Could a New EU Tax on Google and Meta Ads Be the Next Response to Trump-Era Tariffs?

Is your ad strategy ready for a post-tariff, post-cookie world?

As trade tensions simmer between the EU and the U.S., the European Commission—under Ursula von der Leyen—is weighing a retaliatory digital levy on the ad revenues of tech giants like Google and Meta.

This potential move stems from unresolved disputes over Trump-era tariffs and could lead to higher costs for advertisers across Europe, including here in the UK.

We’re already seeing the impact: Google currently applies a 2% UK Digital Services Tax surcharge on ads served here. If an EU-wide tax follows, we could be looking at further increases in ad costs and complexity—especially for British businesses advertising across the EU.

What This Means for UK Marketers:

For UK marketers, agencies, and advertisers, geopolitics is now part of the ad strategy conversation.

With regulatory pressure mounting on Big Tech, now’s the time to:

• Audit your Google Ads and Meta Ads performance carefully

• Explore additional channels like LinkedIn Ads or Microsoft Advertising for diversification

• Test lower-cost lead gen tools like MailerLite or organic growth strategies

• Focus on building owned channels (email lists, website content) to reduce dependency on ad platforms

Key Actions to Consider:

Monitor your ad spend impact: If costs rise 5–10%, how does it affect your CPA or ROAS?

Diversify your paid strategy: Consider running limited budget tests on platforms like LinkedIn, Microsoft Ads, or even Pinterest Ads for specific audiences.

Boost your organic marketing: Use tools like SEMrush for SEO improvements and content marketing visibility.

Strengthen email marketing: Build stronger first-party audiences with MailerLite or Brevo to future-proof against rising ad costs.

Final Thought:

The rules of the digital ad game are shifting again — and not just because of algorithms or cookies, but because of global politics.

The smartest advertisers in 2025 will be the ones who plan for flexibility now.

Is your ad strategy ready for a post-tariff, post-cookie, post-tax world?

If not, now’s the time to start adjusting.