Google sent out a notification that it will automatically opt you into using content from your email campaigns to help Google know what to show in Google Search, Shopping, and Maps. It will look for content around "new arrivals, sales or ongoing promotions, social media profiles, and others," Google said.
In short, Google will not just read the content on your website, but also the content you send out via email to your email lists/subscribers.
Anthony Higman was one of the firs to post about this on LinkedIn and share the email that Google sent. The email reads:
Merchant Center is introducing a new way to showcase your business and products to shoppers across Google by using information from the marketing emails available through your website.
Google explains that similar to how Google uses your website contents, Google now can use your content within your emails. Google will either subscribe to your emails automatically or you can add [email protected] to your email lists and that will do it.
Google will pull down information from your email content including:
- Links to primary social media channels
- Highlighted social media content
- Upcoming or current sales and promotions
- Brand images and videos
- Brand voice and values
Google does let you opt out, but Google automatically opted you in yesterday for this. Google wrote, "On April 3, 2025, you'll be automatically opted into Marketing content usage. You can opt out at any time in Merchant Center settings."
Google will collect and display relevant content from your marketing emails on Google Search, the Shopping tab, and more. "This includes sales and other promotions, social media links, new product announcements and more. We will treat this content as "Content" subject to the Merchant Center terms - no other terms and conditions will apply to the use of the marketing emails within Merchant Center," Google added.
This is super interesting to me in that Google will go beyond your website content and use the content that you send out via email. I mean, really...
Here is the email Google sent out on this:
Here are some screenshots on how to opt out:
🚨Heads-up, as of today Google will begin utilizing your marketing emails to create promotions, use your social media links, etc in dynamically building ads. You can shut this off in GMC, by Clicking the Settings icon > General account options > Marketing content usage.
— Kirk Williams (@PPCKirk) April 3, 2025
We're… pic.twitter.com/g1ME31FBuk
I assume this is across both Google Ads and free listings within Google Merchant Center.
Forum discussion at LinkedIn.
