Full Transcript for Google Ads Channel Priority: Change This Before February

00:02:24.400 --> 00:02:25.120 That's great. 00:02:25.280 --> 00:02:29.759 But if I have to talk about new, new, new channel controls in a month from now. 00:02:30.000 --> 00:02:30.719 Then you complain. 00:02:30.960 --> 00:02:32.159 Um I'm not doing it. 00:02:32.240 --> 00:02:33.280 We're not gonna talk about it. 00:02:33.439 --> 00:02:36.479 Because we just did an episode about new channel controls. 00:02:36.719 --> 00:02:36.960 Yes. 00:02:37.439 --> 00:02:38.400 And ladies and chants. 00:02:38.800 --> 00:02:43.439 Just also to to to to put some expectation management on on this episode now. 00:02:44.159 --> 00:02:47.919 Normally we have some alignment on one what we talk. 00:02:48.159 --> 00:02:49.039 Some alignment. 00:02:49.199 --> 00:02:53.280 We want to be to be let it be as organic and fresh as possible. 00:02:53.599 --> 00:02:57.199 This one is we we haven't been talking about this new new ones. 00:02:57.280 --> 00:02:57.599 Yes. 00:02:57.840 --> 00:03:03.919 So I will probably ask even more stupid questions this episode than you're used to. 00:03:04.400 --> 00:03:05.599 Mike, you yeah, okay, guys. 00:03:05.919 --> 00:03:09.520 When it comes to the new new channel controls, mate, I'm not sure. 00:03:09.680 --> 00:03:11.120 There's no such thing as a stupid question. 00:03:11.520 --> 00:03:13.680 I would love to understand what is new, man. 00:03:13.840 --> 00:03:14.479 All right, let's talk about it. 00:03:14.639 --> 00:03:15.840 I'm genuinely interested. 00:03:16.080 --> 00:03:16.719 Yes. 00:03:17.280 --> 00:03:26.479 So um I was invited a couple weeks ago by Google to talk about some new, new channel controls. 00:03:26.719 --> 00:03:36.879 Um, these are actually so just for context, uh there's right now, let's talk about the options that are out there. 00:03:37.120 --> 00:03:47.599 For standard search and shopping campaigns and stuff like this, you have opt-outs for certain types of things, namely search partner network, Google Display Network. 00:03:47.759 --> 00:03:51.120 These are the kind of things you can either opt in or opt out of those. 00:03:51.360 --> 00:04:00.400 And for more modern cross-network campaign types like PMAX and DemandGen, there hasn't been a classic opt-out previously. 00:04:00.639 --> 00:04:06.080 This changed first with DemandGen, where they added a new feature called channel controls. 00:04:06.159 --> 00:04:08.719 And it is a multi-select checkbox. 00:04:08.800 --> 00:04:12.719 So you can create these cool Frankenstein uh-oh, Halloween. 00:04:12.800 --> 00:04:22.000 Oh man, these cool, maybe spooky Frankenstein Demand Gen campaigns saying, I want one that serves only Gmail and maps. 00:04:22.079 --> 00:04:23.279 I don't know what whatever you want. 00:04:23.519 --> 00:04:25.040 You can mix and match these things. 00:04:25.680 --> 00:04:33.920 Um, and they showed how just how easy it can be to take a cross-network campaign and have real controls in it. 00:04:34.319 --> 00:04:40.879 And that has never quite come to PMAX, which they still imagine as like a one-stop shop. 00:04:41.040 --> 00:04:41.600 Yes. 00:04:41.839 --> 00:04:47.680 Um, but what we talked about on a previous episode is an alpha feature. 00:04:47.839 --> 00:04:52.959 Um, I don't even know if it has a proper name, but that's where there's this level of sliding game. 00:04:53.120 --> 00:04:54.079 The slider, yeah. 00:04:54.240 --> 00:05:08.959 So rather, so on some campaigns you've got check boxes, opt-ins or opt-outs, and then they added this slider for PMAX, which by the way applies all the way down to the really the single channels like YouTube, Gmail, etc. 00:05:09.279 --> 00:05:12.639 You can't uncheck them, but you can reduce them up to 50%. 00:05:13.040 --> 00:05:20.879 Yes, the the scale of the sliders, just for for for for the listeners, is uh based on the importance you assign to the channel. 00:05:21.279 --> 00:05:47.680 That's the guidance they offer you, but in the end it'll be based on like the CPA or the ROAS and by the way, for the sake of transference, especially with regards to PMAX, you could force Google to let you control the channels by having by by reducing any assets whatsoever, and you could force Google to not uh no, that's not true. 00:05:47.920 --> 00:05:50.079 I don't think so because I told you that I'm asking stupid questions. 00:05:50.240 --> 00:05:51.759 No, no, but it's not a stupid question. 00:05:51.839 --> 00:05:56.800 People ask people ask all the time, can I please do something to make it stop serving YouTube or whatever? 00:05:56.959 --> 00:06:02.480 And it's quite hard because you'll run the risk that they're just going to like AI generate some slop assets for you. 00:06:02.800 --> 00:06:04.480 So you can't fully exclude that. 00:06:04.800 --> 00:06:06.959 Yeah, it's very hard to impossible to do that. 00:06:07.279 --> 00:06:11.040 You can probably reduce the exposure by removing any assets, but it's not okay, gotcha. 00:06:11.199 --> 00:06:17.759 Yeah, there's like the feed-only strategy and stuff like that, but it's it's very hard to really do that. 00:06:18.000 --> 00:06:23.279 Um to wrap it up, Mike, the the the sliders we talked about I don't know, two or three episodes ago. 00:06:23.360 --> 00:06:23.600 Yeah. 00:06:23.839 --> 00:06:25.279 There is now an additional layer. 00:06:25.600 --> 00:06:27.759 This is that's the new one, and this is the new new one. 00:06:28.639 --> 00:06:29.839 Okay, so don't get spooked. 00:06:30.000 --> 00:06:30.480 Come on, Chris. 00:06:30.720 --> 00:06:31.439 It gets spooky, no. 00:06:31.839 --> 00:06:32.240 You were right. 00:06:32.319 --> 00:06:35.920 You absolutely're like, is this actually a spooky theme for Alan? 00:06:36.319 --> 00:06:37.680 Like, man, it's spooky as shit. 00:06:37.920 --> 00:06:38.560 Got it. 00:06:38.800 --> 00:06:48.000 Um so the new new controls um uh have yet another mechanism, okay? 00:06:48.160 --> 00:06:57.759 And basically, what happens, this works for all campaign types, not

just PMAX or DemandGen, but this really you can do it for search, shopping, PMAX, demand gen. 00:06:58.319 --> 00:07:02.879 Um, and you can now specify the channel priority. 00:07:03.279 --> 00:07:04.240 Channel priority, right? 00:07:04.480 --> 00:07:04.720 Yes. 00:07:04.879 --> 00:07:16.560 So you can you can by default they're all high priority, in other words, normal priority, but you can then choose to make ones low priority. 00:07:17.680 --> 00:07:36.160 Um and that once you've done that, this then gives you the capability to also specify like a max percentage of budget that you want spent on that, which is also a slider, but it's not a a CPA or a row slider, it's a budget slider. 00:07:36.959 --> 00:07:43.439 And you can slide that all the way down to zero, which functions like a checkbox opt-out. 00:07:44.319 --> 00:07:45.519 Are you spooked out yet? 00:07:45.680 --> 00:07:46.480 I'm spooked out. 00:07:46.879 --> 00:07:47.680 I am, I am. 00:07:47.759 --> 00:07:52.079 It's not goosebumps level, but um we'll have to wait until the shit. 00:07:52.240 --> 00:07:52.720 Holy shit. 00:07:52.959 --> 00:07:53.920 I mean, I just have a concern. 00:07:54.240 --> 00:07:55.680 I have a couple of questions, uh anyway. 00:07:55.759 --> 00:07:56.079 Okay, good. 00:07:56.319 --> 00:07:57.120 Let's keep rolling. 00:07:57.519 --> 00:07:58.720 Yeah, I just have a concern. 00:07:58.800 --> 00:08:04.560 I'm glad that Google's offering controls, but stuff is getting so complicated. 00:08:04.720 --> 00:08:05.279 Yeah. 00:08:05.519 --> 00:08:09.199 Um, there's gonna be Especially with the sliding game. 00:08:09.279 --> 00:08:10.800 The slide sliding is fun. 00:08:11.199 --> 00:08:16.000 There's like checks box, opt-ins, opt-outs here, and then there's like a two-slider, opt-in. 00:08:16.079 --> 00:08:23.279 Then there's a then there's like a row, a row of slider, then there's like a priority checkbox, which if you do that, then there can be a budget slider. 00:08:24.160 --> 00:08:32.000 I I feel like now I'm attracted by how primitive chat GPT ads are because it's simple, it's dirt simple. 00:08:32.320 --> 00:08:32.879 Wow. 00:08:33.120 --> 00:08:33.600 Yeah. 00:08:33.919 --> 00:08:41.200 So uh my question actually would be so the the the new new channel controls, they also apply to PMEX. 00:08:41.519 --> 00:08:42.159 Yeah. 00:08:42.639 --> 00:08:47.600 Maybe let's start with with I don't know, with the detailed level and then we move up to the meta level. 00:08:48.000 --> 00:08:49.120 It gets spookier, but yeah. 00:08:49.279 --> 00:08:54.399 Yeah, because Mike, we we talked about when we talked about the sliders for PMEX. 00:08:54.960 --> 00:08:58.240 Uh the the the the one there there were a couple of fundamental questions. 00:08:58.399 --> 00:09:01.759 Question number one is okay, how how does these sliders make sense? 00:09:01.919 --> 00:09:06.799 You're you're doing a surgery, it's it's like a hard surgery. 00:09:07.039 --> 00:09:07.519 Yeah. 00:09:07.759 --> 00:09:11.279 Uh you come with a with a with a with a massive sword and drive. 00:09:11.440 --> 00:09:13.759 It feels like it's it's way too too loose. 00:09:14.159 --> 00:09:15.120 A blunt instrument, yeah. 00:09:15.360 --> 00:09:19.279 Yes, it's way too loose with regards to what you're actually changing there. 00:09:19.440 --> 00:09:21.200 Anyhow, that's one fundamental question. 00:09:21.279 --> 00:09:26.000 The other fundamental fundamental question was what does it tell us about the future of PMAX? 00:09:26.320 --> 00:09:37.679 From from this one-stop shop, uh like fully automated end-to-end campaign, which it was, I think, designed to be, to like, yes. 00:09:37.919 --> 00:09:47.759 This is another step because now I'm not just sliding, I can do the slider game with my ROAS, but literally the overall importance of uh the channel. 00:09:48.480 --> 00:09:48.960 Yes. 00:09:49.279 --> 00:09:52.480 So let's get into a little bit more detail there. 00:09:52.559 --> 00:09:59.279 I mean, about the future of PMAX, well, it does raise we talked about Jill's hypothesis. 00:09:59.600 --> 00:10:00.240 Even more questions, right? 00:10:00.639 --> 00:10:04.320 Yeah, that PMAX is a is a failed campaign type, basically. 00:10:04.480 --> 00:10:07.840 But um it's just supporting that thesis. 00:10:09.200 --> 00:10:10.000 Yes and no. 00:10:10.080 --> 00:10:12.000 I mean, they are usually they're applying this. 00:10:12.240 --> 00:10:16.720 What let's uh explain, I think, what Google's goal here is. 00:10:18.080 --> 00:10:22.639 Google wants to offer a third way between opting in and opting out. 00:10:22.960 --> 00:10:24.240 That's what they want to achieve here. 00:10:24.559 --> 00:10:26.960 So I think it's a compromise. 00:10:27.279 --> 00:10:34.240 Whether that means that PMAX or these other things are are failing or not, I think they know that people want control. 00:10:35.200 --> 00:10:47.120 They're they're trying to take this situation and find it in a way that works for them and their executives and revenue goals and that works somehow for advertisers. 00:10:47.360 --> 00:10:51.519 And, you know, they they could just offer an opt-out. 00:10:51.679 --> 00:11:03.840 They still do offer opt-out in some cases, but they want a third option, which is instead of saying no, I don't want to appear on search partners at all, you say I want it to be less prominent. 00:11:04.000 --> 00:11:09.759 And the way that once you've checked something as a low priority channel, it functions as follows. 00:11:10.000 --> 00:11:18.240 Google is going to find as much revenue and conversions as they can at your efficiency level. 00:11:18.399 --> 00:11:23.279 And when they've hit that point, then they will look at this next channel. 00:11:23.360 --> 00:11:25.120 So it's really a sequencing thing. 00:11:25.759 --> 00:11:28.879 Um, it really makes it a kind of a second-class citizen. 00:11:28.960 --> 00:11:33.840 It will, they'll, you'll, they'll only expand there after they hit

their role. 00:11:35.039 --> 00:11:36.480 You say these are my core channels. 00:11:36.960 --> 00:11:43.600 So you're literally like prioritizing your channels based on kind of a waterfall principle. 00:11:43.759 --> 00:11:45.919 It yeah, it's a it's a simple waterfall. 00:11:46.000 --> 00:11:49.919 There's a there's a high priority, which is effectively normal, yes, and then there's a low priority. 00:11:50.559 --> 00:12:01.919 So yes, you can you can say rather than opting out of these entirely, you help ensure that it's you don't it's like okay, could what if there is something good in search partner network? 00:12:02.080 --> 00:12:02.320 Got it. 00:12:02.480 --> 00:12:04.559 I don't want it to be my primary order of business. 00:12:04.720 --> 00:12:08.799 But if my campaign is running out of room otherwise, okay, you can look there a bit. 00:12:09.039 --> 00:12:10.480 And I have this budget cap. 00:12:10.559 --> 00:12:14.159 So in that regard, like again, I don't want to be the whiny guy here. 00:12:14.399 --> 00:12:22.159 I think that it's it makes sense what Google's done here, but it's just complicated. 00:12:22.240 --> 00:12:25.679 And I think a lot of people aren't gonna get it. 00:12:26.000 --> 00:12:28.240 Yes, it's complicated and it needs translation. 00:12:29.279 --> 00:12:39.279 Look, it it lands with me based on on by the way, you already curated the the probably quite complex uh communication stream Google has here has has here. 00:12:39.919 --> 00:12:53.039 The creation and the way you explained it now to me is that by prioritizing my channels, I can basically force Google to be more really be being focused on incremental revenue with with all the channels. 00:12:53.120 --> 00:12:55.840 I say no, they are not private for me. 00:12:55.919 --> 00:13:07.120 So they focus on my high prior channels, yes, hitting my targets there, and after that they will try to detect if there's some growth pocket, let's say, uh search partner network. 00:13:07.279 --> 00:13:07.600 Yes. 00:13:07.919 --> 00:13:10.399 I I'm I I I like that. 00:13:10.639 --> 00:13:11.679 All right, me too. 00:13:12.399 --> 00:13:38.559 But yeah, we had an episode I don't know, months ago, where we talked about this new incrementality idea of Google that they are doing this uh by default, so they are always going for the for the for the best conversion, yeah and the best best channel, yes, and only after that they are looking at the so at the next incremental conversion, maybe in another channel. 00:13:39.440 --> 00:13:43.360 Is this now so what what's the value add here? 00:13:43.519 --> 00:13:45.919 Shouldn't be Google doing this by default. 00:13:46.080 --> 00:13:47.600 That's what what what I'm asking. 00:13:47.840 --> 00:13:49.759 And what what additional control? 00:13:50.559 --> 00:13:55.360 I mean, isn't it a dangerous again that I say hey the search button network is not not relevant for me? 00:13:55.759 --> 00:13:59.840 Hold on, maybe there are super super uh profitable conversions going on there. 00:14:00.000 --> 00:14:00.399 Yeah, yeah. 00:14:00.480 --> 00:14:09.360 I mean you have to have a look first because the you know, I love to in general, search partner network is not a great network, and I'm not shy about that. 00:14:09.759 --> 00:14:14.879 Yeah, but it does work for some people and also for some parts of Search Partner Network. 00:14:15.039 --> 00:14:18.080 I wish it would just wouldn't be so much bloat and crap in there. 00:14:18.159 --> 00:14:20.879 Yeah, because the idea of search partner network is not bad. 00:14:20.960 --> 00:14:22.879 Yeah, it's just gotten too big. 00:14:22.960 --> 00:14:24.320 Um to control it, yeah. 00:14:24.480 --> 00:14:27.120 Yeah, you hear about too big to fail, it's too big to succeed. 00:14:27.600 --> 00:14:29.519 So that that's that's my problem with it. 00:14:29.679 --> 00:14:36.639 But that is a very interesting question, and I would need to ask Google to get the answer to that because you're right. 00:14:36.799 --> 00:14:42.000 Google said, you know, they like to make these comparisons about fishing in ponds and stuff like that. 00:14:42.799 --> 00:14:44.799 By the way, I love I love to go to market communication. 00:14:45.039 --> 00:14:45.519 Sure, yeah. 00:14:45.679 --> 00:14:51.600 And they're they're like, you know, rather than I I understand what they're trying to say, but that's true. 00:14:51.679 --> 00:14:55.600 They they claim to sort of already be doing that in an always on way. 00:14:55.679 --> 00:15:12.159 But and and again, I I I I basically like the idea that Google gives you back controls, but if the controls are so loose and are potentially literally dangerous to the core of what Google has proven to be very good at. 00:15:12.320 --> 00:15:12.799 Yeah. 00:15:13.360 --> 00:15:20.559 Finding finding the best possible click with the maximum value for you, then I would argue why they are doing this. 00:15:20.799 --> 00:15:24.559 Because I mean, let's face it, uh talking about P-Max again, Mike. 00:15:24.720 --> 00:15:36.320 Yes, the the the the controls we have now are are way more than I think Google was thinking about giving controls to us again at the beginning of the campaign launch, right? 00:15:36.480 --> 00:15:40.799 Yes, yes, but I think all the leverages they presented to us, they felt right. 00:15:41.519 --> 00:15:43.360 They felt concrete. 00:15:43.679 --> 00:15:51.120 Now, I don't know why why they are going so much beyond that with a very it feel it feels like loose. 00:15:51.360 --> 00:15:56.879 Yeah, I I just think that these are these are compromises because like it's the market demanding that. 00:15:57.039 --> 00:16:01.039 Yeah, well the market is demanding more control, they they want channel control. 00:16:01.279 --> 00:16:02.240 They they've said this. 00:16:02.559 --> 00:16:05.120 Google's not willing to fully yield that. 00:16:05.279 --> 00:16:09.759 You know, we're not gonna get with demand gen where you can just have a

multi-select checkbox. 00:16:09.840 --> 00:16:18.559 Yeah, so they're finding something that offers some measure of control, but is not going to completely turn off these channels. 00:16:18.799 --> 00:16:25.360 And then and by the way, now this is I told you there's a couple more spooky details since we're in our Halloween episode. 00:16:26.960 --> 00:16:33.200 Spooky detail number one is how are the channels bucketed here or defined? 00:16:34.000 --> 00:16:40.320 And I'll tell you, there's well, let's look at the case of PMAX or DemandGen. 00:16:40.399 --> 00:16:42.240 These are the most complicated ones. 00:16:42.480 --> 00:16:55.919 Um, there's Search Partner Network, all right, Google Display Network, okay, and then there's Google Channels, which is search network, that's text ads and shopping. 00:16:56.159 --> 00:17:02.559 Um then YouTube, Gmail, Discover, whatever, all that stuff. 00:17:02.879 --> 00:17:10.240 So you can't it makes it functionally useless because no one has a problem with shopping in T Max. 00:17:10.480 --> 00:17:13.279 Yes, they have a problem with the other stuff, with the other stuff, yeah. 00:17:13.519 --> 00:17:15.759 So you can't then it it just breaks it. 00:17:15.839 --> 00:17:18.400 Yeah, it makes it completely unusable, to be honest. 00:17:18.480 --> 00:17:26.880 Yeah, because if you you cannot have search network and the other Google-owned properties bundled together and under Google channels. 00:17:27.200 --> 00:17:34.160 If it would be if it would be Google Search Network and then Google owned and operated, okay, makes sense. 00:17:34.799 --> 00:17:37.920 But how do you want to deprioritize Google channels? 00:17:38.160 --> 00:17:40.079 Yes, you'll kill your campaigns. 00:17:40.319 --> 00:17:40.799 What the fuck? 00:17:40.960 --> 00:17:48.880 You'll kill your campaign for at least for you know the so where by the way, uh so this is US only? 00:17:49.039 --> 00:17:50.799 Uh no, and it's it's globally available. 00:17:51.680 --> 00:17:58.960 It's um uh what is it, beta or no if it's no, they've they've allowed they've they're rolling this out. 00:17:59.039 --> 00:18:02.880 It's it's rolling out um slightly undefined period. 00:18:02.960 --> 00:18:08.079 I think it could be rolled out as soon as November, but it might take a bit longer. 00:18:08.240 --> 00:18:10.319 Um but no, they're rolling it out fast. 00:18:10.400 --> 00:18:11.279 So this is coming. 00:18:11.440 --> 00:18:12.160 This is real. 00:18:12.400 --> 00:18:14.559 The other the new these are the new new ones. 00:18:14.720 --> 00:18:18.000 The new ones that we talked about with the important U sliders only. 00:18:18.400 --> 00:18:19.599 That that is an alpha. 00:18:19.680 --> 00:18:22.720 I'm not even sure if it's US only, but it's an alpha, it's very limited. 00:18:22.880 --> 00:18:25.519 That's something else they haven't officially communicated it. 00:18:25.680 --> 00:18:27.440 They've been silent about that. 00:18:27.599 --> 00:18:30.559 Um, but this one, they're putting this out there. 00:18:30.799 --> 00:18:34.160 I think that they want it out in time for Black Friday, to be honest. 00:18:35.119 --> 00:18:35.519 Wow. 00:18:35.680 --> 00:18:38.079 Which so we have the the ROA sliders, yeah. 00:18:38.240 --> 00:18:39.680 US only alpha. 00:18:39.920 --> 00:18:40.559 Yep. 00:18:40.880 --> 00:18:44.480 Then we have the important do we have a catchy name for it? 00:18:44.559 --> 00:18:48.319 Is it the important slider or the cat hold on, there's a super catchy name for it. 00:18:48.400 --> 00:18:49.359 Let me tell you. 00:18:50.240 --> 00:18:52.559 It's I just can't remember off the top of my head. 00:18:52.640 --> 00:18:55.119 So I'm looking up because that's how catchy it is. 00:18:55.359 --> 00:19:02.480 Um, it is called wait for it, channel prioritization and budget allocation. 00:19:02.880 --> 00:19:04.240 Those it's actually two features. 00:19:04.480 --> 00:19:06.799 Channel prioritization is where you set the priorities. 00:19:06.880 --> 00:19:08.400 They're very descriptive names. 00:19:08.720 --> 00:19:13.279 It's I mean, now now with this last information piece, I'm not kidding. 00:19:13.359 --> 00:19:15.039 It it's absolutely useless. 00:19:15.440 --> 00:19:19.039 You questioned if this topic was scary enough for Halloween, and I told you it would be. 00:19:19.359 --> 00:19:23.759 Actually, my story, which should be the horror story of this episode, no, sounds like I don't know. 00:19:23.920 --> 00:19:24.960 No, your story is super scary. 00:19:25.039 --> 00:19:25.440 I'm excited. 00:19:25.599 --> 00:19:25.839 It is. 00:19:26.079 --> 00:19:28.960 But man, just just one last thing when we talk about this. 00:19:29.119 --> 00:19:30.240 Uh am I right? 00:19:30.319 --> 00:19:35.359 And I told you that I ask stupid questions now because we haven't aligned on this uh by any means. 00:19:37.440 --> 00:19:47.440 I think it's fair to say that the idea of forcing less important channels to really be incremental to the missus, that's what Google should do anyway anyway. 00:19:47.680 --> 00:19:48.000 Yes. 00:19:48.480 --> 00:19:48.799 All right. 00:19:48.880 --> 00:19:52.319 That's then the second thing is how they cluster their channels. 00:19:52.720 --> 00:19:56.319 Is it fair to say that it makes this feature useless? 00:19:58.000 --> 00:20:06.240 Functionally, the only thing you can do, because no one is going to choose to set the lower priority for Yeah, you'd be crazy to do that. 00:20:06.319 --> 00:20:06.559 Yes. 00:20:06.720 --> 00:20:16.480 So all you can do is set display network and search partners as low priority, which acts as this third way between opting in and opting out. 00:20:16.799 --> 00:20:20.400 But that but no one's gonna set the other crazy, you know? 00:20:20.799 --> 00:20:21.359 Crazy. 00:20:21.599 --> 00:20:23.279 Because yeah, it doesn't make sense. 00:20:23.519 --> 00:20:28.400 But um so and I told wait, sorry, one last one last scary. 00:20:28.799 -->

00:20:29.119 There is more. 00:20:29.279 --> 00:20:30.319 Yeah, there's one last thing. 00:20:30.559 --> 00:20:36.160 As it turns out, this system has already been applied in the back end for a period of time now. 00:20:36.240 --> 00:20:41.680 I don't know how long, but that's already how display expansion and search campaigns works. 00:20:42.400 --> 00:20:52.640 And uh something to be mindful of is that um them rolling out manual control of this, what was already a back-end feature there is gonna break the back-end feature. 00:20:52.880 --> 00:20:53.519 Okay, got it. 00:20:53.759 --> 00:21:08.480 So um beginning in February of next year, uh display expansion and search campaigns as it stands right now, it's our automatically low priority and 50% budget. 00:21:08.720 --> 00:21:14.160 And it will now become a normal priority channel, or as of February, it'll be so you need to watch out. 00:21:14.240 --> 00:21:19.119 If you have that activated, yes, um, it's gonna become by default more active. 00:21:19.440 --> 00:21:28.640 So you'll want to go in and set it because you know if even Google set it as a low priority channel, you know what you probably want to set it as a low priority channel too. 00:21:29.039 --> 00:21:30.480 So that's an action item for everyone. 00:21:30.880 --> 00:21:31.519 That's very interesting. 00:21:31.599 --> 00:21:36.480 Yeah, that's everyone should should they should have you should have it on the on a on a task list. 00:21:36.720 --> 00:21:49.119 I mean, uh maybe to wrap it up, I how I see it, I I again, man, we shouldn't be too too too harsh on Google because actually I I love that they are listening to the market and the idea of giving back control. 00:21:49.440 --> 00:21:50.480 I I don't want to bust them. 00:21:50.880 --> 00:21:53.920 No, no, but you can't you you can't you are better than that. 00:21:54.079 --> 00:21:59.279 I I just I'm just not a fan of the slider game by any means with regards to such important. 00:22:00.559 --> 00:22:00.720 Yeah. 00:22:01.119 --> 00:22:04.880 Issues, criteria, KPIs, you're you're you're changing with your slider game. 00:22:05.039 --> 00:22:09.200 And the way they do it now with how they cluster the channel, honestly, it's hardest. 00:22:09.599 --> 00:22:10.160 Yeah, yes. 00:22:10.799 --> 00:22:11.759 And it's in the first place. 00:22:11.839 --> 00:22:16.880 But it it reminds me of when like they added negative keywords to PMAX. 00:22:17.119 --> 00:22:20.160 And the the initial was I think a hundred thousand or something. 00:22:20.400 --> 00:22:20.640 Yeah, yeah. 00:22:20.720 --> 00:22:22.480 On campaign level, I think exactly. 00:22:22.559 --> 00:22:27.599 And so like it was just it was it was enough for like brand safety purposes, but not for proper. 00:22:27.920 --> 00:22:29.279 I think it was a hundred even. 00:22:29.759 --> 00:22:32.720 But um spooky story. 00:22:32.880 --> 00:22:33.599 Take us, yeah. 00:22:33.680 --> 00:22:35.440 Let's enter the treehouse of horror. 00:22:35.680 --> 00:22:36.240 Horror. 00:22:36.720 --> 00:22:38.720 And Mike and I talked about it. 00:22:38.880 --> 00:22:45.519 What's what can we uh there should be a there should be a horror story which which really moves the needle with with the listeners. 00:22:45.599 --> 00:22:50.079 Uh so maybe you you you're not falling asleep tonight uh because you have to think about that horror story. 00:22:50.240 --> 00:22:55.279 I don't know if it's that that bad, but it was certainly a story which moves it is. 00:22:55.440 --> 00:22:56.400 It is, yeah, actually it is. 00:22:56.640 --> 00:22:57.599 It could have been catastrophic. 00:22:57.759 --> 00:22:59.440 So, ladies and gents, uh true story. 00:22:59.519 --> 00:23:05.680 Uh and by the way, I think it uh it it addresses a um uh bigger issue in general. 00:23:05.759 --> 00:23:13.359 Uh by the way, not just relevant for online shops or uh um yeah, companies being active in Google Ads. 00:23:13.440 --> 00:23:15.519 I think it's also super relevant for agencies. 00:23:15.839 --> 00:23:20.079 Yeah, it's uh a story where a client of us got hacked. 00:23:20.240 --> 00:23:25.119 Uh and so I guide you through this story, Mike. 00:23:25.200 --> 00:23:25.359 Yeah. 00:23:25.599 --> 00:23:29.039 I don't try to be I'm a I'm a sales guy, but I'm not selling the story. 00:23:29.119 --> 00:23:31.839 I'm I'm I I'm sticking very much to the truth. 00:23:32.079 --> 00:23:33.279 You can make it spooky though. 00:23:33.359 --> 00:23:33.759 We're here for. 00:23:34.079 --> 00:23:34.400 I try. 00:23:34.480 --> 00:23:36.960 I try, but I think the story in itself is so spooky. 00:23:37.119 --> 00:23:38.559 Maybe what's no selling needs. 00:23:38.720 --> 00:23:40.160 Maybe we need more sound effects in post. 00:23:40.480 --> 00:23:42.000 Maybe, yeah, we have to talk to Kim. 00:23:42.319 --> 00:23:44.079 Crashing thunder and stuff. 00:23:44.640 --> 00:23:49.200 No, look, I was I was, you know, it was 10.30. 00:23:49.359 --> 00:23:51.680 Um, I was I was on my couch with my wife. 00:23:52.319 --> 00:23:53.119 So 10 30 at night. 00:23:53.200 --> 00:23:53.519 At night. 00:23:53.599 --> 00:23:54.640 Oh, sorry, yeah, of course. 00:23:54.880 --> 00:23:55.200 Of course. 00:23:55.839 --> 00:23:56.240 At night. 00:23:56.400 --> 00:23:57.119 At night. 00:23:57.279 --> 00:23:58.960 Um what day of the week was this? 00:23:59.200 --> 00:24:00.480 I think it was Thursday. 00:24:00.720 --> 00:24:01.039 Okay. 00:24:01.359 --> 00:24:03.759 Um it was 10:30, 10.45. 00:24:03.839 --> 00:24:07.119 We were watching uh an ass boring movie. 00:24:07.359 --> 00:24:11.519 My phone rang, and I I saw it was the CEO of a very important client of us. 00:24:11.680 --> 00:24:13.359 10:30, 10:30, 45. 00:24:13.519 --> 00:24:15.119 I said, okay, maybe a pocket call. 00:24:15.279 --> 00:24:19.839 So I gave literally, I waited, I don't know, 10 seconds if he kept rang ringing. 00:24:20.000 --> 00:24:20.559 It did. 00:24:21.119 --> 00:24:21.359 Fuck.

00:24:21.599 --> 00:24:22.640 Picked up the phone. 00:24:22.880 --> 00:24:23.440 Hello. 00:24:24.559 --> 00:24:30.480 He was super apologetic, but I I felt like he is one of by the way, one of the smartest CEOs I know. 00:24:30.640 --> 00:24:32.559 He does a fantastic job. 00:24:32.799 --> 00:24:40.079 But literally, he said, just a one-liner, sorry to call you late, and then he immediately jumped, and then I felt like okay, this is urgent now. 00:24:40.240 --> 00:24:46.240 So what has happened is so he has already he has already had an urgency meeting. 00:24:46.319 --> 00:24:50.559 So all the people of the company which are relevant to this problem were already in his office. 00:24:50.799 --> 00:24:51.599 10 45, right? 00:24:52.880 --> 00:24:54.880 It was a war room, urgency meeting, yeah. 00:24:55.119 --> 00:24:56.319 They got hacked. 00:24:56.559 --> 00:24:58.240 Uh their their Google ads account. 00:24:58.319 --> 00:24:58.799 Their ads account. 00:24:58.960 --> 00:25:00.319 Their ads account got hacked. 00:25:01.200 --> 00:25:10.160 What happened actually was they literally removed every email address of their company from their ads account so they had no access anymore. 00:25:10.799 --> 00:25:12.079 Uh the hacker did this. 00:25:12.400 --> 00:25:13.039 The hacker did this. 00:25:13.279 --> 00:25:14.880 So they locked them out on a case. 00:25:15.039 --> 00:25:15.200 Yes. 00:25:15.359 --> 00:25:23.200 The hacker was not as smart as you might think he should be because he forgot a couple of email addresses. 00:25:23.359 --> 00:25:25.920 Uh one of us, one of them was ours. 00:25:26.160 --> 00:25:31.519 So I uh told him, look, I call our CTO right away. 00:25:31.759 --> 00:25:33.680 And let's think about what we can do. 00:25:33.839 --> 00:25:36.319 I called our CTO, he picked up the phone, shout out to Kree. 00:25:36.480 --> 00:25:37.759 Kree, the man that's the legend. 00:25:38.160 --> 00:25:39.119 The man legend. 00:25:39.759 --> 00:25:43.759 Okay, Chris, the first thing we have to do is let's give it a try if we can log in. 00:25:44.079 --> 00:25:44.480 Of course. 00:25:44.559 --> 00:25:46.319 I mean, I was quite nervous. 00:25:46.400 --> 00:25:47.759 I could have thought about that as well. 00:25:47.920 --> 00:25:52.720 And then in the meantime, he did some some background checks, what we can and should do in general. 00:25:53.039 --> 00:25:58.240 I had no access to the ads account because I'm I'm not an operational guy anymore. 00:25:58.400 --> 00:26:00.160 I called Chris Funbaugh. 00:26:00.480 --> 00:26:01.519 Shout out to him as well. 00:26:01.680 --> 00:26:02.720 He is the account owner of that. 00:26:03.119 --> 00:26:03.599 Must be 11. 00:26:04.400 --> 00:26:04.799 Yeah, yeah. 00:26:05.039 --> 00:26:05.839 Shout out to him. 00:26:06.079 --> 00:26:07.519 He literally picked up the phone. 00:26:07.599 --> 00:26:08.559 I it rang one time. 00:26:08.720 --> 00:26:10.960 I was like, what were you expecting? 00:26:11.839 --> 00:26:13.759 He was he was doom scrolling in his phone, right? 00:26:13.839 --> 00:26:18.160 He just touched the button from dinner, and he was on his phone. 00:26:18.319 --> 00:26:26.319 So he immediately called the team of his, uh, and they were literally able to log into the account again. 00:26:26.559 --> 00:26:28.000 Then the analysis started. 00:26:28.160 --> 00:26:30.319 In the meantime, I I I called back the CEO. 00:26:30.400 --> 00:26:31.519 I said, look, we have access. 00:26:31.599 --> 00:26:32.400 This is great now. 00:26:32.559 --> 00:26:35.359 We have an immediate look what is going on in the account. 00:26:35.680 --> 00:26:41.119 What went on in the account is the hacker created hundreds of campaigns, hundreds of campaigns. 00:26:42.079 --> 00:26:48.720 So we are talking about the that the this this client is active in a lot of countries, hundreds of campaigns. 00:26:49.039 --> 00:26:57.119 Uh and they they created these campaigns with unlimited budget, and the traffic was directed towards uh an affiliate side, right? 00:26:57.440 --> 00:27:00.640 Super generic keywords, literally worst case, right? 00:27:00.799 --> 00:27:03.680 And the affiliate side was their monetization strategy. 00:27:04.000 --> 00:27:08.720 Luckily, luckily, the client, shout out to them, they realized it very quickly. 00:27:08.799 --> 00:27:15.279 So the campaigns were alive for I don't know, half an hour, but already a couple of thousand euros were were gone. 00:27:15.440 --> 00:27:22.240 Now, worst case, you're you're just not you know detecting this issue, which might be the case, right? 00:27:22.799 --> 00:27:25.039 There would be a massive, massive damage. 00:27:25.200 --> 00:27:25.599 Yeah, yeah. 00:27:25.680 --> 00:27:29.200 I wanna I just want to jump in because so that that was the the case, right? 00:27:29.359 --> 00:27:32.880 Uh and to finish the story, because then it was quite easy. 00:27:33.039 --> 00:27:38.079 What we did is we we paused the campaigns, all good, but the issue is we had no admin rights. 00:27:38.319 --> 00:27:42.799 The admin rights were actually with the clients' email addresses, but they couldn't log in anymore. 00:27:42.960 --> 00:27:43.440 Yes. 00:27:43.680 --> 00:27:45.519 But then we found out something. 00:27:45.680 --> 00:27:48.240 There was another email address the hacker forgot. 00:27:48.400 --> 00:27:48.480 Okay. 00:27:48.799 --> 00:27:56.480 Which was actually a a third vendor, a third-party vendor, which actually I don't know if they even were uh were still working with with our class. 00:27:56.799 --> 00:28:00.160 But but I told our the CEO, look, give it a try. 00:28:00.319 --> 00:28:01.039 Call them. 00:28:01.359 --> 00:28:04.079 He said, Yeah, but uh yeah, give it a try. 00:28:04.319 --> 00:28:06.880 And I don't know why they picked up the phone as well. 00:28:06.960 --> 00:28:13.839 They had the admin rights, gave us admin rights, and we could remove the hacker, the hacked email address from the system. 00:28:14.079 -->

00:28:14.640 Very good. 00:28:14.799 --> 00:28:16.000 Um that's a story. 00:28:16.319 --> 00:28:17.279 Well, that's so funny. 00:28:17.359 --> 00:28:23.839 I mean, usually it's a terrible security practice to leave um partners you're not working with anymore. 00:28:24.000 --> 00:28:24.400 Yes. 00:28:24.880 --> 00:28:30.880 With access to your account, also um with admin rights, but in this case it was their saving grace. 00:28:31.119 --> 00:28:32.640 It was the saving grace, yes. 00:28:32.880 --> 00:28:39.920 Um, but yeah, this is a concerningly common and frequent topic now. 00:28:40.240 --> 00:28:42.000 It's not the first time that we've seen this. 00:28:42.400 --> 00:28:45.759 So and it's also this is this is the classic. 00:28:46.160 --> 00:28:52.640 Some of these people are very skilled operators, and uh I have seen this go one of two ways. 00:28:52.880 --> 00:29:15.039 Either they lock you out of your own account and they start spunning money super fast, or they try not to arouse your suspicion and they create smaller campaigns, they start siphoning money out that way, and they play the game that they can just remain undetected for a longer period of time and just bleed some money away without you noticing. 00:29:15.279 --> 00:29:20.400 Um more like isn't that like an office space where he just he's bleeding small amounts out? 00:29:20.799 --> 00:29:31.680 But um true, you know, and I'm willing to bet, I don't know if you know this, Chris, but the most commonly the vector for these hackers is Google Ads itself. 00:29:31.839 --> 00:29:32.079 Yes. 00:29:32.319 --> 00:29:36.079 I don't know if that's the case here, but no, it was was not the case here, but I know what you mean. 00:29:36.480 --> 00:29:41.680 Just maybe before we jump on that, because I think it should be a big learning to all the listeners and viewers. 00:29:41.839 --> 00:29:50.559 Um that case I'm talking about that uh was in the fashion industry in the UK, and I'm not kidding. 00:29:50.799 --> 00:29:58.799 It's actually we had three similar cases this year alone where where clients got hacked and in within their ecosystem. 00:29:58.960 --> 00:30:03.039 There was another one in the sports industry, by the way, very similar case. 00:30:03.279 --> 00:30:16.559 Another one was I think in in the area of ticketing, very similar case, and always the strategy to create hundreds of campaigns within the account, unlimited budget, a couple of keywords directed towards um cool thing, two things. 00:30:16.640 --> 00:30:21.039 I want to end with that because that makes the horror story maybe a bit more bearable. 00:30:21.279 --> 00:30:25.519 Um, two things a, our alerting system has popped up. 00:30:25.599 --> 00:30:29.279 Yeah, uh the issue is of course the timing, right? 00:30:29.359 --> 00:30:30.319 Yeah, 11. 00:30:30.480 --> 00:30:32.559 It's so it it popped up. 00:30:32.720 --> 00:30:38.400 Uh there was there were thresholds set which would have led to a pausing of the campaign, so you can do things about it. 00:30:38.799 --> 00:30:46.000 And the other thing is a shout out to Google, Google detected it very early as well and automatically already paused some campaigns. 00:30:46.240 --> 00:30:47.039 Okay, very interesting. 00:30:47.359 --> 00:30:48.880 So this this was very, very interesting. 00:30:49.039 --> 00:30:57.759 Shout out to Google because uh the damage was a couple of grands, but very much manageable um because it could have been way worse. 00:30:58.160 --> 00:31:04.799 Well, I don't want to give too much credit to Google because unfortunately their own ads ecosystem is a huge vector here. 00:31:05.440 --> 00:31:18.480 I think they took down, by the way, uh Google sites, but that was a problem as well because you if there were websites um built on Google sites, the URL is sites.google.com. 00:31:18.960 --> 00:31:30.799 And because it had the dot it had the google.com in there, it was allowing people to really advertise kind of as Google, and and there's been all kinds of crazy situations. 00:31:30.880 --> 00:31:32.079 It's a bit of a cat and mouse. 00:31:32.160 --> 00:31:39.279 I understand Google doesn't want this situation as as well, but um advertising itself is a huge vector for these things. 00:31:39.519 --> 00:31:53.440 This even on the consumer side, you know, my mom she had a problem with her, I believe, Samsung TV, and she typed in Samsung support in Google, she clicked on a link, and she ended up getting involved in this phishing thing. 00:31:53.599 --> 00:31:56.640 And uh she was talking to me about after she said, I don't understand. 00:31:56.799 --> 00:32:00.160 I typed Samsung support and I clicked the first result. 00:32:00.240 --> 00:32:02.319 Yeah, it and it was looked super official. 00:32:02.480 --> 00:32:04.720 I was like, Well, the first result was probably an ad. 00:32:06.000 --> 00:32:11.680 So never log in to any crucial system via and yeah and pay and pay uh paid ad. 00:32:11.920 --> 00:32:16.079 Yeah, here we are in the ads business, but it is a vector, and it's a vector, yeah. 00:32:16.240 --> 00:32:19.680 You should never like banks, ads accounts, things like this. 00:32:20.079 --> 00:32:25.920 Do not do not search for them, do not click on ads, visit the URLs directly if you can. 00:32:26.160 --> 00:32:27.440 Yes, 100%. 00:32:28.160 --> 00:32:36.480 So bottom line is shout out shout out to a lot of people who got this thing right, and uh yeah, it's it's it's a real thing. 00:32:36.960 --> 00:32:38.160 The cases are popping up. 00:32:38.559 --> 00:32:40.960 We have three cases this year on the client side. 00:32:41.200 --> 00:33:06.400 Um and uh yeah, it's I mean of course you you can now count on on the safety nets your partners have, you have as a and I really I mean you you just said don't don't make too big of a shout out to Google because uh their own on URLs were um is potentially a vector for these hackers, but uh uh Google was very fast as well in detecting in detecting the children. 00:33:06.799 --> 00:33:08.079 That's great, that's good. 00:33:08.480 --> 00:33:12.880 Um yes, but you do want to end with a shout-out to Google. 00:33:13.440 --> 00:33:14.720 That would be so scary. 00:33:15.200 --> 00:33:18.400 Yeah, but it's a it's it's it's a Halloween Halloween. 00:33:19.119 --> 00:33:19.920 You do it, Chris. 00:33:20.000 --> 00:33:20.240 You do it. 00:33:20.480 --> 00:33:21.759 Shout out to Google, I already did it. 00:33:21.839 --> 00:33:25.599 All right, then shout out to Google then we did it. 00:33:25.920 --> 00:33:29.119 No, no better way to end a Halloween episode. 00:33:29.440 --> 00:33:30.720 This poor Googler's. 00:33:31.039 --> 00:33:31.920 It was a pleasure. 00:33:32.559 --> 00:33:33.680 It's a pleasure, Chris. 00:33:33.920 --> 00:33:34.720 Happy Halloween. 00:33:35.039 --> 00:33:36.079 Happy Halloween yeah. 00:33:36.400 --> 00:33:42.799 Thanks everyone for listening to this very spooky, scary episode of Growing E-Commerce. 00:33:42.960 --> 00:33:48.079 If you want even more thrills and chills, visit smarter ecommerce.com. 00:33:48.240 --> 00:33:57.359 And the scariest thing you could possibly do would be to follow or subscribe to this podcast on YouTube, Spotify, Apple, wherever you find podcasts. 00:33:57.519 --> 00:33:58.000 We're there. 00:33:58.079 --> 00:33:58.640 Thank you. 00:33:58.799 --> 00:34:00.160 See you next time. 00:34:00.480 --> 00:34:01.359 Thank you.