Ask Junaid: Should a Small Business Run Performance Max or Stick to Search?
A reader asks whether a small business with a limited budget should switch to Performance Max. Here's how I decide, after running…
Junaid Tariq· · 3 min read
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Marketing Guides & Explainers
In-depth explainers on how algorithms, ad systems and search actually work, written in plain English.
Junaid Tariq· · 3 min readPaying for Meta and Google Ads from Pakistan: Cards, Tax and Billing Explained (2026)
Declined cards, surprise tax deductions and confusing invoices are common for Pakistani advertisers. Here's how ad billing works, what changed with the…
Junaid Tariq· · 3 min readGoogle Core Updates Explained: What They Are and How to Respond
Google releases several core updates a year, and each one can reshuffle rankings across the web. Here's what core updates are, how…
Junaid Tariq· · 3 min readWhat Google AI Mode Means for Your Organic Traffic
Google's AI Mode turns search into a conversation. Here's how it works, why it can reduce clicks for some queries, and how…
Junaid Tariq· · 3 min readGA4 for Business Owners: The 10 Reports That Actually Matter
Google Analytics 4 has dozens of reports, but most business owners only need ten. Here's what each one tells you and the…
Junaid Tariq· · 2 min readConsent Mode v2 Explained for Advertisers
Consent Mode v2 decides whether Google Ads and GA4 can use data from visitors who decline cookies. Here's what it is, who…
Junaid Tariq· · 2 min readAndromeda, GEM and Lattice: How Meta Now Decides Which Ad to Show
Meta's ad delivery now runs on three AI systems: Andromeda retrieves candidate ads, GEM predicts engagement and Lattice ranks and prices them.…
Junaid Tariq· · 3 min readAI Max for Search Explained: Should You Turn It On?
AI Max for Search adds AI-powered query matching, ad text customisation and URL expansion to your Search campaigns. Here's how it works,…
Junaid Tariq· · 2 min readHow the Facebook Algorithm Works in 2026
Facebook's feed now mixes friends, groups, Pages and recommended content from accounts you don't follow. Here's how ranking works in 2026 and…
Junaid Tariq· · 2 min readHow the Instagram Algorithm Works in 2026
Instagram doesn't have one algorithm. Feed, Stories, Explore and Reels each rank differently. Here's how they work in 2026, including originality, sends…
Junaid Tariq· · 2 min readHow the YouTube Algorithm Works in 2026
YouTube's recommendation system follows the audience, not the video. Here's how it decides what to recommend on Home, Suggested, Search and Shorts…
Junaid Tariq· · 2 min readHow the TikTok Algorithm Works in 2026
TikTok's For You feed can make a brand-new account go viral, or show a video to almost no one. Here's how the…
Junaid Tariq· · 2 min read