This week: Google updated YouTube Insights Finder to help advertisers understand audience behavior and confirmed it won't provide separate AI Mode performance data in Search Console. LinkedIn added new ad transparency features to help users understand why they're seeing certain ads, Meta announced it's pushing for more platform-wide age verification requirements, and X vowed to give the platform more strategic focus going forward.
YouTube Insights Finder tool, which helps advertisers understand intent-based audience behaviors and trending creators, is now available in over 20 markets worldwide after a successful initial launch.
This expansion gives advertisers in more regions access to YouTube's treasure trove of viewing data, helping them discover emerging trends, identify relevant creators, and better understand audience engagement patterns across devices, including CTV. For large advertisers, this means more informed strategy development and improved ability to connect with relevant audiences.
LinkedIn rolled out expanded transparency features that provide users with more detailed information about why they're seeing specific ads, including the targeting parameters advertisers used.
While this change primarily benefits users, advertisers should be aware that their targeting choices are now more visible to audiences. This increased transparency could impact how users perceive targeting practices, potentially requiring advertisers to be more thoughtful about audience selection and messaging, especially for sensitive B2B campaigns where privacy concerns are heightened.
Meta is advocating for Apple and Google to take responsibility for app age verification at the store level, rather than placing the burden solely on individual apps like Instagram and Facebook.
If successful, this industry shift could standardize how age verification works across all platforms, potentially changing how advertisers target younger demographics. Advertisers running campaigns aimed at younger audiences should monitor these developments closely, as they could impact targeting capabilities and compliance requirements across all platforms, not just Meta's.
Elon Musk has vowed to give X (formerly Twitter) more focused strategic direction after a period of rapid, sometimes chaotic changes to the platform's features and policies.
For advertisers who have been hesitant about X due to its unpredictable development path, this promise of stability could signal a good time to reevaluate the platform. While many brands reduced or paused spending on X due to brand safety concerns and uncertainty, a more predictable roadmap might make the platform worth testing again, especially given its unique position for real-time conversation around events.
Google confirmed that while AI Mode performance data will be included in Search Console reports, advertisers won't be able to break out this data individually to see how AI Mode performs compared to traditional search or other Google surfaces.
This lack of transparency creates a significant blind spot for both organic and paid search strategies. Advertisers won't be able to measure the impact of AI Mode on their campaigns or optimize specifically for this growing search experience. Given that Google is positioning AI Mode as the future of search, this limitation forces advertisers to navigate by feel rather than data when adapting to this major shift.