When Google publishes a blog post hyping a shiny new feature with “great results,” remember this: they’re testing it in a world where only one advertiser (or a tiny handful) gets access to that new feature.
Of course, the advertiser might get ahead for a while.
But let’s not kid ourselves.
During the test, Google hands one advertiser a Formula 1 car.
The moment 50% of advertisers get the same toy, we’re all back in bumper-to-bumper traffic.
Here’s the thing: early test results are often less about the feature being magical and more about temporary asymmetry.
A temporary edge is still an edge.
Once the feature rolls out at scale, that edge usually gets competed away fast.
– Nils