paid-ads

LinkedIn data stream flowing into Amazon Fire TV CTV screen with Microsoft Monetize server tower behind, pop-art style B2B job title targeting overlay

Amazon DSP Now Targets LinkedIn Job Titles on Microsoft's CTV Inventory

Amazon Ads and LinkedIn announced on May 7, 2026 that U.S. advertisers can now target LinkedIn's first-party audience data, drawn from more than 1 billion members, against Microsoft Monetize CTV inventory through Amazon DSP. The integration carries job title, industry, and seniority into deal-based buys. It is

Pop art comic illustration of a Google Ads Target CPA bid strategy dial being adjusted by an AI hand, with phone, form, and newsletter icons funneling into a single auction box.

Google's Journey-Aware Bidding Beta Finally Lets Target CPA Look Past the Form-Fill

Google announced journey-aware bidding in beta on May 7, ahead of Google Marketing Live 2026 on May 20. Search campaigns optimizing to Target CPA will now learn from non-biddable conversion goals (phone calls, form submissions, newsletter signups, and other secondary signals) alongside the primary one advertisers selected. The catch: accounts

Pop-art halftone collage: UK, Brazil, Japan, South Korea, Mexico flags with green checks beside an EU flag stamped with a red X, ChatGPT ad icon at center.

OpenAI Added the UK to ChatGPT Ads but Skipped the EU on Purpose

OpenAI announced on May 7, 2026 that it is expanding its ChatGPT ads pilot to the UK, Brazil, Japan, South Korea and Mexico. Notably absent: every EU member state. The rollout adds five markets in weeks, none with a local third-party measurement partner signed. Self-serve buying remains US-only, which means

Pop-art illustration of a Google Ads AI Max term exclusion list moving from a campaign-level box into a larger account-level container, with a stopwatch losing billable hours.

Google's AI Max Exclusions Are Going Account-Wide and Repricing the Setup Hour

Google Ads is rolling out account-level exclusions for AI Max content and titles, surfacing through Search Engine Roundtable on May 7, 2026. The change moves term exclusions and messaging restrictions, currently capped at 25 terms and 40 restrictions per campaign, to inherit from the account. For agencies that built billable

Pop art illustration of a vintage red telephone receiver with a glowing REC button next to a tearing July 1 calendar page and a comic-book CONSENT speech bubble

Google's July 1 Call Recording Flip Hands Wiretap Liability to 12 States

Google Ads will switch call recording from off to on by default on July 1, 2026 for accounts with no prior selection, covering U.S. and Canada calls routed through Google Forwarding Numbers. Healthcare and financial services accounts stay off automatically. The flip applies inside the 12 all-party consent states,

Pop-art illustration of a Google Ads campaign showing a strikethrough pinned description while a glowing disclaimer asset takes the first description line.

Google's Disclaimer Asset Wins the Pinning Fight in Every Search Ad

Google rolled out a new disclaimer asset for Search campaigns starting April 30, 2026. The asset locks up to 90 characters of designated text into the first description line of every ad in the campaign, and Google's documentation confirms it overrides any pinned description-1 asset that already exists.

Pop-art illustration of a credit card cut in half with April 1 2026 calendar and floating Meta invoice receipts in bold red and yellow comic panels

Meta Killed 45-Day Float on April 1 and Agencies Forgot to Reprice

Meta required higher-spending advertisers to switch from credit cards to monthly invoicing or direct debit on April 1, 2026, eliminating the 45 to 60 day card float that agencies had quietly built into their working capital. Most retainer contracts haven't repriced. The agencies absorbing the timing gap on