Posted on January 14, 2026 by Kodo Gen — Leave a comment

Google Ads Upgrades Creator Partnerships: What Brands Should Know for 2026

Google Ads recently upgraded its Creator Partnerships feature with powerful new search and management tools. While this update may look small on the surface, it signals a bigger shift in how Google sees creators fitting into paid media and brand growth in 2026.

For marketers, this update makes creator discovery easier.
For brands, it brings structure to influencer collaborations.
For performance teams, it opens the door to measurable creator-led funnels.

Let’s break down what changed, why it matters, and how brands should use these new tools smartly.

What Is Google Ads Creator Partnerships?

Creator Partnerships inside Google Ads is Google’s way of helping brands collaborate with YouTube creators directly from the Ads platform.

Instead of finding creators manually on social platforms, emailing back and forth, and managing campaigns separately, Google is building everything into one place.

With the latest update, Creator Partnerships is moving closer to a full creator collaboration workspace.

What’s New in the Creator Partnerships Upgrade?

Google rolled out three major improvements.

1. Search YouTube Creators by Keyword or Channel Handle

Brands can now search creators using:

Keywords related to content or niche
Direct YouTube channel handles

This makes discovery faster and more relevant. Instead of browsing randomly, brands can search by topic, industry, or audience interest.

Example searches might look like:

“fitness shorts India”
“B2B SaaS marketing”
“tech reviews Hindi”

This aligns creator discovery with intent, not just popularity.

2. Advanced Filters for Better Creator Selection

Google added filters that help brands shortlist creators based on real criteria, such as:

Subscriber count
Average video views
Creator location
Contact availability

This is important because not every brand needs a million-subscriber creator. Many campaigns perform better with mid-sized or niche creators who have strong audience trust.

These filters help brands choose creators who fit:

Budget
Geography
Campaign goals

3. Centralized Creator Communication Hub

One of the biggest pain points in creator marketing has always been communication.

Google now offers:

A centralized creator inbox
Direct email access
Campaign-level communication tracking

This reduces dependency on external tools, missed emails, and messy follow-ups.

For agencies and brands managing multiple creators, this is a big operational win.

Why This Update Matters in 2026

This upgrade isn’t just about convenience. It reflects how creator marketing is becoming part of paid media strategy, not just brand awareness.

Here’s why this matters.

Creator-Led Campaigns Are Becoming Performance-Driven

Earlier, creator campaigns were mostly used for:

Awareness
Brand trust
Social proof

Now, brands want:

Clicks
Leads
Conversions
Retargeting data

By integrating creators into Google Ads, Google is enabling:

Better tracking
Clear attribution
Scalable creator campaigns

This bridges the gap between influencer marketing and performance marketing.

Search + Creator Content Is a Powerful Combo

With YouTube being the second-largest search engine, creators already influence buying decisions.

Now imagine this flow:

User searches for a topic
They see creator content
That content is backed by ads
The journey continues across Search, YouTube, and Display

This creates a full-funnel creator-powered experience.

What This Means for Brands

1. Creator Selection Becomes Strategic, Not Random

Brands can now choose creators based on:

Audience relevance
Content alignment
Location
Performance potential

This removes guesswork and improves campaign quality.

2. Agencies Can Manage Creator Campaigns at Scale

For agencies like Kodo, this update helps:

Centralize creator workflows
Reduce manual coordination
Align creators with paid campaigns

It also makes reporting and optimization easier.

3. Smaller Creators Get More Opportunities

With filters and keyword-based search, brands will discover:

Micro-creators
Niche experts
Regional creators

This is good news for creators who deliver value but don’t have massive followings.

How Brands Should Use Creator Partnerships in 2026

Here’s a simple approach.

Step 1: Define the Goal Clearly

Before searching for creators, decide:

Is this awareness-focused?
Is it for lead generation?
Is it product education?

Creator choice depends heavily on intent.

Step 2: Use Keywords That Match Buyer Intent

Instead of generic keywords, search for:

Problem-based terms
Use-case driven topics
Comparison-style content

This ensures creators already speak to your ideal audience.

Step 3: Combine Creators with Paid Distribution

Creators alone are powerful. Creators + paid ads are stronger.

Brands should:

Whitelist creator content
Run ads using creator videos
Retarget viewers across Google platforms

This multiplies reach and performance.

Step 4: Track What Actually Works

Use performance signals like:

View-through rate
Engagement
Clicks
Assisted conversions

Creators should be evaluated like any other marketing channel.

SEO, AEO, and Creator Content

Creator content also plays a role in how brands appear in AI-driven search and discovery.

Why?

Creators explain products in natural language
Their content answers real questions
AI systems prefer conversational, trusted sources

Brands that partner with the right creators improve:

Brand authority
Visibility in AI summaries
Trust signals across platforms

Kodo Kompany’s Take on This Update

At Kodo, we see this update as a clear signal.

Creator marketing is no longer separate from performance marketing.

In 2026:

Creators will power top-of-funnel
Paid ads will amplify trust
AI-driven platforms will surface helpful voices

Brands that structure creator partnerships properly will win attention, trust, and conversions.

Final Thoughts

Google Ads upgrading Creator Partnerships is not just a feature update. It’s a direction change.

It shows that:

Creators are becoming media channels
Performance and influence are merging
Structured creator marketing is the future

Brands that adapt early will build stronger funnels.
Brands that delay will struggle to compete in attention-driven markets.

Posted on November 26, 2024March 12, 2025 by Kodo Gen — Leave a comment

5 Key Metrics to Measure Your Marketing Success

In today’s competitive digital landscape, knowing how well your marketing efforts are performing is crucial. Without measuring success, you won’t know what’s working and what’s not. Marketing metrics help brands make data-driven decisions, optimize strategies, and allocate resources more efficiently. But with so many data points to consider, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. The good news is that you don’t have to track every possible metric. Instead, focusing on key performance indicators (KPIs) will give you a clear picture of your marketing success.

Here are the 5 key metrics every marketer should track to assess their marketing efforts:

1. Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)

What is CAC?

Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) refers to the total amount of money spent on acquiring new customers, divided by the total number of customers gained during a given period.

Formula:

CAC = Total Marketing & Sales Expenses ÷ Number of New Customers Acquired

Example:

Suppose your business spent $5,000 on marketing and sales in a month, and you acquired 100 new customers. The CAC would be:

CAC = 5,000 ÷ 100 = $50

So, the cost of acquiring one customer is $50.

Why is CAC important?

Understanding CAC helps you determine the profitability of your marketing strategies. A high CAC might indicate that your acquisition strategy is not efficient, while a low CAC shows that you are acquiring customers effectively at a low cost. Lowering CAC is critical for improving your overall ROI (Return on Investment).

2. Customer Lifetime Value (CLV)

What is CLV?

Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) estimates how much revenue a customer will bring over their lifetime as a paying customer.

Formula:

CLV = Average Purchase Value × Purchase Frequency × Customer Lifespan

Where:

Average Purchase Value is the average amount a customer spends per transaction.

Purchase Frequency is the average number of purchases a customer makes per year.

Customer Lifespan is the average number of years a customer continues to buy from your business.

Example:

Let’s say the average purchase value is $50, the average purchase frequency is 10 times a year, and the average customer lifespan is 5 years. The CLV would be:

CLV = 50 × 10 × 5 = $2,500

So, the Customer Lifetime Value is $2,500.

Why is CLV important?

CLV is crucial because it tells you how much value you are generating from each customer. It helps you decide how much you should invest in customer acquisition and retention. If your CLV is significantly higher than your CAC, your business is likely running at a profit.

3. Return on Investment (ROI)

What is ROI?

ROI tells you the amount of return (profit) you gain on every dollar spent in marketing. It’s an important metric to assess whether your marketing campaigns are delivering value and if your budget allocation is effective.

Formula:

ROI = (Revenue from Marketing − Marketing Expenses) ÷ Marketing Expenses × 100

Example:

If your marketing campaign generates $10,000 in revenue, and you spent $2,000 on the campaign, the ROI would be:

ROI = (10,000 − 2,000) ÷ 2,000 × 100 = 400%

So, your ROI is 400%, meaning for every $1 spent, you earned $4 in return.

Why is ROI important?

Tracking ROI is essential because it helps you understand the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns. A positive ROI means you are generating more revenue than you’re spending, which is a good sign for profitability. Learn how to improve ROI with SEO strategies here.

4. Conversion Rate (CVR)

What is CVR?

Conversion Rate (CVR) is a metric that tells you the percentage of visitors who take a desired action, such as making a purchase, filling out a form, or signing up for a newsletter.

Formula:

CVR = (Conversions ÷ Total Visitors) × 100

Example:

If you had 1,000 visitors to your website, and 50 of them made a purchase, the CVR would be:

CVR = (50 ÷ 1,000) × 100 = 5%

So, your conversion rate is 5%.

Why is CVR important?

Conversion Rate helps you determine how effective your website or landing page is at converting visitors into customers. By improving your CVR, you can generate more revenue without having to drive additional traffic to your website.

To increase your CVR, consider optimizing your landing page. Here’s a useful guide on landing page optimization here.

5. Engagement Rate

What is Engagement Rate?

Engagement Rate measures the level of interaction your content receives, including likes, comments, shares, and other forms of participation. It helps you gauge the effectiveness of your content in sparking interest and conversations.

Formula:

Engagement Rate = (Total Engagements ÷ Total Followers) × 100

Where:

Total Engagements is the sum of all likes, shares, comments, and other interactions.

Total Followers is the number of people who follow your account.

Example: Let’s say you have 5,000 followers and your recent post received 500 likes, 50 comments, and 20 shares. The total engagements would be:

Engagement Rate = (500 + 50 + 20) ÷ 5,000 × 100 = 11%

So, the engagement rate is 11%.

Why is Engagement Rate important?

Engagement Rate is a clear indicator of how well your content resonates with your audience. A higher engagement rate usually means that your content is engaging, relevant, and interesting to your audience. Improving your engagement helps build a loyal community and strengthens your brand presence.

Conclusion

Tracking these 5 key metrics – Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC), Customer Lifetime Value (CLV), Return on Investment (ROI), Conversion Rate (CVR), and Engagement Rate – is essential to measuring the effectiveness of your marketing strategies. By focusing on these metrics, you can ensure that your marketing efforts are aligned with your business goals and that you’re driving meaningful results.

If you want to dive deeper into how to optimize your marketing strategies for better ROI, read more about marketing metrics and how they can elevate your brand. Also, check out this guide on KPIs for digital marketing success here.

FAQs

1. What is the most important marketing metric?

The most important marketing metric varies by business goals. However, Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) and Return on Investment (ROI) are generally considered crucial for understanding profitability and performance.

2. How can I improve my Conversion Rate (CVR)?

To improve CVR, consider improving your website’s user experience, using persuasive calls-to-action, conducting A/B testing, and optimizing your landing pages.

3. Why is it important to track Customer Lifetime Value (CLV)?

CLV helps you understand the long-term value each customer brings to your business, which is essential for making informed decisions about customer acquisition and retention strategies.

4. What does a high ROI indicate?

A high ROI indicates that your marketing efforts are profitable, and you’re effectively generating more revenue than you’re spending.

5. How do I calculate Engagement Rate on social media?

To calculate Engagement Rate on social media, divide the total number of interactions (likes, shares, comments) by your total number of followers, and multiply by 100 to get a percentage.