Something’s shifting in performance marketing, and it’s bigger than a new ad format or bidding tweak. Platforms like Meta and Google aren’t just building tools to help you market, they want to do it for you. Google’s new Gemini Moments uses AI to predict when viewers are most engaged and serves your ad at that exact moment, making bold openings and emotional hooks more critical than ever. And that’s just one highlight from last week’s Google Marketing Live 2025, which unveiled a wave of new features marketers can start using today. Let’s dive in.
AI isn’t just part of the plan = it is the plan
This year’s GML wasn’t about small upgrades or flashy features. It was Google officially stepping up and saying, “We’re running the show now, with Gemini in the driver’s seat.” If last year was the warm-up, this year made it clear: AI is not just another tool in the box, it is the entire playbook.
One of the biggest plays in that book is generative creative for Search and Shopping. Google’s new tools can build your ads from the ground up, from headlines and copy to images, using just three inputs: your landing page, your historical performance data, and your existing website content. In other words, Google’s AI is positioning itself to be both your copywriter and your creative director.
tROAS for iOS: Smarter Bidding, Better Users
Let’s talk tROAS (Target Return on Ad Spend), now available globally for iOS App campaigns. This smart bidding strategy lets you tell Google exactly how much return you want for every dollar spent. From there, Google’s AI optimizes bids based not only on the likelihood of an install, but also on whether a user will take the actions that matter most in your app, like subscribing or purchasing.
Why we like it: it focuses on quality over quantity, turning installs into profitable users. You set your ROAS goal and Google adjusts bids in real time to hit it, reducing guesswork and maximizing ROI. It is particularly powerful for campaigns where in-app actions drive revenue.
To make it work, pick your target return, enable tROAS in campaign settings, and keep an eye on performance so you can tweak and scale what is working. If you are still manually managing bids, it might be time to give your budget an algorithmic edge. With tROAS, Google is not just bidding for clicks, it is bidding for value.
Measurement Upgrades are on the way
Measurement upgrades are finally on the way. Google is moving toward better cross-channel attribution and more flexible models for Search, Shopping, and Performance Max. Think less last-click, more holistic optimization.
For app campaigns, two key improvements stand out. First, App Installs and Conversions Reporting will allow marketers to measure and attribute installs and conversions from web campaigns, giving a more complete view of performance. Second, On-Device Conversion Measurement will use app event data to optimize iOS app campaigns while keeping user-identifying information on the device, maintaining privacy standards.
If you are still piecing together results from GA4, ad platforms, and your own dashboards, it is time to upgrade your measurement game. Clean inputs, clear events, and structured testing lead to stronger AI optimization, while bad data leads to bad decisions.
So where does all this leave us?
Google did not just roll out features, they made it clear they plan to be one of the defining players in the AI era. We are talking about a future where Gemini writes the ads, chooses placements, manages bidding, and even tells you what is working. Google has always offered automation, but now they are connecting the dots from start to finish in ways that are far more complex and impactful.
If you have ever wanted to fast-forward into the future of performance marketing, welcome to it. The AI engines are running louder than ever, and your edge will come from sharp creative ideas, smart inputs, and strategies grounded in real-life insights. And while this update was packed, we have not even touched the most exciting part yet. Google also unveiled a new wave of AI-powered creative tools that could change how we concept, build, and scale ads.
That, however, is a story for another time. Stay tuned for the next episode of Beyond Growth Marketing. Until then, stay sharp, stay curious, and stay performance-obsessed.
