Getting Granular

Hosted by Granular

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Jun 2026

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About the show

Welcome to Getting Granular; the podcast where digital marketing experts from the agency Granular talk about the latest trends, tried and true best practices, and share their unfiltered thoughts about the industry. Based in Milwaukee, and laser-focused on PPC.

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June 16, 202653 min

The Click Brief Podcast: May 2026

Jeremy Packee and Emily Anderson break down the biggest paid media story of the year so far: Google Marketing Live 2026. The episode explores Google's vision for an AI-powered future, including major updates to AI Mode, AI Max, Demand Gen, Merchant Center, measurement, creative workflows, and agentic commerce. The hosts discuss how search is becoming more conversational, why first-party data is increasingly critical, and what Google's new tools mean for advertisers managing both e-commerce and lead generation campaigns. They also examine emerging features like Universal Cart, AI-powered shopping experiences, predictive conversion modeling, and Google's growing use of AI assistants across its advertising ecosystem. As automation continues to expand, Jeremy and Emily focus on the practical implications for marketers, separating platform promises from real-world application and highlighting where human strategy still matters most. Episode Highlights Biggest Shift Google is transforming search from a keyword-driven experience into an AI-powered conversation, creating new opportunities—and new challenges—for advertisers trying to maintain visibility and control. Most Interesting Announcement Universal Cart and the Universal Commerce Protocol could allow users to discover, evaluate, and purchase products directly within Google experiences without ever visiting a website. Biggest Opportunity Merchant Center is evolving into a strategic AI input layer. Advertisers with clean product feeds, rich attributes, lifestyle imagery, and strong first-party data may gain a significant advantage in AI-powered shopping experiences. Measurement Upgrade Google introduced predictive conversion metrics designed to connect upper-funnel activity, branded searches, video views, and site engagement to future conversion value beyond traditional attribution windows. Tool Worth Testing Ask Advisor continues expanding across Google Ads, Analytics, Merchant Center, and other platforms, helping marketers surface insights and troubleshoot issues more efficiently. Other Platform Updates • AI Mode continues expanding as Google's preferred search experience • AI Max is becoming more prominent within Search campaigns and broad match targeting • Demand Gen is receiving new attribution, testing, and measurement capabilities • Google is introducing AI-powered lead qualification directly within search ads • AI Brief provides advertisers with a way to guide AI-generated creative using brand instructions and campaign goals • Asset Studio adds expanded video generation and one-click creative testing workflows • Product feeds are expanding into additional surfaces, including paused YouTube ads and Google Maps placements • Creator partnership content can now be boosted more easily through Demand Gen campaigns • Google is emphasizing first-party data, modeled measurement, and causality testing as core inputs for AI-powered optimization Final Take Google's vision is clear: more automation, more AI, more conversational experiences, and more commerce happening directly inside Google's ecosystem. The challenge for marketers isn't whether to adopt these tools—it's understanding where they create real value, where they still require human oversight, and how to maintain control over data, measurement, and business outcomes as advertising becomes increasingly AI-driven. Follow The Click Brief for fast, no-fluff performance marketing updates. Visit The Click Brief blog for more in-depth analysis and updates from May

June 10, 202638 min

The Click Brief Podcast: April 2026

Jeremy Packee and Emily Anderson break down April’s biggest paid media updates, including Google’s aggressive AI Max expansion across Search and Shopping campaigns, Microsoft launching AI Max for Search, and OpenAI officially entering the ad platform space with self-serve ChatGPT ads and CPC bidding. They also discuss Google’s new AI-powered qualified call lead tracking, Meta opening AI connectors for advertisers, and the growing shift toward conversational and visual search experiences. The episode explores how AI-generated ad copy, automation-heavy campaign types, and intent-based targeting are changing the way advertisers think about performance media strategy. While these tools continue evolving rapidly, the hosts emphasize the importance of testing carefully and maintaining strong human oversight. Episode Highlights Biggest Shift Google officially replacing Dynamic Search Ads with AI Max marks another major step toward keywordless and AI-driven campaign management across Search and Shopping. Biggest Platform Signal OpenAI launching self-serve ChatGPT ads with CPC bidding signals that conversational AI platforms are rapidly becoming legitimate advertising channels. New Feature to Test Google’s AI-powered qualified call lead tracking could provide advertisers with more meaningful phone call conversion data without relying entirely on third-party tools. Control Upgrade Google’s new AI Brief controls for AI Max campaigns give advertisers more influence over messaging, audience direction, and search matching through natural language prompts. Creative Reality Check AI-generated ad copy and creative tools continue improving quickly, but Jeremy and Emily caution that brands still risk losing differentiation if everyone relies too heavily on the same automation systems. Other Platform Updates • Microsoft launched AI Max for Search campaigns • Google introduced real-time policy reviews for Responsive Search Ads • Reddit expanded Reminder Ads globally for all advertisers • TikTok added more Smart+ campaign controls and expanded Symphony AI creative tools • Demand Gen added view-through conversion optimization and Commerce Media Suite support • OpenAI released GPT-5.5 and ChatGPT Images 2.0 • Anthropic launched Claude Opus 4.7 and Claude Design • Meta expanded its AI business assistant and introduced Ads AI connectors in open beta • Google updated Ads data controls and added new experiment auto-apply settings • Microsoft added landing page reporting for Performance Max campaigns • eMarketer projects Meta could surpass Google in digital ad revenue by the end of 2026 Final Take AI is no longer just assisting campaign management, it’s actively reshaping how advertising platforms operate. But as automation expands across search, creative, targeting, and reporting, the competitive advantage still comes from strategy, testing, and knowing when human judgment matters most. Follow The Click Brief for fast, no-fluff performance marketing updates. Visit The Click Brief blog for more in-depth analysis and updates from April

April 15, 202640 min

The Click Brief Podcast: March 2026

Jeremy Packee and Emily Anderson break down March’s biggest paid media updates, including OpenAI’s shift away from experimental tools like Sora and Meta’s continued push into AI-powered campaign management with Manus. They also explore Google’s expanding Performance Max capabilities, new cross-channel budgeting tools in Google Analytics, and Apple’s long-awaited move into ads within Apple Maps. The episode highlights major changes to attribution, increased visibility and control within automated campaign types, and the growing role of AI across reporting, creative, and media buying workflows. As automation accelerates, the hosts emphasize the continued importance of human strategy and oversight. Episode Highlights Biggest Shift Meta’s move to click-only attribution removes engagement-based signals from conversion tracking, which could significantly impact reporting and perceived performance across accounts. Biggest Platform Signal OpenAI sunsetting Sora signals a broader shift away from consumer-facing AI experiments toward more scalable, revenue-driven products like ads and enterprise tools. New Feature to Test Google Analytics’ cross-channel budgeting and scenario planning tool could become a major step toward unified performance forecasting—if the data proves reliable. Control Upgrade Microsoft finally introduces negative keyword lists in PMax, bringing much-needed control to a previously limited campaign type. Creative Reality Check Google’s Veo video generation inside Asset Studio shows promise, but current outputs still lag behind tools like Canva and other creative platforms. Other Platform Updates • Meta is expanding Manus AI into Ads Manager and the Instagram Creator Marketplace • Google added more visibility to Performance Max, including budget pacing and audience insights • Apple is introducing ads in Apple Maps search and suggested locations • OpenAI is testing an Ads Manager for ChatGPT with early reporting features • Shopify is leaning into AI-powered product discovery within ChatGPT while maintaining native checkout • WordPress now allows AI agents to create and manage site content (with approvals) • Meta added new lifecycle targeting and expanded retargeting controls • Pinterest is pushing Performance+ campaigns as the default • Snapchat and TikTok continue expanding AI creative tools and premium placements • Instagram is testing post-publish carousel reordering Final Take AI is becoming deeply embedded across every major platform—but it’s still not ready to replace human decision-making. The opportunity isn’t in handing over control—it’s in knowing where these tools can actually improve efficiency without sacrificing strategy. Follow The Click Brief for fast, no-fluff performance marketing updates. Visit The Click Brief blog for more in-depth analysis and updates from March

March 16, 202638 min

The Click Brief Podcast: February 2026

Episode Notes Meta Embeds Manus AI Into Ads Manager Meta has begun embedding its Manus AI assistant directly into Ads Manager, allowing advertisers to analyze campaign performance conversationally within the platform. While early tests show potential, the hosts caution that advertisers should treat these tools as assistants rather than autonomous strategists. Jeremy Packee and Emily Anderson break down February’s biggest paid media updates, including Meta’s push deeper into AI-powered campaign management and Google’s major change to budget pacing tied to ad scheduling. They also discuss Google’s expanding AI-powered commerce ecosystem, new bidding options for acquiring first-time customers, and emerging AI tools transforming creative production. The episode also explores Google’s Nano Banana 2 image model and the new Pomelli Photoshoot tool, which can transform simple product images into studio-style marketing assets. The hosts close with a rapid-fire roundup of updates across Google, Microsoft, Instagram, X, and the evolving AI search landscape. Episode Highlights Biggest Watchout Google’s new ad scheduling pacing will attempt to spend the full monthly budget within active scheduled days, potentially causing overspend if advertisers rely heavily on ad scheduling. New Feature to Test Google Ads now allows advertisers to set a separate target ROAS for new customer acquisition. Creative Shift AI tools like Nano Banana 2 and Pomelli Photoshoot are making creative concepting and product photography faster and more accessible. Other Platform Updates • Google continues expanding conversational search and brand agents within the SERP • ChatGPT now has hundreds of millions of users but still drives far less outbound traffic than Google • Microsoft added AI search visibility reporting in Bing Webmaster Tools and Clarity • Advertisers reported dormant broad match keywords being quietly re-enabled in some Google Ads accounts • Microsoft Ads introduced multi-image shopping ads • Google removed parked domains from the Search Partner Network • Instagram is testing feed customization and AI product tagging • X is testing AI content labeling and new aspect ratios • Instagram rolled out teen safety alerts tied to self-harm-related searches Follow The Click Brief for fast, no-fluff performance marketing updates. Visit The Click Brief blog for more in-depth analysis and updates from February

February 16, 202632 min

The Click Brief Podcast: January 2026

Episode NotesOpenAI Tests Ads in ChatGPTAds rolling out to Free and Go users in the U.S.~$60 CPM chatter for high-intent queriesStrict privacy guardrails emphasizedRelevancy and user trust will determine long-term viabilityTikTok Smart Plus + Platform UpdatesSmart Plus automation reduces manual setupTikTok One centralizes creator tools and productionPulse Suite expands premium adjacency optionsMarket Scope introduces deeper first-party analyticsGoogle’s Agentic Commerce PushUniversal Commerce Protocol (UCP) standardizes AI-to-retailer communicationAI Mode and Gemini enable direct checkout within the interfaceBranded AI agents and in-AI offers reshape the purchase journeyStructured product data becomes increasingly criticalOther Platform UpdatesGoogle expands PMax controls and budget optionsMicrosoft introduces Copilot checkoutPinterest highlights Gen Z’s pushback against algorithmic samenessSuper Bowl AI Ad ReactionsOpenAI: “You can just build things” — inspirational but abstractAnthropic (Claude): Anti-ad positioning with humorGoogle Gemini: Emotional, practical demonstration of real-world AI useFollow The Click Brief for fast, no-fluff performance marketing updates.Visit The Click Brief blog for more in-depth analysis and updates from January

January 16, 202625 min

The Click Brief Podcast: December 2025

In this special December episode, Jeremy and Emily look back at the most important paid media and AI trends of 2025 and share predictions for where digital advertising is headed in 2026.Top takeaways2025 Paid Media & AI TrendsAI and automation became the defaultAI-driven campaign types and optimizations are now standard across platforms.Advertisers increasingly need to opt out, rather than opt in, to automation.The strongest teams are using AI as a productivity multiplier, not a replacement.Generative creative moved into ad platformsPlatforms now auto-generate images, videos, backgrounds, and formats.Creative diversity and speed matter more than perfect one-off assets.Quality has improved significantly, but human oversight is still critical.Ads entered AI-driven search experiencesGoogle began surfacing ads inside AI-powered search results and AI Mode.Adoption is still early, but signals a major shift in how search ads appear.Advertisers should prepare for new placements and evolving click behavior.Measurement evolved beyond last clickIncrementality became a major focus in 2025.Meta introduced incremental conversion reporting and attribution views.Platforms are acknowledging that not all conversions are truly incremental.AI assistants became mainstreamAI tools are now widely accepted in meetings, workflows, and platforms.Note-taking, reporting, and analysis have become faster and more efficient.Ad platforms are embedding AI assistants to guide optimization and insights.2026 PredictionsAds inside AI assistants are comingChatGPT and Gemini are expected to introduce ads as they become more mainstream.Relevance and restraint will determine user acceptance.More automation, personalization, and conversational commerceShopping will shift from keyword-based searches to intent-driven conversations.Brands will increasingly interact with customers through AI chat experiences.Short-form video continues to dominateVertical video remains the priority across platforms.Creative should be built mobile-first, then adapted to other formats.CTV and brand-led advertising keep growingTop-of-funnel investment continues to rise.Brand building remains essential for sustainable performance growth.Follow The Click Brief for fast, no-fluff performance marketing updates.Visit The Click Brief blog for more in-depth analysis and updates from December.

December 11, 202516 min

The Click Brief Podcast: November 2025

November delivered fewer updates, but several major AI and retail-media changes worth planning around. In this episode, Jeremy and Emily unpack new Google AI creative capabilities, Amazon’s unified ad platform and creative agents, ChatGPT’s new shopping assistant, and Google’s expansion of PMax into Waze placements.Top takeawaysGoogle Gemini 3 + Nano Banana ProHigh-fidelity image generation now produces accurate text, consistent characters, and branded-quality visuals.Direct exports to Sheets/Slides strengthen workflow automation for marketers.A meaningful creative leap that positions Gemini as a real competitor to ChatGPT for production use.Amazon Unifies Ads + DSP + Adds AI Creative ToolsSponsored Ads and DSP now live in a single campaign manager, lowering barriers to programmatic buying.New Ads Agent and Creative Agent generate product and lifestyle imagery, though quality still varies.Expect more AI-generated assets across Amazon; realism and accuracy will be key brand differentiators.ChatGPT Shopping Research AssistantNew agentic shopping flow asks clarifying questions and compares real-time product specs and pricing.Signals how ChatGPT may integrate ads in early 2026.Strong reminder to maintain complete, accurate product data and imagery.Performance Max Extends to WazeStore-focused PMax campaigns can now serve in Waze for high-intent navigational and “near me” searches.Strong win for brick-and-mortar advertisers capturing real-time local demand.Follow The Click Brief for fast, no-fluff performance marketing updates.Visit The Click Brief blog for more in-depth analysis and updates from November.

November 17, 202538 min

The Click Brief Podcast: October 2025

October brought a wave of AI-driven browser launches, shopping enhancements, and ad platform updates, and Jeremy and Emily are here to break down what matters most. In this episode of The Click Brief, they cover OpenAI’s new ChatGPT Atlas browser, Google’s visual and conversational shopping experience, Amazon’s top-of-search reserve share of voice, TikTok’s attribution improvements, and Meta’s major Q5 lead gen upgrades. They also hit Perplexity’s new free browser, Meta’s EU ad-free subscription tests, and the official sunset timeline for Google call-only ads. This episode is your October cheat sheet for staying ahead in AI-assisted search and performance media.Top TakeawaysOpenAI ChatGPT Atlas Browser:A new Chromium-based browser with ChatGPT built directly into the interface. Agent Mode allows ChatGPT to take actions across pages like clicking links, filling out forms, and comparing products. Optional browser memories save past preferences and searches. Imports bookmarks, history, and passwords for fast setup. Windows version expected in 2026.Gemini in Chrome + Perplexity Comet Browser:Google adds Gemini tools directly inside Chrome for AI-assisted searching and task completion. Perplexity makes its Comet browser free, offering source-backed answers and agentic research features. All three AI browsers (Atlas, Gemini, Perplexity) are becoming interchangeable—worth testing to compare how each interprets queries and results.Google AI Mode Adds Visual + Conversational Shopping:Search using text and images, refine results with follow-up prompts, and browse product feeds powered by the Shopping Graph. Behaves like a customizable mood board for apparel, décor, and lifestyle shopping. Highlights the importance of accurate Merchant Center titles, attributes, and updated product imagery.Google Sunsetting Call-Only Ads:Advertisers can no longer create call-only ads after February 26. Existing call-only ads will fully stop serving in 2027. Encourages deeper reliance on call extensions, strong landing pages, and chat tools for conversion paths. Affects industries like legal and services that heavily used call-first funnels.Amazon Reserve Share of Voice for Sponsored Brands:Allows brands to lock in top-of-search Sponsored Brand placements for branded keywords at a fixed upfront cost. Pricing is shown instantly based on keywords and date range. A strong option for brands defending category leadership and preventing competitors from overtaking branded queries.Meta Q5 Lead Gen Upgrades:Adds email and phone verification tools to reduce accidental submissions and improve lead quality. Simplifies CAPI and CRM connections. Introduces better nurturing workflows directly within Meta lead ads. A meaningful upgrade for advertisers struggling with low-intent or auto-filled leads.Meta Ad-Free Subscription Tests (EU + UK):Meta begins testing paid, ad-free versions of Facebook and Instagram in Europe. No impact in the US yet, but important to monitor as platforms explore non-ad revenue models.Meta Business AI Tools:Sales Concierge: AI agent that answers product questions and guides purchases across Messenger, Instagram DMs, and WhatsApp.AI Business Assistant: Helps identify delivery issues, explains learning phases or disapprovals, suggests targeting/budget changes, and drafts creative inside Ads Manager.Amazon Branded Search Measurement:New insights include branded searches, branded searches from views/clicks, branded search rate, and cost per branded search. Provides better visibility into how top-of-funnel activity increases branded demand.TikTok Attribution Analytics:Adds a dedicated view to compare CPA and conversions across click and view attribution windows. Useful for aligning ad measurement with real buying cycles. TikTok also launches new travel-focused ad formats to meet growing travel planning behavior on-platform.Snapchat + WordPress Catalog Sync:New integration allows automatic syncing of product data between WordPress stores and Snapchat catalogs. Reduce setup time, but verify product data accuracy before publishing ads.Jeremy’s Tip:AI-mode shopping is only as strong as your product data. Keep Merchant Center images, titles, and attributes updated so Google can match user intent more accurately.Emily’s Tip:Turn on Meta’s lead verification features. Cleaner leads reduce time wasted on low-intent submissions and strengthen Q5 performance.Follow The Click Brief for fast, no-fluff performance marketing updates.Visit The Click Brief blog for more in-depth analysis and updates from October.

October 8, 202538 min

The Click Brief Podcast: September 2025

Jeremy Packee and Emily Anderson dive into a jam-packed month of digital marketing updates designed to help advertisers fine-tune their Q4 campaigns. The hosts break down Google’s expansion of campaign total budgets to Search, Performance Max, and Shopping campaigns, sharing pros, cons, and Q4 testing advice. They discuss how Microsoft’s Supplemental Feeds bring long-missing flexibility to product updates, while Google’s new Demand Gen Drops showcase fresh features like promotion assets, omnichannel bidding, and comparable conversion metrics.The episode continues with discussion on AI Max for Search, Google’s fully AI-powered campaign type, and the rollout of text guidelines for AI-generated copy, a much-needed control feature for marketers wary of overly creative machine-made messaging.The duo also covers Meta’s big Reels and Threads advertising expansion, Microsoft’s enhanced Performance Max reporting, Amazon’s AI Ad Creator in Creative Studio, and YouTube’s new deep-linking ads to apps. They finish with a rapid-fire roundup of smaller but notable updates, including Google’s visual local ads, Meta’s new Ads Manager formatting tools, Microsoft’s consent tracking updates, and Amazon’s DSP partnership with SiriusXM.Episode HighlightsBiggest Winner: Google Ads advertisers—total budgets and AI tools open new testing opportunities for Q4.Hot Take: Emily calls the AI text guidelines “long overdue” after seeing AI create unwanted sale messages.Pro Tip: Jeremy recommends testing total campaign budgets on short seasonal flights (Black Friday, Cyber Monday).Q4 Reminder: Watch for pacing behavior changes when moving from daily to total budgets.Follow The Click Brief for fast, no-fluff performance marketing updates.Visit The Click Brief blog for more in-depth analysis and updates from September.

September 16, 202531 min

The Click Brief Podcast: August 2025

Get Q4-ready in minutes. Jeremy Packee and Emily Anderson break down August’s biggest ad-platform shifts. Google’s loyalty integrations, AI-first ads (AI Mode/AI Max), new PMax transparency + Asset Studio, Microsoft’s premium streaming buys, and Meta’s new Instagram “Follows” metric.Top takeawaysSwitch on loyalty perks + the new optimization goal to boost repeat buyers.Test AI Max via native experiments; keep sitelinks/brand guidelines tight.Audit PMax’s new channel/cost views and Search Partner transparency; add smart exclusions.Cut waste with Shopping audience exclusions; pilot Microsoft streaming; report IG Follows growth.Follow The Click Brief for fast, no-fluff performance marketing updates.Visit The Click Brief blog for more in-depth analysis and updates from August.