Google Ads Changes Since June 2026: 11 Answers

Google Ads changed a lot between June and October 2026. Many of the changes arrived as new defaults, new reports or quiet policy updates. Owners often spot them as a symptom: a discount they never wrote, a jump in conversions, a button they can no longer use.

This page answers the questions we see UK advertisers asking, one short answer each. Where we have written a full guide, the answer links to it. We last reviewed this page on 15 October 2026.

Could consent settings explain a drop in my Google Ads conversions?

They can, and they are worth checking first. Google says that from 15 June 2026, Analytics uses “Consent Mode (within Google Ads) as the single control for data”. We cover the checks in Google Ads consent mode in the UK, 2026. If consent looks fine, work through why Google Ads is not converting.

Why is Google showing a discount in my ad that I never created?

One possible cause is automated promotions. Google says the feature “highlights valid, high-quality deals and offers directly within your ads”, using deals it finds on your website. Eligible campaigns are Search or Performance Max campaigns with location assets attached and no manual promotions running. Google says each automated promotion serves “for a limited time (less than 24 hours)”.

To check, go to Assets, filter by Promotion, and look for “Google AI” in the Added by column. To switch it off, go to Assets, then Account-level automated assets, then Advanced settings. Full walkthrough: Google Ads automated promotions.

Why have my WordPress or WooCommerce conversions gone up in Google Ads?

One possible cause is Site Kit's plugin conversion tracking, which can record actions from WooCommerce and other plugins in Google Ads. Site Kit says it records “Certain actions” from supported plugins, including WooCommerce, Contact Form 7 and WPForms, “in Google Analytics and/or Google Ads”. The toggle in the Ads settings also switches the same setting in Analytics.

A rise can be real. It can also mean two conversion actions now count the same sale or lead. Before you celebrate, compare the reported conversions with real orders or enquiries for the same days. Then check which action your bidding uses. Our guide: Site Kit conversion tracking and WooCommerce.

Can I use IP addresses for Customer Match in the UK?

No. Google's Customer Match formatting page lists a “User IP address” column, but it also says: “IP matching isn't supported for end users located in the EEA, UK or Switzerland (CH).”

For UK audiences, match rates still depend on the basics: clean email addresses and phone numbers, in the format Google asks for, from customers who gave the right consent. If your Customer Match lists match poorly, fix the data you already hold before you look for new data types.

Can my Google Ads business name be different from my website domain?

Yes, in limited cases, under a policy update Google set for October 2026. Google's policy page says that “In October 2026” it will allow a business name that differs from the destination domain. Search Engine Roundtable reports that a Google email to one advertiser gave the date as 16 October. Three conditions apply. The name must reflect “the recognized name or brand of the advertiser”. There must be “a verified direct relationship between the advertiser and the domain owner”. And the products or services must be “directly offered in the destination domain”.

Google says “Third-party resellers, independent booking intermediaries, affiliate distributors, and secondary sellers” do not qualify. A hypothetical example: a group that sells its own brand through a parent company's site may qualify. A reseller of that brand will not.

Why can I not add users to Google Ads when I sign in with Gmail?

Your account may be in a Google pilot. Google says that users with free email addresses “can continue to view reports and make routine campaign edits”, but “will be restricted from completing sensitive actions”. The named examples are account linking updates and user access changes. Google says the list is “non-exhaustive” and the pilot covers “a subset of advertisers”.

Google's advice is to sign in “with a corporate email address”, such as yourname@yourcompany.com. Do this before you need it, not on the day you hire an agency or link a new tool. Google also says that accounts with 3 or more active administrators trigger Multi-Party Approval for new invites and admin changes.

What changed in Smart Bidding in August 2026?

Google changed how Target CPA and Target ROAS bid when a campaign is limited by budget. Google says that “your bids are optimized more consistently to your target”. Before, these campaigns could beat their targets. The rollout began on 17 August and finished on 27 August 2026.

Google also says it “won't automatically adjust your daily budgets or your campaign bid targets”. So if your targets were set loosely, nobody has fixed them for you. Read the August 2026 bidding update for what to check.

Should I raise my budget because the Spend Benchmarks report says competitors spend more?

Not on that basis alone. Search Engine Roundtable, citing a screenshot an advertiser shared, reports a Spend Benchmarks report under the account Overview. It compares your spend and clicks with competitors, and SER says Google bases the comparison “on things like industry and where you advertise”. Google has not published a help page for it, and it may not show in every account.

The report compares spend, not profit. A competitor with better margins or a higher order value can afford to spend more than you. Set your budget from your own cost per customer and margin. More detail: the Google Ads Spend Benchmarks report.

Why does the Google Ads Overview page show video impressions for some conversions but not others?

Because Google shows video impressions in conversion paths only for web conversions, not for imported GA4 conversions. Google's help page says: “For video events in conversion paths, video impressions are shown for web conversions but imported Google Analytics 4 conversions aren't included.”

So if your main conversions are imported from GA4, the video part of the path can look empty. That does not prove your video ads did nothing. In a separate card, “Performance by stage”, Google says “only biddable conversions are included” for Conversions and Conversion Lift. Check which conversion actions are biddable before you judge a stage. More detail, with a two-minute check: the Overview page and GA4 imports.

Can I see what AI Max will write before my ads go live?

Yes, as a sample. Google's text customisation help page says: “Use asset previews to view sample text assets generated by Google AI for your campaign.” Google says it shows “up to 10 example assets of headlines and descriptions”, and that examples are “mostly generated in under 30 seconds”.

You find previews in the “Asset optimization” section when you create an AI Max campaign, or when you edit one. If you set text guidelines, such as excluded words, Google says the preview “automatically filters the generated assets to meet your guidelines”. A preview is a sample, not a guarantee of every ad. See how to audit PMax and AI Max campaigns and the AI Max migration.

Can I test a Microsoft Ads change before I move budget?

Yes, inside Microsoft Advertising. Microsoft announced on 30 September 2026 that optimisation experiments are generally available for “Search, Shopping, Audience, and Performance Max campaigns”. Microsoft says experiments let you test “bidding, targeting, creative, and more” against your original campaign before you roll a change out.

An experiment does not tell you whether Microsoft Ads beats Google. For that, run a small, capped pilot and compare qualified leads or sales, not cost per click. Our guide: Microsoft Ads low-competition wins.

What to check this week

If you only have half an hour, do these five things:

Open Assets and look for promotions “Added by” Google AI. Keep or switch off.
Compare last month's Google Ads conversions with real orders or leads.
Check that everyone with admin access signs in with a company email.
Compare your Target CPA or ROAS with the results you actually got.
Before you add budget, write down your break-even cost per customer.

None of this needs new spend. It can show you where money is leaking before you spend more.

Want someone to check this for you?

These changes share one theme: Google keeps adding automation and moving the defaults. Each change can be fine on its own. Together they make it easy to spend money on numbers you cannot trust.

We charge a flat fee, not a percentage of your spend, so we have no reason to tell you to spend more. Our free Wasted Spend + Tracking Confidence Check looks at your structure, targeting, tracking and spend drivers, and shows you where budget leaks. Get your wasted spend analysis.

Google Ads Changes Since June 2026: 11 Questions Answered for UK Advertisers