Google recently announced important updates to its AI-powered measurement tools designed to help advertisers better understand and optimize their marketing efforts. Here’s a straightforward breakdown of what’s new and why these changes matter.

What’s new?

1. More accessible incrementality testing

Incrementality testing is a way to measure how much of your sales or conversions are truly caused by your ads—essentially, what results you get beyond what would have happened anyway. Google is now making this type of testing more accessible by lowering the required spend thresholds and improving the testing methodology. This means advertisers can more easily run incrementality tests across different campaign types to pinpoint which ads actually drive additional value, allowing smarter budget allocation.

2. Enhanced cross-channel measurement in Google Analytics

Google Analytics will soon offer improved cross-channel insights that give advertisers a clearer picture of the entire customer journey. This means better tracking of how users interact with ads across different platforms and channels—both on and off Google. Upcoming enhancements will include detailed metrics such as impressions across Google and other platforms, helping advertisers measure true marketing ROI more accurately.

3. Introducing Data Manager and Data Manager API

Google is rolling out a new tool called Data Manager—a centralized platform that helps marketers collect, store, and activate their first-party data from any source. It incorporates privacy protections through confidential computing, which encrypts data during processing. Alongside this, a new Data Manager API will unify multiple existing APIs, simplifying data management and improving the ability to generate richer customer insights. This is intended to boost ad performance by better powering AI-driven optimization with stronger, privacy-conscious first-party data.

Why these updates matter

• Better clarity on what works: With incrementality testing becoming more affordable and reliable, advertisers can move beyond assumptions and see exactly which campaigns and tactics deliver real incremental impact. This leads to smarter decisions and more efficient ad spend.

• Fuller customer journey visibility: Enhanced cross-channel measurement helps marketers connect the dots between touchpoints, revealing how ads across different channels contribute to conversions. This holistic view can uncover hidden opportunities and improve budget allocation.

• Stronger first-party data use with privacy: Data Manager tools help advertisers make the most of their own customer data securely. This strengthens measurement accuracy and fuels AI models that optimize campaigns while respecting user privacy.