The State of Google Ads Q2 2026 Benchmark Report
See how Google Ads performance changed across 20,000+ accounts and 250,000+ campaigns from Q2 2025 to Q2 2026.
Eight PPC practitioners: Frederick Vallaeys, Jyll Saskin Gales, Mike Rhodes, Mike Ryan, Sam Tomlinson, Aaron Levy, Mery Hayles, and Joe Martinez, break down what moved, why it matters, and what advertisers should reconsider before planning the second half of 2026
Get Instant Access to the Report
You can unsubscribe or update your preferences anytime.
AI Overviews are compressing paid inventory, so advertisers pay more per click for ads that earn higher engagement. The year-over-year economics still improved. But the margin is thinning, and the read from Frederick Vallaeys, Co-Founder & CEO of Optmyzr, is: "The winners won't chase clicks; they'll compete on signal quality."
See what actually moved in Q2 across spend tiers, lead gen and e-commerce accounts, campaign types, eight industry verticals, devices, and branded vs. non-branded search.
This edition of the report includes:
Why the median advertiser barely moved while individual accounts pulled sharply apart.
The single metric that reversed after three straight quarters of gains, and why the quarter it happened in matters more than the number itself.
The 20-year pricing norm that just broke in branded search, and the incrementality math that says where your next dollar should go instead.
Which vertical posted a 44% year-over-year ROAS swing, and why one expert calls it a macro story, not an auction one.
How Search, Performance Max, Shopping, Demand Gen, Display, and Local Services actually compared, with full five-quarter trends for each.
Where engagement gains are real, and where a rising CTR is telling you less than it appears to.
Download and see the full benchmarks, the expert reads, and what the turn in Q2 means for your Q3 planning.
Get Your Copy Now
