Google has unveiled two new features for AI Max for Search, aimed at giving advertisers more insight into their Search campaigns and greater control over ad generation and display. The updates, announced at DMEXCO in Cologne, Germany, include a new reporting feature in Google Ads and an expanded AI Brief tool powered by Gemini. These features will be rolled out globally, including in Nigeria.
The new reporting feature will provide advertisers with a single view of customer searches, ads seen, and visited website pages. Currently, advertisers must use different sections of their Google Ads accounts to piece together this information. The new report will bring these details together in one place, making it easier for advertisers to optimize their campaigns. This feature is expected to roll out globally later this year.
AI Brief allows advertisers to provide instructions to AI Max in plain language about ad operations. Advertisers can specify what their ads should or should not say, prioritize searches, and tailor messages to different customer groups. For example, a business can instruct the system to "never mention prices" or "prioritize searches for school uniforms." AI Brief provides previews of sample ads and searches before a campaign goes live, allowing advertisers to review and adjust their instructions.
According to Google, users are increasingly making longer and more detailed searches, with voice and image searches becoming more common. Searches in AI Mode are three times longer than traditional searches, with one in six made using voice or image. Google said AI Max, launched last year, was adopted by 500,000 advertisers and is designed to respond to more detailed search behavior by focusing on user intent.
Google reports that advertisers using AI Max are seeing 27% more conversions, such as sales or enquiries, at a similar cost. Ads can now appear above and below AI Overviews, AI-generated summaries displayed at the top of some Google Search results, in over 200 countries, including Nigeria. This placement reaches about two billion people. For Nigerian businesses, AI Max can respond to more detailed searches, such as a customer asking for a small generator that can power a freezer and two fans while using less fuel.
Olumide Balogun, Director, East & West Africa, Google, said, "We're excited to give Nigerian businesses a clearer view of what their advertising delivers. Every naira matters, especially in the weeks before Black Friday. With the new report, business owners will see on one screen the question a customer asked, the ad she saw and the page she landed on, which makes it far easier to decide where their budget works best."
Dan Taylor, Google's Vice President of Global Ads, announced the updates during his DMEXCO keynote, discussing changes in how people use search. With Black Friday on November 27 and the festive season approaching, Balogun added that now is the time for businesses to set up their peak season campaigns. Most of these tools already sit inside the Google Ads accounts Nigerian businesses use today, and Google wants to help them make the most of them.
Key points
- Google introduces new reporting feature and expanded AI Brief tool for AI Max for Search.
- New features aim to provide advertisers with clearer insights and control over ad generation and display.
- Features expected to roll out globally, including in Nigeria, later this year.
