Free audit
Menu

Explore

HomeServices
Local SEOAI Search & GEOGoogle AdsPaid SocialSocial MediaContent Marketing
IndustriesPricingApproachAboutBlogFAQContact
Free auditCall 07488 352993
Paid Search

April 2020: Google makes Shopping tab listings free

Aaron, Lead Local Marketing
Covers April 2020 · Published · 2 min read
Advertising performance statistics on a laptop
Photo: Carlos Muza on Unsplash

Covers April 2020. Part of our search timeline: a month-by-month look at the changes that shaped SEO, AI search, paid ads and social media, written in November 2026 for local businesses with the benefit of hindsight.

Quick answer: Google announced in April 2020 that products could be listed in the Shopping tab without paying, rather than only through paid ads. Any retailer with a properly kept Merchant Center product feed could win visibility with no ad budget, and free listings were later rolled out to more countries, the UK among them.

This post is one entry in our timeline series, where we go back through search, AI, advertising and social changes one month at a time to explain what they mean for local firms. We wrote it in November 2026, so we already know how things turned out. Plenty of local businesses sell products as well as services, from a garage selling tyres to a salon selling haircare or a landscaper selling garden supplies, so this change is more relevant than it first sounds.

What did Google announce in April 2020?

Google said most listings in the Google Shopping tab would become free, beginning in the US and then spreading to other countries. Taking part required two things: a Google Merchant Center account and a product feed with correct details.

Why it mattered for local businesses that sell online

It made it easier for small UK sellers to appear in the place where shoppers compare products and prices. A heating supplier with an online shop, for example, could get its radiators and spares in front of buyers without paying per click.

It also meant the quality of your product feed, with clear titles, correct prices and decent photos, became a central part of selling online and not just a job for whoever ran the paid ads.

How to make the most of it today

  • Open a Google Merchant Center account and submit a full, accurate product feed.
  • Write product titles that state the brand, what the product is and its key details, such as size or fitting.
  • Keep prices, stock and delivery details matching your website so items are not disapproved.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to pay for Google Ads to show up in Google Shopping?

No, the free listings do not need an ad account. A Merchant Center account with a feed that has been approved is enough. Paying for Shopping ads gives you more exposure on top.

What does a good product feed include?

Correct titles, descriptions, prices and availability, product identifiers such as GTINs, and clear, good-quality images.

Sources and further reading

Want help with this? We set up Merchant Center and Shopping campaigns for local firms that sell online through our Google Ads service. Get in touch.

More articles

Read more
Free audit
Menu

Explore

HomeServices
Local SEOAI Search & GEOGoogle AdsPaid SocialSocial MediaContent Marketing
IndustriesPricingApproachAboutBlogFAQContact
Free auditCall 07488 352993
Paid Search

February 2026: the first adverts arrive in ChatGPT

Aaron, Lead Local Marketing
Covers February 2026 · Published · 2 min read
Advertising performance statistics on a laptop
Photo: Carlos Muza on Unsplash

Covers February 2026. Part of our search timeline: a month-by-month look at the changes that shaped SEO, AI search, paid ads and social media, written in November 2026 for local businesses with the benefit of hindsight.

Quick answer: Early in 2026, OpenAI started running adverts in ChatGPT. Labelled sponsored slots appeared underneath answers for logged-in adults using the free and lower-priced plans, while people on paid subscriptions saw no ads. It created a brand new paid channel sitting inside AI conversations.

It forms one entry in our search timeline: looking back from November 2026, we go through the key developments in search, AI, advertising and social one month at a time.

If you run a heating firm or a roofing business and already pay for Google Ads, this was the moment a second option for paid visibility in AI tools came into view.

How ChatGPT ads got started in February 2026

OpenAI opened its advertising programme to a small set of advertisers first, with plans to let more in later. The adverts were kept apart from ChatGPT’s own replies, and OpenAI stated that ads would have no influence on what ChatGPT recommends.

What it meant for local businesses that advertise

For UK advertisers, a fresh question landed on the table: should you try AI assistant ads, and if so, when? Those who got in early learned how the format behaved, but most businesses kept Google Ads as the backbone of their paid search.

For a typical local trade, that was sensible. A plumber covering a handful of towns gets most paid enquiries from people searching Google for an emergency call-out, and that was not about to change overnight.

Sensible next steps for UK advertisers

  • Check whether ChatGPT ads are actually open to UK advertisers before you set aside any budget.
  • If you do run a test, keep the spend small and make sure calls and form enquiries are tracked properly.
  • Carry on building free, earned visibility in ChatGPT’s answers, where you pay nothing per click.

Frequently asked questions

Which ChatGPT users are shown adverts?

Adults who are logged in on the free and lower-priced plans. The paid subscription tiers carry no ads.

Can advertisers buy their way into ChatGPT’s answers?

According to OpenAI, no. Adverts carry a label and sit apart from the answer itself.

Sources and further reading

Want help with this? We manage paid search for trades and local service businesses, from Google Ads to newer channels like ChatGPT ads. See our Google Ads service or Get in touch.

More articles

Read more
Free audit
Menu

Explore

HomeServices
Local SEOAI Search & GEOGoogle AdsPaid SocialSocial MediaContent Marketing
IndustriesPricingApproachAboutBlogFAQContact
Free auditCall 07488 352993
Paid Search

June 2022: Smart Shopping campaigns begin their move to Performance Max

Aaron, Lead Local Marketing
Covers June 2022 · Published · 2 min read
Advertising performance statistics on a laptop
Photo: Carlos Muza on Unsplash

Covers June 2022. Part of our search timeline: a month-by-month look at the changes that shaped SEO, AI search, paid ads and social media, written in November 2026 for local businesses with the benefit of hindsight.

Quick answer: From the middle of 2022 Google started moving Smart Shopping and Local campaigns over into Performance Max, one automated campaign that places ads on YouTube, Search, Display, Shopping, Maps and Gmail. Advertisers reached more people but could see less about where their money was being spent.

This mostly hit retailers, but it also touched local businesses that sell products online or used Local campaigns to drive visits, such as a tyre and exhaust centre selling tyres through its website, or a bathroom showroom listing products in Shopping.

What changed in June 2022?

Google gave advertisers a self-upgrade tool first, then moved any Smart Shopping campaigns still left over to Performance Max automatically in the latter half of 2022. Performance Max works from conversion goals, asset groups and audience signals.

Why was this a big shift for UK businesses?

UK advertisers selling products had to get to grips with a new type of campaign that offered less detailed reporting. Correct conversion values, a well-kept product feed and good creative became the main things you could control to drive results.

How to keep control of Performance Max today

  • Give Performance Max accurate conversion values, ideally ones that reflect your profit margins.
  • Keep your Merchant Center product feed tidy and complete.
  • Apply brand exclusions and negative keywords where they’re available, and check the search term and placement insights regularly.

Frequently asked questions

What exactly is Performance Max?

An automated campaign type in Google Ads that serves ads on every Google channel from one campaign.

Should every product go into Performance Max?

Not necessarily. Some businesses separate products by margin, or hold on to Standard Shopping where they want tighter control.

Sources and further reading

Want help with this? We run and audit Performance Max and Shopping campaigns through our Google Ads service. Get in touch.

More articles

Read more
Free audit
Menu

Explore

HomeServices
Local SEOAI Search & GEOGoogle AdsPaid SocialSocial MediaContent Marketing
IndustriesPricingApproachAboutBlogFAQContact
Free auditCall 07488 352993
Paid Search

September 2020: iOS 14 arrives and Apple’s privacy push begins

Aaron, Lead Local Marketing
Covers September 2020 · Published · 2 min read
Performance graphs on a laptop screen
Photo: Luke Chesser on Unsplash

Covers September 2020. Part of our search timeline: a month-by-month look at the changes that shaped SEO, AI search, paid ads and social media, written in November 2026 for local businesses with the benefit of hindsight.

Quick answer: iOS 14 came out in September 2020, and alongside it Apple revealed App Tracking Transparency, a framework that would make apps ask for permission before tracking people across other companies’ apps and websites. Once it went live in 2021, it sharply cut the data available to social advertising platforms.

Plenty of local firms lean on Facebook and Instagram ads for leads, whether that is a kitchen fitter, a driveway company or a dog groomer. Because so many of their customers use iPhones, this change shaped how well those ads could be tracked and targeted.

What changed in September 2020?

iOS 14 brought new privacy features, including the option to share only an approximate location and alerts when an app read the clipboard. Apple also announced App Tracking Transparency, but pushed enforcement back to iOS 14.5 in April 2021 so developers had time to get ready.

Why did it matter for UK businesses?

Advertising on Facebook and Instagram depended heavily on following iPhone users across apps. Advertisers were told to expect less precise reporting and targeting, and that nudged everyone towards collecting their own data and tracking conversions from the server.

What to do about it now

  • Run the Meta Conversions API, or similar server-side tracking, as well as the pixel.
  • In Meta Events Manager, verify your domain and put your key conversion events in priority order.
  • Judge campaigns on overall results, such as total enquiries and jobs booked, as well as the figures the platform reports.

Frequently asked questions

What is App Tracking Transparency?

It is an Apple framework that makes apps ask people for permission before tracking them across apps and websites owned by other companies.

Did the iOS changes stop social ads from working?

No. They cut the data available and made reporting less exact. Advertisers responded by using their own customer data, tracking from the server and widening their targeting.

Sources and further reading

Want help with this? Our paid social service sets up Meta tracking properly so you can see which ads bring in work. Get in touch.

More articles

Read more
Free audit
Menu

Explore

HomeServices
Local SEOAI Search & GEOGoogle AdsPaid SocialSocial MediaContent Marketing
IndustriesPricingApproachAboutBlogFAQContact
Free auditCall 07488 352993
Paid Search

March 2026: giving your Google Ads account a spring check-up

Aaron, Lead Local Marketing
Covers March 2026 · Published · 2 min read
Performance graphs on a laptop screen
Photo: Luke Chesser on Unsplash

Covers March 2026. Part of our search timeline: a month-by-month look at the changes that shaped SEO, AI search, paid ads and social media, written in November 2026 for local businesses with the benefit of hindsight.

Quick answer: By March 2026 the majority of Google Ads accounts were leaning on automation, such as Performance Max, AI Max and Smart Bidding. Auditing in spring looks at what that automation depends on: conversions that are recorded correctly, sensible controls, tidy product feeds and landing pages that fit the searches people actually make.

This search timeline entry, written in November 2026, looks back at March 2026. Spring is a busy season for many trades, from landscapers and roofers to window cleaners, so it’s a natural time to make sure your ad spend is working hard.

Where Google Ads stood in March 2026

Google kept pushing automated campaign types as the standard choice. Advertisers who checked their inputs and guardrails regularly held on to better control over costs and the quality of their leads.

Why the inputs mattered so much

Automation magnifies whatever data you feed it. UK businesses with conversions counted twice, out-of-date negative keywords or weak landing pages ended up paying more for poorer results, often without noticing.

Picture an electrician whose form fires a conversion on every page reload. The bidding thinks those campaigns are flying and spends more on them, when the real enquiries haven’t changed.

A quick audit checklist

  • Make sure every primary conversion action fires just once for each genuine enquiry or sale.
  • Go through your search terms and add negative keywords, AI Max matches included.
  • Compare cost per acquisition across campaigns and pause anything that isn’t making you money.

Frequently asked questions

How regularly should I audit my Google Ads?

A full audit every quarter, plus weekly checks on search terms and budgets.

What’s the most frequent Google Ads slip-up?

Conversion tracking that isn’t accurate, which sends automated bidding in the wrong direction.

Sources and further reading

Want help with this? Our Google Ads service includes a full account audit for local businesses. Get in touch.

More articles

Read more
Free audit
Menu

Explore

HomeServices
Local SEOAI Search & GEOGoogle AdsPaid SocialSocial MediaContent Marketing
IndustriesPricingApproachAboutBlogFAQContact
Free auditCall 07488 352993
Paid Search

June 2023: the last weeks before GA4 took over from Universal Analytics

Aaron, Lead Local Marketing
Covers June 2023 · Published · 2 min read
Performance graphs on a laptop screen
Photo: Luke Chesser on Unsplash

Covers June 2023. Part of our search timeline: a month-by-month look at the changes that shaped SEO, AI search, paid ads and social media, written in November 2026 for local businesses with the benefit of hindsight.

Quick answer: On 1 July 2023 Universal Analytics stopped processing data, which made June the final month to get ready. Any business without a proper Google Analytics 4 setup risked losing its tracking altogether, and plenty found holes in their conversion tracking that also threw off their Google Ads bidding.

For a local business running Google Ads, this was more than a reporting change. If calls and form fills were not being counted properly, the automated bidding behind your ads was working blind.

What happened during June 2023?

Google sent reminders that standard Universal Analytics properties would no longer process new data from 1 July 2023. For anyone who had not switched yet, the GA4 setup assistant offered to build a basic property for them automatically.

Why did it matter for UK advertisers?

UK businesses that imported conversions from analytics into Google Ads had to recreate them in GA4. A quote request counted twice, or a phone call not counted at all, fed automated bidding the wrong information and wasted ad spend.

Checks worth doing today

  • Go through your GA4 key events and confirm each one fires just once for every genuine action, such as a call or a form sent.
  • Make sure Google Ads is using the correct conversion actions as its primary goals.
  • Set your GA4 figures against your job sheets, CRM or booking records to find any gaps.

Frequently asked questions

What happened to websites that never moved to GA4?

Universal Analytics simply stopped collecting new data for them. Some were given a basic GA4 property automatically, often with no proper conversions set up.

Should Google Ads count conversions from GA4 or from the Google Ads tag?

Either is fine. For bidding, the Google Ads tag tends to be more precise, while GA4 gives you a view across all your channels.

Sources and further reading

Want help with this? We set up and audit GA4 and conversion tracking for local firms through our analytics and reporting service. Get in touch.

More articles

Read more
Free audit
Menu

Explore

HomeServices
Local SEOAI Search & GEOGoogle AdsPaid SocialSocial MediaContent Marketing
IndustriesPricingApproachAboutBlogFAQContact
Free auditCall 07488 352993
Paid Search

March 2022: Google sets an end date for Universal Analytics

Aaron, Lead Local Marketing
Covers March 2022 · Published · 2 min read
Performance graphs on a laptop screen
Photo: Luke Chesser on Unsplash

Covers March 2022. Part of our search timeline: a month-by-month look at the changes that shaped SEO, AI search, paid ads and social media, written in November 2026 for local businesses with the benefit of hindsight.

Quick answer: Google announced in March 2022 that from 1 July 2023 standard Universal Analytics properties would no longer process any new data, with Google Analytics 4 taking over. That gave businesses only a little over a year to set up tracking again and start building history in GA4.

This post is one entry in our timeline series, where we go back through search, AI, advertising and social changes one month at a time to explain what they mean for local firms. We wrote it in November 2026, so we already know how things turned out. Here we look at what the move to GA4 meant for trades and local service firms.

What did Google announce in March 2022?

Google confirmed that GA4 was the future of its analytics. GA4 is built around events instead of sessions and is designed to measure people across devices while respecting privacy. Customers on Universal Analytics 360 were given a slightly later cut-off.

Why it mattered for local businesses

Lots of businesses put off the switch and lost the ability to compare this year with last. A roofer who only set up GA4 at the last minute, for example, had no previous year in GA4 to compare a busy spring against.

GA4 also changed the main reports, so owners and their marketers needed new dashboards and had to get used to measures like engagement rate and key events.

What to check in GA4 today

  • Make sure GA4 records the actions that matter, such as quote requests, phone calls, bookings and sales, as key events.
  • Link your GA4 property with both Search Console and your Google Ads account.
  • Set up a simple dashboard with just the handful of numbers you really look at.

Frequently asked questions

Can I still get into my old Universal Analytics data?

No. Those properties, and the data in them, have since been deleted by Google. Only copies you exported or backed up are left.

What is a key event in GA4?

It is any event you flag as one that matters, for example a completed enquiry form or a sale. Google used to call these conversions.

Sources and further reading

Want help with this? We set up GA4 tracking for calls, forms and bookings through our analysis and reporting service. Get in touch.

More articles

Read more
Free audit
Menu

Explore

HomeServices
Local SEOAI Search & GEOGoogle AdsPaid SocialSocial MediaContent Marketing
IndustriesPricingApproachAboutBlogFAQContact
Free auditCall 07488 352993
Paid Search

January 2024: Chrome trials blocking third-party cookies

Aaron, Lead Local Marketing
Covers January 2024 · Published · 2 min read
Advertising performance statistics on a laptop
Photo: Carlos Muza on Unsplash

Covers January 2024. Part of our search timeline: a month-by-month look at the changes that shaped SEO, AI search, paid ads and social media, written in November 2026 for local businesses with the benefit of hindsight.

Quick answer: In January 2024 Chrome began limiting third-party cookies for 1% of its users as a trial, while advertisers in the UK and Europe got ready for Google’s Consent Mode v2 requirement due in March. Between them, the two changes nudged businesses to sort out their consent set-up and first-party measurement.

This search timeline entry looks back at January 2024 from November 2026. If you run Google Ads for a local trade, such as an electrician or a removals firm, this was the month tracking stopped being something you could set and forget.

The changes that landed in January

Google kicked off its Tracking Protection test in Chrome, which restricted third-party cookies for a small slice of users. Alongside that, Google told advertisers reaching users in the UK and the European Economic Area that they needed Consent Mode v2 in place to carry on using personalised advertising features.

The impact on UK advertisers

UK businesses without a proper consent set-up were at risk of losing remarketing audiences and conversion modelling. Imagine a builder running ads to people who had already viewed their extensions page: without consent handled correctly, that audience could shrink.

It marked a shift towards seeing consent as part of how well your marketing performs, not only a legal box to tick.

What to check on your site now

  • Set up Consent Mode v2 using a certified consent management platform.
  • Confirm visitors’ consent choices are passed properly to your Google Ads and Analytics tags.
  • Turn on enhanced conversions so consented first-party data improves your measurement.

Frequently asked questions

What does Consent Mode v2 actually do?

It’s the newer version of Google’s Consent Mode, with extra signals for ad personalisation and user data. UK and EEA advertisers need it to use certain features.

Did third-party cookies disappear from Chrome?

No. Google trialled restrictions, then announced in July 2024 that it would not remove them outright.

Sources and further reading

Want help with this? We can check your consent set-up and tracking so your ads are measured properly. See our analysis and measurement service. Get in touch.

More articles

Read more
Free audit
Menu

Explore

HomeServices
Local SEOAI Search & GEOGoogle AdsPaid SocialSocial MediaContent Marketing
IndustriesPricingApproachAboutBlogFAQContact
Free auditCall 07488 352993
Paid Search

July 2026: IAB UK’s 2025 ad spend figures and what they mean locally

Aaron, Lead Local Marketing
Covers July 2026 · Published · 2 min read
Advertising performance statistics on a laptop
Photo: Carlos Muza on Unsplash

Covers July 2026. Part of our search timeline: a month-by-month look at the changes that shaped SEO, AI search, paid ads and social media, written in November 2026 for local businesses with the benefit of hindsight.

Quick answer: IAB UK’s Digital Adspend study put the value of UK digital advertising in 2025 at about £40.5bn. Paid search stayed the largest channel at roughly £17.9bn, while spend on social media rose 21% to £11.5bn, most of it on video. The numbers show search and social sit at the heart of UK paid advertising.

Those are national figures, dominated by big brands. But they still tell a local plumber, salon or removals firm where the competition for attention is heaviest.

What the July 2026 figures showed

The study, carried out with Oliver Wyman, showed digital advertising kept growing, and spend on social video rose especially quickly. Over the same summer, ChatGPT widened its advertising options.

What it means for local businesses

The figures show where the fight for customers’ attention is toughest. Search catches people who already need something, such as “emergency electrician near me”. Social and video build demand before people go looking. Both rely more and more on automation and strong creative.

How to plan your ad budget

  • Split budget sensibly between capturing demand through search and creating it through social and video.
  • Keep a regular flow of short videos for paid social, such as before and after clips from real jobs.
  • Judge every channel on cost per enquiry and return on spend, not on how many people saw an ad.

Frequently asked questions

How much goes on paid search in the UK?

According to IAB UK, paid search in the UK was worth about £17.9bn in 2025, around 44% of all digital ad spend.

Is spending on social ads still rising?

Yes. IAB UK reported that social ad spend rose 21% in 2025 to reach £11.5bn.

Sources and further reading

Want help with this? Our Google Ads service helps local businesses turn search budgets into booked jobs. Get in touch.

More articles

Read more
Free audit
Menu

Explore

HomeServices
Local SEOAI Search & GEOGoogle AdsPaid SocialSocial MediaContent Marketing
IndustriesPricingApproachAboutBlogFAQContact
Free auditCall 07488 352993
Paid Search

May 2025: Google launches AI Mode across the US and unveils AI Max

Aaron, Lead Local Marketing
Covers May 2025 · Published · 2 min read
Performance graphs on a laptop screen
Photo: Luke Chesser on Unsplash

Covers May 2025. Part of our search timeline: a month-by-month look at the changes that shaped SEO, AI search, paid ads and social media, written in November 2026 for local businesses with the benefit of hindsight.

Quick answer: In May 2025, at its Google I/O and Google Marketing Live events, Google opened AI Mode up to all US users and revealed AI Max for Search, a one-click option that uses AI to broaden keyword matching and tailor ads. Both organic and paid search were moving towards AI.

This entry belongs to our timeline of the search and social changes that have shaped how local businesses win work online, written with hindsight.

What did Google announce in May 2025?

Google took AI Mode out of Labs for US users and demonstrated features such as deeper research and agent style tasks. On the ads side, AI Max offered search term matching that goes beyond your keywords, text customisation and final URL expansion.

Why it mattered for local businesses

UK firms could see where both halves of Google search were heading. An electrician or a removals company running Google Ads needed reliable conversion data and clear landing pages, while anyone working on SEO turned more attention to being cited inside AI answers.

What to do about it now

  • Check your conversion tracking, including calls and form fills, before trying AI Max.
  • Keep landing pages focused and specific, because AI Max reads them to decide which searches to match.
  • Monitor how you appear in AI Mode for your main services once it is available where you work.

Frequently asked questions

What exactly is AI Max for Search?

An optional setting in Google Ads that lets AI find more relevant searches for your ads, create ad copy suited to each one and choose which landing page to use.

Could ads appear in AI Mode?

Google began showing ads inside AI Overviews and AI Mode, served through campaigns advertisers already ran.

Sources and further reading

Want help with this? Testing AI Max properly is part of our Google Ads service. Get in touch.

More articles

Read more
Our website uses cookies from third party services to improve your browsing experience. Read more about this and how you can control cookies by clicking "Privacy Preferences".
Privacy Preferences
When you visit our website, it may store information through your browser from specific services, usually in form of cookies. Here you can change your privacy preferences. Please note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our website and the services we offer.
Privacy Policy
You have read and agreed to our privacy policy
Required
Privacy Policy Cookies Policy