Google launches new online ad tool for small businesses
San Francisco, June 28 : To help small businesses connect with relevant customers online, Google has introduced "Smart" campaigns which allow them to create ads in minutes.
The tech giant on Wednesday also announced that its lineup of ad products called "Google AdWords" will henceforth be known as "Google Ads".
"With the introduction of Google Ads, small business can now use Smart campaigns, our new default ads experience," Google's Product Management Director Kim Spalding wrote in a blog post.
"We'll be rolling out Smart campaigns to the US today and globally through the end of this year," Spalding said. Google first introduced its lineup of ad products nearly 18 years ago.
"We built Smart campaigns by tailoring the innovation and advertising technology available with Google Ads for small business owners. You can now create ads in minutes and drive real results - like making your phone ring, sending leads to your website, or bringing customers to your store," Spalding said.
Google said it will also launch a new advertising tool called "Image Picker" later this year.
"Images help your products or services stand out, and later this year we will launch Image Picker, making it easier for you to showcase what makes your business unique," Spalding said.
This tool will allow businesses to pick top three images from suggestions provided by Google or upload their own. "We'll help you get results by testing combinations of the text and images you selected," Spalding added.
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Karnataka new excise policy: Local liquor to get costlier, premium may get cheaper
Bengaluru: The state government on Monday rolled out a new excise policy that shifts from the decades-old bulk litre-based system to a model based on alcohol content in beverages, Deccan Herald reported.
Karnataka becomes the first state in India to adopt this model. The change is expected to make lower-priced liquor costlier, while some premium brands may see a reduction in prices.
A senior Excise Department official said: “The policy is being implemented from today (May 11). The Karnataka Excise (Excise Duty and Charges) (2nd Amendment) Rules, 2026, notified after a public consultation on a draft released on April 18, slashes the number of excise slabs from 16 to 8.”
Local liquor manufacturers have alleged that the policy favours multinational companies producing beer and spirits over domestic distilleries.
According to the Karnataka Brewers and Distillers Association (KBDA), the first five slabs, which cater to the common man, house the maximum number of state-owned distilleries and contribute nearly 70-75% of the state’s excise revenue, have seen their Additional Excise Duty (AED) rise by 20-30%.
In contrast, slabs 6 to 8, which include products from multinational companies such as United Spirits, Bacardi, Heineken, Carlsberg, and Anheuser-Busch, have seen AED reduced by 10-15%. The association said that while larger companies can absorb pricing shifts across their diverse portfolios, smaller regional distilleries limited to budget liquor may face volume contraction and potential closure.
A senior KBDA member said the price of a 180 ml bottle in the lowest slab, which was around Rs 63 last year, has already risen to Rs 80, and the new policy is set to push that price further to Rs 105 a jump driven by a 42.8% tax bracket.
