??Google Adds PMax Transparency, Meta’s AI Ad Upgrades, YouTube’s Shorts Editing Test & LinkedIn’s Video Newsletter Launch

Hello and welcome to the latest edition of The Digital Dispatch ??

I hope your week’s off to a strong start and you're ready to catch up on the latest digital marketing updates making waves across the platforms.

This Week’s Top Stories You Need to Know:

Google Adds PMax Transparency: You can now see which search terms are triggering your Performance Max ads—and exclude irrelevant ones directly from the report.

Meta’s AI-Powered Ad Updates: Facebook and Instagram ads just got smarter, with new Advantage+ features, dynamic product displays, and improved omnichannel tools.

YouTube’s Shorts Editing Test: A new visual guide in YouTube Shorts makes it easier to avoid UI clashes when adding captions and stickers.

LinkedIn’s Video Newsletter Launch: LinkedIn’s new Create Video newsletter shares best practices, tips, and training links to help you make the most of video content.

Google Adds Search Term Visibility to Performance Max Campaigns

Google has rolled out an important update to its Performance Max campaigns, giving advertisers greater transparency over which search terms are triggering their ads—something that’s been a long time coming.

What’s New?

Search Terms Report – You can now see the actual search queries triggering your ads in Performance Max. ?

Add Negative Keywords Directly – Advertisers can exclude irrelevant terms straight from the Search Terms report.

More Control – This builds on Google’s recent addition of negative keyword support for Performance Max.

Why It Matters

This addresses one of the biggest criticisms of Performance Max: that it’s a “black box” with limited control over where your ads appear.

For marketers used to the precision of standard Search campaigns, this update makes Performance Max a much more appealing option.

How to Apply It

• Review Search Terms Regularly – Monitor the Search Terms report to identify low-quality or irrelevant queries.
• Use Negative Keywords – Add negative keywords directly from the report to avoid wasting spend.
• Optimise with Confidence – This added visibility helps you make smarter decisions and trust Performance Max with more budget.

How SMEs Can Use It

Small businesses running PMax campaigns can now protect their ad budget more effectively by excluding irrelevant traffic and focusing on high-intent queries.

It’s a simple step that could significantly improve your campaign performance without requiring advanced expertise.

Meta Rolls Out AI-Powered Ad Updates for Facebook and Instagram

Meta has announced a wave of new AI-powered updates aimed at improving the performance of Facebook and Instagram ads.

These changes are designed to help businesses reach the right audiences more efficiently using enhanced automation, smarter targeting, and more immersive ad formats.

What’s New?

Smarter Targeting with AI Models – Meta’s AI system ‘Andromeda’ analyses millions of ads to deliver the most relevant content to each user. ?

Advantage+ Expansions:

• Partnership promotions now support influencer-style collaborations.

• Product mix optimisation automatically displays related products (e.g. showing dresses when promoting jackets).
• New checkout process allows shoppers to build their cart in-app before being directed to your website.
• AI-Generated Creative Tools – Auto-generated ad copy, background editing, and AI modelling to show clothing on different body types.

• Omnichannel Ads – Now includes store locator functionality, map links, and discount codes. ?

New Ad Placements:

• Facebook notifications (for users who’ve already shown interest in your brand).

• Instagram site links – Highlight multiple landing pages in a single ad.

Email Capture via Promo Ads – Users can submit their email addresses to access offers, helping brands build their contact lists directly from ads.

Why It Matters

Meta’s updates offer greater personalisation, better ad performance, and more conversion opportunities.

The tools give businesses more ways to capture attention, drive sales, and build their customer base—especially valuable in a competitive social space.

Early results show promising figures:

• +14% ROAS from dynamic product inclusion
• -15% CPA from omnichannel ads
• +3% CTR from Instagram site links

How to Apply It

• Use Advantage+ campaigns to tap into Meta’s full AI potential and let the platform optimise delivery.
• Partner with influencers through Advantage+ catalogue ads to broaden reach.
• Add site links to Instagram ads to drive traffic to specific product pages.
• Test omnichannel ad formats if you have a physical presence.
• Consider using email capture features to grow your mailing list alongside sales.

How SMEs Can Use It

Even small budgets can benefit from Meta’s AI tools.

By enabling Advantage+ and using features like email capture and site links, SMEs can create high-performing, conversion-focused campaigns without heavy manual input.

If you’re looking to improve your Facebook or Instagram ad results, now is the perfect time to explore what Meta’s new tools can offer.

You can read more about Meta’s latest ad updates here.

YouTube Tests New Shorts Editing Tool to Avoid On-Screen Clutter

YouTube is testing a smart new feature designed to help creators avoid placing text, stickers, or elements in awkward spots when editing Shorts.

This update aims to make the Shorts editing process smoother—and more viewer-friendly.

What’s New?

?? Visual Placement Guide – When adding elements to a Short, creators will now see on-screen boundaries that show where buttons, icons, and other interface features appear.

?? Real-Time Feedback – As you move items like captions or stickers, visual shadows will appear, helping you avoid content being blocked by app features like the Like button, comments, or video descriptions.

?? Rollout Coming Soon – YouTube is currently testing this with a small group of users, with plans to expand if results are positive.

Why It Matters

Shorts are becoming a key discovery tool on YouTube, but cluttered or obscured visuals can hurt engagement.

This small but powerful update ensures creators can place content where it’s most effective—keeping it clean, readable, and user-friendly.

How to Apply It

• When the feature rolls out, use it to preview how your Shorts will appear on-screen.
• Keep key text and stickers away from areas with interface buttons.
• Review your older Shorts and adjust if needed to improve clarity and engagement.

How SMEs Can Use It

If you're using Shorts to promote products or services, this tool will help ensure your call-to-actions and key messages are easy to see—even on mobile screens.

Clearer videos mean higher engagement, better watch time, and more potential conversions.

LinkedIn Launches Newsletter to Support Video Creators

LinkedIn has launched a new resource for marketers and content creators: a bi-weekly video-focused newsletter called Create Video.

The goal? To help users make the most of LinkedIn’s growing video potential.

What’s New?

New ‘Create Video’ Newsletter – Delivers tips, best practices, updates, and real-life examples every two weeks.

Video Watch Time Up 36% YoY – LinkedIn is seeing significant growth in video engagement.

Training Links Included – Each issue includes links to LinkedIn-specific training courses to help you upskill.

Practical Tips – For example: keep videos between 30 seconds and 2 minutes, and lead with a hook (like a question or relatable challenge).

New Features Highlighted – Including video now appearing in in-app search results.

Why It Matters

Video on LinkedIn is growing at twice the rate of other content types.

With better analytics, a dedicated video feed, and improved video events, it’s clear LinkedIn is leaning into video in a big way.

This newsletter is a practical, ongoing way to stay on top of changes—and build your presence with content that performs.

How to Apply It

• Subscribe to the newsletter for inspiration and updates.
• Keep videos short and engaging, ideally between 30 seconds and 2 minutes.
• Use a strong opening hook to stop the scroll.
• Explore the included training resources to improve your video confidence and skills.

Thanks for reading The Digital Dispatch!

We hope you enjoyed this week's edition. We look forward to bringing you more stories next week.

Who are we? ??

We’re Add People – a group of down-to-earth digital marketing experts specialising in budget-friendly campaigns that help small to medium-sized businesses grow.

From Plumbers to Dance Schools, we’ve helped all kinds of SMEs tap into digital marketing.

If you would like help with your digital marketing, then contact us here.