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- Paid Media News & Opinion #135
Paid Media News & Opinion #135
🔎 Query lengths on Google are shifting due to AI adoption 🔎 Google Keyword Planner adds local and device-level forecasting 🔎 YouTube releases channel performance data sharing to help connect with brands
Advantage Paid Media
July 14, 2025
This week’s highlights:
🔎 Query lengths on Google are shifting due to AI adoption
🔎 Google Keyword Planner adds local and device-level forecasting
🔎 YouTube releases channel performance data sharing to help connect with brands
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Query lengths on Google are shifting due to AI adoption
> What’s happening
Data on query lengths of Google searches has shown some interesting shifts in behaviour, being owed to the take-up of AI and AI Mode (available for all US users since 20th May). This data is courtesy of Jason Tabeling (Head of Solutions, Further) and his analysis shows two key trends:
Click-through rates (CTR) for all keyword length groups have dropped since January, especially for shorter 1-2 word and 3-4 word searches, which have fallen by around 50%.
Conversions for shorter 1-2 word and 3-4 word searches have dropped from 75% of total to 50% of total, meaning that longer queries are becoming more instrumental in driving conversions
> Why we care
There are plenty of practical insights that we can take from this data, such as recommending you take a look at your own data in case your accounts or vertical has seen a similar shift. And if so, take a look at optimising content, landing pages, keywords, and ad copy to better reflect that behaviour.
Considering user behaviour, AI-platform searches are typically longer and provide more context or instructions around queries. Now that Google is implementing more AI tools and results, optimising for those queries is becoming really important. A recent study showed that CTRs are dropping for Google searches due to AI Overview providing answers for users, so ads (and organic results) need to be attractive, relevant and competitive to yield click-throughs.
Google Keyword Planner adds local and device-level forecasting
> What’s happening
Google has introduced an enhancement to Keyword Planner, adding the ability to break down forecast data by city, region, and device type. This new functionality gives advertisers more granular visibility into how keyword demand varies across geographies and user platforms. This upgrade can help support more nuanced media planning and budget allocation.
Key features of the update include:
Geographic forecast filters: View keyword volume projections by state, city, or Designated Market Area (DMA).
Device-specific insights: Forecasts now include splits for mobile, desktop, and tablet, helping tailor strategies by user context.
Visual breakdowns: Pie charts and location percentages (e.g., 77.4% of users from Amsterdam) provide a snapshot of where search demand is concentrated.
Grouped keyword ideas remain available alongside the new forecasting dimensions.
> Why we care
This update gives advertisers new insight when planning geographically targeted or context-specific campaigns. With localized and device-level insights in Keyword Planner, campaign strategies can move from broad assumptions to data-backed decisions.
Knowing which cities or regions drive the most search interest lets advertisers prioritize high-performing markets, or scale back spend in underperforming ones. This leads to more efficient media investments and better ROI. Whether you’re promoting a regional service, launching in a new city, or running geo-targeted promotions, having access to forecast data at the city or DMA level enables more tailored messaging and targeting.
The new device-level forecasting helps brands understand how search behaviour varies between mobile, desktop, and tablet. For instance, if a majority of search volume in a region comes from mobile, advertisers can optimize landing pages and bids accordingly.
YouTube releases channel performance data sharing to help connect with brands
> What’s happening
YouTube has announced they will be launching a new feature that allows a channel to share channel performance and audience data with advertisers. This is to help channels “be discovered by advertisers and brands for more earning opportunities.”
Many advertisers and brands are looking for creative partnerships with popular content creators, but sometimes getting access to data – such as typical viewership age, location, engagement and more – is difficult and can be out of date.
YouTube will be releasing this through a simple on/off option for channel owners, with the default set to off.
> Why we care
In recent months, TikTok has been at the forefront of optimising brand partnerships with creators, doing so through its Creator Rewards Programme, and TikTok One platform, which has a Creator Marketplace feature. The update from YouTube on sharing channel performance brings YouTube up to date with TikTok’s ability to do so.
The key benefit here is that brands and advertisers will have access to trusted, up-to-date performance data that is standardised across channels for easy comparison. With YouTube now mimicking TikTok, it also widens the reach of tapping into these lucrative partnerships.
Some of the most engaging content that works well for ads across YouTube (Shorts) and TikTok are longer-form stories with popular creators. Getting the right partnership is essential for success.