Google released version 25 of the Google Ads API, adding new reporting capabilities, updated campaign goals, and expanded YouTube measurement tools for developers building on the platform.
The release also introduces changes that require developers to upgrade their client libraries and code to access the new functionality.
What’s new. Google Ads API v25 includes several notable additions for advertisers and developers:
- YouTube ad sub-format reporting: Developers can now break down non-skippable in-stream YouTube ads by duration (standard, up to 30 seconds, and up to 60 seconds) using a new
ad_sub_format_typesegment. - YouTube Shorts engagement metrics: Reports now include comments, likes, and shares for Shorts ads, offering deeper insight into audience engagement.
- Loyalty retention goal: Advertisers can now optimize campaigns to retain loyalty program members through dedicated campaign and account-level settings, including bid adjustments and member benefits in Product Listing Ads.
- Revamped new customer acquisition goals: Google has migrated customer acquisition goals to its unified goals framework, replacing legacy lifecycle goal resources.
- YouTube creator insights: Developers can access more detailed creator channel insights, including average views, engagement rates, likes, comments, and audience attributes, for creators who have opted to share non-public data.
Why we care. While most advertisers won’t interact directly with the Google Ads API, the updates will benefit agencies, enterprise advertisers, SaaS platforms, and third-party tools that rely on it. New reporting dimensions for YouTube and Shorts provide richer performance insights, while the expanded loyalty and customer acquisition goals enable more sophisticated campaign optimization. Developers should also note that some legacy resources have been removed, making upgrades necessary to maintain compatibility.
Between the lines. Google’s latest API release continues its push toward first-party measurement and lifecycle marketing. The addition of loyalty-focused campaign goals signals a growing emphasis on customer retention alongside acquisition, while expanded YouTube reporting reflects the platform’s increasing importance for advertisers.
The API also aligns more closely with changes already rolling out across the Google Ads interface, ensuring third-party tools can support the latest campaign types and reporting features.
Bottom line. Google Ads API v25 delivers meaningful upgrades for developers and enterprise advertisers, expanding YouTube reporting, modernizing campaign goals, and introducing new retention-focused optimization tools, but upgrading existing integrations is required to take advantage of the new features.