Why Google Ads matter in 2026
With over six years’ experience working in paid media across UK agencies, I’ve seen Google Ads evolve dramatically, from manual keyword-heavy builds to AI-driven, intent-led strategies that sit at the heart of high-performing marketing plans.
Despite the rise of new platforms, automation and AI-powered search experiences, Google Ads continues to be one of the most effective ways to capture demand at the exact moment potential customers are looking for a solution. When it’s structured properly, supported by strong data and paired with the right landing pages, it remains a powerful growth driver for both B2B and B2C brands.
This blog breaks down how Google Ads fits into a modern paid media strategy in 2026, what’s changed, and how businesses can get more value from their PPC investment.
Here’s what this blog covers:
What are Google Ads best for?
Despite the rise of new social platforms and AI-powered tools, Google Ads remain the most effective for:
- High-intent search traffic: People searching on Google are often in “buy mode” – they know what they want, or they’re actively exploring solutions. You can’t beat that level of intent.
- Full-funnel advertising: From search and responsive display to Performance Max (PMax) and Shopping, Google enables you to engage potential customers at every stage of their journey.
- Data control and customisation: With advanced bidding, first-party audience signals and clean conversion tracking, you’re not just spending – you’re investing.
2025 PPC trends you can’t ignore
Here’s what’s shaping Google Ads right now – and how we’re leveraging it at Trio:
1. Smart bidding built for scale
Google’s AI-driven bid strategies (like Target ROAS or Max Conversions) are more refined than ever. But even with automation, we structure our campaigns by layering in custom signals, such as:
- First-party audience signals
- Seasonal adjustments
- Account learnings
- Conversion value rules
Performance Max: Transparency matters
PMax now provides better search-term visibility, category insights and placement transparency. This means we can:
- Negative-match irrelevant queries
- Improve asset groups
- Optimise feed quality
- Protect budgets from wasted spend
PMax works best when it complements strong Search campaigns — not replaces them.
2. First-party data is gold
With cookies fading, your own data (CRM lists, website visitors, converters) is what fuels smarter targeting. We lean heavily on Google Analytics (GA4) to build remarketing and lookalike audiences that actually behave like valuable customers.
3. Audience segmentation is key
Rather than broad campaigns, we break down by geography, high-value customer segments, and even micro-audiences – so budgets aren’t spread too thin and every pound works harder.
4. Conversion tracking hygiene
It’s not enough to set up GA4 and forget about it. At Trio, we regularly audit conversion tracking to make sure the data feeding into Google Ads is accurate and meaningful. This includes validating firing rules in Google Tag Manager, checking that conversions trigger at the right moment, and ensuring our primary conversion actions reflect real business outcomes rather than vanity metrics. By keeping tracking clean and consistent, we give Google’s smart bidding the reliable signals it needs to optimise effectively, and ensure our reporting shows true performance, not inflated numbers.
5. Ethical and value-driven messaging
In 2026, brand values are no longer “nice-to-have.” Customers, especially in B2B, notice when ads reflect sustainability, trust or purpose. We craft ad messaging that aligns with these principles, driving not just clicks but long-term loyalty.
Common pitfalls & how to avoid them in Google Ads
Here’s what I’ve seen go wrong most often across Google Ads accounts over the years, and how we address these issues at Trio before they start impacting performance or ROI:
- Weak account structure: If campaigns and ad groups are too broad, Google has difficulty optimising. The solution? Tight structures aligned to buyer intent.
- Poorly defined conversions: If your conversion actions are vague or not tracked properly, bidding models will struggle. Fix it by defining clear, measurable conversion goals.
- Too much trust in automation: AI is powerful – but it’s never a set-and-forget tool. Manual checks, budget caps and regular audits are vital.
- Ignoring policy shifts: Google Ads policies evolve fast. We monitor updates and proactively adjust to stay compliant and prevent disapprovals.
Four tactics that actually drive ROI
Here are some of the hands-on tactics I rely on for delivering high-performing PPC campaigns:
1. Refresh ad creatives regularly
Rotate multiple creatives every few weeks. When your creative changes, your learning phase resets – but this gives us new winning ads faster.
2. A/B test beyond ad copy
We also test landing pages, bid strategies and even audience combinations. This systematic testing helps unlock incremental performance.
3. Use a hybrid attribution model
Use data-driven attribution and a custom model to understand how users convert. This means we don’t over-credit last-click and can better allocate budget.
4. Set a proactive learning budget
Put aside a small learning budget per month for experimentation for new keywords, audience tests or bid strategies. Without an experimental budget, you can’t make strategic changes in the future.
How Trio does PPC differently
When you partner with Trio, Google Ads isn’t just another channel; it’s a lever for sustainable growth. We don’t optimise for clicks in isolation; we focus on outcomes that genuinely move the needle for your business.
Our approach combines deep audience insight using tools like GA4, bespoke bidding strategies aligned to your commercial goals, and transparent reporting that prioritises meaningful performance metrics over vanity stats. Everything we do is underpinned by continuous testing, learning and optimisation, so performance doesn’t plateau as accounts mature.
Get your brand seen in AI
We work as an extension of your team, bringing strategic thinking, hands-on execution and clear communication at every stage. Ready to launch paid media campaigns that work for your business?
