Big Changes in Google Programmatic Advertising in 2024

If you’re ready to stay competitive and keep your ad dollars working harder than ever, you’ve come to the right place. Here's the latest on Google programmatic advertising in 2024 and how you can use it to your advantage—preferably before Google changes it again.

AI and Automation Changes

Artificial intelligence is taking over campaigns so you don’t have to (… sort of.) In 2024, Google’s programmatic platform leans heavily on AI to do everything from optimizing your bids to deciding which of your ads should go where. Enter Google’s Performance Max campaigns—because Google figured, “Why let people actually manage campaigns when our AI can do it with frightening efficiency?”

Here’s the deal: Performance Max takes all of your ad assets and spreads them across Google’s empire—Search, Display, YouTube, Gmail, you name it. It even adjusts in real time based on factors like the user’s device, time of day, and what they ate for breakfast. You, the marketer, can now focus on setting strategic goals and enjoy the “magic” of automated results. Of course, you’ll have to hand over some control to Google’s AI overlords and hope they’re as smart as they claim. So it's best to keep an eye on Google Max campaigns to make sure they're performing at top speed.

Privacy-First Targeting

With privacy laws ramping up worldwide, Google’s slowly easing us away from our beloved cookies, leaving us marketers with nothing but “contextual targeting” and nostalgic memories of the days we could actually track people. In 2024, Google’s making it crystal clear: third-party cookies are on the way out, and contextual targeting is in. Yep, we’re back to matching ads with content, rather than the juicy personal details that made our targeting oh-so-precise.

Google’s Privacy Sandbox was developed to address those concerns. Instead of cookies, it’s introducing the Topics API, which groups users into vague interest categories. So instead of knowing that Bob specifically loves cat videos, you’ll know he falls under “Animal Enthusiasts,” along with a few thousand other people. Not exactly the same, but good enough to keep things interesting. It’s privacy-first targeting, folks—Google’s way of saying, “We care about user privacy … just not enough to keep you from spending ad dollars on their interests.”

First-Party Data and Data Clean Rooms

With third-party data drying up, it’s time to dig deep into your own first-party data reserves. Google knows you’re desperate, so it’s made it easier to integrate your CRM data, email lists, and whatever else you’ve got into its ad platform. Customer Match has been given a little tune-up, making it even better at wrangling first-party data into Google’s advertising matrix.

And for those of us still a bit iffy about mixing our proprietary customer data with Google’s own stash, enter the data clean rooms—safe, secure, and totally unromantic places where you and Google can combine data without breaching any privacy laws. Google Ads Data Hub now offers even more metrics in this sterile environment, so you can get those insights without a hint of compromise. Think of it like a “socially distanced” dance with data: you get just close enough to learn something useful, but not so close you’ll need to buy it dinner.

Brand Safety and Transparency

Remember the days when you’d run an ad and hope it didn’t end up next to some questionable content? Well, those days are officially over. Google’s introduced enhanced brand suitability controls that give you a bit more say in where your ads appear, especially in video and connected TV (CTV) inventory. Now, you can avoid those unfortunate placements and keep your brand looking polished and sophisticated—like the classy, ad-spending entity it is.

Google’s also added the Ad Transparency Center to let you track where your ads are going, right down to which sites and apps they’re running on. In other words, you’ll actually know where your ads are appearing and can monitor them with an air of superiority, knowing you’re ensuring premium ad placements.

Connected TV (CTV) and YouTube

As more people cut the cord, Google’s following the masses to connected TV (CTV). In 2024, advertisers can reach their audience on smart TVs via YouTube CTV inventory, thanks to expanded CTV and streaming capabilities. This gives you access to a whole new audience.

Google’s CTV expansion includes new targeting options, letting you serve your ads to viewers in their cozy streaming zones. So go ahead and picture your ad on a nice big smart TV screen. It’s a little more high-impact than a mobile screen and might just convince those streaming-only folks to pay attention.

Change is the Only Thing That Stays the Same

Change is here to stay, and things are moving faster than ever. In the coming months, it's smart to understand how AI’s control over your campaigns helps or hurts. It's also smart to embrace the reuse of first-party data, embrace Google’s Privacy Sandbox, and get cozy with brand safety features. Programmatic advertising in 2024 might require a bit more finesse and trust in the machine, but it’s ultimately a powerful tool for reaching your audience without compromising brand standards. And if all this is a bit too much to keep up with, you know how to get ahold of us. (Or maybe you don't. Click here to get started.)