Google Ads is introducing another automated feature, and this time it’s focused on the offers and promotions businesses advertise on their websites.
From 12 October 2026, Google Ads is set to automatically identify promotional offers on eligible advertisers’ websites and use them within their Search and Performance Max campaigns.
This means businesses could soon see discounts, special offers, and promotional deals appear alongside their Google Ads without needing to create promotional assets themselves.
While the update could make advertising more efficient, it also raises questions about how much control businesses have over the offers being displayed.
So, what exactly is changing, and what should businesses be doing to prepare?
What Is Changing With Google Ads Promotions?
Google Ads already allows advertisers to add promotional assets to their campaigns, helping businesses highlight discounts, sales and special offers directly within their advertisements.
Previously, businesses generally needed to create and manage these promotions manually. However, Google’s latest update introduces a more automated approach.
Using AI-powered technology, Google will identify relevant promotional information from advertisers’ website landing pages and automatically turn it into promotional assets.
For example, if your website is advertising a 20% discount on selected products, Google could identify that offer and display it alongside your Search ads.
The aim is to make promotional offers more visible to potential customers while reducing the amount of manual work required to manage advertising campaigns.
However, this doesn’t mean every offer on every website will automatically appear in Google Ads. The feature currently applies to specific campaign types and eligibility requirements.
Which Google Ads Campaigns Will Be Affected?
The automated promotions feature currently applies to eligible Search and Performance Max campaigns that have location assets attached.
There are several important conditions businesses should be aware of:
- Campaigns must have active Search or Performance Max advertising with location assets.
- Campaigns must not already have manually created promotional assets running.
- Promotions must comply with Google’s advertising policies.
- Google must be able to identify and verify the promotional offer on the advertiser’s website.
If your campaigns already use manually created promotion assets, Google’s automated system will bypass those campaigns.
This is particularly important for businesses that want greater control over the wording, timing and presentation of their promotional offers.
Why Is Google Introducing Automated Promotions?
Google continues to introduce more automation across its advertising platform, with the aim of helping businesses reach relevant customers while simplifying campaign management.
Automated promotions are another step in this direction.
By identifying offers directly from websites, Google can potentially make promotional information available to customers without advertisers needing to update their campaigns every time a new discount becomes available.
For businesses running regular sales, seasonal promotions or limited-time offers, this could provide an additional opportunity to attract attention in search results.
It could also help businesses promote offers they might otherwise have forgotten to include within their advertising campaigns.
However, automation doesn’t automatically guarantee better performance. Businesses still need to consider whether the promotions being displayed are accurate, relevant and aligned with their wider marketing strategy.
What Are the Benefits of Automated Promotions for Businesses?
One of the biggest potential advantages of this update is the time it could save advertisers.
Businesses frequently update their websites with new products, seasonal discounts and promotional offers. Keeping Google Ads campaigns aligned with these changes can involve additional management, particularly for ecommerce businesses with large product ranges.
Automated promotions could help reduce this workload by identifying relevant offers directly from website content.
There is also an opportunity to make advertisements more appealing to potential customers.
When someone searches for a product or service, seeing a relevant discount could encourage them to explore the business further.
For businesses with physical locations, highlighting promotional offers could also support visits to their stores, alongside online purchases.
The effectiveness of these benefits will ultimately depend on the quality of the offers, the accuracy of the information and how well the campaigns are managed.
Could Automated Promotions Create Problems for Advertisers?
Although Google’s latest feature offers potential advantages, there are some important considerations.
One of the biggest concerns is the accuracy of promotional information.
If a website contains outdated offers, unclear promotional terms or discounts that are no longer available, businesses need to make sure these are corrected.
Google says its system verifies that promotions are active and valid before displaying them. Currently, automated promotions are eligible to serve for less than 24 hours before they may be verified again.
However, advertisers should not rely entirely on automation to manage the accuracy of their promotional messaging.
Another consideration is control over advertising campaigns.
Businesses often carefully plan their promotions around product availability, profit margins, seasonal demand and wider marketing activity.
Allowing Google to automatically select promotional information could create situations where the messaging isn’t exactly what the business intended to prioritise.
This is why reviewing automated assets and understanding how they are being used is becoming increasingly important.
How Can Businesses Turn Off Automated Promotions?
Google is automatically enrolling eligible advertisers into the feature, but businesses can choose to disable it.
To review the setting, advertisers can navigate to the Assets section within Google Ads, access the Account-level automated assets and open Advanced settings.
From there, the Automated promotions setting can be switched off.
Businesses that prefer to manage their promotions manually can continue creating their own promotional assets.
For advertisers who want to maintain strict control over promotional messaging, this may be the preferred approach.
However, businesses shouldn’t necessarily disable the feature without first considering whether it could support their advertising objectives.
What Does This Mean for Black Friday and Seasonal Advertising?
The timing of Google’s announcement is particularly relevant as businesses prepare for Black Friday, Christmas and the wider Q4 shopping period.
For ecommerce businesses, seasonal promotions can play a significant role in attracting customers and increasing sales.
With automated promotions becoming available ahead of Black Friday, advertisers may have another opportunity to highlight relevant offers within their Google Ads campaigns.
However, this also makes website preparation increasingly important.
Businesses should review their promotional landing pages, check that discount information is accurate and ensure expired offers have been removed.
They should also consider how their Google Ads campaigns fit into their wider Black Friday marketing strategy.
A successful seasonal campaign isn’t just about advertising a discount. It also depends on reaching the right audience, delivering a strong website experience and making it easy for customers to complete their purchases.
Automated promotions may support this process, but they shouldn’t replace a carefully planned advertising strategy.
What Should Businesses Do Before the Update?
With the rollout scheduled for 12 October 2026, now is a good opportunity for businesses to review their Google Ads accounts and website promotions.
Start by checking whether your Search and Performance Max campaigns are eligible for the feature.
Next, review the promotional content currently displayed on your website. Make sure discounts, offers and terms are clearly explained and that any outdated information has been removed.
Businesses should also decide whether they want Google to manage promotions automatically or whether manually created assets would provide greater control.
Once the feature is active, advertisers should monitor which promotions Google is displaying and assess their impact on overall campaign performance.
As Google continues to introduce automated advertising features, regularly reviewing campaign settings and performance is becoming even more important.
How Can Outrank Help You Get More From Google Ads?
Google Ads is constantly changing, and keeping up with new features, campaign settings and automation can be challenging when you’re focused on running your business.
At Outrank, our PPC team works with businesses to build, manage and optimise Google Ads campaigns that support their commercial goals.
From Search and Performance Max campaigns to seasonal advertising strategies, we focus on making sure your advertising budget is being used effectively.
We also understand that automation isn’t always the right solution for every business. Our approach combines Google’s advertising technology with the experience and insight needed to make informed decisions about your campaigns.
Whether you’re preparing for Black Friday, looking to improve your existing campaigns or considering Google Ads for the first time, we’re here to help.
Want to make sure your Google Ads campaigns are working as hard as they should be? Get in touch with Outrank today and speak to our PPC team.