Advertisers haven’t been shy about sharing their thoughts on all of the Google Marketing Live 2024 ads.
There have been mixed emotions surrounding the many AI updates (Boris Beceric used AI to count the number of AI mentions: 101). Peak performance updates fell on the positive side; Overlooking B2B annoys others; and many more emotions fell in between.
Here’s a summary of some of the reactions to GML 2024 from nine experts:
AI and automation
Amalia Fowlerfounder, Good AF Consulting:
“I was confused by the statement that AI will not replace the marketer, followed by the possibility that AI can do marketing strategy. The ‘control’ narrative felt like lip service, but a couple of updates address the concerns of the advertisers.
“We’re in an era of automation and AI, and by definition, machine learning requires volume to learn, which, in the case of Google Ads, requires budget. This tells me that advertisers with minimal budgets must wait to use Google Ads or divert more funds to Google Ads and small businesses need to carefully consider their marketing strategies from a holistic point of view.
“Many of the products mentioned require data from other places, such as sample text or leveraging feed creative. Garbage in, garbage out.
“The upgrades looked like slightly more advanced versions of last year’s GML.”
Jeremy KrantzDirector of Paid Search, Compound Growth Marketing:
“The live Ai prototype felt like a rushed response to ChatGPT 4o and everything else related to ai and pmax was highly anticipated.
“Overall, GML 2024 felt very underwhelming, especially when viewed through a B2B lens. There were no surprises or anything unexpected that was announced.
“Hopefully B2B will come into focus at some point because right now we’re being completely ignored again.”
Sarah StemenFounder, Sarah Stemen LLC:
“Producing AI assets in Pmax can be incredibly powerful for quick testing. I think the real power of this feature will be the combination of AI assets + asset level reporting
Ads in AI overviews were inevitable, as overviews take up a significant amount of space and present numerous business opportunities.
The delivery seemed unclear. It seems that Google still doesn’t know how to do this.
To convert images to videos when Google creates a video in Pmax, isn’t that essentially what’s happening?
It felt like a variation on an existing process, but maybe that’s just my perspective. I’d love to hear your thoughts on whether this is really new or another twist.”
Navah HopkinsBrand Evangelist, Optmyzr:
“There are several updates that apply to B2B/Lead generation: image-to-video ads, brand controls, Demand Gen lookalikes that only need 100 users, benefit offers, and ads that run in general descriptions of “AI”.
Niki GrantDirector of Partner Support, ClickTech Solution:
“I’m sure we all knew that GML would be full of AI updates, and features like brand guidelines are a step in the right direction for advertisers who are riding the AI wave and still want to maintain some control over his presence
“New visual formats will be interesting as Google continues to diversify away from the world of text ads, particularly Brand Profiles, which offer a new way to summarize your brand to customers; it’s nice to see something that looks really different rather than a variation of what we’re used to
“The profit optimization goals in Performance Max seem especially meaningful as advertisers strive to optimize towards real results metrics rather than ‘media metrics’; I’m looking forward to finding out how much data they’ll require those targets to work and whether smaller advertisers will be left out as a result.”
Lars Maat (founder of Maatwerk Online):
“This [Meridian] it could be “a thing”. In my opinion, Meridian is not for every advertiser. MMM is something really “difficult” and complex and I don’t think most advertisers are ready for it. Agencies, OK. Great advertisers, okay. But small businesses? It’s not like that
On announcements related to AI overview content: “something that was already known, right? This was coming to us at the time SGE was released'”.
Julie Friedman Bacchini (founder of Neptune Moon):
This conversational artificial intelligence grills. Just me?
Advertisers don’t need to “democratize content creation.” We need advertising solutions that allow us to reach people who want to buy what we are selling.
So Gen AI still makes mistakes, so don’t get mad when it does on your account…
Google’s Gemini AI can’t generate people or product images, so keep that in mind everyone. The examples do not reflect this.
So if human input is essential, how can generative AI predict performance before anything runs?
Maximum performance (PMax.)
Fowler:
The list of 100 users for lookalikes is the most important to me here, followed by brand controls in terms of PMax placements.
Scott Carruthers (Head of PPC at Journey further):
Learn more about Performance Max: asset level reports, etc. (isn’t this what we’ve all been waiting for?!)
Linking YouTube creator accounts to ad accounts: Being able to promote UGC is huge, and Google has been lacking in this area compared to other platforms. YT ads are sure to gain more traction with better links / support from creators.
Bucchini:
Resource level reporting and YouTube exclusions are a welcome addition to PMax.
A 10% improvement for the wide game? This bar was low (check your query reports).
Jyll Saskin-Wales (Google Ads Coach at Learn with Jyll):
While the “Power Pair” proclamation of Search + PMax is a good sales narrative, PMax is clearly the way to go in this multimodal environment.
B2B and lead generation
Kranz:
Overall, GML 2024 felt very underwhelming, especially when viewed through a B2B lens. There were no surprises or anything unexpected that was announced.
Hopefully B2B comes into focus at some point because right now we’re being completely ignored again
Wales:
Tons of shopping and trading ads. As Harrison Jack Hepp already hilariously posted, not a single bone for B2B lead generation and/or advertiser goals.
Stemen:
Virtual test, 3D product images are interesting because, although we already have similar solutions, any improvement in the buyer’s experience is, in my opinion, very positive.
Interested in 3D product images and virtual testing that enhance the shopping experience.
To convert images to videos, when Google creates a video in Pmax, isn’t that essentially what’s happening?
It felt like a variation on an existing process, but maybe that’s just my perspective. I’d love to hear your thoughts on whether this is really new or another twist.
Wales:
How do you compete against TikTok Shop, Amazon, Pinterest and more? Google Lens search and Circle to search.
Grant:
While the developments in Shopping formats sound innovative, it remains to be seen how many advertisers outside of the big brands find AI-based Shopping formats a help in reducing production costs or a hindrance with nuances and implications that are yet to be understood. they have seen In the meantime, I’m looking forward to seeing how various brands decide to use “stickers” in their YouTube shorts!
Bucchini:
Shopping ads will start including review text in your ads???? Is there any control over this?
Some things from last year that act like they’re new too? Specifically the image and the video.
Overall, comments reflect a mix of cautious optimism about specific updates and significant skepticism about the broader relevance and innovation of GML 2024, particularly for B2B and smaller advertisers.
Why we care Advertisers are happy with some of the new updates, but are getting tired of frequent AI-driven changes. Smaller brands in particular are looking for better updates and a clearer understanding of how these changes will affect their performance. This need has not yet been met.
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