🔥 Top 5 Things Happening in Paid Ads Right Now (Sept 2025 Edition)
The world of digital advertising never stands still. Platforms like Google and Meta are rolling out constant changes, and if you’re not paying attention, your campaigns can quickly fall behind. Here’s what’s trending in paid ads right now — and what it means for your business.
1. YouTube Video-Action Campaigns Are Gone
In August 2025, Google officially sunset YouTube Video-Action Campaigns (VACs). For years, VACs allowed advertisers to optimize YouTube video ads for conversions, not just views. This was a game-changer for small businesses who wanted to track ROI directly from video.
Now, video campaigns on YouTube have shifted back to being upper-funnel, awareness-focused tools. Completion rates and view metrics matter more than conversions. That means if you’re running YouTube ads, your KPIs should be focused on:
View-through rates
Brand lift and awareness metrics
Driving traffic to retargeting funnels
2. Meta Advantage+ Shopping Campaigns Are Taking Over
Meta (Facebook & Instagram) continues to double down on automation with Advantage+ Shopping Campaigns (ASC). These campaigns lean heavily on machine learning to decide targeting, placement, and bidding strategies.
While automation can help businesses scale faster, there’s a big catch: strategy still matters more than ever. Without clear creative testing, strong audiences, and well-structured funnels, ASC can burn through ad spend quickly.
Smart advertisers are:
Using ASC for retargeting instead of cold traffic
Feeding Meta with high-quality creative variations
Tracking results closely to avoid wasted spend
3. AI Ad Copy Testing Is Growing
AI tools are now baked directly into Google Ads, Meta, and third-party platforms. They can spin up ad copy variations in seconds, making A/B testing faster than ever.
But here’s the reality: AI lacks context and nuance. While it can generate dozens of headlines and descriptions, those lines still need human editing to ensure they align with brand voice, emotional triggers, and compliance guidelines.
The sweet spot is using AI for:
Drafting multiple variations quickly
Brainstorming fresh angles
Identifying winning patterns
…and then having humans refine, approve, and manage performance.
4. Local Search Optimization Is Driving ROI
Service-based businesses — therapists, law firms, trades, clinics — are seeing major wins from Google Business Profile optimization.
Why? Because when someone searches “therapist near me” or “best electrician in [city]”, the local pack listings show up first. A fully optimized Google Business Profile can:
Improve local search visibility
Increase phone calls, website clicks, and foot traffic
Build trust through reviews and accurate info
For small businesses, this is one of the highest-ROI, lowest-cost advertising plays available right now.
5. Cost Fluctuations Demand Smarter Targeting
Paid ad costs continue to shift. In many industries, CPMs (cost per thousand impressions) are rising, especially in competitive niches like e-commerce and health. At the same time, CPCs (cost per click) are stabilizing as platforms refine their bidding algorithms.
What does this mean for you?
CPM increases → Be strategic about awareness campaigns
Stable CPCs → Double down on conversion campaigns with strong targeting
Retargeting remains king → Keep nurturing warm audiences instead of over-spending on cold traffic
Final Takeaway
The paid advertising landscape in 2025 is a mix of automation, AI, and rising costs — but with the right strategy, small businesses can still win big. Focus on aligning your campaigns with your goals: use YouTube for awareness, Meta Advantage+ for retargeting, AI for speed (with human oversight), Google Business for local trust, and smart targeting to manage costs.
Want help making sense of it all? That’s what we do every day at Merit Media. Book a free consult and let’s build ads that actually drive results.
