Ads Decoded

For a long time, creator marketing was seen as a "big brand" awareness play or best suited for retail businesses. If your focus is on performance, B2B, or lead generation, creator content might not have been in your toolkit - until now. In this episode of Ads Decoded, host Ginny Marvin is live from the YouTube NewFronts stage with Melissa Hsieh Nikolic, Director of Product Management for YouTube Ads. They dive into how Google is making it easier for brands of all sizes and across sectors to integrate authentic creator voices directly into their performance campaigns within Google Ads and DV360.They cover:-The trust factor: Why creators help drive meaningful results for businesses across every industry - including finance and healthcare.-Finding your match: How to use AI-powered search in the Creator Partnerships hub in Google Ads to identify the right YouTube creator for your brand, no matter how "niche" your business might be.-Creative freedom vs. rigid specs: Why the magic happens when brands trade strict editorial scripts for a creator’s authentic voice.-Measuring success: Using Brand Lift with Search Lift and Conversion Lift studies and unified organic/paid reporting to prove performance Want Ginny’s key takeaways and tips from this conversation? Subscribe to the Ads Decoded newsletter: https://goo.gle/4ryu6uVFind Ginny on LinkedIn at https://goo.gle/4aFEw4I and on X as https://goo.gle/3N2Q22r. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From tracking fragmented online-to-offline user journeys to navigating conversion windows that can stretch for months, lead gen marketers face a set of challenges that are uniquely complex. In this episode of Ads Decoded, we’re looking past the simple form fill to discuss how practitioners can master lead quality in an era of signal loss and AI-driven consumer behavior.Join Ads Product Liaison Ginny Marvin, Mimi Forsythe (Global Head of Lead Gen Solutions) and Lydia Azaret (Lead Gen Measurement PM) as they break down the steps needed - from lead scoring to data hygiene - to enable your campaigns to deliver high quality lead volume.In this episode:-The offline gap: Why mapping the full lead-to-sale journey is foundational to driving performance with Google AI.-Value-centric measurement: How to implement proxy values and lead scoring to tell the bidder what "good" looks like.-Data Manager: Navigating the one-stop hub for connecting CRMs and first-party data.-Tactical must-dos: Understanding the nuances of Enhanced Conversions for Leads (ECL) and Google Tag Gateway (GTG)Want Ginny’s key takeaways and tips from this conversation? Subscribe to the Ads Decoded newsletter: https://goo.gle/4ryu6uVFind Ginny on LinkedIn at https://goo.gle/4aFEw4I and on X as https://goo.gle/3N2Q22r Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever wondered why the text asset you meant as a headline is showing as a sitelink? Or why Google introduced a button that lets users hide ads on Search? Changes to how text ads show up - especially as AI experiences like AI Overviews and AI Mode drive a total reimagining of Search - can make advertisers feel out of step with the mechanics of their campaigns. So in this special episode of Ads Decoded, we’re pulling back the curtain on the design and testing process behind these new ad experiences on Search. Join host Ginny Marvin, Abby Butler (Ads UI Product Manager) and Adam Bullock (Search Ads UX Lead) as they discuss the "ecosystem balance" between user trust and advertiser value that guides every change that makes it to the results page.In this deep dive:Testing for trust: The specific data points and rigorous vetting process required to move a new format from hypothesis to global rollout.Beyond the click: Why optimizing for user agency (like the new "hide" button) actually builds the long-term trust necessary for better advertiser ROI.Asset variety is key: Why you shouldn't get hung up on the impressions of a single asset, and focus on asset breadth to meet the specific intent of complex, conversation-driven queriesWant Ginny’s key takeaways and tips from this conversation? Subscribe to the Ads Decoded newsletter: https://goo.gle/4ryu6uVFind Ginny on LinkedIn at https://goo.gle/4aFEw4I and on X as @adsliaison - https://goo.gle/3N2Q22r Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Let's face it, the transition to GA4 wasn't easy. If that hurdle has left you feeling disconnected from your data, this episode is the re-introduction you need to help turn Google Analytics from complicated chore to strategic advantage.It’s time for a fresh start. Over the past year, a ton of new features and capabilities have rolled out to help advertisers get more out of Google Analytics. That includes more ads reporting capabilities. But what’s really exciting is that Google Analytics is becoming an activation engine for your campaigns – across your marketing mix.In this episode of Ads Decoded, Ginny Marvin sits down with Eleanor Stribling, a Group Product Manager, Google Analytics, for a candid reset. We’re moving past the migration headaches to reveal what GA4 actually is today: an activation platform for predicting, planning, and enabling your next media opportunity. Also in this episode:Why ‘Data Strength’ is your new competitive advantageThe measurement audit: Is your setup firing on all cylinders?Feature spotlight: ask questions and get insights from your data by chatting with Analytics AdvisorCommunity Q&A: Why don't my Google Analytics and Google Ads data match?Want Ginny’s key takeaways and tips from this conversation? Subscribe to the Ads Decoded newsletter: https://goo.gle/4ryu6uVFind Ginny on LinkedIn at https://goo.gle/4aFEw4I and on X as @adsliaison - https://goo.gle/3N2Q22r Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For our final episode of 2025, host Ginny Marvin sits down with six Google Ads product experts to hear their personal picks from a year packed with new launches and features. From Charles Boyd’s deep dive into Nano Banana Pro in Asset Studio to Natalie Wertz’s breakdown of Performance Max Channel Reporting, we reveal the tools that stood out most to the people working on them. You’ll hear why Smart Bidding Exploration beats simply lowering ROAS targets and why three different leaders all landed on the exact same data-driven priority for 2026. Tune in to discover if your strategy is built on a strong foundation or if you're just playing ""whack-a-mole"" with your optimization.Check out the recap of the year’s biggest new AI innovations in Google Ads: https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/16756291 Find Ginny at www.linkedin.com/in/ginnymarvin/ and @adsliaison on XLearn more about the products and features in this episode → Channel reporting: https://business.google.com/us/accelerate/resources/articles/google-ads-tutorials-channel-performance-reporting-in-performance-max/AI Max: https://business.google.com/us/accelerate/resources/articles/ai-max-for-search-campaigns/Analytics Advisor: https://business.google.com/us/accelerate/announcements/google-ai-advisors-agentic-tools-to-drive-impact-and-insights/Demand Gen: https://business.google.com/us/accelerate/resources/articles/create-convert-demand-with-demand-gen/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ready to master Google's Demand Gen campaigns? In this episode, we'll share the latest updates and best practices to drive performance, including the recent expansion of inventory options, the importance of optimizing product feeds, and the nuances of targeting and bidding strategies.We'll break down how to effectively use Demand Gen campaigns as part of your broader AI-powered marketing strategy to get the best results. Plus, we've got answers to top questions from the Google Ads community with Google’s own Ginny Marvin. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.