According to some advertisers, Google needs to reevaluate its approach to automation.
The search engine earlier this week announced several AI-powered updates to Responsive Search Ads (RSA) to help streamline ad creation and increase ROI.
However, some interpreted this update as another move by Google to promote automation, a direction that doesn’t resonate well with all advertisers.
“We need options when it comes to automation”
Greg Finn, Marketing Director of North Cyprus, explained to Search Engine Land that while generative AI can be a useful tool, advertisers should have the option to opt out of automation. Without this level of manual control, there is a risk of adverse effects on campaign performance and data reporting capabilities. He said:
“It’s not that advertisers are worried about the rise of automation, they’re worried that automation is the only option.” “In my experience, we’ve found that automatically applied recommendations can often do more harm than good. Take Smart Bids, for example. It can sometimes raise bids too high for people in specific industries. So , being able to choose to turn it off can generally increase performance or, at the very least, reduce waste.” “Advertisers like to know where their money is being spent. I know I do. But when you’re using campaigns like Performance Max, it’s quite a black box, so you can get some stats but not the whole picture.” “However, the biggest problem advertisers have with automation is bad automation : Things you can’t turn off. This is something that needs to be addressed.”
“Automation can be risky”
PPC consultant Peter Bowen agreed that while AI can be an effective tool to maximize campaign performance, advertisers should be able to opt out. Drilling down into the details, particularly regarding RSA upgrades such as the ability to display a single title based on predicted performance, he expressed general support for the concept. However, he stressed that advertisers need more control to achieve optimal results. Speaking to Search Engine Land, he said:
“A single title will be shown in RSAs if it is expected to improve performance, but at this time, the advertiser does not have the ability to define what performance improvement they want.” “When automation works without clear restrictions defined by the advertiser, it’s risky.” “Google benefits from an improved click-through rate, but that doesn’t translate directly into improved ad results, so it will be interesting to see who is interested in this automation.” “Of course, automation saves labor, and that’s a good thing. But automation is only safe when it operates under a set of rules.” “I think Google is trying to make advertising work for their average customers, but there are a lot of people far from the average advertiser, so their push into automation isn’t working so well.”
“I don’t trust the machine”
Anthony Higman, CEO of the online advertising agency acquire, also raised concerns about RSAs, highlighting their use of AI to determine ad copy variations. Describing RSAs as “horrible,” he justified his apprehensions by sharing a screenshot showing a case where an AI error negatively affected ad copy:
Higman emphasized advertisers’ lack of control when it comes to addressing or preventing the problems seen in the example above, underscoring his concerns about the overall quality of Google Ads’ automated features. He told Search Engine Land:
“Advertising is not a unique situation. There are more nuances than what AI decides when it comes to ad platforms and I think bad data can skew those metrics. So at this point, no, I don’t fully trust the machine”. “We’re obviously adapting to the new forced system, but again I think in many cases, the AI can make decisions based on false data and/or current Google goals, and that’s not always ideal for advertisers “. “I understand it’s a work in progress and Google is working to improve the system, but again, I think there are too many nuances for the RSAs to say this is the best headline, so this is what we’re going to show.” “I don’t think the current system really works and Google needs to sort it out.”
Google tip
In response to marketers’ concerns about the inability to turn off automation, Search Engine Land interviewed Sylvanus Bent, Group Product Manager, Search Ads, Google. He clarified that for optimal campaign results, a synergistic approach involving both human expertise and AI is the best approach. He said:
“Using AI doesn’t mean advertisers are completely disconnected: the combination of human experience and AI-based insights ensures that the inputs provided allow advertisers to guide the AI for the best results.” “AI is a critical part of the ad ecosystem, and we’re committed to giving advertisers the tools they need to stay in control from the moment they create a campaign with generated assets to reporting, insights and optimization AI-based recommendations.” “By leveraging these tools, advertisers can keep pace with evolving customer behaviors and deliver more personalized messages to their audiences.”
Follow best practices
In response to concerns about the quality of RSAs, Bent advised advertisers to follow the company’s best practice guidelines. He emphasized the importance of using features like Ad Strength to optimize campaigns, noting that advertisers who improve their Ad Strength score from “Low” to “Excellent” experience a 12% average increase in conversions.
He encouraged advertisers to leverage this AI-powered tool to improve the quality of their RSAs for maximum results. Sharing more information on how advertisers can improve the quality of RSAs, he continued:
“When you provide the most unique titles possible, you give your RSAs more options to match ads to relevant search queries.” “And to further increase performance, RSAs can now dynamically display a single holder when results are predicted to improve, ultimately reducing redundancy where there are multiple holders.” “This flexibility, along with offering more headlines and descriptions, allows advertisers to tailor ads more closely to match potential customers’ search queries.”
The future of automation
Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet, acknowledged the pivotal role that AI has played in Google’s remarkable achievement of $48 billion in search revenue in the last quarter of 2023. Pichai highlighted the positive influence of Google’s AI investments and expressed optimism about the future of automation. Despite this positive outlook, however, some advertisers are wary, worried that Google could move towards full automation, which could significantly affect their marketing strategies in the future.
In response to these concerns, Bent said that most of Google’s advertisers are already adopting AI. With this in mind, Google remains committed to continuing to invest in this area.
While acknowledging the widespread adoption of AI, Bent urged the advertising community to voice genuine concerns and provide feedback. Google hopes this collaborative approach will allow it to refine its offerings based on valuable insights from advertisers. Added:
“We continue to expand our AI capabilities to improve advertiser results and simplify campaign setup and management.” “Today, nearly 80% of advertisers already use at least one AI-powered search ad product. Google’s AI works best when advertisers provide their expertise about their businesses and customers.” “We will continue to listen to feedback from advertisers and explore ways to better serve our users and advertisers; their success remains our primary goal.”
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