Google’s grand mission to effectively implement ads on AI Overviews has been tested on the mobile experience. From what has been seen so far, the “Sponsored” content on AI Overviews will be prominent. The idea seems to be to make the ad content look almost like an extension of the AI Overviews answer, so that a searcher’s eyes glide to the content.
The Five Most-Key Takeaways for This Blog Post
- Google began the ads on AI Overviews for mobile. Could it be that more people are searching on phones than desktop? Potentially, but something that could make any AI Overviews experimentation “safer” may be that more work-related searches appear on desktop. If so, then the more-“casual” searches on mobile would be safer to experiment with.
- Something to expect in this long phase of product testing for AI Overviews is that not every feature that users see may be permanent.
- The U.S. is the testing ground for much of this technology, so U.S. users of Google will be seeing any AI Overviews features first. (Even then, the testing phase sometimes only rolls out features to some users, so you may or may not be a Google guinea pig for AI Overviews.)
- One of the biggest challenges laying ahead for Google is to figure out just how the ads should integrate into the AI Overviews S.E.R.P.’s. Make ads too prominent, and users may run to a competitor that feels more like an answering than an advertising engine.
- For business owners, it remains to be seen just how effective ads on AI Overviews are, relative to traditional search-engine advertising.
Search and Scroll and Shop
For the uninitiated, AI Overviews is Google’s project to integrate generative A.I. into the search experience. (The original name for the product, or service depending on your perspective, was S.G.E.: Search Generative Experience.)
That comes in the form of generating in real time S.E.R.P.’s with an attempt at a summarizing answer to the query.
In addition to that, there will be a much-more visual element to the search experience. Arrays of pictures, video thumbnails, and the like, combine to make a truly stimulating gestalt of information.
You may be thinking that, besides the A.I.-generated chatbot summary, this sounds suspiciously close to what search already is.
True, but the gen-A.I. magic comes in by creating a S.E.R.P. that seems much-more specially curated, like the AI Overviews are just for you.
Oh, and let us not forget that ads aplenty will be in the mix. By making search increasingly visually stimulating, that could perhaps get the stimulated searcher in a purchase-happy mindset.
Increase the Volume of Search Increases the Volume of Ads
Another important aspect of generative A.I. in search is that it will help searchers get to the point much more quickly.
And since most of us are familiar with search-engine rabbit holes, this could lead to an increased volume of searches.
That, in turn, could lead to more exposure to ads for the average searcher.
If you are a business owner, this of course is welcome news. If people are searching more frequently, then the odds of seeing an ad for the business will increase.
That, in turn, could increase the revenue for Google.
The Upshot for Business Owners
This, then, offers an upshot for business owners: AI Overviews could potentially lead to users seeing more ads than they used to with traditional search.
And not only could the volume increase, but the effectiveness of each search could increase as well. When S.E.R.P.’s are more info-dense and stimulating, that could make all of the contents—including and especially ads—more effective in influencing searchers.
Other Great GO AI Blog Posts
GO AI the blog offers a combination of information about, analysis of, and editorializing on A.I. technologies of interest to business owners, with especial focus on the impact this tech will have on commerce as a whole.
On a usual week, there are multiple GO AI blog posts going out. Here are some notable recent articles:
For Businesses and Other Organizations, What Makes a Successful Chatbot?
IBM Watson vs. ChatGPT vs. Gemini: How Will Each Affect Search Engines?
Using A.I. to Find Resources for Business Owners
How Would Restricting Open-Source A.I. Affect Business Owners?
The EU’s A.I. Act Has Become Law: The Implications for Business Owners (Especially American)
In addition to our GO AI blog, we also have a blog that offers important updates in the world of search engine optimization (SEO), with blog posts like “Google Ends Its Plan to End Third-Party Cookies”.
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