So, Google loosening up its “unfair advantage” policy, basically allowing double-serving in some cases, is a pretty big deal, especially if you’re a smaller advertiser.
What it means is that bigger brands (or agencies managing multiple accounts for the same product) can now show multiple ads in the same auction, even if they’re selling the same thing. So you might see Brand A and its sub-brand both show up for the same keyword.
For small businesses, this can feel like a bit of a squeeze. You’re not just competing for a top spot anymore — you’re sometimes competing with two versions of the same big competitor, which can drive up CPCs and make it harder to stand out.
But here’s the silver lining: quality still wins. If your ads are super relevant, your landing pages are well-optimized, and you focus on niche or local targeting, you can still perform well — even with a smaller budget. It just means being more strategic with where you spend and who you’re targeting.
Also, don’t forget to use tools like remarketing or first-party data, they can help you get more value from the traffic you already have, instead of battling it out at the top of the funnel every time.