PPC News - October 2026

1. Google Ads lets advertisers preview AI Max-generated ad copy before opting in

Google Ads is giving advertisers a sneak peek at what its AI might write for them before they switch on text customisation.

Advertisers can enter a landing page URL and, in around 30 seconds, Google's AI will generate up to 10 sample headlines and descriptions.

It's a welcome opportunity to catch any dodgy claims, inaccurate wording or copy that doesn't quite sound like your brand before enabling the feature.

There's a catch, though. These are only examples, so they won't necessarily be the ads Google ends up serving. Advertisers will still need to keep a close eye on what's being generated.

A useful addition for anyone considering AI Max, but don't hand over the copywriting reins just yet.

2. Google tests a new look for mobile ad sitelinks

Google's been experimenting with how sitelinks appear in mobile search ads, this time with a more structured, list-style layout.

Spotted by marketer Brodie Clark, the new design displays sitelinks on separate lines, with darker text and a vertical line running down the left-hand side.

It might seem like a minor cosmetic change, but sitelinks are valuable real estate. They give people more ways to explore an advertiser's website and can help drive clicks to relevant pages.

For advertisers, it's another reminder that Google can change how your ads appear without you touching a thing. Even small tweaks to the layout could affect which links catch someone's eye and, ultimately, where they click.

With so many people using their phones to compare flights, accommodation and holiday packages, more prominent sitelinks could help travellers get straight to the pages they're interested in, with fewer clicks.

3. Google Ads adds new AI Max columns

Google ads is rolling out new AI Max reporting columns to give advertisers a bigger visibility into their Search campaign settings. The new columns include:

• Brand inclusions
• Commission
• Location of interest
• Optimised targeting

The locations of interest column could be particularly handy for travel advertisers, helping them identify campaigns that use geographic intent settings. Meanwhile, brand inclusions offer greater visibility into where advertisers are applying controls over the brands their ads appear alongside.

It's worth noting that the update is still rolling out, so the columns might not be available in every Google Ads account just yet.

With travel demand so closely tied to destinations, search intent and brand preferences, greater visibility into these settings is welcome. After all, the more Google automates, the more important it becomes to understand what it's doing with your campaigns.

4. Google Ads Clarifies 'Invalid Final URL' Error

Google Ads has updated its destination policy guidance to clarify a potential cause of the 'Invalid Final URL' error. The issues can include broken links, redirect problems, DNS errors or landing pages that fail to load properly.

However, it also added that the error might also appear if the campaign is missing at least one asset group, even if the destination URL is working correctly.

While the policy hasn’t changed, the extra guidance should make it easier for advertisers to identify and fix issues.

That's all for this month - see you next month!