New Google Ads Language Targeting: What Changed in Search and Performance Max

Since late September 2026, Google has changed how language targeting works in search advertising. The campaign-level language setting is no longer used in Search and AI Max for Search, while in Performance Max it no longer applies to ads shown in Google Search. The system now takes into account the language of the query, the ad, and the landing page, as well as the user’s language settings and preferences.

This is especially important for affiliate marketers running campaigns across multiple GEOs and in multiple languages. Selecting the right language in the settings is no longer enough: you need to control the entire funnel, from the search query to the offer.

Let’s look at exactly what has changed, how it will affect work with different GEOs, and what you should check in your existing campaigns.

What changed in Google Ads

Previously, an advertiser could select one or more languages at the search campaign level. Now the language setting is no longer applied in Search and AI Max for Search: the system automatically determines which ad best matches the user’s language. Google has not stopped considering language - the matching mechanism itself has changed.

If the language of a search query is clear, Google tries to prioritize an ad and landing page in the same language. For queries without a clear language, such as brand names, the system may rely more heavily on the user’s preferences.

How ad language is determined now

In search advertising, Google analyzes several signals:

• the language of the search query;
• the language of the ad;
• the language of the landing page;
• the user’s language settings;
• the languages the user regularly interacts with;
• other signals that help determine which languages the user understands.

If several suitable ad groups are available in the account, Google may use AI-based prioritization to select the most relevant option.

A user’s GEO and language do not necessarily match. For example, a person in Germany who regularly searches for information in English may be shown an English-language ad.

For an affiliate marketer, this means that the language structure must be controlled across the entire traffic funnel, not only through campaign settings.

What this changes for affiliate marketing

The main practical takeaway is that the language of the ad and landing page becomes even more important.

When launching ads for a specific GEO, it is advisable to build the funnel consistently:

GEO → search query → ad → landing page → offer

For example:

Germany → German-language query → German-language ad → German landing page → German version of the offer

This structure makes analysis simpler. However, the combination “Germany → German-language query → English-language ad and landing page” should not automatically be considered a mistake: its performance needs to be verified with actual data.

Practical example: Germany

Imagine you are launching an offer for Germany.

The German funnel is the most obvious option for the first test. However, an English-language campaign can still receive relevant traffic.

In both cases, you should check:

• which language users are actually searching in;
• what CTR ads in different languages deliver;
• how the conversion rate changes;
• which language provides a lower CPA;
• whether the landing page language matches user intent;
• whether the final profit differs across language segments.

Practical example: Canada

Both English and French are widely used in Canada. If one offer is launched across the entire Canadian GEO, instead of using a mixed structure, you can test two language segments.

This makes it easier to separately compare CPC, CTR, conversion rate, CPA, and profit for each language. You can manage the test structure through campaigns, ad groups, keywords, creatives, and landing pages.

Do you need a separate campaign for each language?

Not necessarily. Google does not require creating a separate search campaign for each language.

However, separation is convenient if language segments have:

• different offers or landing pages;
• different CPC and CPA;
• separate budgets;
• noticeably different conversion rates;
• different scaling conditions.

For example, if French-language traffic delivers a $12 CPA while English-language traffic delivers $19, separate campaigns make it easier to reallocate budget quickly. If the economics of the segments are almost identical, they can remain within the same structure.

What to check in existing campaigns

Google states that existing search campaigns will continue to run and that migration is not required. Still, after the change, it is worth conducting an audit.

1. Search queries

Check which language users are actually using to search for the offer. This is especially important after launching a new GEO or expanding your keyword list.

2. Ads and ad groups

Check whether the ad language matches the query. If one campaign uses English, German, and French ads, make sure they are distributed across relevant ad groups and connected to appropriate keywords.

3. Landing pages

A funnel such as “German-language query → German-language ad → English-language landing page” may work, but its performance should be compared with a fully German-language version.

4. The economics of each language

Do not evaluate a language segment only by CTR or CPC. Compare the economics of the entire funnel.

Below is a hypothetical example:

A German funnel may have a higher CPC but generate more conversions and deliver a lower CPA. Therefore, the final decision should be based on profit rather than a single intermediate metric.

How to manage payments when working with multiple GEOs

When campaigns are split by language, the number of ad accounts and payment tools often increases. In such a structure, it is important to monitor not only CTR and CPA but also the available card balance: a failed payment can stop an already running campaign.

For example, in Pay2.House you can set up automatic top-up for a virtual card - the system tops up the card when it reaches the specified minimum balance. This is convenient for cards regularly used for advertising expenses.

For teams with several media buyers, transferring an already issued virtual card to another Pay2.House user can also be useful. For example, if a card was issued for a specific advertising project, it can be transferred to another team member instead of issuing a new one.

When scaling, it is worth monitoring two related chains:

GEO → query → ad → landing page → offer

card → balance → ad account → spending → analytics

What changed for Performance Max

In Performance Max, the change affects only part of the ad inventory.

• For PMax ads shown in Google Search, the campaign-level language setting is no longer used.
• For YouTube, Display, Discover, and Gmail, the selected language settings continue to apply.
• Shopping Ads within Performance Max were not affected by the change.

Therefore, saying that Google has completely abandoned language targeting in Performance Max would be incorrect.

What to do if you use the Google Ads API

For teams that automatically create campaigns through the API, the change requires reviewing scripts and integrations.

Existing CampaignCriterion.language criteria may still be returned in API responses, but for Search and AI Max for Search they no longer participate in targeting. Attempting to add or update such a criterion in a search campaign results in the error ContextError.OPERATION_NOT_PERMITTED_FOR_CONTEXT.

For Performance Max, this error does not occur because the language setting continues to be used on other channels.

When updating automation, you should:

• stop passing the language criterion when creating and updating Search and AI Max for Search campaigns;
• if desired, remove old criteria from existing search campaigns - this is optional but will simplify the structure;
• check the languages of ads and landing pages.

Key takeaways

• Since late September 2026, Google no longer uses the campaign-level language setting for Search and AI Max for Search.
• In Performance Max, the change applies to ads shown in Google Search, but not to all channels.
• Google matches ads to users based on the language of the query, ad, and landing page, as well as user language signals.
• A user’s GEO and language do not necessarily match.
• Existing campaigns will continue to run; migration is not required.
• Multilingual funnels should be evaluated by CPA and profit, not only by CTR and CPC.
• When working through the Google Ads API, check the use of CampaignCriterion.language.

Google has not eliminated language handling in search advertising - it has moved the main control from the campaign setting to the ad and landing page. Therefore, mixed-language campaigns without control over search queries and performance data should be reviewed.