Google Ads Turns On Automated Promotions for Campaigns With Location Assets

What changed, and when

Google added "Automated promotions" as a new account-level automated asset in early September 2026. It published a help article, and Search Engine Roundtable reported it on 7 September. On 5 October, Search Engine Roundtable published a Google email sent to some advertisers. The email said that from 12 October 2026, Google Ads would identify and extract promotions from an advertiser's website and apply them to campaigns, with no manual setup.

What the reports and Google's documentation say:

• Where it runs: Search and Performance Max campaigns, including Local campaigns, that have location assets linked. Google's account-level automated assets page confirms automated promotions serve in Search and Performance Max campaigns that use location assets.
• Who is excluded: campaigns that already run manual promotion assets.
• Source of offers: your website and "other sources", per Google's help page, which doesn't list the other sources.
• Default: enrolment is automatic. You opt out rather than in.
• Serving: according to a summary of the help article by Relevant Audience, each automated promotion serves for less than 24 hours. It is renewed only while Google can still see the offer on your site.

Who this affects

Any advertiser with location assets on Search or Performance Max, which includes most clinics, salons and home healthcare providers that link a Google Business Profile, and that has promotions on its website. Search Engine Roundtable described the email as going to "some advertisers". Google has not said which countries or languages are covered, so check your own account rather than assuming it is or isn't active in the UAE.

Why clinics need to pay attention

A retailer's "20% off" is simple. A clinic's offers usually aren't. They often come with conditions, such as first visit only, a specific branch, specific insurance, or a consultation required first. An automatically extracted promotion may not carry those conditions into the ad.

Health advertising in the UAE is also regulated. In September 2026, Khaleej Times reported on DHA standards for health advertising on social media. The standards ban misleading claims and phrases such as "100%" and "immediate results", and require risks to be stated for procedures. Those standards cover social media. Still, an offer you published carefully on a web page, with its terms and risk wording, can look different as a short ad asset. You are responsible for what your ads say, whoever wrote the text.

What clinics and healthcare advertisers in the UAE should do now

1. Find out whether you're eligible. List the Search and Performance Max campaigns that have location assets and no manual promotions.
2. Check the setting. Go to Assets under the Campaigns menu and open the account-level automated assets view. Under Advanced settings, find Automated promotions. Leave it on or set it to Off. The setting applies to the whole account.
3. Audit what's already live. In Assets, filter by promotion type and check the Added by column for "Google AI". Look at every automated promotion's wording against your website and your regulator's rules.
4. Prefer manual promotions where the wording matters. Adding your own promotion asset gives you control of the text, dates and terms, and keeps that campaign out of automated promotions.
5. Clean up your website offers. Remove expired offers, and keep conditions next to the headline offer rather than in small print further down the page.
6. Measure the impact. If you keep the feature on, compare cost per booking before and after. Discount-led clicks can lift volume but lower patient value. Clean conversion tracking is what makes that comparison possible.

What we don't know yet

Google hasn't said publicly how it decides an offer is "high-quality", which markets the default-on change covers, or whether accounts that already opted out stay opted out. We'll update this page if Google clarifies.

Want someone to check your clinic's automated assets before they go live? Contact Access One.

Frequently asked questions

How do I turn off automated promotions in Google Ads?

Go to Assets, open the account-level automated assets settings, choose Advanced settings, find Automated promotions and set it to Off. The setting is account-wide.

Which campaigns get automated promotions?

Search and Performance Max campaigns, including Local campaigns, that have location assets linked and no manual promotion assets.

Where does Google get the promotion text from?

Google's help pages say it sources deals from your website and other sources, without listing the other sources. Keep the offers on your landing pages accurate and current.

Can I keep promotions but control the wording?

Yes. Add your own promotion asset to the campaign. Campaigns with manual promotions are excluded from automated promotions.

Does this apply to UAE accounts?

Google hasn't published a country list for the default-on change. Check the Automated promotions setting in your own account.

Sources

• Google Ads Help: About automated promotions
• Google Ads Help: About account level automated assets
• Search Engine Roundtable: automated promotions from 12 October (5 October 2026)
• Search Engine Roundtable: New Google Ads automated promotions (7 September 2026)
• PPC Land: Google Ads will auto-apply website coupons from 12 October
• Relevant Audience: automated promotions default-on from 12 October
• Khaleej Times: DHA list of words clinics cannot use in ads (September 2026)

Published 18 Oct 2026 · Access One