Advertising platform updates: March 2026

Written by

Ksenia Lebedeva

Date published

Apr 3, 2026

March 2026: new attribution in Meta, AI-driven ads in Google, and premium formats in TikTok. Key updates in the digest below.

Meta Ads

Update	What changed	What it means for advertisers
Click Attribution Update	• Click-through attribution now counts only actual link clicks. • Likes, shares, comments, saves moved to engage-through attribution. • Engaged view threshold reduced from 10 to 5 seconds.	Reported CPA and ROAS may appear higher (this is reclassification, not performance drop). Historical data is not directly comparable. Data is now closer to GA4 → benchmarks need revision.
WhatsApp Status	WhatsApp Status is automatically enabled in Advantage+ Traffic campaigns.	Expands reach automatically without extra setup.
AI Search & In-App Shopping	• Products can be added directly to Stories and Reels. • After clicking an ad, users see AI summaries (reviews, price, brand info, similar products) without leaving the app.	Shortens the path from click to purchase — users get all the information they need to make a decision directly within the app, without leaving for a website. Helps increase ad conversions through AI-powered review summaries at the moment of interest.
Location Fees from April 2026	Additional fee on top of CPM for Digital Service Tax in selected countries: Austria +5%, France +3%, Italy +3%, Spain +3%, Turkey +5%, UK +2%	Requires budget and bid adjustments for these markets.

TikTok Ads

Update	What changed	What it means for advertisers
Logo Takeover	The brand’s logo appears next to the TikTok logo on the app’s splash screen upon launch.	Delivers maximum visibility in the first seconds of app usage. Best suited for large brands, product launches, and event-driven campaigns. High entry barrier.
Prime Time	Up to 3 consecutive ads from the same brand within a 15-minute window on the “For You Page”. Enables multi-touch storytelling within a single session. Available via direct buying only.	Allows brands to build storytelling within a single viewing session — instead of one impression, users see a sequence of three. Highly effective for launches and event campaigns.
TopReach	A bundled placement combining TopView + TopFeed — the first impression after app launch and the top position in the “For You Page” feed simultaneously.	Maximizes one-day reach and ensures the brand is the first thing users see.
Pulse Tastemakers	Allows brands to run ads through selected creators, strengthening engagement with their communities and building strong associations with trusted voices.	Contextual targeting via specific influencers without direct partnerships. Less “creepy” (no user data involved), purely content-based.
Pulse Mentions	Places the brand next to trending content and product categories, encouraging user interaction and real-time action.	Lets you join conversations that are already happening — without relying on user data. Especially valuable for brands with strong organic presence.

Google Ads

Update	What changed	What it means for advertisers
Ads in Google AI Mode — Sponsored Stores & Direct Offers	Ad units are now integrated into conversational AI Mode search. Sponsored Stores appear as brand showcases within AI responses, while Direct Offers deliver personalized deals at the moment of purchase decision without changing public pricing.	A new channel inside AI search. Still expanding, with competition shifting from keywords to AI-driven selection.
VRC Non-Skip Ads	Non-skippable ads for CTV and YouTube on the big screen are now globally available in Google Ads and DV360.	Enables advertisers to build CTV strategies directly within Google Ads without third-party platforms, ensuring full ad views and AI-driven optimization. Best suited for branding and awareness campaign.
UCP — Cart, Catalog, Identity Linking	Universal Commerce Protocol updates: multi-item cart, real-time catalog, unified loyalty program. Onboarding via Merchant Center.	Shifts focus from driving clicks to optimizing product data and integrating with Google’s AI ecosystem, where purchase decisions are increasingly made by algorithms rather than users.
Performance Planner: Display и Video excluded	Since 9 March Performance Planner no longer supports Display & Video campaigns, nor impression share, top IS, or absolute top IS metrics. Supported: Search, Shopping, App, Demand Gen, Local, PMax.	If you relied on impression share for visibility forecasting, alternative approaches are now required. Google is clearly shifting planning toward conversion-driven campaign types.
Google Ads Editor 2.9 and earlier — support discontinued	As of March 30, 2026, older versions of Google Ads Editor are no longer supported.	Update to the latest version to avoid losing access to your data.

Telegram Ads

Update	What changed	What it means for advertisers
New platform features	Interface update: new Search tab on iOS, GIF and sticker editing, Log In With Telegram for third-party services, Member Tags, real-time streaming of responses, date formatting in posts.	Increased audience activity due to new features = more contexts for ad placements.
Bots managed by other bots (Bot API)	Bots can now create and manage other bots via the Telegram Bot API on your behalf — no programming skills required.	Lowers the entry barrier for using bots as an advertising and lead generation channel in Telegram. Enables faster scaling of bot-based funnels without a developer.

Snapchat Ads

Update	What changed	What it means for advertisers
Total Snap Takeover	The brand occupies the top ad position across all app tabs simultaneously for one day.	Maximum presence on the day of launch or a major event. Effective for awareness campaigns with high-reach KPIs.

Evido by Aitarget

Update	What it means for advertisers
New platforms — X, Snapchat, LinkedIn	Expands the portfolio of available advertising platforms — X, Snapchat, and LinkedIn can now be managed within a unified infrastructure. Provides more opportunities for channel testing and budget optimization.
Access to Telegram Insider is now available via the Aitarget platform.	It enables quick access to Telegram Insider directly from Aitarget, allowing you to efficiently browse and select channels for advertising on Telegram.
TikTok Smart+ webinar	Enables a quick understanding of Smart+ and how to apply it in practice. A 20-minute webinar helps you launch campaigns independently without the need to contact support.

The common thread across all updates: platforms are strengthening the role of AI and data in purchase decision-making. Have you updated your strategy for this new reality?

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Meta Ads

Update	What changed	What it means for advertisers
Click Attribution Update	• Click-through attribution now counts only actual link clicks. • Likes, shares, comments, saves moved to engage-through attribution. • Engaged view threshold reduced from 10 to 5 seconds.	Reported CPA and ROAS may appear higher (this is reclassification, not performance drop). Historical data is not directly comparable. Data is now closer to GA4 → benchmarks need revision.
WhatsApp Status	WhatsApp Status is automatically enabled in Advantage+ Traffic campaigns.	Expands reach automatically without extra setup.
AI Search & In-App Shopping	• Products can be added directly to Stories and Reels. • After clicking an ad, users see AI summaries (reviews, price, brand info, similar products) without leaving the app.	Shortens the path from click to purchase — users get all the information they need to make a decision directly within the app, without leaving for a website. Helps increase ad conversions through AI-powered review summaries at the moment of interest.
Location Fees from April 2026	Additional fee on top of CPM for Digital Service Tax in selected countries: Austria +5%, France +3%, Italy +3%, Spain +3%, Turkey +5%, UK +2%	Requires budget and bid adjustments for these markets.

TikTok Ads

Update	What changed	What it means for advertisers
Logo Takeover	The brand’s logo appears next to the TikTok logo on the app’s splash screen upon launch.	Delivers maximum visibility in the first seconds of app usage. Best suited for large brands, product launches, and event-driven campaigns. High entry barrier.
Prime Time	Up to 3 consecutive ads from the same brand within a 15-minute window on the “For You Page”. Enables multi-touch storytelling within a single session. Available via direct buying only.	Allows brands to build storytelling within a single viewing session — instead of one impression, users see a sequence of three. Highly effective for launches and event campaigns.
TopReach	A bundled placement combining TopView + TopFeed — the first impression after app launch and the top position in the “For You Page” feed simultaneously.	Maximizes one-day reach and ensures the brand is the first thing users see.
Pulse Tastemakers	Allows brands to run ads through selected creators, strengthening engagement with their communities and building strong associations with trusted voices.	Contextual targeting via specific influencers without direct partnerships. Less “creepy” (no user data involved), purely content-based.
Pulse Mentions	Places the brand next to trending content and product categories, encouraging user interaction and real-time action.	Lets you join conversations that are already happening — without relying on user data. Especially valuable for brands with strong organic presence.

Google Ads

Update	What changed	What it means for advertisers
Ads in Google AI Mode — Sponsored Stores & Direct Offers	Ad units are now integrated into conversational AI Mode search. Sponsored Stores appear as brand showcases within AI responses, while Direct Offers deliver personalized deals at the moment of purchase decision without changing public pricing.	A new channel inside AI search. Still expanding, with competition shifting from keywords to AI-driven selection.
VRC Non-Skip Ads	Non-skippable ads for CTV and YouTube on the big screen are now globally available in Google Ads and DV360.	Enables advertisers to build CTV strategies directly within Google Ads without third-party platforms, ensuring full ad views and AI-driven optimization. Best suited for branding and awareness campaign.
UCP — Cart, Catalog, Identity Linking	Universal Commerce Protocol updates: multi-item cart, real-time catalog, unified loyalty program. Onboarding via Merchant Center.	Shifts focus from driving clicks to optimizing product data and integrating with Google’s AI ecosystem, where purchase decisions are increasingly made by algorithms rather than users.
Performance Planner: Display и Video excluded	Since 9 March Performance Planner no longer supports Display & Video campaigns, nor impression share, top IS, or absolute top IS metrics. Supported: Search, Shopping, App, Demand Gen, Local, PMax.	If you relied on impression share for visibility forecasting, alternative approaches are now required. Google is clearly shifting planning toward conversion-driven campaign types.
Google Ads Editor 2.9 and earlier — support discontinued	As of March 30, 2026, older versions of Google Ads Editor are no longer supported.	Update to the latest version to avoid losing access to your data.

Telegram Ads

Update	What changed	What it means for advertisers
New platform features	Interface update: new Search tab on iOS, GIF and sticker editing, Log In With Telegram for third-party services, Member Tags, real-time streaming of responses, date formatting in posts.	Increased audience activity due to new features = more contexts for ad placements.
Bots managed by other bots (Bot API)	Bots can now create and manage other bots via the Telegram Bot API on your behalf — no programming skills required.	Lowers the entry barrier for using bots as an advertising and lead generation channel in Telegram. Enables faster scaling of bot-based funnels without a developer.

Evido by Aitarget

Update	What it means for advertisers
New platforms — X, Snapchat, LinkedIn	Expands the portfolio of available advertising platforms — X, Snapchat, and LinkedIn can now be managed within a unified infrastructure. Provides more opportunities for channel testing and budget optimization.
Access to Telegram Insider is now available via the Aitarget platform.	It enables quick access to Telegram Insider directly from Aitarget, allowing you to efficiently browse and select channels for advertising on Telegram.
TikTok Smart+ webinar	Enables a quick understanding of Smart+ and how to apply it in practice. A 20-minute webinar helps you launch campaigns independently without the need to contact support.

The common thread across all updates: platforms are strengthening the role of AI and data in purchase decision-making. Have you updated your strategy for this new reality?