AI Overviews for Search Launched in US: Impact and Changes on Google Ads

May 18, 2024 at 7:23:23 PM

TL;DR The new 'AI Overviews' for Search, part of the Search Generative Experience (SGE), is now available in the US. It handles complex queries, offering more information and fewer ads. Google Ads will be included, with Shopping Ads and Google Maps Ads as examples. Advertisers should enrich their Shopping Feed with relevant keywords and enhance Pmax campaigns for local searches. The number of queries generating AI Overviews is undisclosed.

AI Overviews for Search Launched in US: Impact and Changes on Google Ads

AI Overviews for Search has been launched in the US, as part of the total Search Generative Experience (SGE). This feature will be used for more complex queries to provide users with added value. AI Overviews will display fewer ads and more information.

Despite the reduction in ads, Google will still use some Google Ads in AI Overviews. Two examples of ad displays include:

Shopping Ads directly under the AI Experience. To optimize this, enriching your Shopping Feed with all possible attributions and relevant keywords in the title and description is crucial.
Instead of classic Google Search Ads, AI Overviews may display a large Google Maps Ad. This is likely run by Pmax working with location assets. Local businesses may need to adjust their Pmax campaigns to appear in relevant local searches.

Google has not disclosed the percentage of queries that will generate AI Overviews, but it is estimated to be around 5-10%. Google Ads advertisers should start preparing for SGE Ads.