Google said it again, it will soon test ads within its AI Overviews. Philipp Schindler, senior vice president and chief business officer for Google, said this in the earnings call on Tuesday night. He said, “soon we’ll actually start testing search and shopping ads in AI Overviews for users in the U.S.”
He did repeat that this is something Google announced at Google Marketing Live in May, which we covered here. We did see some early ad tests in AI Overviews (SGE) but those vanished.
Philipp Schindler said:
We announced at GML, soon we’ll actually start testing search and shopping ads in AI Overviews for users in the U.S. and they will have the opportunity to actually appear within the AI Overview in a section labeled as sponsored when they’re relevant to both a query and the information in the ai overview and really giving us the ability to innovate here and take this to the next level.
He said this at the 38:46 mark in this call:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9ylamQmNBU?si=fpNQmmYKh-1QFQVE&start=2326&w=560&h=315]
I spotted this via Glenn Gabe on X and Gagan Ghotra’s post. Plus Danny Goodwin covered this at Search Engine Land.
Here is a copy of my coverage of what to expect from Ads in AI Overviews from GML a few months ago:
Ads In AI Overviews
As expected, Google showcased ads directly in the AI Overviews. Google said it will “start testing Search and Shopping ads in AI Overviews for users in the U.S.” This will “start with a small experiment in the U.S. and take a responsible approach, applying learnings from user, advertiser, and publisher feedback,” Google added.
Google wrote that in “early testing, we’ve heard that people find the ads appearing above and below the AI-generated overview helpful.”
You do not have to create new ads for this, as you would imagine, Google will just use the ads you already have set up. Google said, “Your ads from existing AI-powered Search and Performance Max campaigns will have the opportunity to appear within the AI Overview in a section clearly labeled as “Sponsored” when they’re relevant to both the query and the information in the AI Overview.”
Here is what these ads look like:
Let’s say friends are renovating and they search for “short term storage.” Clicking an ad for a storage facility may lead to a dynamic experience where AI helps them figure out what they need. If they share details, like photos of furniture and their budget, Google AI could then recommend storage unit sizing and packing materials with a link to purchase on the website.
AI-Powered Recommendations Ads
Google has these new “AI-powered experiences that provide personalized recommendations,” the company announced. The example provided was that it can “create a whole new way for customers to express demand where they can share more about what they want through multimodal inputs like photos and receive tailored recommendations.” Google said these AI-powered recommendations ads will be tested with select advertisers in the U.S. over the coming weeks.
Here is what they look like:
Visual Brand Profile Ads
Let’s get crazy big with ads at the top of Google Search with these new visual brand profile ads. Google said you can “highlight your brand’s unique story with the visual brand profile on Google Search, showcasing your images, videos, and promotions.” “Ads will continue to appear on the page along with the brand profile,” Google added. This is rolling out in the coming months.
Here is what it looks like:
Shopping Ads with AI Visuals
Video highlights for ads: Google said video highlights ads are coming aater this year, for a small group of advertisers. This is to “introduce a new immersive experience in Shopping ads for select apparel and beauty categories. This experience invites shoppers to explore curated short videos from your brand, discover helpful customer quotes about a product, and browse additional brand offerings.”
Virtual try-on in Shopping ads for both men’s and women’s tops. “This experience will help shoppers see how your clothes fit on a variety of body types to build the confidence to buy.” Google said.
360 view will launch in the coming months, that will allow searchers to see a 360 view of your shoes from a Shopping ad. Simply provide a few product images, then Google AI will create a 3D spin of your footwear. Your Shopping ads will also become even more informative by automatically surfacing key product information from your website and positive highlights from customer reviews.
Forum discussion at X.