The 2026 Q4 Playbook:
Scale Google Ads through
the Holiday Peak
Conversion lag hits retailers for 4–6 weeks before Black Friday. Most call it weak demand. It isn’t. Get the plan to close the gap, and enter peak season already scaled.
Register now
Your campaigns are running on last year’s playbook.
Google already changed the rules.
Google's ad ecosystem is shifting fast. Promo Mode (beta) already changes how early adopters bid and scale Q4 budgets. PMax now supports audience and demographic exclusions. AI Max is next — prepare now for the edge later.
Meanwhile, conversion lag increases for 4–6 weeks every October as shoppers wait for holiday discounts. Most read it as weak demand. It isn't. And Promo Mode alone won't fix it.
Winning Q4 2026 means both: Promo Mode's beta bidding tools, AI Max readiness, and Demand Gen to bridge the lag before Black Friday. This session covers the full plan.
Get the full plan – before Black Friday hits.
Got a question Mike should answer live? Bring your most specific conversion lag, Promo Mode, or AI Max questions. The session ends with a live Q&A.
Join Mike Ryan, Head of Ecommerce Insights at smec, for a 45-minute tactical session on winning Q4 2026 – using Google's new Promo Mode (currently in beta), preparing for AI Max, and bridging the conversion lag before Black Friday with Demand Gen and remarketing.
In 45 minutes, you'll leave with:
Managing the conversion lag: How to layer Demand Gen with remarketing during the weeks before Black Friday, so shoppers already know your brand when they're ready to buy.
Promo Mode (Beta) vs. Seasonality Adjustments: What each Google tool does, when to use it, and how it affects your Q4 budget and bidding.
Smart audience controls: How to use customer exclusions, New Customer Only bidding, and high-value customer bidding in PMax – so your budget goes toward new results, not repeat traffic.
Getting your feed ready for AI Max: How to set up conversational product attributes, product highlights, and dynamic titles now – so you're ready the moment AI Max for Shopping and the AI Max for Search migration roll out.
Got a question Mike should answer live? Bring your most specific conversion lag, Promo Mode, or AI Max questions. The session ends with a live Q&A.