Google Marketing Live 2025: Key Takeaways

Google’s annual 'Marketing Live' event has wrapped. As expected, AI took centre stage - but beneath the hype, Google introduced some advanced tools and updates you’ll want to know about.

Here's a breakdown of the most important updates that are set to roll out to advertisers in 2025:

• Search is getting chatty: Meet AI Mode
• Ad Creatives: Now with AI assist
• Smarter bidding, based on profit
• Enhanced Shopping Ads features
• Youtube Shorts: Leveled up
• Reporting just got easier
• Marketing Advisor: your Chrome assistant

1. Search is getting chatty - Meet AI Mode

Google’s rolling out something called AI Mode, powered by Gemini. It turns Search into a conversation. Instead of typing in stiff keywords, users can now ask natural, multi-part questions and get conversational answers with links to relevant sources, like they’re chatting to a person.

Why it matters:
This changes how people search - and how your content should respond. Think less keyword-stuffing, more real, helpful answers. Content and ads that answer real questions - clearly and quickly - will stand out.

2. Ad Creatives - Now with AI Assist

Creating ads used to take hours. Now? Google’s AI can generate images, text, even videos for you - all while sticking to your brand style.

“This technology is helping us better meet advertisers’ needs and unlock new possibilities across the marketing process, from new immersive ad experiences to high-performing creative assets. ”

Vidhya Srinivasan - Vice President, Google Ads

Why it matters:
This can save you time and money, especially on big campaigns. But don’t just fix and forget -it still needs a human touch to ensure it feels authentic.

3. Smarter Bidding, based on profit

A significant update to Google Ads' bidding setup is the introduction of Smart Bidding Exploration. You can now tell Google how much profit you make on each product. It’ll use that to target the ads that bring in the best returns, not just the most clicks.

Why it matters:
You’re not just chasing traffic. You’re chasing profit. This change helps your ad spend work harder.

4. Enhanced features roll out for Shopping Ads

Google's shopping experience received some big upgrades here:

• Virtual try-on: See clothes on different body types.

• 3D product views: Let customers spin and zoom in.

• AI-guided shopping: Google helps people narrow down what they want.

Why it matters:
Better visuals and interactivity = more confident shoppers. Expect higher conversion rates, especially for fashion and retail brands.

5. YouTube Shorts just got more useful

Short video content continues to dominate, with Google rolling out these new features:

• Clickable stickers: Add interactive stickers to your Shorts and encourage viewers to take action.

• Swipe-through links: Guide users from video to product pages with the swipe-through functionality - turning views into sales.

• Shoppable UGC (User-generated content): Advertisers can now place ads on videos where their products are being used.

Why it matters:
If you’re not using Shorts yet, now’s the time. It's a fast-growing way to reach buyers, especially the under-35 crowd.

6. Reporting just got easier

Google is making it easier for marketers to access and measure campaign data to drive stronger performance across multiple channels:

• Asset-Level Reporting: break down what’s working at the ad asset level

• Natural Language Queries: Ask questions in plain English, like “Which ad performed best in London?”

Why it matters:
You can spend less time on manual data reporting and more time making informed, strategic marketing decisions.

7. Marketing Advisor, your new Chrome-side marketing assistant

Google is rolling out Marketing Advisor, a smart assistant built right into your Chrome browser. It’s designed to help advertisers stay on top of campaigns, uncover new opportunities, and even make real-time updates - without having to jump between tools.

Think of it like having a Google Ads expert at your side, helping you:

• Tailor strategies to your specific goals

• Spot seasonal trends and missed opportunities

• Flag and troubleshoot issues before they impact performance

Why it matters:

This tool could be a game-changer for busy advertisers managing multiple platforms. But remember- AI can streamline the work, not replace the strategy.

Final Thoughts

Google’s making a clear move: less manual work, more machine help. But AI won’t think for you - it’s a tool, not a strategy.

For business owners and marketers, the takeaway is simple: Use these tools to save time. Use your time to stay human.

Want help making sense of these changes? Get in touch or explore our Paid Search services  today.

We speak fluent Google so you don’t have to.