The GEO Effect: Boosting Brand Discovery in the Age of AI
Overview In a digital landscape increasingly dominated by AI-generated search results and conversational interfaces such as ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and…
If you’re running Google Ads right now, Gemini is already in your account. Google Ads is using Gemini to generate copy, suggest creative, optimize targeting, and fill your Recommendations tab. Some of it helps. Some of it doesn’t. Here’s what Gemini is actually doing and what to watch out for:
Gemini auto-generates text ads when you create a new Search or Performance Max campaign. It pulls content from your website and past performance data. While this can speed up campaign setup, the copy is often too generic and doesn’t reflect your brand voice or offer. You’ll still need to rewrite it if you want it to perform.
Gemini now suggests images and videos based on your website and landing pages. It also creates simple AI-generated visuals. This can be helpful if you’re short on creative resources but most visuals look generic and don’t align with the brand. They’re fine for testing but rarely strong enough to drive conversions.
Most of the suggestions in the Recommendations tab now come from Gemini. These include things like switching to broad match, adding new keywords, changing bidding strategies, or removing negatives. While some suggestions can be useful, many are too aggressive and can hurt performance if accepted blindly. We’ve seen campaigns lose efficiency quickly when recommendations are applied without a clear strategy.
Inside Performance Max, Gemini is now making decisions about which assets to show, how the budget is split across channels, and which placements to prioritize. This can help with scaling, but without strong audience signals or exclusions, budgets can shift toward low-performing placements.
Google has introduced AI-powered changes to Search campaigns, focusing on increased asset flexibility. This allows for more dynamic combinations of headlines and descriptions, aiming to improve ad relevance and performance. While this can lead to better results, it's essential to monitor the combinations to ensure they align with your brand message.
Gemini’s conversational chat tool allows you to build campaigns by simply typing in your goals and website URL. Gemini will then suggest keywords, write copy, and recommend targeting settings. It’s useful for beginners or quick setups, but it lacks the depth and precision needed for complex campaigns. You still need to go in and fine-tune the structure, assets, and signals yourself.
Gemini can be helpful, but it still needs human direction. If you’re not sure what it’s doing in your Google Ads account or how to use it properly, reach out to us at RTOWN. We’ll audit your campaigns and make sure everything is set up for success.
Sources:
https://support.google.com/google-ads/announcements/9048695?hl=en
https://blog.google/products/ads-commerce/put-google-ai-to-work-with-search-ads/
https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/10724897?hl=en
https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/10724817?hl=en
