In this month’s digital news, Google Ads has introduced codeless form tracking in Tag Manager, simplifying lead form submission tracking without manual coding. Google has refined its ad quality systems to improve the relevance and usability of landing pages in Search ads.
Google has launched Meridian, an open-source marketing mix model (MMM), to help marketers make smarter budget decisions. The launch of DeepSeek, a low-cost AI model, marks a major shift in artificial intelligence adoption. By reducing computing costs by 90%, it makes advanced AI solutions more accessible, transforming marketing strategies from customer engagement to campaign optimisation.
Google Ads simplifies conversion tracking with new tag manager feature
Google Ads has introduced codeless form tracking in Tag Manager, simplifying lead form submission tracking without manual coding. This update provides a user-friendly interface with codeless event detection, flexible form submission tracking, and multiple URL matching options. It removes technical barriers, making conversion tracking faster and more accessible for marketers. First spotted by advertising professional Dennis Quaid on X (formerly Twitter), the update streamlines advertiser workflows by eliminating complex setup processes. By reducing reliance on developers, Google Ads enables businesses to track and optimise lead generation efforts with ease, improving efficiency and accessibility for all advertisers.
Read more here.
Search ads and the importance of landing page navigation
Google has refined its ad quality systems to improve the relevance and usability of landing pages in Search ads. A new prediction model now better detects whether an ad leads to an unexpected destination or lacks clear navigation options. This helps reduce frustrating experiences where users struggle to find what they need and return to Search.
Landing pages must be both relevant and easy to navigate, ensuring users can quickly access their intended content. Advertisers are encouraged to improve site navigation. These updates enhance user experience while driving long-term value for businesses, as Google continues refining its ad quality systems.
Read more here.
Meridian is now available to everyone
Google has launched Meridian, an open-source marketing mix model (MMM), to help marketers make smarter budget decisions. It offers customisable insights, modern methodologies like Bayesian causal inference, and better performance media measurement across Google Search and YouTube.
Key benefits include transparent, adaptable modelling, enhanced budget allocation, improved reach and frequency measurement, and integration of real-world experiments. A partner programme with certified experts is available to support implementation.
Read more here.
So, what happens in marketing if DeepSeek makes AI 10 times cheaper?
The launch of DeepSeek, a low-cost AI model, marks a major shift in artificial intelligence adoption. By reducing computing costs by 90%, it makes advanced AI solutions more accessible, transforming marketing strategies from customer engagement to campaign optimisation. Lower costs democratise AI, enabling businesses of all sizes to experiment and integrate AI into everyday operations. However, challenges like reliability, data sovereignty, and implementation risks remain. The marketing industry will split between those using AI to cut costs and those leveraging it to redefine customer engagement. Success will depend on innovation in application rather than mere access to AI
Read more here.
Copy reports and explorations across Google Analytics properties
You can now copy the configuration of a custom detail report or exploration from one property to the other properties where you have a role to create a custom detail report or exploration in GA4.
By copying the configuration across properties, you can avoid configuration differences, save time creating reports and explorations in other properties, and spend more time analyzing and getting insights from your data.
Read more here.
First-party mode via automated setup with Cloudflare is now available in Tag Manager
First-party mode lets you deploy a Google tag using your own first-party infrastructure, hosted on your website’s domain. This infrastructure sits between your website and Google’s services. The setup in this documentation will help you better measure your website. You can set it up using your existing Content Delivery Network (CDN), load balancer, or web server.
Read more here.
