https://semdispatch.com/paid-media The flagship desk. Strategy, structure and hard-won field notes from practitioners who run the accounts, across search, social, programmatic and video. en-GB Sat, 05 Sep 2026 23:13:37 +0000 The SEM Dispatch (Next.js) https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/news/retail-is-heading-into-black-friday-with-bot-traffic-surging-heres-what-to-do-to-minimize-wasted-ad-spend AI Max campaigns went from the cleanest cohort in retail Search to the dirtiest in nine months. Here is what that means for your Black Friday budget. Fri, 04 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/news/retail-is-heading-into-black-friday-with-bot-traffic-surging-heres-what-to-do-to-minimize-wasted-ad-spend Ben Harris Paid Media https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/ppc/how-to-download-data-from-google-merchant-centre-and-why I use two spreadsheet formulas to find missing products and analyse Google Merchant Centre data. Find out how to download and manipulate TSV files here. Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/ppc/how-to-download-data-from-google-merchant-centre-and-why Russell Welch Paid Media https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/strategy/the-death-of-the-static-product-title-in-ai-max-shopping Google's AI Max for Shopping brings generative product titles and a dedicated report. Why the static feed era is ending, how this echoes SA360 inventory management, and the guardrails needed before turning it on. Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/strategy/the-death-of-the-static-product-title-in-ai-max-shopping Teodor Yordanov Paid Media https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/strategy/the-click-got-easier-to-buy-and-harder-to-understand Same month, one account: Meta claimed 435 sales, GA4 gave it 104, Google Ads booked 1,464, GA4 counted 2,239. Four numbers, none agree and here is what to do now. Thu, 27 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/strategy/the-click-got-easier-to-buy-and-harder-to-understand Kyryl Terletskyi Paid Media https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/measurement/mer-vs-roas-how-to-create-an-mer-target-that-actually-means-something Delivered ROAS is decided by the auction, not by you. Breakeven MER can be derived: 1 divided by contribution margin. Here is the full loop I run against it. Wed, 26 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/measurement/mer-vs-roas-how-to-create-an-mer-target-that-actually-means-something Craig Graham Paid Media https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/ppc/broad-match-works-but-is-that-really-enough Two groups of searches containing the same search modifier produced very different conversion rates but surprisingly similar CPAs. Here’s why hitting your Target CPA or ROAS can hide opportunities to improve efficiency. Mon, 24 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/ppc/broad-match-works-but-is-that-really-enough Dez Calton Paid Media https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/ppc/dj-or-chef-how-google-remixes-your-ads-for-every-ai-mode-conversation Google is serving up your existing search ads inside AI Mode, but never the same ad twice: it recombines your RSA assets into a unique headline for every conversation. Mon, 24 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/ppc/dj-or-chef-how-google-remixes-your-ads-for-every-ai-mode-conversation Joss Froggatt Paid Media https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/ppc/how-to-build-a-test--learn-roadmap-for-your-paid-search-account The real cost of not having a testing roadmap isn't bad tests; it's forgetting what you already learned. Here is how to build a living repository that lasts. Mon, 24 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/ppc/how-to-build-a-test--learn-roadmap-for-your-paid-search-account Maria Correia Paid Media https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/ppc/16-ppc-interview-questions-youll-actually-get-asked After 50+ PPC interviews in 11 years, I've learned hiring managers all test for the same thing: real, specific knowledge, not buzzwords. Here are the 16 questions they keep asking, and the answers that worked. Tue, 18 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/ppc/16-ppc-interview-questions-youll-actually-get-asked Maria Correia Paid Media https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/ppc/findings-from-a-similar-landing-page-in-a-foreign-region Different audiences have different preferences for what they want to see when landing on your page from an ad. I have the results to back it. Tue, 18 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/ppc/findings-from-a-similar-landing-page-in-a-foreign-region Lee Britton Paid Media https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/strategy/the-mentality-shift-behind-ai-max AI Max makes Search flexible for conversational demand. The real question is what automatic campaigns mean for Google and for paid media when search becomes conversational. Tue, 18 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/strategy/the-mentality-shift-behind-ai-max Ana Kostic Paid Media https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/strategy/how-postcode-bidding-increased-local-inventory-ad-impressions-by-300-and-local-sales-by-40 You’ll learn how to move beyond basic radius targeting and use postcode-level data to scale Local Inventory Ads in the areas that matter most. The article gives you a practical framework for increasing local visibility, store visits and sales. Thu, 06 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/strategy/how-postcode-bidding-increased-local-inventory-ad-impressions-by-300-and-local-sales-by-40 Teodor Yordanov Paid Media https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/news/whats-happening-in-chatgpt-ads-a-round-up-from-july-2026 We tracked 2,882 UK advertisers running ChatGPT Ads in July - here's who's winning and what the new bidding tools mean for your account. Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/news/whats-happening-in-chatgpt-ads-a-round-up-from-july-2026 Mery Hayles Paid Media https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/ppc/why-do-so-many-businesses-make-the-same-google-ads-mistakes Every Google Ads account I've inherited has some of the same mistakes. Campaign overlap. Doubled-up conversions. Find out how to fix common issues here. Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/ppc/why-do-so-many-businesses-make-the-same-google-ads-mistakes Russell Welch Paid Media https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/strategy/what-paid-media-on-industrial-b2b-taught-me Whether you sell furnaces, cooling towers, power generators, or any other high-value technical solution with a long sales cycle, the fundamentals of paid media are different from almost every other industry. Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/strategy/what-paid-media-on-industrial-b2b-taught-me Alex Aguirre Paid Media https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/strategy/i-went-looking-for-a-context-hints-hack-on-chatgpt-ads-here-is-what-i-found There is no secret "hack" for stopping ChatGPT ads serving against irrelevant conversations, because there are no negative keywords and it appears the only lever is one free-text context hint. This is a real before-and-after of what happened when I rewrote mine on a live account Wed, 29 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/strategy/i-went-looking-for-a-context-hints-hack-on-chatgpt-ads-here-is-what-i-found Joss Froggatt Paid Media https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/ppc/how-feed-optimisation-drove-37-more-revenue-beating-peak-season Google only knows what your feed tells it. Recategorising one client's 17K-product feed, no-bid, budget, or structure changes, drove +37% revenue and +32% ROAS, beating the previous peak season. Here's how it works. Wed, 15 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/ppc/how-feed-optimisation-drove-37-more-revenue-beating-peak-season Kyryl Terletskyi Paid Media https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/measurement/how-to-run-a-paid-search-experiment-you-can-actually-trust How to design a Google Ads experiment you can trust, choose the goal metric that keeps you honest, and act on a result that comes back inconclusive. Wed, 15 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/measurement/how-to-run-a-paid-search-experiment-you-can-actually-trust Craig Graham Paid Media https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/news/tcpa-and-troas-are-getting-a-makeover-here-is-what-to-do-before-17-august If your budget-limited campaigns have been beating their tCPA or tROAS targets, Google will start enforcing the number in settings from 17 August. Here is what to review and adjust before the deadline. Wed, 15 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/news/tcpa-and-troas-are-getting-a-makeover-here-is-what-to-do-before-17-august Ana Kostic Paid Media https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/ppc/how-two-months-running-chatgpt-ads-had-me-unlearning-google-ads Every PPC instinct you have built on years of Google habits breaks on ChatGPT Ads, and this piece maps where. Tue, 14 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/ppc/how-two-months-running-chatgpt-ads-had-me-unlearning-google-ads Joss Froggatt Paid Media https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/ppc/why-being-great-at-google-ads-isnt-enough The best PPC results don’t come from better bidding strategies alone. They come from understanding the business behind the account, asking better questions and building the relationships that give you the answers. Tue, 14 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/ppc/why-being-great-at-google-ads-isnt-enough Dez Calton Paid Media https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/ppc/are-ai-overviews-killing-your-ppc-performance-what-the-data-tells-us Find out how AIOs are disrupting PPC performance, and what actions you can take today to protect your campaigns. Fri, 10 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/ppc/are-ai-overviews-killing-your-ppc-performance-what-the-data-tells-us Mery Hayles Paid Media https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/ppc/ai-max-for-search-is-no-longer-optional-what-the-september-migration-means-for-every-advertiser Google is auto-migrating DSA, broad match, and auto-assets to AI Max from September 2026. Here is what you actually control, and how to migrate on your own terms first. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/ppc/ai-max-for-search-is-no-longer-optional-what-the-september-migration-means-for-every-advertiser Teodor Yordanov Paid Media https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/measurement/death-of-last-click Attribution has quietly become a board-level argument. A pragmatic, defensible framework for moving beyond last-click without losing the finance team's confidence, drawn from three years of rebuilding measurement at scale. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/measurement/death-of-last-click Teodor Yordanov Paid Media https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/ppc/performance-max-negative-keywords-brand-controls-2026 Campaign-level negative keywords, granular brand exclusions, and channel-level reporting have all landed in Performance Max. Here is what actually changed and how to use it. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/ppc/performance-max-negative-keywords-brand-controls-2026 Teodor Yordanov Paid Media https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/social-media-advertising/andromeda-account-structure-post-2025 Andromeda rewired what Meta optimises for. Most accounts still fight the algorithm. Here is the structural response that actually works in 2026. Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/social-media-advertising/andromeda-account-structure-post-2025 Teodor Yordanov Paid Media https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/social-media-advertising/meta-ai-creative-tools-2026-volume-strategy Meta's generative AI tools doubled adoption to 8 million advertisers in four months. They are genuinely useful, but not for the reason most coverage suggests. Tue, 09 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/social-media-advertising/meta-ai-creative-tools-2026-volume-strategy Teodor Yordanov Paid Media https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/video-advertising/youtube-shorts-lower-funnel YouTube Shorts inventory has matured enough to evaluate seriously as a performance channel. The CPMs are lower than long-form, the audience size is substantial, and there is now enough campaign data to understand when it earns its place in a media plan. Fri, 08 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/video-advertising/youtube-shorts-lower-funnel Teodor Yordanov Paid Media https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/ppc/pmax-vs-standard-shopping-decision-framework The debate about Performance Max versus Standard Shopping campaigns has produced more heat than light. The honest answer depends on the account, the catalogue and the measurement setup. A structured framework for making the right call for your specific situation. Tue, 28 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/ppc/pmax-vs-standard-shopping-decision-framework Teodor Yordanov Paid Media https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/social-media-advertising/meta-advantage-plus-shopping-audit Advantage+ Shopping campaigns are Meta's version of Performance Max: powerful when structured correctly, capable of spending inefficiently when left to their own devices. A systematic audit checklist for accounts that have been running ASC for three months or more. Fri, 03 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/social-media-advertising/meta-advantage-plus-shopping-audit Teodor Yordanov Paid Media https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/ppc/performance-max-feed-architecture Most Performance Max underperformance is a feed problem. The campaign structure and bidding get the attention, but it is the product data quality, title logic and custom labels that determine what gets served, to whom and at what margin. Tue, 10 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/ppc/performance-max-feed-architecture Teodor Yordanov Paid Media https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/measurement/geo-holdout-testing-first-run Geo holdout tests are the closest thing paid media has to a controlled experiment. Here is the operational detail most guides skip: how to design a valid test, pick your markets, set your confidence threshold and read the results without fooling yourself. Sat, 14 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/measurement/geo-holdout-testing-first-run Teodor Yordanov Paid Media https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/ppc/broad-match-second-look Broad match has a reputation it mostly earned in 2018. The match type has changed significantly, and dismissing it entirely is leaving incremental volume on the table. Here is how to give it a fair trial without blowing your budget on irrelevant queries. Thu, 22 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://semdispatch.com/paid-media/ppc/broad-match-second-look Teodor Yordanov Paid Media