Google Ads now includes carbon emissions reporting: a step towards sustainable advertising
In today’s digital age, online advertising has become a cornerstone of marketing strategies worldwide. However, the environmental impact of digital advertising is often overlooked. Recognising this, Google has introduced a Carbon Footprint reporting feature for Google Ads, enabling advertisers to measure and mitigate the greenhouse gas emissions associated with their campaigns. This initiative marks a significant step towards sustainability in digital marketing.
The environmental impact of digital advertising
Digital advertising, while intangible, has a substantial environmental footprint. Data centers, which power online ads, consume vast amounts of energy. According to a study by The Ecologist, data centers account for approximately 2.5% of global CO₂ emissions, surpassing the entire aviation industry’s 2.1% . Furthermore, online advertising contributes around 10-20% of the total internet infrastructure’s energy consumption . These figures underscore the need for sustainable practices in digital marketing.
Google Ads’ Carbon Footprint Reporting: a step towards sustainability
Google’s Carbon Footprint reporting feature empowers advertisers by providing insights into the greenhouse gas emissions generated by their ad campaigns. By integrating carbon footprint data into their decision-making processes, businesses can identify areas to reduce their environmental impact while maintaining effective advertising efforts. This tool aligns with the growing demand for transparency and sustainability in business operations.
Understanding scope emissions
To effectively utilise the Carbon Footprint reporting feature, it’s essential to understand the different categories of emissions:
- Scope 1 emissions: Direct emissions from owned or controlled sources, such as company vehicles or on-site fuel combustion.
- Scope 2 emissions: Indirect emissions from the generation of purchased electricity, steam, heating, and cooling consumed by the reporting company.
- Scope 3 emissions: All other indirect emissions that occur in a company’s value chain, including those associated with digital advertising activities.
Digital advertising primarily contributes to Scope 3 emissions, encompassing the entire lifecycle of online ads—from creation and data transfer to user engagement.
Understanding these emissions is crucial for developing strategies to reduce the environmental impact of advertising campaigns.
Availability and implementation
The emissions data, measured in kilograms of CO₂ equivalent (kgCO₂e), is broken down by account, campaign, month, and even Google products (e.g., Search, YouTube, Display). These insights are available in a new “Emissions” tab in the partner account reporting section.
The Carbon Footprint reporting feature is now available upon request to select advertisers and will become more widely available in the future.
Strategies to reduce carbon footprint in digital advertising
Beyond utilising Google’s reporting feature, advertisers can adopt several strategies to minimize their environmental impact:
- Optimise Ad Creatives: Use compressed images and streamlined code to reduce data transfer sizes, thereby lowering energy consumption
- Targeted Advertising: Focus on reaching the most relevant audiences to reduce wasted impressions and unnecessary data processing.
- Sustainable Partnerships: Collaborate with platforms and partners committed to renewable energy and sustainable practices.
- Regular Monitoring: Continuously monitor and analyse the carbon footprint of campaigns to identify and implement improvement opportunities
As the digital landscape evolves, integrating sustainability into digital marketing practices becomes increasingly vital. Google Ads’ Carbon Footprint reporting feature offers advertisers a valuable tool to measure and reduce the environmental impact of their campaigns. By understanding and addressing the emissions associated with digital advertising, businesses can contribute to a more sustainable future while achieving their marketing objectives.
For more detailed information and guidance on using the Carbon Footprint reporting feature, check out Google’s official support page.
