Early-2025 Google Ads Updates Roundup: What You Need to Know

Google has been making big changes to its advertising platform – which isn’t new, but the rate of change in 2025 has been impressive. At JDM, we put an emphasis on staying ahead of these updates because we view that initiative as key to keeping our clients’ campaigns running ahead of their competitors. 

From policy shifts that impact audience targeting to new creative tools and campaign controls, these updates can significantly affect how advertisers strategize and optimize performance.

In this post, we’ll break down the latest updates—including the recent Customer Match policy changes, new Promotion Assets, the rumored "Search Max" match type, and more—along with what these changes mean for your campaigns. Whether you're looking to fine-tune your targeting, enhance creative formats, or explore new bidding strategies, here’s what you need to know.

Recent Google Ads Updates

1. Google Is Updating Its Customer Match Policy (Effective January 13, 2025)

Google has revised its Customer Match Policy to enhance user experience and data protection. Advertisers misusing Customer Match—such as by creating negative user experiences or causing potential harm—may now face access restrictions or account suspension.

Previously, enforcement actions were less severe, but under the new rules, Google will evaluate factors such as user feedback, severity of abuse, and repeated policy violations when deciding on enforcement. The good news is that violators will receive a warning at least seven days before any suspension takes place, rather than being immediately penalized.

How Advertisers Must React:

• Ensure that all Customer Match lists comply with Google’s data collection policies.
• Obtain explicit user consent before collecting personal data.
• Avoid targeting sensitive audiences, such as minors or protected groups.
• Make sure your ad experiences are positive and relevant to avoid being flagged for poor user experience.

Failing to comply with these rules could result in losing access to Customer Match—or worse, an account suspension.

2. Updates to Google Ads’ Promotion Assets (Effective January 13, 2025)

Google has expanded Promotion Assets, allowing advertisers to use new formats such as barcodes and QR codes. These new formats are designed to make it easier for users to redeem promotional offers across both online and offline channels.

Why This Matters for Advertisers:

• Better integration of online and offline promotions – QR codes and barcodes help bridge the gap between digital and in-store sales.
• Potential increase in redemption rates – These features make it easier for users to take action on offers, leading to higher conversions.

If your business runs seasonal promotions, in-store discounts, or loyalty rewards, this update is worth testing to improve engagement and conversion rates.

3. Google Ads Search Max: A New Match Type?

A new match type called "Search Max" has been spotted in select Google Ads accounts. While details are still emerging, this feature could streamline ad creation and targeting in a way that simplifies campaign management.

Potential Impact for Advertisers:

• If widely released, "Search Max" could eliminate the need for manually selecting match types, making it easier to manage search campaigns - and also removing a layer of control (which is a caveat emptor for more advanced marketers).
• It may improve targeting precision, helping advertisers reach more relevant audiences efficiently. (Jury’s very much out on that one.)
• If it behaves similarly to broad match, it may require closer monitoring to avoid wasted spend on irrelevant queries.

This feature hasn’t been officially announced by Google yet, but it’s something to keep an eye on. Advertisers should prepare for possible A/B testing opportunities if this match type becomes widely available.

4. New Google Ads Feature Spotted: "Used Since" Column

Another small but potentially useful update is the "Used Since" column appearing in some Google Ads accounts. This column tracks how long specific assets have been in use within campaigns.

Why This Matters for Advertisers:

• Helps with account audits by showing how long certain creatives, keywords, or ad components have been active.
• Allows for better optimization, as outdated assets can be refreshed to improve performance.

If rolled out to all advertisers, this feature could simplify campaign maintenance and help marketers identify which assets need updates to maintain engagement.

Testing Opportunities: What to Try Next

Google is also rolling out new beta features that could provide valuable testing opportunities for advertisers looking to optimize their campaigns.

1. App Engagement Betas: View-Through Conversions (VTC) Optimization

What It Is:

• This beta feature integrates view-through conversions (VTC) into bidding strategies, meaning Google will optimize bids based on users who see but don’t click on ads, yet later convert.

Why It Matters:

• Expands reach and improves engagement, capturing high-value users who may not immediately interact with ads but still make purchasing decisions.
• Helps advertisers optimize mid-funnel engagement and increase incremental conversions.

2. Max Conversions: Actions & Value

What It Is:

• This feature allows advertisers to automate bid adjustments for either maximum conversion volume or highest-value conversions.

Why It Matters:

• Ensures efficient budget allocation by prioritizing high-intent actions.
• Ideal for businesses looking to scale performance while maintaining ROAS goals.

If your campaigns focus on high-value leads or purchases, this strategy could be a game-changer for optimizing efficiency.

Is Google Giving Advertisers More Control?

Over the past few years, Google has increasingly pushed AI-driven automation, which, while beneficial for some brands, has made it harder for advertisers to control placements, targeting, and bidding strategies.

However, with updates like expanded channel controls, API-based exclusions, and performance segmentation improvements, Google seems to be offering more flexibility to advertisers who prefer a more hands-on approach to campaign management.

This shift might be in response to feedback from advertisers who have struggled with Google’s automated systems, particularly brands with specific audience targeting needs or niche offerings that require more control over ad placements and messaging.

Regardless of the motivation behind these updates, one thing is clear: advertisers who stay informed and adapt to Google’s evolving platform will be best positioned for success.

What’s Next?

If you’re running Google Ads campaigns, here’s what you should do next:

- Review your Customer Match lists to ensure compliance with the new policy.
- Test Google’s new Promotion Assets if you run in-store or online promotions.
- Monitor for Search Max updates and be prepared to test if the campaign rolls out more broadly.
- Optimize creative assets using the "Used Since" column to refresh outdated ads.
- Explore beta testing opportunities like VTC Optimization and Max Conversions for better bidding strategies.

As always, keeping up with these updates will help you stay ahead of the competition and ensure your campaigns are running efficiently.

Have questions about these changes? Let’s talk strategy. Reach out for a Google Ads audit and let’s optimize your campaigns for 2025.