Ads are now in Google’s AI Overview

At Google Marketing Live (GML) last week, Google announced it is now testing the inclusion of search and shopping ads inside the AI Overview that appear at the top of search results. Because Google announced the launch of SGE (now known as AI Overview) last year and teased that one-day ads would be available, this likely doesn’t come as a huge surprise to most marketers.

Image source: Search Engine Land

Google shared that no action is required from advertisers for ads to appear within AI Overview as existing search, Performance Max, and shopping campaigns are automatically eligible for these new placements. This means Google will leverage ad copy and campaign settings from existing campaigns for AI Overview ad placements.

While Google hasn’t publicly shared specific measures marketers can take to increase the chances for brands to appear within AI Overview, there were a few clues at Google’s event that Collective Measures believes may help. Enter: the Power Pair.

The Power Pair

“The Power Pair” is Google’s term for using a combination of broad match and Performance Max campaigns in a brand’s ad account. Google has been promoting these features since they launched and has been improving the technology year after year. Collective Measures has adopted the Power Pair into our client accounts and can attest to the performance improvements that Google promises.

Given Google’s emphasis on adopting the Power Pair, Collective Measures believes that using both broad match and Performance Max campaigns is the best way to maximize a brand’s chances of ads appearing within AI Overview. We believe that the adoption of these features for placement in AI Overview seems imminent, considering the number of new queries that are happening within this AI-generated experience.

The data to back this up? At GML, Google maintained that 15% of daily searches are completely new queries. By taking advantage of broad match, advertisers are far more likely to capture those never-before-searched queries. And while broad match will ensure brands have proper query coverage, Performance Max could provide advertisers with placement coverage. Since Performance Max campaigns simultaneously run ads across all of Google’s placement types, they could be an easy way for Google to add to AI Overview inventory.

What this means for marketers

Google’s latest announcements at GML underscore the importance of leveraging broad match and Performance Max campaigns to stay ahead in Google’s evolving landscape. If your brand is still hesitant about Performance Max campaigns and hasn’t adopted them yet due to the lack of transparency in where the ads appear, now is the perfect time to start testing. Given Google’s announcement at GML that the long-awaited asset reporting for Performance Max will be rolling out this year, this increased visibility may be the peace of mind marketers have been waiting for before adopting this campaign type. As AI Overview continues to grow and incorporate more ad placements, advertisers who adopt the Power Pair strategy will be well-positioned to capitalize on new opportunities as they become available. Staying informed and adaptable will be key to maximizing ad performance in this dynamic environment.