Paid Media News (Week 6)
Paid Media News (Week 6)
Explore every update from this edition, with the original reporting and contributor credits.
A digest of the original edition. Updates and availability reflect what was reported at the time.
🤝 Partner Spotlight: AdsToAI
I've been part of Mike Rhodes' AdsToAI community, and it's one of the few places focused on practical AI for Google Ads: scripts, automation systems, and tools you can actually use.
Read this update in detail →PPC Salary Survey 2026 now open
The 11th annual PPC Salary Survey is now accepting responses until February 28, 2026. Your participation helps benchmark compensation across the industry and shapes how agencies and employers understand market rates.
Read this update in detail →Google Ads MCC Billing Reports feature rolling out
Google Ads is rolling out Billing Reports to MCC accounts, providing line-by-line invoice breakdowns that include the account name, campaign details, usage, and payment data. The feature is located under Billing > Billing Reports.
Read this update in detail →Google Ads adds Data Source Diagnostics in Data Manager
Google Ads has added a diagnostics tool in Data Manager to help identify and fix data connection issues. The feature flags problems with linked data sources directly in the interface.
Read this update in detail →Google Ads rolls out MCC security fix to prevent account hijacking
Google has introduced a security update to address MCC account hijacking attacks that have increased recently. The update introduces Multi-Party Approval, requiring a second administrator to approve sensitive changes like adding/removing users or changing roles within ~20 days.
Read this update in detail →Google Merchant Centre surfaces product description improvement recommendations
Google Merchant Centre is now surfacing recommendations to improve product descriptions, highlighting specific attributes customers search for that are missing from your feed. The suggestions include attributes not yet available as standard feed fields, such as recommended age, playtime, genre, and maximum players for games.
Read this update in detail →Google Ads renames the YouTube objective to "Reach, Views, and Engagements"
Google Ads has renamed the YouTube campaign objective from "Awareness and Consideration" to "YouTube reach, views, and engagements." The change clarifies what each goal delivers: visibility, consumption views, and engagement.
Read this update in detail →Google Ads no longer pre-selects Performance Max when creating Shopping campaigns
Google Ads has stopped pre-selecting Performance Max as the default when setting up a new Shopping campaign. You now choose the campaign type without a default applied.
Read this update in detail →Google Ads adds Call Assets to Vehicle Ads
Google now allows Call Assets to appear inside Vehicle Ads in Search results. Users can call the dealer directly from the ad without clicking through to the website.
Read this update in detail →Google Ads shows AI Max promotion inside campaign settings
Google Ads is displaying promotional messaging for AI Max directly within campaign settings during account audits. The placement appears to be an internal ad encouraging the adoption of AI features.
Read this update in detail →Microsoft Advertising tests Magazine Answer Card ad format
Microsoft Advertising is testing a magazine-style layout within its Answer Card format on Bing Search. Ads appear in card formats at the top of results and can be served through Shopping, Multimedia Ads, or PMax: there is no separate auction.
Read this update in detail →Google bans personalised targeting for Rummy and Fantasy Sports App campaigns in India
Starting February 5, 2026, Google no longer allows personalised targeting for App campaigns promoting Rummy or daily fantasy sports apps in India. Only non-personalised delivery is permitted for these verticals in that market.
Read this update in detail →Microsoft Advertising updates Dating and Companionship policy globally, in Japan, and in the US
Microsoft Advertising has updated its Dating and Companionship policy to include new general requirements and a global pre-approval requirement. Additional market-specific requirements now apply in Japan and for advertisers targeting Colorado in the United States.
Read this update in detail →Google Ads API developer token applications delayed due to increased demand
Google has acknowledged delays in reviewing applications for Google Ads API developer tokens following the release of Explorer Access, the MCP Server, and the Developer Assistant. Additional reviewers have been assigned to clear the backlog.
Read this update in detail →Google Ads begins collecting more website event data automatically
Google Ads will now automatically collect a broader range of event data from websites to improve measurement with less manual setup. Advertisers may notice additional network requests to Google domains when events are transmitted (e.g., /aagrp/prod/model_person_country_code_US_person_region_code).
Read this update in detail →GTM Tag Assistant sessions can be exported and shared
You can export GTM Tag Assistant preview sessions and share them with teammates or clients for debugging. The exported file can be re-imported at tagassistant.google.com to inspect variables, payloads, and server-side requests after the fact.
Read this update in detail →Meta rolls out Threads ads globally and prompts advertisers to add accounts
Meta is rolling out Threads ads to advertisers globally and now prompts you to add your Threads account to your Meta Business Portfolio. Threads is available as a placement within existing Meta campaigns.
Read this update in detail →Meta Instant Forms adds WhatsApp number as a prefill field
Meta Instant Forms now includes "WhatsApp number" as a prefill question option alongside phone number. The field auto-populates if the user has a WhatsApp number linked to their profile.
Read this update in detail →TikTok Ads adds a 15-second views optimisation goal for Video Views campaigns
TikTok Ads Manager now offers a "15-second views" optimisation goal for Video Views campaigns, alongside the existing 2-second and 6-second options. This targets users more likely to watch for at least 15 seconds.
Read this update in detail →Amazon Sponsored Products tests automatic ROAS optimisation in rule-based bidding
Amazon is beta testing an "Automatically optimising ROAS within the campaign budget" option under rule-based bidding for Sponsored Products. You set the daily budget, and Amazon adjusts bids to maximise ROAS without a target floor.
Read this update in detail →Amazon launches Co-Brand Relationships portal in Brand Registry
Amazon has launched a Co-Brand Relationships portal within the Brand Registry for products that display multiple brand logos, such as licensed merchandise. The portal requires documentation proving the relationship between brands.
Read this update in detail →Amazon updates FBM shipping settings for multi-warehouse fulfilment
Amazon has updated FBM shipping settings to better support multi-warehouse operations. The changes fix delivery promise accuracy when fulfilling from multiple locations.
Read this update in detail →Amazon Ads releases MCP Server for agentic API access
Amazon Ads has released an MCP Server in open beta, enabling AI agents to interact with the Amazon Ads API programmatically. The server allows agentic workflows to manage campaigns, pull reports, and execute tasks.
Read this update in detail →Alphabet reports Q4 2025: Google Cloud up 48%, Gemini at 750M users, YouTube crosses $60B
Alphabet reported Q4 2025 earnings with annual revenue surpassing $400 billion for the first time. Google Cloud revenue reached $17.7 billion (up 48% YoY) with operating margin jumping to 30% from 17% a year ago.
Read this update in detail →Amazon reports record Q4 2025: ad revenue up 23%, CapEx guidance hits $200B for 2026
Amazon reported record Q4 revenue of $213.4 billion (up 14% YoY), with advertising revenue reaching $21.32 billion (up 23%). AWS grew 24% to $35.58 billion: its fastest growth in 13 quarters.
Read this update in detail →Reddit reports Q4 2025: ad revenue up 75%, announces $1B buyback and signals adtech acquisitions
Reddit reported Q4 revenue of $726 million (up 70% YoY), with $690 million from advertising (up 75% YoY). Daily active users grew 19% to 121.4 million, and the company announced a $1 billion share repurchase program.
Read this update in detail →Google reduces HTML crawl limit from 15MB to 2MB
Google reduced its HTML file crawl limit from 15MB to 2MB on February 5, 2026, an 86.7% reduction. Content beyond 2MB will not be indexed.
Read this update in detail →Google announces February 2026 Discover Core update with new page experience guidance
Google announced the February 2026 Discover Core update, an algorithmic change to improve article quality in Discover feeds. Alongside the rollout, Google updated its Discover documentation to include "Provide a great page experience": warning against overloading pages with intrusive ads and auto-playing content.
Read this update in detail →SpaceX acquires xAI in $1.25 trillion merger, creating the world's most valuable private company
SpaceX has acquired Elon Musk's AI startup xAI in a merger valuing the combined company at $1.25 trillion. Musk cited plans to build space-based data centres to meet AI power demands. xAI, which owns the Grok chatbot and previously acquired X (Twitter), is currently burning around $1 billion per month.
Read this update in detail →Snowflake signs $200M deal with OpenAI, following similar Anthropic partnership
Snowflake has announced a $200 million multi-year deal with OpenAI, giving its 12,600 customers access to OpenAI models across all major cloud providers. The deal follows a similar $200 million agreement with Anthropic announced in December.
Read this update in detail →EU finds TikTok in breach of Digital Services Act for addictive design features
The European Commission has preliminarily found TikTok in breach of the Digital Services Act for its addictive design, including infinite scroll, autoplay, push notifications, and its recommendation system.
Read this update in detail →OpenAI launches Codex app for macOS with multi-agent workflows and automations
OpenAI has released the Codex app for macOS, a desktop interface for managing multiple coding agents in parallel across projects. The app introduces Skills to extend Codex beyond code generation: including Figma-to-code, Linear project management, cloud deployment, and image generation.
Read this update in detail →ChatGPT source code reveals ad references ahead of launch
References to "ads shown to the user" have been spotted in the source code of ChatGPT responses, signalling that OpenAI's advertising rollout is imminent. The beta pilot program is reportedly closing applications this week with a $200K minimum spend and CPM-based pricing.
Read this update in detail →Claude adds Slack integration on Pro and Max plans
Anthropic has launched Slack integration for Claude on Pro and Max plans. You can search workspace channels, prepare for meetings, and send messages without leaving the Claude interface.
Read this update in detail →GitHub Copilot Pro+ and Enterprise now support Claude and OpenAI Codex
GitHub has added Claude and OpenAI's Codex as agent options within GitHub Copilot for Pro+ and Enterprise subscribers. You can now choose which AI model powers your coding assistant in GitHub and Visual Studio Code.
Read this update in detail →Microsoft announces Publisher Content Marketplace for AI content licensing
Microsoft Advertising and Microsoft AI have launched the Publisher Content Marketplace (PCM), a framework for publishers to license premium content for AI training and retrieval. The marketplace provides transparent economics for content licensing.
Read this update in detail →Google Workspace integrates Workspace Studio in beta
Google Workspace is rolling out Workspace Studio in beta for users with the "join beta" option enabled in their admin console. The feature integrates AI-powered automation and workflow tools directly into Workspace.
Read this update in detail →Gemini generates fully interactive images with clickable explanations
Gemini can now produce interactive images where you can highlight any region and receive a detailed explanation. The feature turns static visuals into explorable learning tools.
Read this update in detail →The advertiser takeaway
Each update reflects the source reporting at the time. Open an individual update for its full description, original links and media.
Explore the original edition
Every update from this edition is linked above. Explore the original newsletter for its full context, contributor credits and reporting links.
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