Recently, Google has been introducing numerous new features, tools, and updates this year, making it challenging for everyone to keep track. Google during its Google I/O keynote event on May 14th made several announcements, including including virtual and video shopping ads and AI branding tools. The main focus of the conference was on AI, particularly a notable update to search results: AI Overviews. Let’s dive into how this feature will alter Google’s search pages and how it will be integrated with ads.
What is AI Overview?
At this year’s Google I/O conference, the company unveiled AI Overviews, set to become available to millions of users in the US and other countries in the coming months, with the goal to reach around a billion users by year-end. An AI Overview provides an AI-generated summary or short answer to user queries. For example, if someone asks for the quickest way to beat the heat, the Gemini bot will provide relevant tips. Also, the AI Overview will include links to the resources from where the information is compiled. Vidhya Srinivasan, VP and GM of Advertising at Google during “The Google Marketing Live 2024” mentioned that AI overview ads will be prioritized over organic search results, and this feature is still in testing,
AI Overview Ads Take Precedence Over Organic Searches
Traditionally, search engines collect information relevant to user queries through crawlers or Google bots, which index and organize the search results. Now, Google is introducing AI overviews that will appear at the top of the search page, potentially impacting Search Engine Optimization (SEO) positively or negatively. In addition to AI overviews, Google will feature advertisements. Notably, suggested ads will now appear below the AI overviews, pushing organic content further down. These ads will relate to both the user’s search query and the information in the AI overviews.
While Google’s intention to increase engagement and ROI through these AI overview ads is clear, some users have already expressed dissatisfaction with this update. Concerns have been raised about incidents of incorrect information provided by AI overviews, which will soon be coupled with ads during the testing phase.
Conclusion
Google’s AI initiatives, including the new AI overviews feature, have garnered significant attention. The inclusion of shopping ads within these overviews highlights Google’s focus on enhancing advertisement engagement. It will be interesting to observe how users react to this new development.
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