<div><img width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/05/google-agent-future.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="Google agent future" decoding="async" fetchpriority="high" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/05/google-agent-future.png 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/05/google-agent-future-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/05/google-agent-future-1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/05/google-agent-future-1200x675.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>Demand Gen is getting Gemini-powered creative recommendations, enhanced video optimization and new measurement tools.

<div><img width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/05/google-agent-future.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="Google agent future" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/05/google-agent-future.png 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/05/google-agent-future-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/05/google-agent-future-1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/05/google-agent-future-1200x675.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>
<p>Google is rolling out a new round of Demand Gen updates aimed at helping advertisers improve creative performance, reach more customers across YouTube and better measure campaign results.</p>



<p>Demand Gen campaigns are designed to drive discovery and conversions across Google&#8217;s visual surfaces. The latest updates focus on reducing creative friction while giving advertisers more insight into what&#8217;s working.</p>



<p>Google says the enhancements come as YouTube continues to prove its value for customer acquisition, citing research from Measured showing that 72% of incremental conversions on YouTube come from new customers.</p>



<p><strong>What&#8217;s new</strong>. Demand Gen campaigns will soon support expanded video resizing capabilities, allowing advertisers to automatically transform creative between additional aspect ratios, including vertical-to-square, vertical-to-landscape and square-to-landscape.</p>



<p>The update is intended to make it easier to adapt existing creative for different YouTube placements without producing multiple versions manually.</p>



<p><strong>Why we care.</strong> Expanded video resizing helps existing creative fit more YouTube placements, Gemini offers AI-powered recommendations to optimize assets before launch, and new web-to-app measurement gives marketers a clearer picture of how Demand Gen campaigns drive app installs and overall return on ad spend.</p>



<p><strong>Gemini joins the creative workflow</strong>. Google is also bringing Gemini-powered recommendations directly into Demand Gen campaign creation.</p>



<p>When advertisers select image and video assets, Gemini will provide automated suggestions on how to optimize creative for YouTube, helping marketers improve asset selection before campaigns go live.</p>



<p><strong>Better app measurement</strong>. Demand Gen now includes Web to App Acquisition Measurement, allowing advertisers to measure when web campaigns lead users to install an app.</p>



<p>The new reporting provides a more complete view of campaign performance by attributing app installs generated through Demand Gen campaigns, helping advertisers better understand the full impact of their media spend.</p>



<p><strong>The bottom line</strong>. <a href="https://blog.google/products/ads-commerce/demand-gen-drop-june-2026/">Google&#8217;s latest Demand Gen updates</a> combine AI-powered creative guidance, more flexible video optimization and expanded measurement capabilities to help advertisers improve campaign performance while gaining clearer visibility into customer acquisition.</p>


Google is rolling out a new round of Demand Gen updates aimed at helping advertisers improve creative performance, reach more customers across YouTube and better measure campaign results.
Demand Gen campaigns are designed to drive discovery and conversions across Google’s visual surfaces. The latest updates focus on reducing creative friction while giving advertisers more insight into what’s working.
Google says the enhancements come as YouTube continues to prove its value for customer acquisition, citing research from Measured showing that 72% of incremental conversions on YouTube come from new customers.
What’s new. Demand Gen campaigns will soon support expanded video resizing capabilities, allowing advertisers to automatically transform creative between additional aspect ratios, including vertical-to-square, vertical-to-landscape and square-to-landscape.
The update is intended to make it easier to adapt existing creative for different YouTube placements without producing multiple versions manually.
Why we care. Expanded video resizing helps existing creative fit more YouTube placements, Gemini offers AI-powered recommendations to optimize assets before launch, and new web-to-app measurement gives marketers a clearer picture of how Demand Gen campaigns drive app installs and overall return on ad spend.
Gemini joins the creative workflow. Google is also bringing Gemini-powered recommendations directly into Demand Gen campaign creation.
When advertisers select image and video assets, Gemini will provide automated suggestions on how to optimize creative for YouTube, helping marketers improve asset selection before campaigns go live.
Better app measurement. Demand Gen now includes Web to App Acquisition Measurement, allowing advertisers to measure when web campaigns lead users to install an app.
The new reporting provides a more complete view of campaign performance by attributing app installs generated through Demand Gen campaigns, helping advertisers better understand the full impact of their media spend.
The bottom line. Google’s latest Demand Gen updates combine AI-powered creative guidance, more flexible video optimization and expanded measurement capabilities to help advertisers improve campaign performance while gaining clearer visibility into customer acquisition.

Demand Gen is getting Gemini-powered creative recommendations, enhanced video optimization and new measurement tools.

Google gives Demand Gen new AI creative and reporting tools

<div><img width="800" height="450" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/06/GML-2024-Generative-AIs-role-in-shaping-advertisings-future-800x450.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="GML 2024: Generative AI’s role in shaping advertising’s future" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/06/GML-2024-Generative-AIs-role-in-shaping-advertisings-future-800x450.png 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/06/GML-2024-Generative-AIs-role-in-shaping-advertisings-future-600x338.png 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/06/GML-2024-Generative-AIs-role-in-shaping-advertisings-future-200x113.png 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/06/GML-2024-Generative-AIs-role-in-shaping-advertisings-future-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/06/GML-2024-Generative-AIs-role-in-shaping-advertisings-future-1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/06/GML-2024-Generative-AIs-role-in-shaping-advertisings-future.png 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></div>API v24.2 introduces AI visibility tools, stronger security controls and new PMax reporting features for advertisers and developers.

<div><img width="800" height="450" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/06/GML-2024-Generative-AIs-role-in-shaping-advertisings-future-800x450.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="GML 2024: Generative AI’s role in shaping advertising’s future" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/06/GML-2024-Generative-AIs-role-in-shaping-advertisings-future-800x450.png 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/06/GML-2024-Generative-AIs-role-in-shaping-advertisings-future-600x338.png 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/06/GML-2024-Generative-AIs-role-in-shaping-advertisings-future-200x113.png 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/06/GML-2024-Generative-AIs-role-in-shaping-advertisings-future-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/06/GML-2024-Generative-AIs-role-in-shaping-advertisings-future-1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/06/GML-2024-Generative-AIs-role-in-shaping-advertisings-future.png 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></div>
<p>Google has released Google Ads API v24.2, an update that introduces new security controls, AI transparency features, enhanced reporting capabilities and additional experiment types for advertisers and developers.</p>



<p><strong>What&#8217;s new</strong>. The headline feature is support for multi-party approvals (MPA), which requires a second administrator to approve sensitive account actions such as user invitations and access-level changes. The feature adds an extra layer of security for agencies and large organizations managing Google Ads accounts.</p>



<p>Google is also expanding support for AI-generated content disclosures. The API now exposes new SyntheticContentInfo and SyntheticContentAttestation fields on assets and ads, allowing developers to identify and label AI-generated creative programmatically. The update is designed to help advertisers prepare for the EU AI Act, which takes effect on August 2nd</p>



<p>Developers can begin building integrations now, although advertiser attestation fields remain read-only until the launch of v25.</p>



<p><strong>Performance Max gets more visibility</strong>. Version 24.2 adds several long-requested enhancements for Performance Max campaigns, including the ability to segment performance_max_placement_view reports by ad_network_type. That gives advertisers a clearer picture of where ads are appearing across Search, Display and partner networks.</p>



<p>The release also introduces YouTube brand channel linking through the API, enabling stronger integrations for video campaigns, along with a new landing page text generation option that can automatically create text assets from a website&#8217;s landing page.</p>



<p><strong>New testing capabilities</strong>. Google is expanding experimentation tools with two new experiment types.</p>



<p>The new COMPARE_CAMPAIGNS workflow allows advertisers to compare multiple campaigns or campaign types across as many as five experiment arms, including custom Performance Max experiments.</p>



<p>A second experiment type lets advertisers test text customization and final URL expansion within a single Performance Max campaign by splitting traffic between variations.</p>



<p><strong>Documentation improvements</strong>. Google has also reorganized its API release notes, separating breaking changes from feature updates and introducing a dedicated guide for feature deprecations and unversioned changes to simplify future upgrades.</p>



<p><strong>Why we care</strong>. While the release doesn&#8217;t include ground breaking changes, it gives developers new tools to prepare for upcoming AI disclosure requirements, strengthen account security and gain deeper insights into Performance Max campaigns.</p>



<p><strong>The bottom line</strong>. <a href="https://ads-developers.googleblog.com/2026/06/announcing-v242-of-google-ads-api.html">Google Ads API v24.2 is a straightforward upgrade from v24.1</a>, but it introduces meaningful features for advertisers preparing for AI transparency requirements, improving account security and getting more actionable reporting from Performance Max campaigns.</p>


Google has released Google Ads API v24.2, an update that introduces new security controls, AI transparency features, enhanced reporting capabilities and additional experiment types for advertisers and developers.
What’s new. The headline feature is support for multi-party approvals (MPA), which requires a second administrator to approve sensitive account actions such as user invitations and access-level changes. The feature adds an extra layer of security for agencies and large organizations managing Google Ads accounts.
Google is also expanding support for AI-generated content disclosures. The API now exposes new SyntheticContentInfo and SyntheticContentAttestation fields on assets and ads, allowing developers to identify and label AI-generated creative programmatically. The update is designed to help advertisers prepare for the EU AI Act, which takes effect on August 2nd
Developers can begin building integrations now, although advertiser attestation fields remain read-only until the launch of v25.
Performance Max gets more visibility. Version 24.2 adds several long-requested enhancements for Performance Max campaigns, including the ability to segment performance_max_placement_view reports by ad_network_type. That gives advertisers a clearer picture of where ads are appearing across Search, Display and partner networks.
The release also introduces YouTube brand channel linking through the API, enabling stronger integrations for video campaigns, along with a new landing page text generation option that can automatically create text assets from a website’s landing page.
New testing capabilities. Google is expanding experimentation tools with two new experiment types.
The new COMPARE_CAMPAIGNS workflow allows advertisers to compare multiple campaigns or campaign types across as many as five experiment arms, including custom Performance Max experiments.
A second experiment type lets advertisers test text customization and final URL expansion within a single Performance Max campaign by splitting traffic between variations.
Documentation improvements. Google has also reorganized its API release notes, separating breaking changes from feature updates and introducing a dedicated guide for feature deprecations and unversioned changes to simplify future upgrades.
Why we care. While the release doesn’t include ground breaking changes, it gives developers new tools to prepare for upcoming AI disclosure requirements, strengthen account security and gain deeper insights into Performance Max campaigns.
The bottom line. Google Ads API v24.2 is a straightforward upgrade from v24.1, but it introduces meaningful features for advertisers preparing for AI transparency requirements, improving account security and getting more actionable reporting from Performance Max campaigns.

API v24.2 introduces AI visibility tools, stronger security controls and new PMax reporting features for advertisers and developers.

Google Ads API v24.2 adds AI transparency, stronger security and new reporting

<div><img width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/09/Auditing-and-optimizing-Google-Ads-in-an-age-of-limited-data.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="Auditing and optimizing Google Ads in an age of limited data" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/09/Auditing-and-optimizing-Google-Ads-in-an-age-of-limited-data.jpg 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/09/Auditing-and-optimizing-Google-Ads-in-an-age-of-limited-data-768x432.jpg 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/09/Auditing-and-optimizing-Google-Ads-in-an-age-of-limited-data-1536x864.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>Google is rolling out new Merchant Center agency roles that centralize client access management and strengthen security.

<div><img width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/09/Auditing-and-optimizing-Google-Ads-in-an-age-of-limited-data.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="Auditing and optimizing Google Ads in an age of limited data" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/09/Auditing-and-optimizing-Google-Ads-in-an-age-of-limited-data.jpg 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/09/Auditing-and-optimizing-Google-Ads-in-an-age-of-limited-data-768x432.jpg 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/09/Auditing-and-optimizing-Google-Ads-in-an-age-of-limited-data-1536x864.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>
<p>Google is rolling out new Agency Admin and Standard roles in Merchant Center for Agencies, giving agencies more centralized control over client access while improving security and operational efficiency.</p>



<p><strong>What&#8217;s new:</strong> Clients are now linked directly to an agency rather than individual users. This allows agencies to manage client access from a single centralized location, making it easier to grant or revoke permissions as team members join or leave.</p>



<p>The update also introduces custom labels, enabling Agency Admins to organize client accounts by categories such as brand, business vertical or internal team. Those labels can then be used to assign Standard users access to groups of accounts in bulk, eliminating the need to configure permissions one account at a time.</p>



<p><strong>Why we care. </strong>Agencies managing multiple Merchant Center accounts have often relied on user-level permissions, making onboarding, offboarding and account management more cumbersome. The new role-based structure shifts client management to the agency level, reducing administrative overhead and strengthening access controls.</p>



<p><strong>How it works</strong>. Agency Admins receive full administrative privileges within the Merchant Center agency account. They can:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Link and unlink clients&#8217; Merchant Center accounts.</li>



<li>Add, remove and modify Standard users.</li>



<li>Manage Standard users&#8217; access to client accounts.</li>



<li>Create and manage custom labels for organizing clients.</li>
</ul>



<p>Standard users receive more limited permissions, helping agencies follow security best practices by restricting access to only the client accounts they need.</p>



<p><strong>Bottom line</strong>. For agencies managing large client portfolios, centralized client linking, bulk access management and customizable account labels should reduce manual work while making Merchant Center account administration more secure and scalable.</p>



<p><strong>Dig deeper.</strong> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ginnymarvin_managing-user-access-in-merchant-center-for-activity-7475911682159030273-0azq/">Managing user access in Merchant Center for Agencies</a>






Google is rolling out new Agency Admin and Standard roles in Merchant Center for Agencies, giving agencies more centralized control over client access while improving security and operational efficiency.
What’s new: Clients are now linked directly to an agency rather than individual users. This allows agencies to manage client access from a single centralized location, making it easier to grant or revoke permissions as team members join or leave.
The update also introduces custom labels, enabling Agency Admins to organize client accounts by categories such as brand, business vertical or internal team. Those labels can then be used to assign Standard users access to groups of accounts in bulk, eliminating the need to configure permissions one account at a time.
Why we care. Agencies managing multiple Merchant Center accounts have often relied on user-level permissions, making onboarding, offboarding and account management more cumbersome. The new role-based structure shifts client management to the agency level, reducing administrative overhead and strengthening access controls.
How it works. Agency Admins receive full administrative privileges within the Merchant Center agency account. They can:
Link and unlink clients’ Merchant Center accounts.
Add, remove and modify Standard users.
Manage Standard users’ access to client accounts.
Create and manage custom labels for organizing clients.
Standard users receive more limited permissions, helping agencies follow security best practices by restricting access to only the client accounts they need.
Bottom line. For agencies managing large client portfolios, centralized client linking, bulk access management and customizable account labels should reduce manual work while making Merchant Center account administration more secure and scalable.
Dig deeper. Managing user access in Merchant Center for Agencies

Google is rolling out new Merchant Center agency roles that centralize client access management and strengthen security.

Google introduces new Merchant Center agency roles

<div><img width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/Your-AI-salesforce-is-already-selling-your-brand.-The-question-is-who-trained-it.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="Your AI salesforce is already selling your brand. The question is who trained it." decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/Your-AI-salesforce-is-already-selling-your-brand.-The-question-is-who-trained-it.png 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/Your-AI-salesforce-is-already-selling-your-brand.-The-question-is-who-trained-it-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/Your-AI-salesforce-is-already-selling-your-brand.-The-question-is-who-trained-it-1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/Your-AI-salesforce-is-already-selling-your-brand.-The-question-is-who-trained-it-1200x675.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>Recommendations depend on confidence, not just content. Here's how search, knowledge graphs, and third-party proof influence AI decisions.

Recommendations depend on confidence, not just content. Here's how search, knowledge graphs, and third-party proof influence AI decisions.

Your AI salesforce is already selling your brand. The question is who trained it.

<div><img width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/How-to-win-competitor-traffic-with-Demand-Gen-and-negative-intent-conquesting.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="How to win competitor traffic with Demand Gen and negative-intent conquesting" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/How-to-win-competitor-traffic-with-Demand-Gen-and-negative-intent-conquesting.png 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/How-to-win-competitor-traffic-with-Demand-Gen-and-negative-intent-conquesting-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/How-to-win-competitor-traffic-with-Demand-Gen-and-negative-intent-conquesting-1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/How-to-win-competitor-traffic-with-Demand-Gen-and-negative-intent-conquesting-1200x675.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>Traditional competitor campaigns can be expensive and ineffective. These alternatives help you reach buyers more efficiently.

<div><img width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/How-to-win-competitor-traffic-with-Demand-Gen-and-negative-intent-conquesting.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="How to win competitor traffic with Demand Gen and negative-intent conquesting" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/How-to-win-competitor-traffic-with-Demand-Gen-and-negative-intent-conquesting.png 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/How-to-win-competitor-traffic-with-Demand-Gen-and-negative-intent-conquesting-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/How-to-win-competitor-traffic-with-Demand-Gen-and-negative-intent-conquesting-1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/How-to-win-competitor-traffic-with-Demand-Gen-and-negative-intent-conquesting-1200x675.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>
<p>Traditional competitor campaigns often generate expensive clicks and disappointing results. People searching for a competitor&#8217;s brand are usually close to making a purchase, making your ad little more than a detour on their path to conversion.</p>



<p>Bidding on competitor brand terms isn&#8217;t your only option. <a href="https://searchengineland.com/google-demand-gen-campaigns-migration-and-best-practices-433014">Demand Gen</a> campaigns and negative-intent keywords can help you reach competitor-aware audiences more efficiently and often at a lower cost.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-demand-gen-your-target-audience-at-a-fraction-of-the-cost">Demand Gen: Your target audience at a fraction of the cost</h2>



<p>Before we get into negative-intent keywords, let&#8217;s discuss another campaign type that can generate traffic unfamiliar with your brand: Demand Gen. </p>



<p>Demand Gen relies on two key elements: targeting and creative. Two non-negotiable components of that targeting are custom audience segments and lookalike audiences.</p>



<p>Custom segment targeting allows you to reach users who have searched for specific terms on Google or have particular interests or purchase intentions. It&#8217;s also one of the best ways to target users looking for your competitors at a lower cost than search.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img decoding="async" width="1416" height="720" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/New-custom-segment.png" alt="New custom segment" class="wp-image-481006" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/New-custom-segment.png 1416w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/New-custom-segment-768x391.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1416px) 100vw, 1416px" /></figure>
</div>


<p>Custom segments are the first targeting option available (right after the title) when creating a new audience within Demand Gen campaigns. </p>



<p>Select the second option, <em>People who searched for any of these terms on Google</em>, and enter as many competitors as you can think of. This puts you directly in front of your target audience at a lower cost than a search network click.</p>



<p>If you&#8217;re unsure which competitors to target, type your main product or service into Google Ads and see who appears. These are the primary businesses you&#8217;re competing with and, depending on which networks you opt into, your ads can appear across YouTube, Discover, and Gmail.</p>


<a href="https://www.semrush.com/analytics/traffic/paid-search?utm_campaign=ic_sel_0101ppc&#038;utm_source=searchengineland.com&#038;utm_medium=overlay&#038;onboarding=off" target="_blank">
  <div>
    
    <div>
      
      <div id="semrush-one-headline" class="headline-responsive">
        See exactly how <span>your competitors win</span>.
      </div>
      <p id="semrush-one-subhead">
        Uncover the keywords, ads, landing pages, and strategies driving your competitors&#8217; paid search success—and find your next opportunity to outperform them.
      </p>
    </div>
    <div>
      <span id="semrush-one-cta">Analyze your competitors</span>
    </div>
    </div>
    </a>




<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-designing-conquesting-landing-pages-for-demand-gen">Designing conquesting landing pages for Demand Gen</h3>



<p>When using Demand Gen for conquesting, it&#8217;s important to create a well-designed landing page for these ads. Include key differentiators and social proof that demonstrate why your company offers the best product or service.</p>



<p>Getting the click is only half the battle. Once searchers land on your page, your offer needs to be clear. Explain your offer clearly and thoroughly, and include a clear call to action that aligns with your messaging.</p>



<div class="nl-inline-form border py-2 px-1 my-2">
	
	<div class="row align-items-center nl-inline-container">
		<div class="col-12 col-lg-3 col-xl-4 pe-md-0 pb-2 pb-lg-0">
			<p class="inline-form-text text-center mb-0">Get the newsletter search marketers rely on.</p>
		</div>
		<div class="col-12 col-lg-7 col-xl-6  pe-lg-0">
			<div class="form-nl-inline">
				<form id="mktoForm_16298"></form> 
				
				
			</div>
		</div>
		<div class="col-12 col-lg-2 col-xl-2 ps-1">
			<p class="text-center mb-0"><a class="nl-terms" href="https://searchengineland.com/termsofuse" target="_blank" aria-label="opens in a new tab">See terms.</a>
		</div>
	</div>
</div>




<hr class="wp-block-separator has-text-color has-cyan-bluish-gray-color has-css-opacity has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-background"/>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-negative-intent-conquesting-targeting-competitor-weaknesses">Negative-intent conquesting: Targeting competitor weaknesses</h2>



<p>But what if you don&#8217;t have the assets to run a Demand Gen campaign? </p>



<p>Because high-quality video and image assets perform best across these networks, targeting the search network may make more sense if you don&#8217;t have access to those assets. This is where negative-intent conquesting comes in.</p>



<p>While we&#8217;re all familiar with traditional competitor search campaigns, searchers also look for alternatives to the company they&#8217;re searching for. This is where negative intent comes in.</p>



<p>This can happen at many stages of the sales funnel, but it frequently occurs during the consideration phase when users search for &#8220;companies like X&#8221; or &#8220;companies cheaper than X.&#8221; It also happens with branded products in searches like &#8220;dupe for X.&#8221; While not all of these may be biddable keywords due to search volume, this is where the research happens.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-building-campaigns-around-competitor-pain-points">Building campaigns around competitor pain points</h3>



<p>Perhaps you&#8217;ve recently heard about a company with a poor track record of customer service. Bidding on a keyword like &#8220;customer service complaints for [competitor]&#8221; could be helpful in this situation. You&#8217;ll want to keep this to a single ad group with different keyword variations.</p>



<p>Within the ad copy, address what makes your customer service team unique, different, or more helpful. Bear in mind that, due to trademark policy, it&#8217;s best to avoid mentioning the competitor directly by name in your ad text.</p>



<p>Traditional competitor campaigns focus on bidding on a competitor&#8217;s brand name. Negative-intent conquesting focuses on their weaknesses. Its specific use case involves users familiar with a brand but looking for an alternative. </p>



<p>This strategy can also be paired with a separate custom audience, allowing you to target users searching for these alternatives across Google&#8217;s networks.</p>



<p>For negative-intent conquesting to work post-click, however, the landing page remains a critical component. If a user clicks an ad that promises a solution to a competitor&#8217;s poor service or high prices, the corresponding landing page must validate that strength and provide the searcher with a unique value proposition that counters the competitor&#8217;s weakness.</p>


<a href="https://www.semrush.com/analytics/traffic/paid-search?utm_campaign=ic_sel_0102ppc&#038;utm_source=searchengineland.com&#038;utm_medium=overlay&#038;onboarding=off" target="_blank">
  <div>
    
    <div>
      
      <div id="semrush-one-headline" class="headline-responsive">
        Every click they win is <span>a customer you lose</span>.
      </div>
      <p id="semrush-one-subhead">
        See where competitors are investing, which keywords drive their results, and how to capture more of the market.
      </p>
    </div>
    <div>
      <span id="semrush-one-cta">See who’s stealing your traffic</span>
    </div>
    </div>
    </a>




<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-target-competitor-audiences-before-the-decision-is-made">Target competitor audiences before the decision is made</h2>



<p>The biggest challenge with traditional competitor campaigns isn&#8217;t the competitor. It&#8217;s timing.</p>



<p>When someone searches for a competitor&#8217;s brand name, they&#8217;ve often already narrowed their options and are close to making a decision. That&#8217;s why competitor keyword campaigns can be expensive and difficult to scale profitably.</p>



<p>Demand Gen and negative-intent conquesting approach the same audience from different angles. One reaches potential customers before they commit to a brand, while the other reaches them when they&#8217;re actively reassessing their options.</p>



<p>The goal is to reach potential customers when they&#8217;re most open to considering a different option.</p>

Traditional competitor campaigns often generate expensive clicks and disappointing results. People searching for a competitor’s brand are usually close to making a purchase, making your ad little more than a detour on their path to conversion.
Bidding on competitor brand terms isn’t your only option. Demand Gen campaigns and negative-intent keywords can help you reach competitor-aware audiences more efficiently and often at a lower cost.
Demand Gen: Your target audience at a fraction of the cost
Before we get into negative-intent keywords, let’s discuss another campaign type that can generate traffic unfamiliar with your brand: Demand Gen. 
Demand Gen relies on two key elements: targeting and creative. Two non-negotiable components of that targeting are custom audience segments and lookalike audiences.
Custom segment targeting allows you to reach users who have searched for specific terms on Google or have particular interests or purchase intentions. It’s also one of the best ways to target users looking for your competitors at a lower cost than search.




Custom segments are the first targeting option available (right after the title) when creating a new audience within Demand Gen campaigns. 
Select the second option, People who searched for any of these terms on Google, and enter as many competitors as you can think of. This puts you directly in front of your target audience at a lower cost than a search network click.
If you’re unsure which competitors to target, type your main product or service into Google Ads and see who appears. These are the primary businesses you’re competing with and, depending on which networks you opt into, your ads can appear across YouTube, Discover, and Gmail.
your competitors win.
      
Analyze your competitors
    
Designing conquesting landing pages for Demand Gen
When using Demand Gen for conquesting, it’s important to create a well-designed landing page for these ads. Include key differentiators and social proof that demonstrate why your company offers the best product or service.
Getting the click is only half the battle. Once searchers land on your page, your offer needs to be clear. Explain your offer clearly and thoroughly, and include a clear call to action that aligns with your messaging.
Get the newsletter search marketers rely on.
 
				
				
			
See terms.
		
Negative-intent conquesting: Targeting competitor weaknesses
But what if you don’t have the assets to run a Demand Gen campaign? 
Because high-quality video and image assets perform best across these networks, targeting the search network may make more sense if you don’t have access to those assets. This is where negative-intent conquesting comes in.
While we’re all familiar with traditional competitor search campaigns, searchers also look for alternatives to the company they’re searching for. This is where negative intent comes in.
This can happen at many stages of the sales funnel, but it frequently occurs during the consideration phase when users search for “companies like X” or “companies cheaper than X.” It also happens with branded products in searches like “dupe for X.” While not all of these may be biddable keywords due to search volume, this is where the research happens.
Building campaigns around competitor pain points
Perhaps you’ve recently heard about a company with a poor track record of customer service. Bidding on a keyword like “customer service complaints for [competitor]” could be helpful in this situation. You’ll want to keep this to a single ad group with different keyword variations.
Within the ad copy, address what makes your customer service team unique, different, or more helpful. Bear in mind that, due to trademark policy, it’s best to avoid mentioning the competitor directly by name in your ad text.
Traditional competitor campaigns focus on bidding on a competitor’s brand name. Negative-intent conquesting focuses on their weaknesses. Its specific use case involves users familiar with a brand but looking for an alternative. 
This strategy can also be paired with a separate custom audience, allowing you to target users searching for these alternatives across Google’s networks.
For negative-intent conquesting to work post-click, however, the landing page remains a critical component. If a user clicks an ad that promises a solution to a competitor’s poor service or high prices, the corresponding landing page must validate that strength and provide the searcher with a unique value proposition that counters the competitor’s weakness.
a customer you lose.
      
See who’s stealing your traffic
    
Target competitor audiences before the decision is made
The biggest challenge with traditional competitor campaigns isn’t the competitor. It’s timing.
When someone searches for a competitor’s brand name, they’ve often already narrowed their options and are close to making a decision. That’s why competitor keyword campaigns can be expensive and difficult to scale profitably.
Demand Gen and negative-intent conquesting approach the same audience from different angles. One reaches potential customers before they commit to a brand, while the other reaches them when they’re actively reassessing their options.
The goal is to reach potential customers when they’re most open to considering a different option.

Traditional competitor campaigns can be expensive and ineffective. These alternatives help you reach buyers more efficiently.

How to win competitor traffic with Demand Gen and negative-intent conquesting

<div><img width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/How-to-use-Google-query-expansion-to-improve-content-visibility.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="How to use Google query expansion to improve content visibility" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/How-to-use-Google-query-expansion-to-improve-content-visibility.png 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/How-to-use-Google-query-expansion-to-improve-content-visibility-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/How-to-use-Google-query-expansion-to-improve-content-visibility-1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/How-to-use-Google-query-expansion-to-improve-content-visibility-1200x675.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>Your content may already be surfacing for searches you never planned for. Here's how to identify those opportunities and act on them.

<div><img width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/How-to-use-Google-query-expansion-to-improve-content-visibility.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="How to use Google query expansion to improve content visibility" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/How-to-use-Google-query-expansion-to-improve-content-visibility.png 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/How-to-use-Google-query-expansion-to-improve-content-visibility-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/How-to-use-Google-query-expansion-to-improve-content-visibility-1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/How-to-use-Google-query-expansion-to-improve-content-visibility-1200x675.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>
<p>LLMs have changed the way people search and the way Google answers. While the SERP hasn&#8217;t been 10 blue links in a very long time, it has traditionally been centered on a single intent: the thing a person is looking for.</p>



<p>Now, AI Overviews create a full article directly in the SERP. They don&#8217;t just answer the searcher&#8217;s query. Results include related terms, contextual refinements, and supporting information that help searchers make decisions.</p>



<p>Understanding Google query expansion gives you an advantage that your competitors may overlook.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-google-query-expansion">What is Google query expansion?</h2>



<p>Google query expansion was designed to prevent zero-result searches for long-tail queries. It broadens a searcher&#8217;s query to deliver more accurate results. This happens automatically in several ways:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong>Synonyms:</strong> For example, &#8220;budget&#8221; instead of &#8220;affordable.&#8221;</li>



<li><strong>Intent expansion:</strong> Google understands what your customer means, even if they don&#8217;t type it exactly.</li>



<li><strong>Related topic expansion:</strong> Google uses similar searches to surface related content.</li>
</ul>



<p>Don&#8217;t stuff keywords to capture these expanded results. Researching and creating supporting information helps your content rank for a wider range of queries.</p>



<p>Here&#8217;s an example.</p>



<p>You have an article about backyard chicken care. Someone searches for &#8220;What&#8217;s the average lifespan of a chicken?&#8221; Your page appears even though you never used the term &#8220;lifespan&#8221; on it.</p>



<p>Google determined your article was semantically relevant. Once you know Google has made this connection, adding a section on chicken lifespan can help the page rank for that term and drive more traffic.</p>



<p>It can also help your content appear in relevant AI Overviews.</p>


<a href="https://www.semrush.com/ai-seo/overview?utm_campaign=ic_sel_0101ai&#038;utm_source=searchengineland.com&#038;utm_medium=overlay&#038;onboarding=off" target="_blank">
  <div>
    
    <div>
      
      <div id="semrush-one-headline" class="headline-responsive">
        Be the brand <span>AI recommends</span>.
      </div>
      <p id="semrush-one-subhead">
        See where your brand appears in AI search, where competitors are winning, and what it takes to become the answer AI recommends.
      </p>
    </div>
    <div>
      <span id="semrush-one-cta">See your AI visibility</span>
    </div>
    </div>
    </a>




<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-difference-between-google-query-expansion-and-query-fan-outs">The difference between Google query expansion and query fan-outs</h2>



<p>Google query expansion and query fan-outs are similar, but they aren&#8217;t the same.</p>



<p>Query expansion is part of traditional search. It broadens a query with synonyms, related terms, and intent signals before results are generated. As a result, your content can rank for more queries than you originally targeted.</p>



<p>Query fan-outs are part of AI Mode. They break a query into multiple related subqueries while the AI response is generated. As a result, your content can be retrieved as a source for AI Overviews.</p>



<p>If query expansion is part of traditional search, why does it matter in the age of LLMs and AI Overviews?</p>



<p>Because the same semantic relationships that drive query expansion can influence which content AI systems retrieve during query fan-outs.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-finding-query-expansion-opportunities-for-your-content">Finding query expansion opportunities for your content</h2>



<p>So, how do you find query expansion opportunities?</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-google-search-console">Google Search Console</h3>



<p>This is a top tool to confirm query expansion is happening on your site and keywords. Here, you can sort by impressions, look for similar queries, and determine what opportunities there are.</p>



<p>Here&#8217;s the workflow:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Go to <em>Performance&gt; Search results.</em></li>



<li>Filter by a specific page and pull the full query list.</li>



<li>Sort by impressions.</li>
</ul>



<p>From there, you can look for queries you never targeted:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Synonyms with comparable impressions.</li>



<li>Question-form queries (these are especially popular with AI).</li>



<li>Broader keywords that you may not have on your page.</li>
</ul>



<p>Just because the keywords and topics are there doesn&#8217;t mean they&#8217;re actually relevant. If that&#8217;s the case, you may need to audit your page and ensure your content isn&#8217;t covering unrelated topics that don&#8217;t follow through from the SERP to page promise.</p>



<div class="nl-inline-form border py-2 px-1 my-2">
	
	<div class="row align-items-center nl-inline-container">
		<div class="col-12 col-lg-3 col-xl-4 pe-md-0 pb-2 pb-lg-0">
			<p class="inline-form-text text-center mb-0">Get the newsletter search marketers rely on.</p>
		</div>
		<div class="col-12 col-lg-7 col-xl-6  pe-lg-0">
			<div class="form-nl-inline">
				<form id="mktoForm_16298"></form> 
				
				
			</div>
		</div>
		<div class="col-12 col-lg-2 col-xl-2 ps-1">
			<p class="text-center mb-0"><a class="nl-terms" href="https://searchengineland.com/termsofuse" target="_blank" aria-label="opens in a new tab">See terms.</a>
		</div>
	</div>
</div>




<hr class="wp-block-separator has-text-color has-cyan-bluish-gray-color has-css-opacity has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-background"/>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-strategizing-the-right-content-with-query-expansion">Strategizing the right content with query expansion</h2>



<p>Now that you know what query expansion is and how to find it, let&#8217;s talk about how you can strategize the right content.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-write-for-topic-coverage">Write for topic coverage</h3>



<p>For a long time, it&#8217;s been less about specific keywords and more about semantic relations to the topic. Creating subtopics, related questions, and adjacent content enables broader expansion than content built solely to cover a keyword.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-answering-questions-adjacent-to-the-primary-topic">Answering questions adjacent to the primary topic</h3>



<p>For instance, a company selling chicken feed might also want to explain why the right balance matters and how the right feed can improve chicken health. These questions can be found by searching GSC for query expansions and by looking at Ahrefs or the SERP itself to see what relevant information is coming up for that topic.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-finding-content-gaps-with-expansion-data">Finding content gaps with expansion data</h3>



<p>If the GSC data shows Google is pulling your page for a query you haven&#8217;t strategized for, and it makes sense, it&#8217;s a signal that the page may need additional coverage.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Sometimes query expansions include results that aren&#8217;t related to the topic at all. Wild queries in the SERP. But if there are relevant, adjacent queries that help expand your search, add them to your page.</p>



<p>It&#8217;s a good idea to check your content regularly, at least once a quarter. New queries may show up, while others disappear. Since you&#8217;re always optimizing your content and keeping it fresh for the SERP, this is another way to ensure your topic is as strong as it can be.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-using-query-expansion-to-boost-your-ai-overviews-presence">Using query expansion to boost your AI Overviews presence</h2>



<p>AI Overviews pull from ranking pages on a topic to build a thorough answer to a query, complete with semantic and supporting subtopics.</p>



<p>Cross-reference your query expansions with the main keyword in the SERP. If an AI Overview includes those supporting topics, consider adding them to your page.</p>



<p>Here&#8217;s an example. For our blog post, “Tandem vs. Spread Axles in Trucking,” I followed the steps above and filtered by impressions.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" width="1543" height="750" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/Query-Expansion-Image-1.png" alt="Using query expansion to boost your AI Overviews presence - 1" class="wp-image-480918" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/Query-Expansion-Image-1.png 1543w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/Query-Expansion-Image-1-768x373.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/Query-Expansion-Image-1-1536x747.png 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1543px) 100vw, 1543px" /></figure>



<p>We show up for &#8220;tandem truck meaning.&#8221; However, that phrase isn&#8217;t specifically listed in our content.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img decoding="async" width="349" height="89" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/Query-Expansion-Image-2-1.png" alt="Using query expansion to boost your AI Overviews presence - 2" class="wp-image-480920"/></figure>
</div>


<p>We rank first, but we&#8217;re not in the AI Overview for this specific query.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img decoding="async" width="1154" height="734" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/Query-Expansion-Image-3-1.png" alt="Using query expansion to boost your AI Overviews presence - 3" class="wp-image-480922" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/Query-Expansion-Image-3-1.png 1154w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/Query-Expansion-Image-3-1-768x488.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1154px) 100vw, 1154px" /></figure>
</div>


<p>Because the page ranks first, we can use the query expansion, along with the supporting information here, to create a section that supports both the query expansion term and the query fan-out for the AI Overview results.</p>



<p>Query expansions can reveal supporting topics that strengthen both traditional search visibility and AI Overview inclusion.</p>


<a href="https://www.semrush.com/ai-seo/overview?utm_campaign=ic_sel_0102ai&#038;utm_source=searchengineland.com&#038;utm_medium=overlay&#038;onboarding=off" target="_blank">
  <div>
    
    <div>
      
      <div id="semrush-one-headline" class="headline-responsive">
        If AI can’t find you, <span>customers won’t either</span>.
      </div>
      <p id="semrush-one-subhead">
       Track your visibility across AI search, uncover missed opportunities, and grow your presence where customers are asking questions.
      </p>
    </div>
    <div>
      <span id="semrush-one-cta">See your AI visibility</span>
    </div>
    </div>
    </a>




<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-evolving-seo-strategy-with-query-expansions">Evolving SEO strategy with query expansions</h2>



<p>Query expansions are a practical way to identify supporting topics and expand content coverage across search experiences.</p>



<p>As clicks become harder to earn, broader visibility across relevant search experiences can strengthen brand awareness and keep your content in front of potential customers.</p>

LLMs have changed the way people search and the way Google answers. While the SERP hasn’t been 10 blue links in a very long time, it has traditionally been centered on a single intent: the thing a person is looking for.
Now, AI Overviews create a full article directly in the SERP. They don’t just answer the searcher’s query. Results include related terms, contextual refinements, and supporting information that help searchers make decisions.
Understanding Google query expansion gives you an advantage that your competitors may overlook.
What is Google query expansion?
Google query expansion was designed to prevent zero-result searches for long-tail queries. It broadens a searcher’s query to deliver more accurate results. This happens automatically in several ways:
Synonyms: For example, “budget” instead of “affordable.”
Intent expansion: Google understands what your customer means, even if they don’t type it exactly.
Related topic expansion: Google uses similar searches to surface related content.
Don’t stuff keywords to capture these expanded results. Researching and creating supporting information helps your content rank for a wider range of queries.
Here’s an example.
You have an article about backyard chicken care. Someone searches for “What’s the average lifespan of a chicken?” Your page appears even though you never used the term “lifespan” on it.
Google determined your article was semantically relevant. Once you know Google has made this connection, adding a section on chicken lifespan can help the page rank for that term and drive more traffic.
It can also help your content appear in relevant AI Overviews.
AI recommends.
      
See your AI visibility
    
The difference between Google query expansion and query fan-outs
Google query expansion and query fan-outs are similar, but they aren’t the same.
Query expansion is part of traditional search. It broadens a query with synonyms, related terms, and intent signals before results are generated. As a result, your content can rank for more queries than you originally targeted.
Query fan-outs are part of AI Mode. They break a query into multiple related subqueries while the AI response is generated. As a result, your content can be retrieved as a source for AI Overviews.
If query expansion is part of traditional search, why does it matter in the age of LLMs and AI Overviews?
Because the same semantic relationships that drive query expansion can influence which content AI systems retrieve during query fan-outs.
Finding query expansion opportunities for your content
So, how do you find query expansion opportunities?
Google Search Console
This is a top tool to confirm query expansion is happening on your site and keywords. Here, you can sort by impressions, look for similar queries, and determine what opportunities there are.
Here’s the workflow:
Go to Performance> Search results.
Filter by a specific page and pull the full query list.
Sort by impressions.
From there, you can look for queries you never targeted:
Synonyms with comparable impressions.
Question-form queries (these are especially popular with AI).
Broader keywords that you may not have on your page.
Just because the keywords and topics are there doesn’t mean they’re actually relevant. If that’s the case, you may need to audit your page and ensure your content isn’t covering unrelated topics that don’t follow through from the SERP to page promise.
Get the newsletter search marketers rely on.
 
				
				
			
See terms.
		
Strategizing the right content with query expansion
Now that you know what query expansion is and how to find it, let’s talk about how you can strategize the right content.
Write for topic coverage
For a long time, it’s been less about specific keywords and more about semantic relations to the topic. Creating subtopics, related questions, and adjacent content enables broader expansion than content built solely to cover a keyword.
Answering questions adjacent to the primary topic
For instance, a company selling chicken feed might also want to explain why the right balance matters and how the right feed can improve chicken health. These questions can be found by searching GSC for query expansions and by looking at Ahrefs or the SERP itself to see what relevant information is coming up for that topic.
Finding content gaps with expansion data
If the GSC data shows Google is pulling your page for a query you haven’t strategized for, and it makes sense, it’s a signal that the page may need additional coverage. 
Sometimes query expansions include results that aren’t related to the topic at all. Wild queries in the SERP. But if there are relevant, adjacent queries that help expand your search, add them to your page.
It’s a good idea to check your content regularly, at least once a quarter. New queries may show up, while others disappear. Since you’re always optimizing your content and keeping it fresh for the SERP, this is another way to ensure your topic is as strong as it can be.
Using query expansion to boost your AI Overviews presence
AI Overviews pull from ranking pages on a topic to build a thorough answer to a query, complete with semantic and supporting subtopics.
Cross-reference your query expansions with the main keyword in the SERP. If an AI Overview includes those supporting topics, consider adding them to your page.
Here’s an example. For our blog post, “Tandem vs. Spread Axles in Trucking,” I followed the steps above and filtered by impressions.




We show up for “tandem truck meaning.” However, that phrase isn’t specifically listed in our content.




We rank first, but we’re not in the AI Overview for this specific query.




Because the page ranks first, we can use the query expansion, along with the supporting information here, to create a section that supports both the query expansion term and the query fan-out for the AI Overview results.
Query expansions can reveal supporting topics that strengthen both traditional search visibility and AI Overview inclusion.
customers won’t either.
      
See your AI visibility
    
Evolving SEO strategy with query expansions
Query expansions are a practical way to identify supporting topics and expand content coverage across search experiences.
As clicks become harder to earn, broader visibility across relevant search experiences can strengthen brand awareness and keep your content in front of potential customers.

Your content may already be surfacing for searches you never planned for. Here's how to identify those opportunities and act on them.

How to use Google query expansion to improve content visibility

<div><img width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/What-if-you-were-held-accountable-for-your-AI-slop-featured-image.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="What if you were held accountable for your AI slop - featured-image" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/What-if-you-were-held-accountable-for-your-AI-slop-featured-image.png 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/What-if-you-were-held-accountable-for-your-AI-slop-featured-image-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/What-if-you-were-held-accountable-for-your-AI-slop-featured-image-1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/What-if-you-were-held-accountable-for-your-AI-slop-featured-image-1200x675.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>A ruling against Google signals a broader shift: companies may be responsible for AI-generated errors, even when humans didn't write them.


<div><img width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/What-if-you-were-held-accountable-for-your-AI-slop-featured-image.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="What if you were held accountable for your AI slop - featured-image" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/What-if-you-were-held-accountable-for-your-AI-slop-featured-image.png 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/What-if-you-were-held-accountable-for-your-AI-slop-featured-image-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/What-if-you-were-held-accountable-for-your-AI-slop-featured-image-1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/What-if-you-were-held-accountable-for-your-AI-slop-featured-image-1200x675.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>
<p>The best and worst part of the web is the ability to freely share your opinions regardless of whether they’re technically accurate.</p>



<p>But imagine a scenario where you are held accountable not only for what you say online, but also for whether it is human- or AI-written?</p>



<p>A <a href="https://searchengineland.com/google-liability-false-ai-overview-claims-germany-479820">recent report came out</a> that a German court is holding Google accountable for just this. The court treated AI Overviews as Google’s own content and rejected Google’s argument that users were responsible for fact-checking the results themselves.</p>



<p><a href="https://www.seoforlunch.com/embed" rel="noopener noreferrer">View embedded content</a>



<p>Let’s talk more about what this could look like for businesses and individuals.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-disclaimer-defense-is-cracking">The ‘disclaimer’ defense is cracking</h2>



<p>For the last few years, nearly every AI platform has relied on some version of the same disclaimer: “AI can make mistakes. Please verify important information.”</p>



<p>Most users recognized this as the cost of using these tools.</p>



<p>But the German court essentially said that merely warning users about potential errors doesn’t automatically remove responsibility when those errors cause harm. If your system creates new claims that never existed in the source material, those aren’t someone else’s words anymore. They’re yours.</p>



<p>That’s a much bigger shift than many people realize. <a href="https://www.seoforlunch.com/p/ai-safety" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This is where legal AI ramifications </a>start.</p>



<p>Why? Because it moves the conversation away from whether AI is useful (AKA *) and toward who owns the consequences when it gets things wrong.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-this-means-for-businesses">What this means for businesses</h2>



<p>Many companies are <a href="https://www.seoforlunch.com/p/blind-trust" target="_blank" rel="noopener">blindly trusting</a> rapidly adopting AI across content creation, customer service, product descriptions, reporting, legal reviews, hiring, and internal communications.</p>



<p>In many cases, the discussion centers around efficiency.</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Can we create content faster?</li>



<li>Can we answer support tickets more cheaply?</li>



<li>Can we automate this process?</li>
</ul>



<p>Those are reasonable questions.</p>



<p>But the German ruling introduces another question: <strong>Who is responsible when the output is wrong?</strong>



<p>What if:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>AI-generated support response gives inaccurate guidance.</li>



<li>An AI-written article damages a competitor’s reputation.</li>



<li>An AI-generated report contains fabricated information that influences a business decision.</li>
</ul>



<p>The “AI wrote it” defense may become less effective over time. <a href="https://www.seoforlunch.com/i/198872978/ex-3gemini-cost-me-20-million-dollars" target="_blank" rel="noopener">It darn near cost me 20 million</a>.</p>



<p>The more people position AI as a trusted source of information, the harder it becomes to argue they shouldn’t be accountable for what it says.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-situation-is-kinda-funny">The situation is kinda funny…</h2>



<p>The irony in this is that most AI vendors already know this.</p>



<p>That’s why nearly every platform includes warnings, disclaimers, and usage policies.</p>



<p>Yet those same companies market AI as smarter, faster, more capable, and increasingly reliable.</p>



<p>You can’t, at the same time, tell users to trust the answer while arguing nobody should trust the answer.</p>



<p>At some point, those positions collide. We’re starting to see Google’s “<a href="https://www.seoforlunch.com/p/google-ai-opt-out" target="_blank" rel="noopener">solution</a>”: an option to opt out of AI.</p>



<p>Germany may simply be one of the first courts willing to force Google (or any other LLM business) to take certain actions.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-seos-should-be-paying-attention-to">What SEOs should be paying attention to</h2>



<p>Ironically, this ruling could end up benefiting everyone.</p>



<p>Today, the conversation is focused on whether AI companies should be responsible for the content their systems generate. But accountability could expand, well beyond AI.</p>



<p>The internet has spent decades creating distance between actions and consequences. Anonymous accounts, fake profiles, throwaway emails, and now AI-generated content all make it easier to say things without owning them.</p>



<p>That’s why I find this ruling so interesting.</p>



<p>Not because of Google. Because it introduces the idea that “I didn’t write it” may not be enough.</p>



<p>The image below shows a real email that Russell and Nina Westbrook received. A real person sat behind a keyboard and sent a message, hoping they would die in a car crash.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img decoding="async" width="1131" height="879" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/AI_slop_image_1_.webp" alt="AI slop" class="wp-image-480960" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/AI_slop_image_1_.webp 1131w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/AI_slop_image_1_-768x597.webp 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1131px) 100vw, 1131px" /></figure>
</div>


<p>That isn’t free speech. It’s hate speech.</p>



<p>The internet, combined with AI, needs more confidence that the content is accurate and that people who create it are held accountable.</p>



<p>You don’t get to claim the productivity gains when AI is right and blame the algorithm when it’s wrong.</p>



<p><em>This post first appeared on the author’s website and is republished here with permission.</em>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter"><a href="https://seoforlunch.com/?utm_source=searchengineland.com&amp;utm_medium=social"><img decoding="async" width="1774" height="887" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/05/leroy2.jpg.webp" alt="Leroy2" class="wp-image-476987" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/05/leroy2.jpg 1774w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/05/leroy2-768x384.jpg 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/05/leroy2-1536x768.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1774px) 100vw, 1774px" /></a></figure>
</div>

The best and worst part of the web is the ability to freely share your opinions regardless of whether they’re technically accurate.
But imagine a scenario where you are held accountable not only for what you say online, but also for whether it is human- or AI-written?
A recent report came out that a German court is holding Google accountable for just this. The court treated AI Overviews as Google’s own content and rejected Google’s argument that users were responsible for fact-checking the results themselves.
View embedded content



Let’s talk more about what this could look like for businesses and individuals.
The ‘disclaimer’ defense is cracking
For the last few years, nearly every AI platform has relied on some version of the same disclaimer: “AI can make mistakes. Please verify important information.”
Most users recognized this as the cost of using these tools.
But the German court essentially said that merely warning users about potential errors doesn’t automatically remove responsibility when those errors cause harm. If your system creates new claims that never existed in the source material, those aren’t someone else’s words anymore. They’re yours.
That’s a much bigger shift than many people realize. This is where legal AI ramifications start.
Why? Because it moves the conversation away from whether AI is useful (AKA *) and toward who owns the consequences when it gets things wrong.
What this means for businesses
Many companies are blindly trusting rapidly adopting AI across content creation, customer service, product descriptions, reporting, legal reviews, hiring, and internal communications.
In many cases, the discussion centers around efficiency.
Can we create content faster?
Can we answer support tickets more cheaply?
Can we automate this process?
Those are reasonable questions.
But the German ruling introduces another question: Who is responsible when the output is wrong?



What if:
AI-generated support response gives inaccurate guidance.
An AI-written article damages a competitor’s reputation.
An AI-generated report contains fabricated information that influences a business decision.
The “AI wrote it” defense may become less effective over time. It darn near cost me 20 million.
The more people position AI as a trusted source of information, the harder it becomes to argue they shouldn’t be accountable for what it says.
The situation is kinda funny…
The irony in this is that most AI vendors already know this.
That’s why nearly every platform includes warnings, disclaimers, and usage policies.
Yet those same companies market AI as smarter, faster, more capable, and increasingly reliable.
You can’t, at the same time, tell users to trust the answer while arguing nobody should trust the answer.
At some point, those positions collide. We’re starting to see Google’s “solution”: an option to opt out of AI.
Germany may simply be one of the first courts willing to force Google (or any other LLM business) to take certain actions.
What SEOs should be paying attention to
Ironically, this ruling could end up benefiting everyone.
Today, the conversation is focused on whether AI companies should be responsible for the content their systems generate. But accountability could expand, well beyond AI.
The internet has spent decades creating distance between actions and consequences. Anonymous accounts, fake profiles, throwaway emails, and now AI-generated content all make it easier to say things without owning them.
That’s why I find this ruling so interesting.
Not because of Google. Because it introduces the idea that “I didn’t write it” may not be enough.
The image below shows a real email that Russell and Nina Westbrook received. A real person sat behind a keyboard and sent a message, hoping they would die in a car crash.




That isn’t free speech. It’s hate speech.
The internet, combined with AI, needs more confidence that the content is accurate and that people who create it are held accountable.
You don’t get to claim the productivity gains when AI is right and blame the algorithm when it’s wrong.
This post first appeared on the author’s website and is republished here with permission.

A ruling against Google signals a broader shift: companies may be responsible for AI-generated errors, even when humans didn't write them.

What if you were held accountable for your AI slop?

<div><img width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/Bluepear-Article-20260625-feature.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/Bluepear-Article-20260625-feature.png 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/Bluepear-Article-20260625-feature-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/Bluepear-Article-20260625-feature-1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/Bluepear-Article-20260625-feature-1200x675.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>A step-by-step guide for spotting competitors, affiliates and misleading advertisers in your branded search queries.  

<div><img width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/Bluepear-Article-20260625-feature.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/Bluepear-Article-20260625-feature.png 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/Bluepear-Article-20260625-feature-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/Bluepear-Article-20260625-feature-1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/Bluepear-Article-20260625-feature-1200x675.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div><div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img decoding="async" width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/Bluepear-Article-20260625-feature.png" alt="" class="wp-image-480646" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/Bluepear-Article-20260625-feature.png 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/Bluepear-Article-20260625-feature-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/Bluepear-Article-20260625-feature-1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/Bluepear-Article-20260625-feature-1200x675.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></figure>
</div>


<p>Competitive brand bidding has become a staple PPC strategy. Many brands assume there’s little they can do about it beyond running their own branded campaigns.</p>



<p>Industry case studies show that advertisers who gain visibility into competitor, affiliate, and trademark bidding activity often uncover substantial CPC inflation. In documented cases, brands reduced branded CPCs by 25% to 75% after identifying infringing advertisers and enforcing their policies.</p>



<p>In this guide, <a href="https://bluepear.net/?utm_source=searchengineland&amp;utm_medium=article&amp;utm_campaign=who%E2%80%99s+using+your+brand" target="_blank" rel="noopener sponsored nofollow">Bluepear</a>’s brand protection experts show you how to monitor branded keywords, identify who’s advertising on them, and determine what actions may be available based on what you find.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-choosing-keywords-to-avoid-gaps-in-your-monitoring-setup">Choosing keywords to avoid gaps in your monitoring setup</h2>



<p>To identify who’s using your brand in search ads, start by deciding which keywords to monitor.</p>



<p>One of the most common mistakes is monitoring only your exact brand name. While it’s a valid starting point, it rarely shows the full picture. Some advertisers deliberately target brand-related coupon, discount, review, or alternative queries because they attract high-intent users while drawing less scrutiny.</p>



<p>For example, someone searching for “Brand coupon” or “Brand discount code” may be much closer to making a purchase than someone searching for the brand alone. These queries also tend to attract coupon affiliates, loyalty sites, and unauthorized advertisers seeking to intercept branded traffic.</p>



<p>Similarly, searches containing terms like “reviews” or “alternatives” often attract competitors and comparison sites that position themselves alongside your brand.</p>



<p>Misspellings deserve special attention. Some advertisers deliberately target spelling variations because they’re less likely to be monitored and often face less competition.</p>



<p>Your brand monitoring setup should be based on these types of keywords:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Your core brand name</li>



<li>Brand + “official page” / “login”</li>



<li>Brand + “coupon” / “discount” / “promo code”</li>



<li>Brand + “reviews”</li>



<li>Brand + “alternatives”</li>



<li>Commercial keyword variations (“buy”, “order”, “sign up”)</li>



<li>Common misspellings</li>



<li>Localized versions of your brand name </li>
</ul>



<p><a href="https://bluepear.net/?utm_source=searchengineland&amp;utm_medium=article&amp;utm_campaign=who%E2%80%99s+using+your+brand" target="_blank" rel="noopener sponsored nofollow">Bluepear</a>’s built-in AI assistant generates keyword suggestions using this list as a starting point.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img decoding="async" width="1826" height="911" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/Bluepear-Article-20260625-1.png" alt="" class="wp-image-480652" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/Bluepear-Article-20260625-1.png 1826w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/Bluepear-Article-20260625-1-768x383.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/Bluepear-Article-20260625-1-1536x766.png 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1826px) 100vw, 1826px" /></figure>
</div>


<p>The number of terms you need to monitor depends on the size of your brand portfolio, including trademarks, local branches, and product names. Most small to medium-sized brands start with about 20 keywords and expand coverage over time as new risks and opportunities emerge.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-choosing-locations-and-monitoring-frequency">Choosing locations and monitoring frequency</h2>



<p>A search from your office, on your device, at a single point in time rarely reflects what real customers see. Search results are highly dynamic, so two users searching for the same keyword may see entirely different ads and organic listings.</p>



<p>Another factor to consider: Some advertisers deliberately try to hide their activity.&nbsp;</p>



<p>For example, a fraudster or affiliate violating your PPC policy may run campaigns outside normal business hours to reduce the chance of detection. If you only check search results manually during the workday, there’s a good chance you’ll never see these ads.</p>



<p><strong>When monitoring branded search results, it’s important to consider:</strong>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Countries and markets where your brand operates.</li>



<li>Regional differences within those markets.</li>



<li>Mobile and desktop search results.</li>



<li>Different times of day.</li>



<li>Weekday versus weekend activity.</li>
</ul>



<p>Monitoring frequency matters as well. Some violations appear only briefly before disappearing. Running checks multiple times throughout the day helps capture activity that might otherwise go unnoticed.</p>



<p>Keeping track of all these variables can be difficult when relying on manual checks, especially for brands operating across multiple markets.</p>



<p>Bluepear accounts for everything: locations, devices, time zones, and redirects that obscure the true destination of traffic. Set your parameters once and <a href="https://app.bluepear.net/auth/signup?utm_source=searchengineland&amp;utm_medium=article&amp;utm_campaign=who%E2%80%99s+using+your+brand" target="_blank" rel="noopener sponsored nofollow">gain continuous visibility</a> without disrupting your workflow.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img decoding="async" width="1826" height="1408" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/Bluepear-Article-20260625-2.png" alt="" class="wp-image-480653" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/Bluepear-Article-20260625-2.png 1826w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/Bluepear-Article-20260625-2-768x592.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/Bluepear-Article-20260625-2-1536x1184.png 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1826px) 100vw, 1826px" /></figure>
</div>


<p>Otherwise, you could end up spending hours each week on tedious manual work.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reviewing-search-results-and-recording-evidence">Reviewing search results and recording evidence</h2>



<p>Not every advertiser bidding on your branded keywords is violating a policy. Competitors may legally bid on branded keywords as long as they don’t use your trademark in the ad copy. Affiliates may also be authorized to promote your brand under specific conditions.</p>



<p>However, you still need to determine whether an advertiser’s behavior crosses the line from legitimate brand bidding into trademark misuse, policy violations, or customer deception.</p>



<p><strong>Some common signals to investigate include:</strong>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong>Trademark use in ad copy: </strong>Does the ad mention your brand name in the headline or description? For brands with trademark restrictions or affiliate PPC policies, this may indicate a compliance issue.</li>



<li><strong>Misleading claims: </strong>Look for language that could confuse users about the advertiser’s relationship with your company. Claims of being an “official” partner, references to exclusive offers, or statements implying authorization when none exists warrant investigation.</li>



<li><strong>Unauthorized coupon and discount promotions: </strong>Verify that the advertised discount, promo code, or offer is legitimate. Some affiliates use expired, misleading, or entirely fabricated offers to attract clicks.</li>



<li><strong>Impersonation signals: </strong>Some ads and landing pages are designed to resemble a brand’s official website. Even without explicitly claiming to be your company, these tactics can create confusion and divert branded traffic.</li>
</ul>



<p>Because advertisers can change ad copy, pause campaigns, or remove landing pages at any time, violations may disappear before they can be documented. Take screenshots and record key details, including:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Ad copy</li>



<li>SERP position</li>



<li>The keyword that triggered the ad</li>



<li>Location</li>



<li>URLs and redirects</li>



<li>Landing page content</li>



<li>Timestamps</li>
</ul>



<p>Alternatively, <a href="https://bluepear.net/?utm_source=searchengineland&amp;utm_medium=article&amp;utm_campaign=who%E2%80%99s+using+your+brand" target="_blank" rel="noopener sponsored nofollow">Bluepear</a> can handle this automatically by compiling a comprehensive report containing all relevant information.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img decoding="async" width="1826" height="813" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/Bluepear-Article-20260625-3.png" alt="" class="wp-image-480654" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/Bluepear-Article-20260625-3.png 1826w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/Bluepear-Article-20260625-3-768x342.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/Bluepear-Article-20260625-3-1536x684.png 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1826px) 100vw, 1826px" /></figure>
</div>


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-identifying-who-s-behind-the-activity">Identifying who’s behind the activity</h2>



<p>Sometimes you won’t immediately know whether an advertiser is a competitor, an affiliate, or something else entirely.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Branded search results often include a mix of participants with different motivations and risk levels. Understanding who you’re dealing with is essential before deciding whether any action is necessary.</p>



<p><strong>The following signals can help guide your investigation:</strong>



<figure class="wp-block-table aligncenter"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Signal</strong></td><td><strong>Likely Competitor</strong></td><td><strong>Likely Affiliate</strong></td><td><strong>Likely Coupon / Loyalty Site</strong></td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center"><strong>Possible Fraudster</strong></td></tr><tr><td>Direct competitor domain</td><td>+</td><td>–</td><td>–</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">–</td></tr><tr><td>Coupon or cashback page</td><td>–</td><td>Sometimes</td><td>+</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">–</td></tr><tr><td>Affiliate network tracking links</td><td>–</td><td>+</td><td>+</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Sometimes</td></tr><tr><td>Product comparison page</td><td>+</td><td>Sometimes</td><td>–</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">–</td></tr><tr><td>Uses your trademark in ad copy</td><td>Sometimes</td><td>Sometimes</td><td>Sometimes</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">+</td></tr><tr><td>Claims to be &#8220;official&#8221;&nbsp;</td><td>–</td><td>–</td><td>Sometimes</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">+</td></tr><tr><td>Multiple redirects before reaching the destination page</td><td>–</td><td>+</td><td>+</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">+</td></tr><tr><td>Promotes coupon codes that cannot be verified</td><td>–</td><td>Sometimes</td><td>+</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">+</td></tr><tr><td>Landing page closely imitates your brand’s design or messaging</td><td>–</td><td>Sometimes</td><td>–</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">+</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



<p>No single signal provides a definitive answer. The goal is to evaluate multiple pieces of evidence before drawing conclusions.</p>



<p>Once you know who’s advertising on your brand terms, you can move beyond detection and assess whether their activity aligns with your policies and business objectives.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-to-do-next-nbsp">What to do next&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Once you’ve identified who’s advertising on your brand terms and reviewed their ads, the next step is deciding how to respond.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-competitor-brand-bidding">Competitor brand bidding</h3>



<p>Not every competitor bidding on your branded keywords requires immediate intervention.</p>



<p><strong>Before acting, you need the answers to these questions:</strong>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>How frequently does the competitor appear in your brand search?</li>



<li>Which keywords are being targeted?</li>



<li>Are they using trademarked terms in ad copy?</li>



<li>Are they directing users to comparison content or direct offers?</li>
</ul>



<p>In many cases, the best approach is to monitor the activity and evaluate its business impact over time. Document patterns to establish a baseline that can support future compliance reviews or legal discussions if escalation becomes necessary.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-affiliate-violations">Affiliate violations</h3>



<p>If an affiliate is bidding on restricted branded keywords or otherwise violating program rules, the next step is usually to gather evidence and contact the affiliate or network.</p>



<p><strong>The common workflow is:</strong>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Document the violation.</li>



<li>Verify the affiliate’s ID.</li>



<li>Show evidence to them.</li>



<li>Request removal or corrective action.</li>



<li>Apply program enforcement measures if needed.</li>
</ul>



<p>Having screenshots, timestamps, and redirect data makes these conversations significantly easier.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-trademark-misuse">Trademark misuse</h3>



<p>Trademark-related situations require careful review.</p>



<p><strong>Potential indicators include:</strong>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Unauthorized trademark use in ad copy.</li>



<li>Ads that create confusion about brand affiliation.</li>



<li>Impersonation attempts.</li>



<li>Misleading claims of being an official brand representative, partner, or reseller.</li>
</ul>



<p>The appropriate response depends on the circumstances, your internal policies, and applicable laws.</p>



<p>In many jurisdictions, competitors are generally allowed to bid on trademarked keywords. However, ads that create confusion about the advertiser’s relationship with your brand may raise trademark or unfair competition concerns, depending on the specific facts and local laws.</p>



<p>The advertising platform’s own policies also matter. Google allows advertisers to bid on trademarked keywords, but may restrict trademark use in ad text when a valid trademark complaint is submitted. Google also prohibits ads that use trademarks in a confusing, deceptive, or misleading way.</p>



<p>Before taking action, collect as much evidence as possible, including screenshots, detection timestamps, URLs, and landing page content.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" width="1826" height="945" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/Bluepear-Article-20260625-4.png" alt="" class="wp-image-480660" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/Bluepear-Article-20260625-4.png 1826w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/Bluepear-Article-20260625-4-768x397.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/Bluepear-Article-20260625-4-1536x795.png 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1826px) 100vw, 1826px" /></figure>



<p><strong>Once the facts have been documented, consider the following actions:</strong>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Contact the advertiser directly and request removal of the ad.</li>



<li>Submit a trademark complaint to the advertising platform.</li>



<li>Send a cease and desist letter requesting to stop the activity.</li>



<li>Escalate through legal channels if necessary.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-you-need-to-keep-monitoring-your-brand-search">Why you need to keep monitoring your brand search</h2>



<p>The important thing to remember is that this isn’t a one-time exercise. Affiliates may activate and pause campaigns throughout the month. Some violations appear only on weekends, outside business hours, or in specific markets. An advertiser that disappears today may return next week with different ad copy, a new domain, or a different affiliate account.</p>



<p>That’s why effective brand protection isn’t built on occasional searches or periodic audits. It requires consistent monitoring and a repeatable investigation process that reveals who’s appearing on your brand terms, how they operate, and whether action is warranted.</p>



<p><strong>Want effortless visibility into your branded search landscape?</strong>&nbsp;</p>



<p><a href="https://bluepear.net/?utm_source=searchengineland&amp;utm_medium=article&amp;utm_campaign=who%E2%80%99s+using+your+brand" target="_blank" rel="noopener sponsored nofollow">Try Bluepear</a>. The platform helps marketing teams identify issues earlier, respond faster, and make more informed decisions about protecting their traffic and advertising investments.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/Bluepear-Article-20260625-5.png" alt="" class="wp-image-480662" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/Bluepear-Article-20260625-5.png 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/Bluepear-Article-20260625-5-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/Bluepear-Article-20260625-5-1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/06/Bluepear-Article-20260625-5-1200x675.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></figure>






Competitive brand bidding has become a staple PPC strategy. Many brands assume there’s little they can do about it beyond running their own branded campaigns.
Industry case studies show that advertisers who gain visibility into competitor, affiliate, and trademark bidding activity often uncover substantial CPC inflation. In documented cases, brands reduced branded CPCs by 25% to 75% after identifying infringing advertisers and enforcing their policies.
In this guide, Bluepear’s brand protection experts show you how to monitor branded keywords, identify who’s advertising on them, and determine what actions may be available based on what you find.
Choosing keywords to avoid gaps in your monitoring setup
To identify who’s using your brand in search ads, start by deciding which keywords to monitor.
One of the most common mistakes is monitoring only your exact brand name. While it’s a valid starting point, it rarely shows the full picture. Some advertisers deliberately target brand-related coupon, discount, review, or alternative queries because they attract high-intent users while drawing less scrutiny.
For example, someone searching for “Brand coupon” or “Brand discount code” may be much closer to making a purchase than someone searching for the brand alone. These queries also tend to attract coupon affiliates, loyalty sites, and unauthorized advertisers seeking to intercept branded traffic.
Similarly, searches containing terms like “reviews” or “alternatives” often attract competitors and comparison sites that position themselves alongside your brand.
Misspellings deserve special attention. Some advertisers deliberately target spelling variations because they’re less likely to be monitored and often face less competition.
Your brand monitoring setup should be based on these types of keywords:
Your core brand name
Brand + “official page” / “login”
Brand + “coupon” / “discount” / “promo code”
Brand + “reviews”
Brand + “alternatives”
Commercial keyword variations (“buy”, “order”, “sign up”)
Common misspellings
Localized versions of your brand name 
Bluepear’s built-in AI assistant generates keyword suggestions using this list as a starting point.




The number of terms you need to monitor depends on the size of your brand portfolio, including trademarks, local branches, and product names. Most small to medium-sized brands start with about 20 keywords and expand coverage over time as new risks and opportunities emerge.
Choosing locations and monitoring frequency
A search from your office, on your device, at a single point in time rarely reflects what real customers see. Search results are highly dynamic, so two users searching for the same keyword may see entirely different ads and organic listings.
Another factor to consider: Some advertisers deliberately try to hide their activity. 
For example, a fraudster or affiliate violating your PPC policy may run campaigns outside normal business hours to reduce the chance of detection. If you only check search results manually during the workday, there’s a good chance you’ll never see these ads.
When monitoring branded search results, it’s important to consider:




Countries and markets where your brand operates.
Regional differences within those markets.
Mobile and desktop search results.
Different times of day.
Weekday versus weekend activity.
Monitoring frequency matters as well. Some violations appear only briefly before disappearing. Running checks multiple times throughout the day helps capture activity that might otherwise go unnoticed.
Keeping track of all these variables can be difficult when relying on manual checks, especially for brands operating across multiple markets.
Bluepear accounts for everything: locations, devices, time zones, and redirects that obscure the true destination of traffic. Set your parameters once and gain continuous visibility without disrupting your workflow.




Otherwise, you could end up spending hours each week on tedious manual work.
Reviewing search results and recording evidence
Not every advertiser bidding on your branded keywords is violating a policy. Competitors may legally bid on branded keywords as long as they don’t use your trademark in the ad copy. Affiliates may also be authorized to promote your brand under specific conditions.
However, you still need to determine whether an advertiser’s behavior crosses the line from legitimate brand bidding into trademark misuse, policy violations, or customer deception.
Some common signals to investigate include:




Trademark use in ad copy: Does the ad mention your brand name in the headline or description? For brands with trademark restrictions or affiliate PPC policies, this may indicate a compliance issue.
Misleading claims: Look for language that could confuse users about the advertiser’s relationship with your company. Claims of being an “official” partner, references to exclusive offers, or statements implying authorization when none exists warrant investigation.
Unauthorized coupon and discount promotions: Verify that the advertised discount, promo code, or offer is legitimate. Some affiliates use expired, misleading, or entirely fabricated offers to attract clicks.
Impersonation signals: Some ads and landing pages are designed to resemble a brand’s official website. Even without explicitly claiming to be your company, these tactics can create confusion and divert branded traffic.
Because advertisers can change ad copy, pause campaigns, or remove landing pages at any time, violations may disappear before they can be documented. Take screenshots and record key details, including:
Ad copy
SERP position
The keyword that triggered the ad
Location
URLs and redirects
Landing page content
Timestamps
Alternatively, Bluepear can handle this automatically by compiling a comprehensive report containing all relevant information.




Identifying who’s behind the activity
Sometimes you won’t immediately know whether an advertiser is a competitor, an affiliate, or something else entirely. 
Branded search results often include a mix of participants with different motivations and risk levels. Understanding who you’re dealing with is essential before deciding whether any action is necessary.
The following signals can help guide your investigation:





SignalLikely CompetitorLikely AffiliateLikely Coupon / Loyalty SitePossible Fraudster
Direct competitor domain+–––
Coupon or cashback page–Sometimes+–
Affiliate network tracking links–++Sometimes
Product comparison page+Sometimes––
Uses your trademark in ad copySometimesSometimesSometimes+
Claims to be “official” ––Sometimes+
Multiple redirects before reaching the destination page–+++
Promotes coupon codes that cannot be verified–Sometimes++
Landing page closely imitates your brand’s design or messaging–Sometimes–+





No single signal provides a definitive answer. The goal is to evaluate multiple pieces of evidence before drawing conclusions.
Once you know who’s advertising on your brand terms, you can move beyond detection and assess whether their activity aligns with your policies and business objectives.
What to do next 
Once you’ve identified who’s advertising on your brand terms and reviewed their ads, the next step is deciding how to respond.
Competitor brand bidding
Not every competitor bidding on your branded keywords requires immediate intervention.
Before acting, you need the answers to these questions:




How frequently does the competitor appear in your brand search?
Which keywords are being targeted?
Are they using trademarked terms in ad copy?
Are they directing users to comparison content or direct offers?
In many cases, the best approach is to monitor the activity and evaluate its business impact over time. Document patterns to establish a baseline that can support future compliance reviews or legal discussions if escalation becomes necessary.
Affiliate violations
If an affiliate is bidding on restricted branded keywords or otherwise violating program rules, the next step is usually to gather evidence and contact the affiliate or network.
The common workflow is:




Document the violation.
Verify the affiliate’s ID.
Show evidence to them.
Request removal or corrective action.
Apply program enforcement measures if needed.
Having screenshots, timestamps, and redirect data makes these conversations significantly easier.
Trademark misuse
Trademark-related situations require careful review.
Potential indicators include:




Unauthorized trademark use in ad copy.
Ads that create confusion about brand affiliation.
Impersonation attempts.
Misleading claims of being an official brand representative, partner, or reseller.
The appropriate response depends on the circumstances, your internal policies, and applicable laws.
In many jurisdictions, competitors are generally allowed to bid on trademarked keywords. However, ads that create confusion about the advertiser’s relationship with your brand may raise trademark or unfair competition concerns, depending on the specific facts and local laws.
The advertising platform’s own policies also matter. Google allows advertisers to bid on trademarked keywords, but may restrict trademark use in ad text when a valid trademark complaint is submitted. Google also prohibits ads that use trademarks in a confusing, deceptive, or misleading way.
Before taking action, collect as much evidence as possible, including screenshots, detection timestamps, URLs, and landing page content.




Once the facts have been documented, consider the following actions:




Contact the advertiser directly and request removal of the ad.
Submit a trademark complaint to the advertising platform.
Send a cease and desist letter requesting to stop the activity.
Escalate through legal channels if necessary.
Why you need to keep monitoring your brand search
The important thing to remember is that this isn’t a one-time exercise. Affiliates may activate and pause campaigns throughout the month. Some violations appear only on weekends, outside business hours, or in specific markets. An advertiser that disappears today may return next week with different ad copy, a new domain, or a different affiliate account.
That’s why effective brand protection isn’t built on occasional searches or periodic audits. It requires consistent monitoring and a repeatable investigation process that reveals who’s appearing on your brand terms, how they operate, and whether action is warranted.
Want effortless visibility into your branded search landscape? 
Try Bluepear. The platform helps marketing teams identify issues earlier, respond faster, and make more informed decisions about protecting their traffic and advertising investments.

A step-by-step guide for spotting competitors, affiliates and misleading advertisers in your branded search queries.

How to find who’s using your brand in paid search by Bluepear

<div><img width="1920" height="1097" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/09/google-spam-header-1920.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/09/google-spam-header-1920.jpg 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/09/google-spam-header-1920-768x439.jpg 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/09/google-spam-header-1920-1536x878.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>This update should only take a few days to roll out.

<div><img width="1920" height="1097" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/09/google-spam-header-1920.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/09/google-spam-header-1920.jpg 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/09/google-spam-header-1920-768x439.jpg 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/09/google-spam-header-1920-1536x878.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>
<p>Google has released the June 2026 spam update today at around noon ET.  This follows the <a href="https://searchengineland.com/google-may-2026-core-update-rolling-out-now-478430">May 2026 core update</a>, following the&nbsp;<a href="https://searchengineland.com/google-march-2026-core-update-rolling-out-now-472759">March 2026 core update</a>, the&nbsp;<a href="https://searchengineland.com/google-releases-march-2026-spam-update-472411">March 2026 spam update</a>, and the&nbsp;<a href="https://searchengineland.com/google-releases-discover-core-update-february-2026-468308">February 2026 Discover update</a>.</p>



<p><strong>What Google said. </strong>Google <a href="https://status.search.google.com/incidents/YUX1peHev5a4fkxLDiUQ">wrote</a>, &#8220;Released the June 2026 spam update, which applies globally and to all languages. The rollout may take a few days to complete.&#8221;</p>



<p><strong>Timing. </strong>This update may only take just a few days to roll out.</p>



<p><strong>Why we care. </strong>Google released search ranking updates several times per year.  Spam updates should impact sites using manipulative techniques to abuse the search ranking algorithm.  If your site is not doing any of that, then you should be okay.</p>



<p><strong>More on spam update.&nbsp;</strong>Google’s&nbsp;<a href="https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/spam-updates">documentation</a>&nbsp;says:</p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
<p>“While Google’s automated systems to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.google.com/search/howsearchworks/how-search-works/detecting-spam/">detect search spam</a>&nbsp;are constantly operating, we occasionally make notable improvements to how they work. When we do, we refer to this as a&nbsp;<em>spam update</em>&nbsp;and share when they happen on our&nbsp;<a href="https://status.search.google.com/products/rGHU1u87FJnkP6W2GwMi/history">list of Google Search ranking updates</a>.</p>



<p>For example,&nbsp;<a href="https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2022/04/webspam-report-2021">SpamBrain</a>&nbsp;is our AI-based spam-prevention system. From time-to-time, we improve that system to make it better at spotting spam and to help ensure it catches new types of spam.</p>



<p>Sites that see a change after a spam update should review our&nbsp;<a href="https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies">spam policies</a>&nbsp;to ensure they are complying with those. Sites that violate our policies may rank lower in results or not appear in results at all. Making changes may help a site improve if our automated systems learn over a period of months that the site complies with our spam policies.</p>



<p>In the case of a link spam update (an update that specifically deals with link spam), making changes might not generate an improvement. This is because when our systems remove the effects spammy links may have, any ranking benefit the links may have previously generated for your site is lost. Any potential ranking benefits generated by those links cannot be regained.”</p>


<a href="https://www.semrush.com/ai-seo/overview?utm_campaign=ic_sel_0101ai&#038;utm_source=searchengineland.com&#038;utm_medium=overlay&#038;onboarding=off" target="_blank">
  <div>
    
    <div>
      
      <div id="semrush-one-headline" class="headline-responsive">
        Be the brand <span>AI recommends</span>.
      </div>
      <p id="semrush-one-subhead">
        See where your brand appears in AI search, where competitors are winning, and what it takes to become the answer AI recommends.
      </p>
    </div>
    <div>
      <span id="semrush-one-cta">See your AI visibility</span>
    </div>
    </div>
    </a>

</blockquote>


Google has released the June 2026 spam update today at around noon ET.  This follows the May 2026 core update, following the March 2026 core update, the March 2026 spam update, and the February 2026 Discover update.
What Google said. Google wrote, “Released the June 2026 spam update, which applies globally and to all languages. The rollout may take a few days to complete.”
Timing. This update may only take just a few days to roll out.
Why we care. Google released search ranking updates several times per year.  Spam updates should impact sites using manipulative techniques to abuse the search ranking algorithm.  If your site is not doing any of that, then you should be okay.
More on spam update. Google’s documentation says:
“While Google’s automated systems to detect search spam are constantly operating, we occasionally make notable improvements to how they work. When we do, we refer to this as a spam update and share when they happen on our list of Google Search ranking updates.
For example, SpamBrain is our AI-based spam-prevention system. From time-to-time, we improve that system to make it better at spotting spam and to help ensure it catches new types of spam.
Sites that see a change after a spam update should review our spam policies to ensure they are complying with those. Sites that violate our policies may rank lower in results or not appear in results at all. Making changes may help a site improve if our automated systems learn over a period of months that the site complies with our spam policies.
In the case of a link spam update (an update that specifically deals with link spam), making changes might not generate an improvement. This is because when our systems remove the effects spammy links may have, any ranking benefit the links may have previously generated for your site is lost. Any potential ranking benefits generated by those links cannot be regained.”
AI recommends.
      
See your AI visibility

This update should only take a few days to roll out.

Google releases June 2026 spam update

<div><img width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/01/Why-Performance-Max-looks-different-for-B2B-in-2026.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="Why Performance Max looks different for B2B in 2026" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/01/Why-Performance-Max-looks-different-for-B2B-in-2026.jpg 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/01/Why-Performance-Max-looks-different-for-B2B-in-2026-768x432.jpg 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/01/Why-Performance-Max-looks-different-for-B2B-in-2026-1536x864.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>Google will end support for creating new Smart Campaigns via its Ads API, further shifting advertisers toward Performance Max.

<div><img width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/01/Why-Performance-Max-looks-different-for-B2B-in-2026.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="Why Performance Max looks different for B2B in 2026" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/01/Why-Performance-Max-looks-different-for-B2B-in-2026.jpg 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/01/Why-Performance-Max-looks-different-for-B2B-in-2026-768x432.jpg 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/01/Why-Performance-Max-looks-different-for-B2B-in-2026-1536x864.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>
<p>Google is effectively closing the door on creating new Smart Campaigns through its API, suggesting a continued shift toward newer automated campaign types such as Performance Max and away from legacy automation products.</p>



<p><strong>What&#8217;s happening</strong>. Google announced that developers will no longer be able to create new Smart Campaigns through the Google Ads API beginning August 3rd.</p>



<p>Existing Smart Campaigns will not be affected and will continue serving ads. Advertisers and developers will also retain the ability to update and manage those campaigns through the API.</p>



<p>The change applies specifically to the creation of new Smart Campaigns.</p>



<p><strong>Why we care.</strong> Google is further steering advertisers toward newer AI-driven campaign types like Performance Max. While existing Smart Campaigns will continue running, businesses and platform partners that rely on API-based campaign creation will need to update their workflows before August 2026 or risk disruptions when creating new campaigns.</p>



<p><strong>What Google recommends instead</strong>. As Smart Campaign creation is phased out, Google is encouraging advertisers to consider alternative campaign types.</p>



<p>The company specifically pointed to Performance Max, its AI-powered campaign type that runs across Google&#8217;s advertising inventory, as the primary alternative. Other options include Search campaigns and Demand Gen campaigns, depending on an advertiser&#8217;s objectives.</p>



<p><strong>A broader automation shift</strong>. The move reflects Google&#8217;s ongoing consolidation around newer automated campaign formats.</p>



<p>Over the past several years, Google has increasingly prioritized AI-driven campaign types that automate bidding, targeting and creative optimization across multiple channels.</p>



<p>Limiting the creation of new Smart Campaigns suggests the company sees Performance Max and other automation products as the future of campaign management.</p>



<p><strong>What developers need to know</strong>. Applications that currently create Smart Campaigns through the API should be reviewed before the August deadline.</p>



<p>Developers can identify affected requests by looking for campaign creation operations where:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><code>advertising_channel_type</code> is set to <code>SMART</code></li>



<li><code>advertising_channel_sub_type</code> is set to <code>SMART_CAMPAIGN</code></li>
</ul>



<p>After August 3, attempts to create new Smart Campaigns will fail.</p>



<p>In version 24 of the Google Ads API, developers will receive a <code>SmartCampaignError.CREATION_FAILED</code> error.</p>



<p>In version 23 and earlier, requests will return an <code>OperationAccessDeniedError.CREATE_OPERATION_NOT_PERMITTED</code> error.</p>



<p><strong>What to watch</strong>. While Google is not shutting down existing Smart Campaigns, removing API support for new campaign creation is another sign that advertisers should prepare for a future centered on Performance Max and other AI-driven campaign types.</p>



<p>For agencies, software providers and advertisers with automated campaign creation workflows, now is the time to evaluate migration plans before the August 2026 deadline.</p>



<p><strong>Dig deeper. </strong><a href="https://ads-developers.googleblog.com/2026/06/changes-to-support-for-smart-campaigns.html?m=1">Changes to Support for Smart Campaigns in the Google Ads API</a>


<a href="https://www.semrush.com/analytics/traffic/paid-search?utm_campaign=ic_sel_0101ppc&#038;utm_source=searchengineland.com&#038;utm_medium=overlay&#038;onboarding=off" target="_blank">
  <div>
    
    <div>
      
      <div id="semrush-one-headline" class="headline-responsive">
        See exactly how <span>your competitors win</span>.
      </div>
      <p id="semrush-one-subhead">
        Uncover the keywords, ads, landing pages, and strategies driving your competitors&#8217; paid search success—and find your next opportunity to outperform them.
      </p>
    </div>
    <div>
      <span id="semrush-one-cta">Analyze your competitors</span>
    </div>
    </div>
    </a>



Google is effectively closing the door on creating new Smart Campaigns through its API, suggesting a continued shift toward newer automated campaign types such as Performance Max and away from legacy automation products.
What’s happening. Google announced that developers will no longer be able to create new Smart Campaigns through the Google Ads API beginning August 3rd.
Existing Smart Campaigns will not be affected and will continue serving ads. Advertisers and developers will also retain the ability to update and manage those campaigns through the API.
The change applies specifically to the creation of new Smart Campaigns.
Why we care. Google is further steering advertisers toward newer AI-driven campaign types like Performance Max. While existing Smart Campaigns will continue running, businesses and platform partners that rely on API-based campaign creation will need to update their workflows before August 2026 or risk disruptions when creating new campaigns.
What Google recommends instead. As Smart Campaign creation is phased out, Google is encouraging advertisers to consider alternative campaign types.
The company specifically pointed to Performance Max, its AI-powered campaign type that runs across Google’s advertising inventory, as the primary alternative. Other options include Search campaigns and Demand Gen campaigns, depending on an advertiser’s objectives.
A broader automation shift. The move reflects Google’s ongoing consolidation around newer automated campaign formats.
Over the past several years, Google has increasingly prioritized AI-driven campaign types that automate bidding, targeting and creative optimization across multiple channels.
Limiting the creation of new Smart Campaigns suggests the company sees Performance Max and other automation products as the future of campaign management.
What developers need to know. Applications that currently create Smart Campaigns through the API should be reviewed before the August deadline.
Developers can identify affected requests by looking for campaign creation operations where:
advertising_channel_type is set to SMART
advertising_channel_sub_type is set to SMART_CAMPAIGN
After August 3, attempts to create new Smart Campaigns will fail.
In version 24 of the Google Ads API, developers will receive a SmartCampaignError.CREATION_FAILED error.
In version 23 and earlier, requests will return an OperationAccessDeniedError.CREATE_OPERATION_NOT_PERMITTED error.
What to watch. While Google is not shutting down existing Smart Campaigns, removing API support for new campaign creation is another sign that advertisers should prepare for a future centered on Performance Max and other AI-driven campaign types.
For agencies, software providers and advertisers with automated campaign creation workflows, now is the time to evaluate migration plans before the August 2026 deadline.
Dig deeper. Changes to Support for Smart Campaigns in the Google Ads API



  
your competitors win.
      
Analyze your competitors

Google will end support for creating new Smart Campaigns via its Ads API, further shifting advertisers toward Performance Max.

All About
Digital Marketing

Read the Latest Trends and Headlines in Digital Marketing.

Here are some of the latest headlines on digital marketing insights, search, and ecommerce:

Free Consultation

Reach out with any questions you might have regarding how RSO can help you with digital marketing.

All About Digital Marketing

Read the Latest Trends and Headlines in Digital Marketing.

Here are some of the latest headlines on digital marketing insights, search, and ecommerce:

Free Consultation

Reach out with any questions you might have regarding how RSO can help you with digital marketing.

All About
Digital Marketing