Short answer: Since 12 October, Google Ads can find promotions on your website (coupons, discounts, “buy one get one” deals) and show them in your ads as promotion assets, without you creating them. It applies to Search and Performance Max campaigns that have location assets and no promotion asset of their own. It is on by default. You can turn it off at account level under Assets > Account level automated assets > Advanced settings > Automated promotions.
If your offers change often, differ by location or need approval before they go live, review this setting today.
What Google announced
Google emailed advertisers in early October to say it would start adding automated promotions from 12 October. In Google’s words, it will “automatically identify and extract high-quality promotions, such as coupons and deals, from your website” and show them with your ads, “without requiring any manual setup on your part”.
It is an opt out feature. If you do nothing and your campaigns are eligible, Google can start showing offers it found on your site.
Which campaigns are affected
| Condition | Required |
|---|---|
| Campaign type | Search or Performance Max |
| Location assets | Linked to the campaign |
| Your own promotion asset | None running on the campaign |
| Account | Following standard Google Ads policies |
If a campaign already runs a promotion asset you created, Google skips it. Shopping, Demand Gen, Video and Display campaigns are not part of this change.
How it works
- Google scans the landing pages and website linked to your ads.
- It picks out offers such as percentage discounts, money off, coupon codes and free gift deals.
- It checks that the offer still appears on your site, then turns it into a promotion asset.
- The asset can show under your ad like any other promotion.
According to Google, an automated promotion can serve for less than 24 hours before it is checked again. If the offer is still on your website, it can start serving again.
The risks for advertisers
Automated promotions can lift click through rate, because an offer in the ad gives people a reason to click. The problem is control. Watch for these:
- Old offers. A banner you forgot to remove, or a sale page that is still live, can end up in your ads.
- The wrong offer. Google may pick a small coupon instead of the main deal you want to push.
- Offers with conditions. “20% off for new customers” or “free delivery over $100” can look like a general discount without the small print.
- Location mismatch. Franchises and multi location businesses often run different offers per branch. Google may show one branch’s deal everywhere.
- Approval rules. Regulated industries and brands with strict legal sign off should not have offers appear that nobody approved.
- Margins. If your bidding targets assume full price sales, an extra discount in the ad can bring in buyers who only came for the deal.
How to check what Google added
- Open your account and go to Assets.
- Filter the asset type to Promotion.
- Look at the Added by column. Promotions Google created are labelled Google AI.
- Check each one against your current offers and landing pages.
Assets that have not served yet may not appear in the list, so check again after a few days.
How to turn automated promotions off
- Go to Assets.
- Open Account level automated assets.
- Click Advanced settings.
- Find Automated promotions and set it to Off.
- Save.
This is an account level setting, so it covers every eligible campaign in the account.
Should you keep it on or turn it off?
Keep it on if:
- You run one simple offer at a time across all locations
- Your website only shows offers that are live right now
- You want more ad space with no extra work
Turn it off if:
- Offers change weekly or differ by location
- Your site has old or conditional offers you cannot clean up quickly
- Legal or brand teams must approve every offer before it runs
- You want to control exactly which deal appears and when
The best long term setup is usually your own promotion assets. You choose the offer, the dates and the wording, and Google stops replacing them with offers it found itself.
What to do this week
- Check if you are eligible. Do your Search or Performance Max campaigns use location assets without a promotion asset?
- Audit your website. Remove expired offers, banners and coupon codes from pages your ads link to.
- Review the Promotion assets list. Look for anything marked Google AI.
- Decide on the setting. Turn it off, or keep it on and check weekly.
- Add your own promotion assets for your main offers, with clear start and end dates.
Frequently asked questions
What are Google Ads automated promotions?
When did automated promotions start?
Which campaigns can show automated promotions?
How do I turn off automated promotions in Google Ads?
How do I see which promotions Google added?
Will my own promotion assets be replaced?
Who can audit my Google Ads assets and settings?
Not sure what Google is adding to your ads?
Automated assets are now a big part of how Google Ads works. If you want someone to check your settings and assets, see my Google Ads management service or request a free ads audit.