Google has released version 25 of the Google Ads API, announced on 22 July 2026 through the Google Ads Developer Blog. The update adds new YouTube reporting metrics, a loyalty retention optimization goal, and removes two legacy lifecycle-goal resources that many custom integrations still depend on. If your business runs scripts, dashboards, or connectors on the Google Ads API, this release includes a change that will break existing code unless you migrate.
Here is what changed and what teams should do about it.
What the Google Ads API actually is
Most advertisers manage campaigns through the Google Ads interface. The Google Ads API is the programmatic layer underneath that interface. It lets developers pull reporting data, push bulk changes, and build custom tools that connect Google Ads to other systems such as internal dashboards, bidding scripts, or business intelligence platforms. Google ships a new version roughly every few months, and each version can add features or retire older ones. Version 25 does both.
New YouTube reporting metrics
The headline additions in v25 are reporting enhancements for YouTube advertising. Google has expanded what teams can measure across video placements in three ways.
Non-skippable instream ads by duration
Reporting now breaks down non-skippable instream ads by their length. Non-skippable instream ads are the short video ads viewers must watch before or during a video. Being able to segment performance by duration helps teams see how different ad lengths perform against each other rather than reading them as one blended number.
Shorts social metrics
The API now exposes social engagement metrics for YouTube Shorts, including comments, likes, and shares. These metrics are available across multiple resource levels, which means teams can pull them at different points in the account structure rather than only in one report. For advertisers investing in short-form video, this gives a clearer view of how audiences respond beyond views alone.
Consent-gated YouTube channel insights
Version 25 also introduces YouTube channel insights that are gated behind user consent. These insights give more context about channel-level performance while keeping the data access tied to consent requirements.
A loyalty retention optimization goal
Beyond reporting, v25 adds a loyalty retention optimization goal at both the campaign and account level. This lets advertisers signal that a campaign should optimize toward retaining existing customers rather than only chasing new ones. For businesses where repeat purchases drive the bulk of revenue, a bidding goal built around retention is a meaningful addition to how Google Ads campaigns can be steered.
The breaking change: lifecycle-goal resources removed
The change that demands attention is a removal. Version 25 retires the legacy CustomerLifecycleGoal and CampaignLifecycleGoal resources. Their configuration now moves to the unified Goal and CampaignGoalConfig resources.
In plain terms, if any of your code reads from or writes to the old lifecycle-goal resources, that code will stop working once you move to v25. The functionality still exists, but it now lives under a different, consolidated structure. This is not optional cleanup. It is a required migration for anyone whose integrations touch lifecycle goals.
Google describes the shift as moving toward a unified set of goal resources, which should make goal configuration more consistent over time. The trade-off is the near-term work of updating code that was written against the old resources.
What this means for Thai marketers
Thai agencies and in-house teams that run their own Google Ads scripts, connected dashboards, or custom reporting tools should treat the v25 lifecycle-goal removal as a scheduled migration task, not a background note. If your reporting or automation quietly references CustomerLifecycleGoal or CampaignLifecycleGoal, it will break when your integration is upgraded to v25, and a silent break in a bidding or reporting pipeline can go unnoticed until numbers look wrong.
A sensible order of work looks like this. First, audit your codebase and any third-party connectors for references to the two removed resources. Second, map that configuration onto the new Goal and CampaignGoalConfig resources before upgrading. Third, test in a staging or non-production account so nothing changes silently in a live account.
Teams that do not maintain their own integrations have less urgency here, but the new capabilities still matter. Advertisers running short-form video will gain a fuller picture of Shorts engagement, and businesses focused on repeat customers can start planning around the loyalty retention goal.
FAQ
Do I need to do anything if I only use the Google Ads interface?
No immediate action is required for the interface itself. The lifecycle-goal removal affects code that calls the API directly. The new YouTube metrics and loyalty goal will surface through tools and platforms as they adopt v25.
Will my campaigns stop running if I do not migrate?
Campaigns keep running. What breaks is custom code that references the removed CustomerLifecycleGoal and CampaignLifecycleGoal resources once that code is moved to v25.
Where can I read the official announcement?
The full details are on the Google Ads Developer Blog.
Getting ahead of the change
Version 25 is a mix of new reach and required maintenance. The YouTube and Shorts reporting gives advertisers sharper visibility into video performance, the loyalty goal opens a retention-focused way to bid, and the lifecycle-goal removal sets a deadline for anyone with custom integrations. Planning the migration now is far cheaper than discovering a broken pipeline later.
If your team wants help auditing Google Ads integrations or building a video strategy around the new reporting, our team can support the planning and the execution.
