AI Innovations at Google Marketing Live 2023: Transforming Google Ads, Product Studio, and More

At the recent Google Marketing Live event, Google announced several exciting advancements in generative AI. These advancements cover their different products like Google Ads, Performance Max, Product Studio, and the innovative Search Generative Experience (SGE) in Search Labs.

The main goal of these developments is to make it easier for advertisers and merchants to create personalized product images, manage creative assets, improve ad relevance, and expand their campaigns.

Here’s what our PPC Team Lead, Svitlana Bondarenko, has to say about these AI-powered innovations:

“The adoption of artificial intelligence in advertising systems is happening at a staggering rate. Some people are frightened, others are encouraged. I’m generally optimistic, but I understand that the ‘best practices’ artificial intelligence uses will not always be the ideal solution for a particular advertiser’s business. Only the expertise of a specialist in synergy with the development of AI tools will make it possible to improve advertising campaigns and achieve marketing goals.
Interesting AI solutions were presented at the Google Marketing Live 2023 conference, and I’m looking forward to implementing them and having the opportunity to test everything in practice.”

So, let’s explore the new features and advancements from Google Marketing Live 2023!

New Google Ads: Conversational Interface and Automated Asset Creation

In response to advertiser concerns surrounding the complexity of launching new campaigns, Google has introduced a user-friendly conversational interface within Google Ads. This feature aims to simplify the campaign’s launch and provide a more intuitive experience.

Using the power of AI, Google Ads carefully examines landing pages and ads to generate a wide range of suitable keywords, catchy headlines, compelling descriptions, captivating images, and other creative materials specifically designed for your Google Ads campaigns. These clever AI-generated suggestions are presented for review, allowing you to easily customize and adjust them to your liking.

Screenshot from Google, May 2023

Screenshot from Google, May 2023

Furthermore, the introduction of a conversational approach to campaign creation opens up possibilities for a digital assistant within Google Ads, offering advertisers AI-based ideas and advice. This can provide personalized guidance based on the advertiser’s content and ad history, helping to improve campaign performance.

With these advancements, Google Ads aims to simplify campaign creation and optimize ad relevance, paving the way for more efficient and successful advertising campaigns.

The Power of AI in Performance Max

During the event, Google also accentuated the effectiveness of Performance Max as a standout exemplar of how AI-powered campaigns can drive business growth to new heights. Moreover, advertisers, who have already embraced Performance Max, witnessed an average increase of over 18%. 

Remarkably, these impressive results have been achieved while maintaining a comparable cost per action, solidifying the undeniable value and impact of AI-driven advertising strategies.

To enhance the capabilities of Performance Max further, Google has integrated generative AI technology. This integration simplifies the process of creating and expanding custom assets for campaigns. 

Screenshot from Google, May 2023

Additionally, Google AI suggests unique images generated specifically for your brand, enabling you to allure customers across a wider range of inventory and formats. 

Screenshot from Google, May 2023

These generative AI capabilities are not limited to Performance Max but are extended to the new conversational interface within Google Ads.

Ad Formats and Search Generative Experience 

During the latest Google I/O event, Google unveiled its upcoming generative AI capabilities for Search to enhance the platform’s intelligence and user-friendliness. These improvements have the potential to reshape the future of advertising, providing businesses with increased opportunities to expand and promote their brands.

Screenshot from Google, May 2023

Here are some key points:

• Advertisements positioned above and below. Demonstrations at the Google I/O event showcased how ads can be strategically placed both above and below this innovative new search interface.
• Integration of search and shopping ads. Over the next few months, Google will conduct extensive testing to integrate Search and Shopping ads directly into AI-powered snapshots and conversational modes, delivering a seamless ad experience.
• Tailored ad formats. The testing will also be focused on developing new ad formats native to the Search Generative Experience (SGE). By leveraging generative AI, these ad formats will deliver highly relevant and top-quality advertisements tailored to each step of the user’s search journey.
• Personalized advertisements. As an example, if a user searches for “outdoor activities to do in Maui” and later refines their query to “activities for kids” and “surfing,” they may receive a uniquely customized ad from a travel brand offering specialized surfing lessons for children.

Screenshot from Google, May 2023

• Accessible through Search Labs. The Search Generative Experience (SGE) can be accessed through Search Labs, Google’s hub for experimental Search functionalities, providing users with the opportunity to explore and engage with these innovative features.
• Transparency and clarity. Google ensures transparency by clearly distinguishing advertisements from organic search results. 

With these generative AI capabilities, Google is paving the way for a more intelligent and user-centric search experience, offering advertisers enhanced opportunities to reach their target audience and drive business growth.

Innovative Generative AI Features in Product Studio

Google’s latest data reveals the significant impact of product listings that feature multiple images, with a remarkable 76% increase in impressions and a 32% boost in clicks. 

Screenshot from Google, May 2023

To address this trend, Google has introduced Product Studio, a powerful tool integrated into Merchant Center Next, offering innovative generative AI features to assist merchants in crafting unique product imagery.

Check some benefits:

1. Simplified management platform. Merchant Center Next provides a streamlined platform for businesses to efficiently manage their product display on Google efficiently, maximizing their online presence.
2. Availability. In the ecommerce landscape, eye-catching images serve as digital storefronts, potentially boosting outcomes for merchants. Product Studio aims to bridge the gap between startups and large enterprises by bringing the advantages of generative AI to businesses of all sizes.
3. Leveraging generative AI. Product Studio, built upon Google’s AI Principles, enables businesses to create unique and customized product imagery without any additional cost. It helps merchants maximize the value of their products without allocating huge budgets to design.
4. Scene generation. Scene generation is a groundbreaking feature within Product Studio that leverages the power of a text-to-image AI model. This cutting-edge capability empowers merchants to effortlessly generate captivating lifestyle product imagery by simply providing concise descriptions of their desired scenes. 
5. Remove background. The Remove Background feature empowers advertisers to create distraction-free product imagery, enhancing the focus on the product itself.
6. Increase resolution. The Increase Resolution feature enables advertisers to improve image quality, ensuring they appear sharp and clear on high-resolution devices.
7. Accessible integration. Later this year, Product Studio will be accessible to merchants in the United States through Merchant Center Next and the Google & YouTube Channel App on Shopify. This integration allows merchants to conveniently generate images within the platforms where they currently manage their Google presence.

Merchant Center

During a recent discussion, Google highlighted the enhancements implemented in Merchant Center Next, an optimized platform tailored to assist small businesses in building their online presence and nurturing expansion.

A notable enhancement revolves around the streamlined process of configuring a product feed. Previously, merchants were required to input product details manually, but with Merchant Center Next, this task is simplified as the platform automatically extracts relevant information from the merchant’s website to populate the product feed. Merchants retain full control, having the option to modify or deactivate the autofill function, thereby expediting the presentation of their products on Google.

Screenshot from Google, May 2023

Additionally, Google is improving the accessibility and comprehensibility of performance insights by organizing all insight reports into the Performance tab.  

This consolidation enables merchants to conveniently review their top-selling products, identify competitors, and understand how shoppers interact with their local businesses on Search and Maps.

Final Thoughts

The AI innovations announced at Google Marketing Live 2023 demonstrate Google’s commitment to simplifying processes, enhancing ad relevance, and providing advertisers and merchants with the tools they need to succeed in their digital advertising and ecommerce efforts. 

Stay tuned to Livepage for the most up-to-date news and developments in this exciting realm!