Google Ads now lets you say which channels come first, so Search gets fed before the display network gets a look at the budget
By Brett Gavaghan, Founder of Adaptd ·
Google Ads is adding channel priority and budget allocation controls to Search, Shopping, Performance Max and Demand Gen campaigns, rolling out over the coming months.
The short version
- Google Ads now lets advertisers mark channels as high or low priority and cap the share of daily budget low-priority channels can spend.
- Google announced it on 14 October 2026 for Search, Shopping, Performance Max and Demand Gen, rolling out globally over the coming months.
- Check where your ad money goes now, and review Search campaigns with the Display Network turned on before February 2027.
If you've ever looked at a Google Ads report and wondered why your money went to a website you've never heard of, this one's for you.
What changed in Google Ads?
Google Ads has added two optional controls, channel prioritisation and budget allocation, which Google announced on 14 October 2026.
Prioritisation lets you label channels as high or low priority. High-priority channels get funded first, within your target if you use Target CPA or Target ROAS, and whatever's left goes to the rest. In a Search campaign you can set Google Search, Search partners and the Google Display Network separately.
Budget allocation lets you cap the share of daily budget that low-priority channels can spend. Google calls it best effort, not a hard limit.
Who gets it, and when?
Channel prioritisation is coming to Search, Shopping, Performance Max and Demand Gen campaigns worldwide over the next few months, at account, campaign and shared budget level.
One date matters. From February 2027, Google removes the current spend setup for Search campaigns that have the Display Network turned on, so spending may shift. To keep things roughly as they are, Google suggests setting the Display Network to low priority with a 50% allocation.
What should your business do about it?
Businesses running their own Google Ads should look at where their money actually goes before the new controls arrive, starting with the channel report in each campaign.
My take: this is a useful dial, and it lets you test Search partners or the Display Network on a short leash instead of switching them off completely. If an agency runs your ads, ask them what they plan to set and why. A budget that quietly drifts is like a tap left dripping. Nobody notices until the bill turns up.
Wondering what this means for your business?
That's exactly what the discovery call is for.