketing gods - because banking on TikTok in 2025 might be riskier than your company holiday party’s open bar.
Google Search Spend Climbs 10% YoY: PMax and AI Steal the Show
Another shoutout to Tinuiti for spilling the tea in their latest (gated) benchmark report: Google search ad spend jumped 10% year-over-year in Q4, with clicks holding steady and CPCs creeping up 7%. Performance Max is officially running the Google Shopping game, generating 67% of ad revenue, while AI-driven features like Overviews had a rocky start but rebounded late in the year. For marketers, the takeaway is clear: Google’s AI obsession is here to stay, but it’s going to cost you. If you’re not testing, tweaking, and squeezing every last drop of value from these tools, you’re leaving money on the table - and in 2025, honey, that’s just not the vibe.
Performance Max Levels Up: Control Freaks, Rejoice!
Marketers, Google finally heard your cries for more PMax control - and they delivered. Negative keywords at the campaign level? Check. Juicy search term reporting? Double check. Oh, and how about new betas for demographic and device targeting to really flex your customization skills? With these updates, Google’s handing over the reins so you can steer its AI toward actual ROI goals. Ready to fine-tune exclusions, chase high-value customers, and dig into the nitty-gritty of search themes? PMax just became your new 2025 power tool - time to make it work for you.
Google Ads “Search Max” Spotted: Match Types Meet AI Magic
Google’s latest tease? A shiny new match type called “Search Max,” combining Search Term Matching and Text & URL Optimization to boost reach and conversions. First spotted by Lars Thoning Dybro (with Adriaan Dekker dropping screenshots on LinkedIn), this unconfirmed feature could mean big changes for search advertisers. Ecomm wizard Mike Ryan speculated it’s a spin on the “Smart Matching” test he clocked back in 2021. For marketers, this is giving Performance Max vibes for Search Ads - which means it’s time to prep for more AI-driven campaign tweaks. Keep those dashboards refreshed because if Search Max rolls out, your match type playbook might need a serious rewrite.
New Google “Used Since” Feature: Asset History Gets a Glow up
Google Ads is giving your assets a timestamp makeover with the new “Used since” column, revealing exactly when creative elements were implemented. First spotted by PPC News Feed, this update is a dream for marketers auditing accounts or inheriting someone else’s messy history (we’ve all been there). Gone are the days of guessing if that tired headline has overstayed its welcome. With this timeline clarity, you can track performance trends, plan creative refreshes, and flex your inner account detective skills. Google’s nod to transparency? We’ll take it - and maybe even raise a glass. Cheers to making audits slightly less soul-crushing!
Google’s Zero-Click Reality: AI Overviews Are Stealing the Spotlight
Marketers have been bracing for “zero-click” search since Google teased featured snippets back in 2014, but with AI Overviews now taking over half the screen, the reality is here - and it’s loud. These expanded answers don’t just give users what they’re looking for; they preemptively answer the questions they haven’t even asked, leaving fewer reasons to click through. But don’t panic - AIOs filter out unqualified traffic, meaning those who do click are more likely to convert. Plus, getting your brand cited in an AIO? That’s free prime-time visibility. Bottom line: clicks are dwindling, but the path to conversions is clearer than ever.
That’s all for now, marketers! Stay nimble, stay caffeinated, and remember: if it’s not changing, it’s probably broken. See you next week!
You know you love me,
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