If you’re wondering what generative AI is and how it’s being used in advertising, look no further than Google Ads. As generative AI becomes increasingly common in advertising and digital marketing campaigns, marketers need to keep up with changing search trends.
When used effectively, these tools can increase efficiency, improve campaign performance, and even support creative output.
Generative AI can create audio, images, videos, and text tailored to specific audiences. It uses user input and data to generate customised content, helping businesses reach their ideal customers more effectively.
These capabilities allow brands to target audiences more precisely, making their campaigns more efficient and impactful. At Blaze Media, our team has been dabbling with these features as they’ve improved, and we’re impressed with the results.
As the adoption of generative AI in advertising grows, marketers must stay on top of changing trends in search behaviour while leveraging these tools to enhance creativity and drive better campaign performance.
These evolutions in the world of marketing are a prime example of the importance of working with an experienced marketing agency, such as Blaze. It is literally our job to stay up to date with the latest marketing trends.
But don’t worry, we are generous folk and happy to impart some of our knowledge to you. Keep reading to find out more about generative AI and its use in marketing.
The Pros of AI-Generated Ads
You might be curious: What are the pros and cons of utilising AI-generated content in advertising campaigns?
Swift Ad Generation
On the plus side, generative AI provides significant advantages by allowing marketers to quickly create customised advertisements tailored to specific audiences.
This technology not only facilitates the rapid development of ad content but also helps save both time and resources, making marketing campaigns more efficient and effective.
Audience Targeting
This approach also enables more effective targeting, which can significantly lead to higher conversion rates.
This improvement is largely due to the use of more personalised messaging that resonates with individual customers, ultimately enhancing their engagement and prompting more conversions.
But it’s not all smooth sailing.
The Cons of AI-Generated Ads
Some of the cons of using AI-generated ads include;
Authenticity
There are real concerns about transparency and authenticity. AI-generated ads must be clearly distinguishable from organic search results and must not mislead users. Misinformation or a lack of clarity can damage trust.
Trust us; the last thing that you want to do is alienate your audience and create distrust, as it can
Lack of Human Control
Another challenge is the lack of human control when AI is implemented too broadly. This can lead to irrelevant or mismatched content—think of the wrong image, odd aspect ratios, or videos that don’t align with the message. Optimisations that are meant to improve performance might actually harm it.
While AI can support the content creation process, it cannot replace human creativity. AI doesn’t come up with new ideas—it remixes and repackages what it’s trained on. That’s why human input remains essential.
By focusing on transparency and thoughtful use, advertisers can unlock the benefits of AI while avoiding its pitfalls.
How AI-Generated Ads Improve Personalisation
Generative AI in Google Ads allows businesses to create custom-built ad content that is far more tailored to audience preferences, boosting conversion chances.
Thanks to data analysis and machine learning, generative AI can identify what appeals to specific customer groups and adjust content accordingly.
Google is going even further by introducing a conversational AI experience within its ads platform. This lets businesses ask Google AI for creative inspiration or even have it automatically generate assets like headlines, descriptions, images, and keywords. This allows you to market your content towards what people search for.
This results in a robust toolkit of highly targeted ad materials, giving marketers a more powerful way to connect with their audience.
Appropriately used, generative AI can significantly enhance engagement and ROI. But again, AI should work with human creativity, not replace it. Left unchecked, AI-generated content can come across as tone-deaf or irrelevant.
To truly connect with audiences, human oversight must guide the AI to ensure quality, consistency, and ethical alignment.
AI Tools & Google Advertising
Generative AI tools allow businesses to craft highly personalised, data-driven ad campaigns. Google’s Performance Max program uses this technology to build ads that more effectively target specific audience segments.
This integration opens new creative possibilities, offering higher ad sophistication, increased performance, and better conversion potential.
That said, businesses must use these tools responsibly. One important principle is inclusivity- ensuring AI-generated images reflect demographic diversity. Another is truthfulness, since AI can’t always distinguish between fact and fiction.
The rise of generative AI raises valid concerns about authenticity, but the benefits can’t be ignored. When used well, these tools drive relevance, attract new customers, and improve campaign metrics.
Google Ads already features tools like automatically created assets (ACA) and campaign goals focused on new customer acquisition. These updates help advertisers make better use of performance data while boosting ad visibility and reach.
As more consumers encounter AI-generated ads, brands that stay ahead of search trends and evolving consumer behaviour will have the edge.
Privacy Concerns & Data Usage
With the growing use of AI in advertising, privacy and data usage become even more critical. Businesses need to stay proactive to avoid becoming the next cautionary tale in data privacy violations.
As Google rolls out new generative AI features, companies must be transparent about collecting and using customer data. It should be clear to consumers when an ad is AI-generated, and the content must meet their expectations without misleading them.
While AI offers increased creativity and performance, it also presents risks, especially regarding GDPR compliance, copyright, and data security. Mishandling any of these can lead to reputational damage and regulatory trouble.
To stay on the safe side, businesses should implement clear policies for how generative AI is used. This includes employee training, data protection measures, and clear communication with consumers.
By making privacy and transparency a priority, companies can maintain trust while taking advantage of AI’s benefits in marketing.
How to Use Generative AI for Marketing
Now that we have discussed the privacy concerns, let’s explore how businesses can effectively utilise generative AI to enhance their marketing efforts.
One key advantage is adapting ads based on user behaviour and inputs. This helps businesses build personalised ads that are more likely to convert.
Google’s Performance Max program plays a big role here. It uses generative AI to remix marketer-provided content and produce fresh, targeted ads based on specific campaign goals and audience profiles.
However, transparency is essential. Ads should be clearly differentiated from organic results to ensure consumer trust. Knowing when to use AI in your marketing effectively is crucial, as misuse could impact user trust.
By thoughtfully integrating generative AI, businesses can unlock increased creativity and performance, ultimately making their campaigns more efficient and effective. Staying in tune with changes in consumer behaviour and search habits is key to maximising the potential of these tools.
Generative AI & Traditional Advertising: A New Partnership
Embracing generative AI doesn’t mean abandoning traditional advertising. Instead, it enhances it, offering new opportunities for innovation, personalisation, and efficiency.
Here are three big ways AI transforms the ad creation process:
Personalisation
AI analyses user data and behaviours to create ad content that resonates with individual preferences.
Efficiency
AI streamlines ad production, enabling faster turnaround times and freeing up resources for other tasks.
Optimisation
Real-time insights and adjustments keep campaigns performing at their best.
By using AI strategically, businesses can simplify the search for new customers and deliver impactful, results-driven campaigns. Generative AI is not just a trend—it’s a powerful tool that helps modernise and scale traditional advertising efforts.
Ethical Considerations of AI in Advertising
With Google integrating generative AI into its Performance Max platform, questions of authenticity, ethics, and responsibility are front and centre.
AI-generated ads must be clearly labelled and offer genuine value to consumers. Misleading or inaccurate ads not only erode trust, but they could also have legal consequences.
Marketers should ask: Does this ad align with our brand values? Does it respect privacy? Does it represent our audience fairly? Staying true to the already established branding of your business is crucial, and if AI contradicts this branding, it could pose a problem.
Although Google has built-in safeguards to reduce errors, AI is not infallible. Bias, misinformation, or simply tone-deaf messaging can still slip through.
Ethical advertising requires transparency, accountability, and care. That means reviewing content thoroughly, training teams appropriately, and keeping consumer needs at the forefront.
Responsible AI use builds consumer trust and ensures long-term success in an evolving ad landscape.
Make The Most Out of Generative AI With Blaze
Generative AI is revolutionising advertising, and platforms like Google Ads are leading the charge. With the power to personalise at scale and generate high-quality assets quickly, AI offers businesses a way to improve conversions and campaign efficiency.
But the technology isn’t without risks. Privacy concerns, ethical dilemmas, and creative limitations all need to be addressed with care.
When used thoughtfully and transparently, generative AI can be a cost-effective, powerful ally, especially for small businesses looking to scale.
As this technology continues to evolve, staying informed and adaptive will be key to leveraging it effectively. The future of advertising is here, and it’s powered by AI.
Want to stay up to date with new updates to AI technology? Need help with your business’s advertising? Get in touch with our team today.