Who is Adriaan Dekker?
Adriaan is a well-known Dutch PPC and Google Ads specialist with one of the largest PPC-focused audiences in Europe. With more than 170,000 followers on LinkedIn and over 6,000 published posts, he has built a reputation for translating complex Google Ads concepts into clear, actionable insights that help companies scale effectively. Over the years, Adriaan has supported more than 100 businesses in improving and expanding their paid advertising performance. His expertise is frequently referenced across platforms such as CXL and leading industry blogs.

The Google Ads landscape in 2026 is again getting more automated, and three developments stand out. Automation is no longer just about smart bidding or responsive formats; it is now embedded in almost every part of campaign management, from set-up to optimisation and reporting.

Agentic campaign systems

First, we are entering the era of agentic campaign systems: Google’s AI doesn’t just optimise bids but actively performs multi-step workflows, from asset creation to measurement troubleshooting. It can suggest new audiences, flag broken tracking, and recommend budget reallocations based on predicted outcomes. This means specialists are moving further away from execution. Instead, they will work more on strategy: deciding which markets to prioritise, which offers to promote, and which success metrics actually matter for the business. The value shifts from clicking around in the interface to asking the right questions and interpreting what the system is telling you.

Full-funnel measurement

Second, full-funnel measurement is becoming non-optional. With the expansion of AI Overviews, 2026 is the year when advertisers who invest in conversion tracking outperform competitors. That means good tracking and consistent definitions of leads, sales, and micro-conversions. The best campaigns in 2026 are powered by the best tracking and assets. Without those, the bidding models underperform, because the algorithm cannot distinguish between low- and high-quality traffic or understand which touchpoints actually contribute to revenue.

Strategic creativity

Third, the maturation of creative automation is reshaping what “good ad copy” means. Tools like Asset Studio allow advertisers to scale high-quality assets quickly, but not all advertisers benefit. Those who simply generate generic ads will blend into the noise. The real leverage now lies in supplying the system with strategic inputs: angles, differentiators, audience awareness insights, and structured experimentation. Raw AI generation is a commodity; applying strategic creativity remains the differentiator. Specialists need to brief the system with clear positioning, strong proof points, and landing pages that continue the same story.

Role of specialists

Finally, the role of specialists is changing. Technical execution is still important, but deep thinking wins: structuring accounts for cleaner learning, feeding systems the right constraints, identifying audience signals worth tracking, crafting CRO-aligned narratives, and building durable measurement foundations. The professionals thriving in 2026 are the ones who combine analytical depth with creative strategy, who understand both the numbers and the user journey, not those who rely on automation alone.

Tip 1: PPC is no longer about campaigns, it’s about the business behind them

After ten years in PPC, the biggest evolution isn’t the technology it’s the role itself. Google Ads specialists who thrive today are the ones who understand the business behind the campaigns.

Automation handles bids and placements, but it can’t tell you whether your offer is compelling, your landing page reduces friction, or your funnel actually makes sense.

That’s your job. In 2026, you need to think beyond campaign structure and step into CRO, value proposition clarity, and user experience flows.

Diagnose where users drop off, highlight missing trust elements, simplify CTAs, and align the landing page narrative with your ad angles.

When you understand how the business makes money and how the customer buys, your recommendations shift from tactical tweaks to high-impact strategic guidance and that’s where your long-term value really compounds.

Tip 2: Give AI better strategic input, not more volume

Most advertisers still believe AI needs more assets; in reality, it needs the right strategic direction.

Begin by defining your value propositions per awareness stage: problem-aware, solution-aware, and comparison-ready.

Turn these into clear, creative angles rather than generic copy. Feed Google Ads with structured assets: headlines that each represent a unique angle, descriptions that reinforce a specific benefit, and visuals aligned with your landing page narrative. Set boundaries by using negative prompts, brand guardrails, and exclusions to avoid irrelevant expansion. AI needs clarity. When you provide vague or broad inputs, it becomes expensive.

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