I’m following up on a previous article about AI in Google Ads with an example of where AI has got it badly wrong. In our previous article, we explored the topic of increasing automation and simplification in Google Ads. The pros and cons and what this might mean for agencies and advertisers.
A LinkedIn post from Chris Brewer has really hit home so soon after writing that piece. It provides a perfect example of the points we covered. AI and automation are great but it’s no substitute for human experience and expertise. Advertisers can’t expect to put their campaigns on autopilot and achieve good results. Take a look:
As rightly described by Chris himself, this is absolutely wild. Google Ads is auto-suggesting competitor URLs as the landing page for the ad. Something has gone very badly wrong here. While this is an extreme example, it highlights the dangers of relying too heavily on AI and automation and raises questions about what we can no longer see happening behind the scenes in advertising systems.
Google Ads experts have complained for years about the “dumbing down” of the platform. AI is just another step in that direction. Of course, new features, campaign types and cool tech leads to new opportunities and improved results. PPC professionals must continually adapt to an ever-changing landscape. However, examples like these highlight where Google’s over simplification of the platform could have very dire consequences for advertisers who have been lured by the idea of easy, hands-off automation.
If you’d like to learn more about how we utilise AI in our processes or our Google Ads services, please reach out.