Google's 2026 algorithm update reshuffled paid-search winners. Smart Bidding got smarter, broad match got bolder, and the CPC inflation that defined 2025 actually eased on intent-rich queries. The tactics below are the ones that survived in our portfolio of 75 paid retainers because they ground keyword intent in first-party data instead of platform defaults.
Tactic 1: first-party signal feeds
The biggest 2026 unlock is feeding Smart Bidding your CRM data. Specifically:
- Customer match lists segmented by RFM (recency, frequency, monetary).
- Offline conversion uploads with revenue per lead, not just lead count.
- Enhanced conversions for web (hashed email at form submit).
Accounts feeding all three see 22 to 38 percent lower CPA in the first 60 days vs accounts on conversion-counts only.
Tactic 2: rebuilding account architecture around revenue, not last-click
Most accounts still use Search vs Shopping vs Display as the top-level split. We rebuild around revenue-generation profile:
- Heavy-converter campaigns (brand, direct-intent terms) -- max conversion value, no caps.
- Acquisition campaigns (top-funnel + generic terms) -- max conversion value with target ROAS.
- Retention / re-engagement (in-market, similar audiences, RLSA) -- separate budget, value-based.
The split forces clean attribution and prevents one bucket from eating another's budget.
Tactic 3: broad match with the right guardrails
Broad match was uncomfortable in 2024. In 2026, with first-party signals feeding the model, broad match becomes the highest-leverage match type. Guardrails that make it work:
- Negative keyword lists curated weekly (not monthly).
- Audience targeting on every broad-match campaign (no audience = junk traffic).
- Bidding strategy locked to target ROAS or target CPA (no manual CPC on broad).
Tactic 4: Performance Max with asset-level reporting
PMax used to be a black box. The 2026 reporting upgrades let you see per-asset performance + per-channel split. Use it.
- Run 1 PMax per major product line, not 1 PMax for the whole catalog.
- Audit the asset reports weekly -- swap low-performing creatives.
- Layer audience signals (customer match + similar) on every campaign.
Tactic 5: creative as the new keyword
In 2026, creative quality outweighs keyword bidding in the algorithm. The accounts that win:
- Ship 6 to 10 fresh ad assets per campaign per month.
- Run video on every campaign that supports it (Search via Video Action, PMax, Display).
- Test 3 to 5 creative angles per month -- not 3 to 5 headlines.
Tactic 6: shopping feed engineering
Product feed quality is the silent CPA lever. Underrated tactics:
- GTIN + brand + MPN on every product.
- Custom labels for margin tiers (label 0), seasonality (label 1), promo state (label 2).
- Title rewrites that match the most-searched intent ("blue running shoes men" beats "men running shoes blue").
Tactic 7: incrementality testing baked into the cadence
Stop trusting platform-reported ROAS. Test incrementality every quarter:
- Geo holdouts on brand search campaigns.
- Audience holdouts on remarketing.
- Time-based holdouts on top-of-funnel campaigns.
The incrementality gap (platform-reported ROAS minus measured incremental ROAS) is usually 30 to 50 percent. Knowing it changes the budget allocation.
Tactic 8: AI-Overview defensive search
AI Overviews now eat 30 to 50 percent of informational clicks. Your paid strategy needs to defend the commercial layer harder:
- Bid up on commercial-intent keywords (the SERPs AI Overviews touch less).
- Deprioritise top-of-funnel informational paid spend -- AI surfaces are eating it; SEO can win it back cheaper.
- Brand defence is more important than ever (competitor brand campaigns up 20 to 40 percent across our book).
Tactic 9: connected-TV + YouTube as the new top funnel
With AI Overviews absorbing informational search, top-funnel paid moves to CTV + YouTube. The accounts that get it right:
- Reserve 15 to 25 percent of paid budget for CTV / YouTube.
- Measure with Brand Lift Studies + downstream conversion (not view-through).
- Match the creative to the funnel stage -- a TV ad is not a Search ad.
Tactic 10: weekly cadence with a CFO-readable readout
None of the above matters without the cadence. The Dcrayons standard:
- Weekly account review with the senior strategist.
- Monthly CFO-readable readout tied to revenue + contribution margin (not impressions).
- Quarterly incrementality + portfolio rebalance.
What the 2026 winners have in common
Across 75 paid retainers, three patterns separate the winners:
- First-party data feeding the bid model (not platform defaults).
- Creative production cadence high enough to feed the algorithm (10 plus assets per campaign per month).
- Incrementality measurement on a quarterly cycle.
If your paid program is missing any one of these three, that is the first thing to fix.
