Today we bring you the most recent updates from the world of digital marketing. From Google ads, we have the addition of 11 new languages to gallery ads, How Google has changed its preference between different match types.
From SEO we got the awesome Google maps update. We even have an update from WhatsApp and many more such updates..
So let’s get into it.
Update 1: Keyword Match Type Update
Google recently updated the way Phrase Match type and Broad Match Modifier match type. Previously BMM only included close variants such as misspellings, singular or plural, stemming, abbreviations and accents. Now it will also include the same meaning queries.
Here are some examples provided by Google itself:
For BMM
Image: Broad Match Modifier match type
As you can see +mowing will now also trigger queries for grass cutting and gardening services and services that cut your grass.
For Phrase Match
Image: Phrase Match type
The word order will still be respected. But similarly, it will match for the queries that have the same intention or meaning. Like “lawn mowing services” matches for grass cutting service near me.
What We Think
As Google Ads continues to evolve with its continuous stream of updates it’s getting more smarter and intelligent. Now with this update, there will be an obvious increase in traffic. According to Google advertisers can expect a 3% – 4% bump in clicks and conversions.
Out of this 85% of clicks will come from queries that were not covered previously.
There are also some precautions. It’s imperative that search terms are checked regularly and add negatives.
Future Implications
Google is fast moving towards a zero keyword search campaign world. Audiences and machine learning is now the future. Automated campaign types such as local campaigns, smart campaigns, and App campaigns are proof of the same.
It’s time that advertisers keep this in mind and plan future campaign structures accordingly.
Curated by: Abhishek
Update 2: Gallery Ads
Image: Gallery Ads
Google unveiled a new ad type at its Google Marketing Live event. Gallery ads as they are called is Google’s answer to Facebook’s carousel ads. The gallery ad will appear on the very top of the SERP
With galley ads, advertisers will be able to add a minimum of 4 to 8 images displaying their services. But that’s not all these ads will also include 3 headlines like expanded ads. You will also be able to include taglines for each image.
You can be charged for these ads on the basis of clicks the same as normal search ads and also when a user swipes 3 images. Headlines will be included on the top of the images and taglines below the images. For now, these ads will only be available for mobile platform.
What we think
Images always have a certain advantage over simple text. This is a much-needed ad type in the world where Instagram and Facebook rule the image advertising scene.
The swipe feature can also be seen on food ordering apps like Zomato or uber eats where you see the best offer appear on top of the page where you can easily swipe among options and choose the one you like.
Future Implications
As mentioned before Google is getting more competitive day by day. Gallery Ad is just one of many steps in making the platform more image-centric to better compete with Instagram and Facebook. This update will make it essential to make the Gallery ad part of your campaign structure.
While there is only one spot for Gallery ads it’s still at the top of the SERP and if presented correctly will become the most lucrative conversion opportunity. This is a boon for recognized brands and bane for those who are stuck with text only practices.
Image: Gallery Ad
Gallery ads feature is only available for the mobile platform for now but it will soon roll out for computers and tablets.
Curated by: Abhishek
Update 3: Facebook Removed Outdated Interest Targets for Advertising.
Facebook has recently removed many outdated and infrequently used interest-based targeting options. These include old band names, older cultural references.
These efforts will help ad targeting by removing a range of specific ad targeting options to better ensure it’s systems are not used to limit audiences in an unfair manner.
The interest targets will be objected across all Facebook Ads interfaces, including APIs.
What we think about it
Facebook updated its policies to prevent such usage in early 2017, but still, it was entirely possible for advertisers to continue utilizing such exclusions through Facebook’s complex ad targeting system.
In the wake of the Cambridge Analytica scandal, Facebook removed more than 5,000 ad targeting options along the same, anti-discrimination lines, while it also rolled out a new, opt-in agreement process which gave them some legal enforcement option against businesses which chose to utilize such process.
Image: Facebook removing some detailed targeting options
Curated by: Janhavi Ghodekar
Update 4: Google Maps rolls out AR Navigation for all, Adds New Timeline Sharing Features and Reservations Tab
Image: AR navigation
Google has declared a bunch of new includes for its Google Maps application clients. This incorporates the profoundly prevalent enlarged reality route for non-Pixel Android cell phones, a tab explicitly for your reservations, an approach to share your Timeline, and that’s only the tip of the iceberg.
Image: Google maps
Google has various approaches to arrange travel reservation information that has been sent to your email address. Presently, these reservations are getting their very own tab in the Google Maps application.
You’ll discover this tab in the Your Places area (which is gotten from the left route menu. From here you can see subtleties of your excursion including the majority of your flight data just as your lodging appointments.
Image: Google maps controls
Another new element is really not new as there were various reports of select nearby controls for Google Maps being welcome to test out the component. At that point, the organization officially reported this new AR route highlight at Google I/O not long ago, yet at the same time constrained its entrance to Pixel cell phones.
The element is right now known as Live View and is being made accessible (as a beta test) to Android and iOS gadgets that help ARCore and ARKit this week.
What we think about it
Maps was once fundamentally a route application. Google has been adding more highlights to make it a center where clients can leave audits, message nearby organizations, request sustenance, see the spots they have visited and, presently, see the goals they will visit, get suggestions dependent on past ventures or area history and spare areas to reference later.
For nearby organizations, Maps’ extended usefulness makes their GMB postings — regardless — a pivotal piece of their online nearness.
Curated by: Neeraj Karnani
Update 5: Instagram is Looking Forward to Introduce a “Stories About You” Section
Instagram is planning to introduce a separate notification section for its ‘stories’ feature. This can be potentially very useful for users.
As per the new feature you will get a notification whenever a Story tags or mentions you. However, there’s no official announcement about it.
What we think about it
Due to a separate notification section, this feature can be extremely useful for those users who have a high volume of mentions and struggle to keep on top of their responses. Let’s see if this feature makes it to Instagram.
Image: Stories about you
Curated by: Omkar Bagade
Conclusion
So these were the latest and greatest updates from all things related to digital marketing. A quick summary of all the updates so it remains fresh in your mind.
Now BMM and Phrase match types will recognize keywords with similar intent.
Gallery Ads coming to Google with 11 languages for the mobile platform only.
Facebook removed outdated interest targeting for advertising.
Google Maps rolled out AR navigation and a new reservations tab.
Instagram is planning to introduce a notification section for its “stories” feature.
We will be back again soon to bring you more updates from all things digital marketing.
How to get digital marketing updates?
Digital marketing is an ever-evolving field where you need to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and changes being made to search engines and the way they function.
Getting the right digital marketing updates is essential to stay ahead of the curve. There are many blogs and websites you can follow to check and find regular updates.
Some popular blogs include Neil Patel, Search Engine Land, Practical Ecommerce, Search Engine Journal, The Moz Blog, Search Engine Journal, SEO Theory, Search Engine Watch, SEMrush blog and of course the Google webmaster guidelines.
You can also join digital marketing groups on Facebook and join the conversation there to understand what’s trending and making news.
What is the latest keyword match type update?
Keyword match types help control which searches on Google can trigger your ad. So you could use broad match to show your ad to a wide audience or you could use exact match to hone in on specific groups of customers.
Using keyword match types effectively with your Google Ads campaigns will give you more control over your bids (by not bidding on search queries that are not relevant) as well as your ads (by not that trigger your ad to prospects you don’t want to target). There are four types of keyword match types. Broad match, which is the default setting and the least restrictive, giving you the least control.
Then there are modified broad matches, which appear for variations of your keyword. Third comes phrase match, which stick to queries that contain the phrase and lastly, exact match, which is the most restrictive and gives you maximum control.
What are gallery ads?
Gallery ads are swipeable, image-based ads that give customers the information they need about your products and services—right at the top of the search results page. They are interactive ads that sit at the top of the mobile SERP.
They contain a standard text headline and display URL, and below it, swipeable image carousels, much like what you would see in Instagram and Facebook ads. Each image is accompanied by a tagline, which can contain upto 70 characters.
The headline stays at the top of the screen as the user swipes through the carousel. You can add up to three unique headlines, enabling you to test different combinations, which is a bonus.
How to make Instagram stories?
Instagram stories are similar to Snapchat stories – temporary videos or photos that are strung together to form a slideshow gallery that tells a story. Making them is pretty simple. Tap the plus button on your home screen or swipe left on your feed.
Tap the large circle on the bottom middle of your screen to take photos, or long press to take a video. To add photos or videos from your phone gallery, swipe up to access the gallery or or tap the photo icon on the lower left.
Next, edit the photos/videos with text, sticker or filters. You can even use the pen option to add text. Then tap “done” to save your story. Tap the “add your story” button to share your story to your feed.
How do I share my timeline on Google maps?
Open the Google Maps app . Tap Menu Location sharing. Choose someone in your contacts list. To see an updated location, tap on your friend’s icon, then select more and then refresh.
For Curious Minds
Google's update fundamentally alters Broad Match Modifier (BMM) by expanding its reach from just close syntactical variants to queries with the same semantic meaning. This means your ads can now appear for searches that use different words but express the identical intent, such as a keyword for lawn mowing triggering an ad for 'grass cutting services'.
This evolution toward intent-based targeting is critical for your campaign's success. Instead of building exhaustive keyword lists to cover every possible phrasing, you can now trust Google's machine learning to connect you with relevant audiences more effectively. To adapt, you should:
Focus on the core intent behind your keyword groups.
Regularly monitor Search Term Reports to understand how Google interprets your BMM keywords.
Proactively add negative keywords to filter out any new, irrelevant matching patterns that emerge.
By embracing this change, you can capture a larger share of relevant traffic, as Google projects advertisers may see a 3%-4% bump in clicks. The full article provides more examples of how this new matching behavior works in practice.
Gallery Ads are Google's visually rich, swipeable ad format designed specifically for the top of the mobile search results page. They allow you to combine compelling imagery with persuasive text, moving beyond the limitations of traditional text-only search ads and creating an experience similar to social media carousels.
This format is a major development because it captures prime digital real estate, giving you the first opportunity to engage a user with a rich media experience. Key features include:
A minimum of four and up to eight images per ad.
Three distinct headlines, similar to expanded text ads.
Individual taglines for each image to provide context.
A dual charging model: you are charged per click or after a user swipes through three images.
This structure offers a powerful way to showcase products or services directly in the SERP, blending the high intent of search with the visual appeal of platforms like Instagram. To understand how to best build these new ads, explore the strategic campaign structures discussed in the complete analysis.
While both formats use a swipeable, multi-image layout, their strategic value comes from the user's context. Gallery Ads appear at the top of the Google SERP, capturing users with active search intent, whereas Facebook Carousel Ads appear in a user's feed, targeting them based on passive discovery and demographic data.
Your budget allocation should depend on your campaign goals. Use Google Gallery Ads for lower-funnel conversions where a user is actively looking for a solution you provide. Use Facebook Carousel Ads for upper-funnel brand awareness and demand generation. Consider these key differences:
Placement: Google is search-intent driven (top of SERP); Facebook is discovery-driven (social feed).
Cost Model: Google charges for clicks or a three-image swipe; Facebook's model is typically based on impressions or clicks.
Creative Context: Gallery Ad images should directly answer the search query; Carousel Ad images can tell a broader brand story.
For a holistic strategy, using both can be powerful, but understanding their distinct roles is essential for maximizing ROI. The full article explores how to integrate these formats into a cohesive digital strategy.
The projected 3%-4% increase in clicks and conversions is not just about more volume, but about capturing previously missed opportunities. The most crucial statistic is that 85% of this anticipated click increase will come from queries that were not previously covered by advertisers' existing keywords, highlighting the power of the new semantic matching capabilities.
This data proves that the update is effectively bridging the gap between the exact words a user types and the underlying meaning of their search. For your strategy, this means a reduced dependency on exhaustive long-tail keyword research. Instead, your focus should shift to:
Ensuring your ad copy and landing pages align with broader user intents, not just specific keywords.
Diligently monitoring the Search Terms Report to discover and harness these new, high-intent queries.
Refining your negative keyword lists to maintain quality control as traffic sources expand.
This shift allows you to connect with more relevant customers without manually predicting every possible search variation. Dig deeper into the report to see how to structure your campaigns to best capitalize on this change.
The comparison to the swipeable interfaces on popular apps like Zomato and Uber Eats highlights how Google is adopting a user experience that is already intuitive and widely accepted. These apps have conditioned users to swipe horizontally to explore options, making the interaction with Gallery Ads feel natural rather than disruptive.
This familiarity is a significant advantage for advertisers. A proven UI reduces the cognitive load on the user, meaning they can focus on your ad's content instead of figuring out how to navigate it. The benefits include:
Higher Engagement: Users are more likely to interact with a format they already understand.
Faster Information Discovery: The swipe gesture is a quick way for users to browse your offerings.
Improved Ad Recall: An interactive and visually pleasing experience is more memorable than plain text.
By building on a successful engagement model, Google is giving advertisers a powerful tool to capture attention effectively on mobile devices. The complete post further explores how visual hierarchy and UX principles can maximize Gallery Ad performance.
To adapt to the expanded matching behavior, your local service business must shift from a purely keyword-focused approach to an intent-management strategy. This ensures you capture the projected 3%-4% increase in clicks without wasting budget on irrelevant searches from the 85% of newly matched queries.
Follow this three-step plan to adjust your campaigns effectively:
Audit Your Search Term Reports Daily: For the first few weeks after the change, make it a daily habit to review the new queries your ads are showing for. Identify which new semantic matches are relevant and which are not.
Build Proactive Negative Keyword Lists: Based on your audit, aggressively add negative keywords. For example, if your 'lawn mowing' keyword triggers 'gardening services' and you do not offer that, add 'gardening' as a negative.
Restructure Ad Groups Around Themes: Consolidate ad groups that previously targeted slight variations of the same intent. Let Google's machine learning handle the nuances while you focus on creating compelling ad copy for the core theme.
This disciplined approach allows you to leverage the power of semantic search while maintaining tight control over your ad spend. The full article provides more advanced techniques for structuring campaigns in this new environment.
The trend toward a 'zero keyword' future signifies a fundamental shift in a PPC manager's role from a technical operator to a strategic marketer. As automated campaigns like Smart Campaigns and Local Campaigns take over manual bidding and keyword selection, your focus must move to higher-level inputs that guide the machine learning algorithms.
This evolution means your daily tasks will change. Success will depend less on granular keyword management and more on strategic audience definition and creative testing. Key skills to develop for the future include:
Audience Segmentation: Deeply understanding and defining first-party and in-market audiences to feed the algorithm.
Creative Strategy: Developing and testing compelling ad copy, images, and video that resonate with those audiences.
Data Analysis: Interpreting performance data to provide strategic feedback to the automated systems, rather than making manual adjustments.
The PPC manager of the future is an expert in audiences, creative, and strategy, who steers the AI rather than pulling the levers. Discover more about preparing for this shift in our detailed analysis.
The introduction of Gallery Ads at the top of the mobile SERP is set to dramatically alter user expectations and raise the bar for advertisers. Users will become accustomed to seeing rich, interactive results first, potentially leading them to scroll past or ignore traditional text ads that appear below.
This creates a significant competitive disadvantage for brands sticking to text-only practices. The most lucrative conversion opportunities will likely go to the businesses that master this new visual format. The landscape will shift in several ways:
Increased CPCs for Top Position: The single, highly-coveted Gallery Ad spot will drive intense competition and likely higher costs.
Higher User Engagement at the Top: The interactive nature of Gallery Ads will capture more attention, potentially lowering click-through rates for ads further down the page.
A New Bar for Creative Quality: Success will require high-quality imagery and compelling taglines, moving beyond simple keyword-to-ad-copy matching.
Brands that fail to adapt risk becoming invisible on the mobile SERP. To learn how to build a competitive visual ad strategy, explore the insights within the full article.
The most common and costly mistake is assuming Google's new semantic matching is perfect and failing to monitor its output. Advertisers who 'set and forget' their campaigns will see their ads appear for a host of new queries, but many of them will be commercially irrelevant, quickly draining the budget and hurting conversion rates.
To avoid this pitfall, you must implement a disciplined and continuous review process. Your primary defense against budget waste is the Search Terms Report combined with an aggressive negative keyword strategy. Strong performers actively manage this process by:
Scheduling Regular Reviews: Set aside time daily or weekly specifically to analyze the Search Terms Report for all updated campaigns.
Categorizing New Queries: Tag new search terms as 'relevant,' 'irrelevant,' or 'needs new ad group.'
Maintaining Dynamic Negative Lists: Immediately add all irrelevant terms to your negative keyword lists to prevent future wasted impressions and clicks.
This hands-on approach is the only way to ensure the expected 3%-4% bump in clicks comes from qualified traffic. The full article details advanced methods for creating and managing effective negative keyword lists.
The key piece of evidence that validates this strategic expansion is Google's specific projection that 85% of the expected 3%-4% increase in clicks will originate from queries that advertisers were not previously covering. This single data point reframes the update from a simple loosening of restrictions to a powerful tool for new customer discovery.
This statistic shows that the change is about unlocking latent demand. Google's AI is identifying and matching user intent in ways that human keyword research could not anticipate. This has profound implications:
It confirms that your existing keyword lists, no matter how thorough, have inherent blind spots.
It shifts the value proposition of match types toward capturing unforeseen but relevant search patterns.
It underscores the importance of monitoring search term data to learn from the machine's discoveries and refine your overall marketing message.
By leveraging this new capability, you are not just getting more traffic, you are getting access to new pockets of your target market. Dive into the complete analysis to see how to structure campaigns for this new reality.
Launching a successful first Gallery Ad campaign requires a focus on strong visual storytelling and clear messaging. Because this format is mobile-only for now and appears at the very top of the SERP, your creative assets must immediately capture attention and convey value to the user.
A straightforward plan for your e-commerce brand involves these three steps:
Select a High-Performing Ad Group: Start by identifying an existing mobile search ad group that already has a high click-through rate and conversion rate. This provides a proven foundation of keywords and user intent.
Develop Visually Cohesive Assets: Curate 4-8 high-quality product or lifestyle images that tell a story. Write a unique, benefit-driven tagline for each image and three compelling, overarching headlines that align with your targeted keywords.
Launch, Monitor, and Iterate: Deploy the Gallery Ad within your chosen ad group. Pay close attention to engagement metrics, such as the swipe rate and clicks. Test different image sequences and taglines to see what resonates most with your audience.
By following this approach, you can test the format methodically and gather valuable data on what drives mobile user engagement. Explore the full article for advanced tips on creative best practices for Gallery Ads.
The most common strategic error is repurposing desktop assets and messaging for a mobile-first format. Advertisers who simply use their standard product photos or desktop-oriented copy will fail to connect with users on mobile, where attention spans are shorter and visual impact is paramount.
To avoid this, you must adopt a mobile-centric creative strategy from the outset. Your assets need to be designed for viewing and interaction on a small screen. To optimize correctly, successful advertisers will:
Use Bold, Uncluttered Imagery: Photos should be bright, clear, and easily understandable at a small size. Avoid images with tiny text or overly complex details.
Write Concise, Punchy Taglines: Mobile users scan text quickly. Each image's tagline should deliver a single, clear benefit in just a few words.
Ensure a Seamless Landing Page Experience: The post-click experience must be fully mobile-optimized, with fast load times and easy navigation to maintain the user's interest.
The Gallery Ad is just the entry point; the entire user journey must be designed for the mobile user. The full report offers a deeper look into designing effective mobile funnels.
Amol has helped catalyse business growth with his strategic & data-driven methodologies. With a decade of experience in the field of marketing, he has donned multiple hats, from channel optimization, data analytics and creative brand positioning to growth engineering and sales.
Growth Strategy and Planning
