Every week at SeekandHit, we gather for our Weekly Digest to break down the latest updates in digital marketing. The last session covered everything from quiet Google Ads setting changes to the arrival of ads in ChatGPT and the future of social media trends for 2026. Here are the key takeaways.

1. Google Ads: Control, Automation, and “Quiet” Changes

Google is leaning harder into automation while simultaneously providing more granular controls for those who know where to look.

Faster Account Setup: Google is testing faster account setup using pre-built campaigns, aiming to reduce friction for new advertisers.
Imagery for Location-Based Ads: A new setting called Google Owned Location Data allows Google to automatically pull imagery for your location-based ads. While efficient, brands with strict creative guidelines should audit this to maintain brand integrity.
Total Campaign Budgets for Search: Moving away from daily averages, total campaign budgets are now available for Search, providing consistency across PMax and Video.
Shopping Ad Experiments: Google is running a limited test that lets select advertisers A/B test product titles and images directly in Shopping ad product data. However, this is still in testing, not yet rolled out to everyone.
Manual CPC & Exclusions: Manual CPC is now easier to find during setup, and account-level placement exclusions have rolled out to help block unwanted inventory globally.

2. The AI Frontier: ChatGPT Ads & Video Best Practices

The conversation around AI is shifting from “how to use it” to “how to win with it.”

Ads inside ChatGPT: OpenAI has officially begun testing ads in ChatGPT in the U.S., appearing as clearly labeled “sponsored” responses.
AI Video Strategy: To succeed with AI-driven video, follow the 5 best practices for AI video advertising, which include using multiple orientations and early brand placement.
PPC Careers in the AI Age: Human oversight remains critical. We discussed the 10 keys to a successful PPC career, focusing on technical diagnosis and brand safety.
Microsoft PMax Updates: Microsoft is keeping pace by adding new customer acquisition goals and deeper visibility to its Performance Max campaigns.

Platforms are pivoting toward a more intentional and safe user experience.

TikTok’s 2026 Vision: TikTok predicts that intention will beat impulse by 2026. They are also doubling down on teen safety measures in the EU.
Pinterest’s Visual Planning: Pinterest released its 2026 Marketing Moments Guide and identified trending colors for 2026, encouraging brands to show up during the early planning stages.
Meta & Instagram Control: Instagram is giving users full algorithm control to reset their Reels recommendations. Meanwhile, Meta is being proactive, removing 540k teen accounts in Australia to comply with safety regulations, while explaining their Reels recommendation improvements.
Creative Features: Instagram’s Edits recently added IG links and new video effects to boost creator engagement.

4. Privacy, Measurement & Strategy

Consent & Data: Google added new data transmission controls to its Ads consent stack, improving transparency in how data is handled.
Authority in AI: High-quality LinkedIn articles are seeing more citations in AI responses, highlighting the value of authoritative B2B content.
2026 Strategy: Looking ahead, marketers should prepare for 8 major changes in paid media as the industry shifts further toward privacy-centric automation.

Summary: The overarching theme for the start of 2026 is intentionality. Whether it’s how Google automates your budget or how users curate their own feeds, the “set it and forget it” era is over. Strategic marketers need to be more involved in the creative, technical, and ethical aspects of every campaign.

Disclaimer: This blog post and accompanying podcast have been fully produced with Gemini AI, and reviewed by a human being, following weekly news-digest meetings at SeekandHit. For more information contact info@seekandhit.com.