EP250 - AI - Helpful or Headache in PPC

0:00 Hello, and welcome to this week's episode of the PPC chat Roundup in today's episode. We have the awesome Julie bikini taking us on a topic of AI helpful or headache in PPC. Now, I feel that this was not quite pre-planned because over the weekend, search engine land released an article saying that Google is now planning a new search engine while working on new search features under the project. Maggie's that M AG. I so that Means like they are in the process of building an all new search engine powered by its new AI technology. And yeah, the way I actually heard about it was Julia herself, writing a reaction articles. It wasn't best pleased by this news. Because yeah.

0:46 And I even put a poll about it today. Talking about is Google really haven't their priorities, right? Is this where they really should be focusing their resources on if you want to, you know, get involved in that poll, please like let us know. Let's just follow this, go on LinkedIn. Look for the marketing, a new or an you addict bowl, and you will find that pole. But yeah, I just found it interesting that. Yeah, Google is coming out with this. There's going to be an AI powered search engine in a way, you know you just have to be ready for change. It's one of those things that we say many a time but like sometimes it's just a bit worrisome as to whether they actually creating things to be helpful or just create a headache for most advertisers advertisers And paid search.

1:30 And will they actually listened to advertisers and paid search when they're releasing this, when they're building it when they're creating it? So that what they do create is something that can be effective for us. Anyway, we chat about what we think about it. What we think about this update and yeah, well, we think about Ai and the future of it. In PPC, hope you enjoy. Hello and a warm, welcome to this episode of the PPC chat Roundup a podcast where I round up the Twitter discussion that happens on Tuesdays at 5 p.m. GMT. I'm your host, Andrew, and I'm recording from my studio Hair London, UK, and I use this platform to share, not just expert, but also my ideas and considered best practices about paid media and the direction, the digital industry is going in. So if you want to keep up to date with my tips and Rick's in the industry and get the latest on the podcast that has been called your go-to if you don't make it to the PPC chat live discussions and even if you do then like, follow share and retweet on that, right?

2:34 Twitter with my handle, the marketing, a new or join us on our LinkedIn group. PPC, chat Roundup. Or if you're an Instagram, check us out at PPC, chat Round Up to get quotes, and Snippets from our previous episodes. So, yeah, we have Julie taken us on a very light timely topic about, you know, talking, In about not just the latest on terms of the tips and tricks of what's going on. But about how the future of paid search how its evolving, we're really in the states of where best practices are going to be really very much evolving and changing over time. So I really hope we are keeping up with that before we get into the questions and answers, I'm going to get right into it today. But I really like to mention this PSA saying that this chat is intended for PPC, Professionals of all levels, if you Something you want to share, please. Do we are a friendly and supportive Community. Please don't be afraid to participate. Lurkers are of course always welcome to and lurkers and just the listeners of the podcast.

3:36 Welcome to this episode. Thank you for joining us today. So let's get on to question one at so Julie goes yeah let's get to it. I'm really curious went what everybody where everyone's thinking is on today's topic? She asks, how do you define a i when it comes to peace. See Travis starts off saying the distinction between Ai and machine learning is important, AI autonomous human. Mimicking decision making machine learning performing, specific tasks with accurate results. Based on inputs learning data and pattern recognition to data. Google ads has not fully rolled out a. I Gilda response. A machine learning is now ubiquitous throughout Google ads and analytics LL Em's, generating possible ad copy, Matching bidding and lately, even the whole cookie-less browser tracking models, at play Robert, Brady answers this. And I think this was the perfect answer and I just was like this will be my answer.

4:36 Really, for this question Herbert. Brady goes, I don't think we have true AI yet in PPC. I believe we have machine learning in lots of places, like bidding, keyword, matching asset, creation, Etc, and many confuse that with a i Amanda Folly goes 100% And I pretty much yeah. Yeah, as I said, agree with that. I was like there is probably some AI driving. The machine learning fact. It's a, I driving the machine learning that we are using, but we aren't using AI yet. In my opinion, Julie goes. Yeah, echoing, Robert Brady as well. A lot of things are being called a, I right now and they are rapidly getting integrated into platforms and tools. I don't think the level of the tech is actually all that sophisticated at this time either, despite all the hype stating otherwise Julia vices while say, It's not actually a, I, at this point more like strong machine learning.

5:27 I said, creation optimization search or interest matching. Basically, if your e-comm, it's a very powerful work back from bottom of funnel to top. Cool, but not what Asimov was thinking of whose Azimuth feel like he's one of like the big thinkers of marketing, right? And so Julie takes us on to question 2 saying, what aspect of a I do think are helpful for PPC, starting off. We have Travis as well saying so far I've leveraged chat DPT for the following key word. Discovery keyword grouping into themes at copy variations, directionally sqrl events ranking GMC, title description, and augmenting plus description, augmenting even custom audience, segments tearing landing page content, ideation missile, respond saying, I enjoyed our chat.

6:17 Gbt supports me to write ads and extensions when I'm trying to wear things differently. I get some Buzz words and sometimes flip a sentence around, which really helps. I definitely wouldn't say it can write it yet. Mmm, Gill gonna respond saying as digital marketers with shot ourselves in the foot, over the past couple of decades, by over emphasis in trackability, I'm pretty sure we'd be served. Well by taking a more heuristic approach to data and there's a possibility that a, I could help us make better decisions. Yeah, it could make help us make Beth better decisions but Will it Ashton Clark response, question once. And for starters, I think of a is different from machine learning. Ml is used by the platform algorithms to help serve ads better where us a I can be used as a complementary tool to make our jobs easier like drafting ad copy or automating a manual process.

7:10 I don't know, I wouldn't describe it as that passionately. Julie response question to say and I think the most helpful AI capabilities at the moment are in idea generation and iteration for keywords or ad copy, particularly it's interesting to play around. With four competitors, to to see how content differs do you have ice responds? And gives two answers is, it could be great for new search interest, Behavior, mapping. And of course, the forever, elusive dream. Cross-channel attribution a girl can dream, right? It's continuous while I'm daydreaming. Imagine mapping out a new feature based on reviews and correlating it with analytics Behavior. Lord, imagine that. That would be perfect Julie goes, I think about capabilities like you're describing.

7:53 Scribing and then I remember all the retailers, who collect loyalty card data and do exactly squat with it and come back down to reality, right? And you never I says. Yeah, right. But what if there was an affordable machine, a girl can dream. She goes it also it can help keep our eyes on the prize to I recall a load of work, put into an app with a feature, I cared about and believed in our audience, did not care humbling, but an important check on the marketing. Yeah. Sometimes we think it's the most important thing but then when we actually put it to Market, it may not be Lauren's Chase response question one saying, agree with what others have said.

8:35 We don't really have a i marketing yet. We just have machine learning which is very different. Robert, Brady goes to question 2. Saying, I really like how the generative language models can shift their voice with a simple prompt. That can give you more breadth of ideas and tones Lawrence, chase down response to question to say. And I think I think is where it can get exciting, finding new markets ideas and anything we have not thought of being able to look at data and find Trends or opportunities. We may miss ideas for everything from copy video, imagery excetera and you lavage response to a question to what, more in a response to gild Nowhere. She says gilgul, that makes a great point and reminds me fully automated testing.

9:19 Oh God, please enable this immediately and still, let me see the findings of Solutely. Yeah, if they can be automated testing. There's actually reliable love that doing doing a/b testing and all that kind of tests and see what works and trying to figure out at what point in time that you've got significant data, statistically significant data can be time. Consuming Miller response to question 3. Oh actually we go to question 3 even I'm not sure if I've given the question. First of all, Julie asked what aspect of a I do you think are a headache or difficult for PPC middle Response. And I think the biggest challenge is that people think it's groundbreaking and going to change everything. Make us job, less excetera were a long way off that people sharing findings within our community are great and really supports us all to learn and grow.

10:08 Julie goes on till it knows the difference reliably between chocolate milk and milk chocolate. I am not terribly worried. Yeah, that was the first first things that I mentioned that we mentioned about when close variance when exact match was no longer exact and close variants with Was brought in because basically chocolate milk and milk chocolate will be seen as the same thing. Anyway, we were all worried about that middle then response to what to do. Lee said says I mean we can go into Google's machine learning for broad match but I don't have the brain capacity to even mention that without getting rage Lord, let's leave that alone. Then, Travis response to question 3 seeing a common theme is, is this going to take my job? The short answer is not yet. So far those tools save time and mental bandwidth. If understood.

10:53 The headache is learning how to get them to work. Well for you, that's a unique skill, set plus learning curve for all, Gilman response to question 3. Saying it's not perfect, yet, in many cases generated content isn't something that's just plug and play, it needs to be shepherded. John Keegan joins us response to question one saying, as of right now of fun buzzword to get everyone excited about something. That's probably going to cause you more of a headache than anything else in the question to question, two, who responds saying that Used for suggestions for ad copy or keywords and certain bit strategies, Julia, response to question 3. Saying, the way it's applied, I'm not interested in a, take your word for it approached, show me the stuff.

11:35 Be on the team with me deploy this powerful tool in a cooler way. Be cool, I guess. Is the ask be called. Lawrence Chase response to question, 3 saying honestly whoever programs the AI is going to have an influence on what or how it does, what it does. Absolutely this is both good and bad companies have biases and This may sway what results are presented to Searchers versus what is best for the Searcher at. This is such a fair point because people who are very imperfect people that might have, you know, bias has two different, you know, skin colors, to different sexualities, two different genders, two different things you have got to be careful about how you show those biases and how you, you know, assume tone of voice is in.

12:23 Of a man or woman or non-binary person, you know, we've got to be really careful. Ashton cock response to question to say and I think that generative a tie tools will continue to be the most useful for PPC. Especially for time-consuming tasks like ad copy, keyword audience, research and competitor analysis. Other helpful use cases, maybe spreadsheet or data cleanups and automating internal processes. Julia herself response. Question 3, saying does hearing about it, Breathlessly reported Ad nauseam count more seriously hearing about it being deployed after the fact is a pain like Google is doing right now with all their it would totally doing it.

13:05 I to announcement every other year. It's almost like everybody else is doing a and they're like, oh yeah, don't worry. We're still doing it as well. And universe girls, you had the comes on this Dogpile are an absolute mess. Julie goes, I did write a very salty blog post, so if you go to Neptune Moon dotnet you'll find that post about Her opinion as to how they announce this Robert Brady their response to question 3 saying the biggest difficulty will be managing expectations. People believe AI is a magic wand it can do anything and do it better than people. The reality is much more mundane and that leads to disappointment and the rubber Brady also agrees with Lawrence's points as I did, where Lawrence had said honestly whoever programs the AI is going to have an influence on water or how it does what it does.

13:51 And Robert goes great Point here. If you can't see See, I would how its put together or at least see, more of How It's coming to the results. Then there is a lot of potential for manipulation whether intentional or not. So it might be just as I say unconscious bias. But yeah, those would need to be dealt with John Kagan response to question, 3 saying the misconception that one a I can replace humans unassisted and to that AI isn't just a giant headache. So yeah, giant headache is from from Taken, I think lock response to question. Three. Same one, biases in the data that the AI is trained with to plagiarism and copyright issues. Especially for a i generated creative three, combating misinformation and false claims for blander and less interesting content for second, I forgot what the word blander meant. So Bland as and more boring, Julie then goes on to question for saying, what do you think is most exciting and or potentially the most useful aspect of a AI for PPC. So, so what do you think, is most exciting and or potentially the most useful aspect of AI for PPC missile response saying, I'm a freelancer.

15:04 So I rarely have people to bounce ideas off. I use chat GPT to do that, and obviously, I'm loving the add ideas support from it to overall, a great little helper doesn't beat as PPC brain at times though. Travis response thing for me the prospect of automating the mundane or time-consuming task. It's quite exciting this holds up the potential for better deeper thinking more time in my day or shorter working days. All Stellar mental health boost. Absolutely. I agree. So even if it's literally less working time and spending my brain doing thinking of more fun intrapreneurial ideas, I love that girl gonna respond saying by far LMS.

15:45 We bought a premium seat of chat GPT for the agency and it's been really useful. And even though I was very disappointed in bards release. It turns out bad was intentionally, pretty limited. I have hopes that they will release a newer version soon. So they released something, but it wasn't that very much competitive. Hmm, interesting. Julia herself response to question, 14, the platform can get AI. Or machine learning to marry up interests, and queries and produce High converting ad copy. I'd be quite excited about that, but it would also do it for anyone who asks, for the danger of all ads being the same way. Be real. Yep. Jellyfish respondents said automated testing automated data Vis in reporting major potential for automated landing page creation, audience curation and you know, a partridge in a pear tree, love Julia.

16:39 She just comes out with some phrases that you like they're like, wait why? Ah, and go response to that same partridge in a pear. Tree must be one of those bizarrely Canadian terms like Weevil in my syrup. No, we use that phrase in the UK as well, but it's more during Christmas time. Yeah, exactly. Deliver ice goes yet an old Christmas Carol. I know if it's not shopping related, you Americans. Can't understand where it's got a good Rhythm. Also and Go-Go's we use the same tune but our lyrics changed to pickups in a liquor store locked pick up in a liquor store lot. Like let's just move on from that. I think that Cai iced in response to a question.

17:23 Same kind of mentioned this in a two as well, but I think that generative AI tools. Like, chat GPT will continue to get more powerful and produce more useful outputs. This will help speed up more, tedious tasks, so that we can focus more on strategy analysis, Etc, John Kagan response to question for saying one that can pull useful insights after watching my most frequent reports and then Julie takes us on to question five asking, what do you think is the most frustrating Troublesome or negative aspect? Of AI for PPC. So Travis respond saying there is an inherent risk of human operators, taking lazy and brackets shortcuts. The tools are no substitute for great strategy, quality copywriting or data analysis insights. That's actually a i I'd hate to see a door side content quality degrade over time from Tool abuse. That is such a fair point and shaba the ioc's agreed, I think we'll see.

18:23 Morris Q reaction across all media from art to PC copy. Where made or written by hand is a badge of honor. Absolutely. Those kind of things of like, you know, I did this as my human hand. This was not a, I supported with one of those badge of honor like comments. I agree with that Gilda response to question fights, and ultimately machine learning uses data that's been generated by real people, quality output requires quality input. So the whole world can't totally shift to a He still needs to be some human creativity. Agree. And Julia voice response to question five saying it's a tie, the comes the Chicken Little, the it will take over the P. Max the trust, the machine, the Panic. The immediate trust the boat battle, the antitrust, the mess Lord.

19:12 There's there's a lot to go through here. There again, let me repeat what she said. It's a tie, the cons, the Chicken Little, the, it will take over the Pima. The trust the machine, the Panic. The immediate trust the bot battle. The antitrust the mess. So yes, a lot to think about them and then see if you can think that the tie between all of those Julie respond saying I'm concerned about too much. Only geniusness, if everyone is using AI for keyword ad, copy and landing page ideas. Although it also creates space for an advantage. For those who don't just use the AI for all that training data bias is a real issue. Issue to Travis goes.

19:54 Great point about training days, biases. That's not addressed nearly often enough. There's a risk of diminishing marginal return on total utility funny enough because of human involvement, right? And Julie continue saying that. Yeah. And then there's this, it has the potential to really flatten research right now. You have to either use a tool of some kind or manually, compile your research. If AI is doing it all for you, everyone will have the same. Again room to be better than a. I do you live. I said this exact thing is going to push propriety tools forward. Get ready for the political chatter about polling quality to directly affect our industry and Ashton clock response to question. Five saying this isn't necessarily specific to PC by tend to agree with the recent letters and statements about slowing down AI production in general, this Tech is clearly very powerful but can also be extremely I'm Philippa development moves too quickly and we aren't careful and really takes us on to the last question of the day and does another one of those?

21:01 Yeah, let's look include the crystal ball. If we were to wish for anything. And let's, let's for example, you know, and dream and wish that actually our answers are queries, shall be listen to what is on your AI wish list for PPC. He asks and trap is goes, there's plenty of room for machine learning to address poor. In search query, data example, if my learning data is negative keyword, lists learn from that address pluralization infer and avoid similar queries advertisers provide powerful signals to Google to Casey stump response saying, so all of the campaign building on its own with just instructions from me, I still want to give its settings and guidelines but if I didn't have to spend time dealing with ADD managers anymore, I wouldn't be sad. Yeah do you do Humane like Google ad managers because I Agree.

21:53 Julie advice gear comes in with her wish list saying for now testing data Vis, and high-volume AD creation, if it can understand specific parameters, it's a tool ultimately probably more on my list as things developed but that's on the short term for me. We can decide if or how to deploy, then she continues. Oh you know what find and manage and Miss information, that would actually be great. Thank you. And yeah, literally mr. Goes. Yeah. Oh my God. Yes. To use to this. So yeah. Misinformation we need to start with that. Then, Julia's World answers question 16 where to start I would love a report Creator where I told it what I wanted and it put all the data together without me having to select every data point AI alerts. Based on what I tell the platform is important to me better recommendations, she continues, more advanced semantic, understanding of words, how about some Basics? Like not showing ads in untargeted Geographies understanding query words that conflict with Geo targeting settings and not showing the ADD no more disapprovals for single words, words, cuz trademarks yeah, some some of them are totally ridiculous and it takes a long time to. Yeah, get over that trademark and to be showing for your ad again, she continues suggesting possible negative keywords based on the ones already added to the campaign or account highlighting suggested placement, exclusions based on previously. Excluded placements ad copy

23:25 suggestions based on the ads from advertisers in auction, insights as you continues, I just can't stop. Now that I've started how about a setting to Auto compared against a timeframe and highlighting, what's changed and a why from the a I like cpcs are up for this time because Advertiser X is spending a buttload on that term now. So, yeah, more in-depth insight as to why your performance or different. Efficiency metrics has gone awry Angela versus well gives another wish saying. I don't hate the idea of machine learning or simple. AI media planning. Hey plan a pal emphasize local media in my next by or tell me what mood people are in on the various platforms. I use so unfortunately, because I was actually in between trying to multitask and when halfway through the chat, I have a weekly internal meeting work meeting. So I was trying to catch up with some of the Questions. And I did want to answer question 5 and I said, I think for me, it's the whole worry that it will take away their jobs.

24:29 So, literally in terms of what you think is the most frustrating thing Troublesome, one negative aspect of AI. So the whole it's going to take away all our jobs AI, still needs a lot of guidance and it only as good as the people creating it, having said that I don't want Google forcing us to use it before. It's ready, they'll be for the people creating it have actually done, you know, a good job a thorough job. Killer Bass response to that to my own so saying I have fantastic news, Amazon and Facebook have already done this Google, just told us about their plans. So yeah, so Amazon and Facebook just went ahead without actually telling us there, right? Oh, well, well, that brings us to the end of that.

25:09 Riverton chat about Ai and PPC. And yeah, what we think about it, is it helpful, is it a bit confusing? Should Google really be more worried about the announcements and how they do announcing Anyway, what do you think? And if you want to join us and you have opinions about this topic and you'd like to, you know, get on it and the more vocal way in a voice note, kind of way, why don't you join us on Thursday at 5:00 p.m. GMT. 12 p.m. eastern time, where we'll be having the Twitter spaces chat about this, very topic for any feedback about the podcast or maybe even some correction on anything that has been shared. Do get in touch with me on Twitter, my DMs are open on them handle at the mall. Getting a new or find me on LinkedIn. We also have the PPC chat Roundup podcast group so join us on there.

25:59 They'll also be great for long-standing members and also brand new listeners to give the podcast a rating or review. If you just go to link tree.com, /p P c-- chat on the score round up, you Liam then be taken to the different links. For that Spotify, I pull excetera where they where you can, you know, take you seconds to just leave a rating and it just gives an indication to people that support cast worth listening to It's a great motivator for me and means means that I'm motivated to keep doing this every week. Even the night before I'm about to travel. Yeah, we got a trip to her but I'm loving doing this. Yeah, you'll also be great if you check out our PPC, live UK is next event and that's going to be on the 25th of May, if you know anyone who wants to sponsor, please email, hello at PPC live UK.com to let us know the packages start from as low as 500 pounds to a thousand five and it really just helps us make this event. A lovely, you know, boisterous networking event and allows us to provide food allows us to record the talk. So they're they're available on YouTube and just allows us to learn more about what's going on in this industry in a very nice and comfortable environment and face-to-face. I don't know about some of you.

27:19 I'm an extrovert I love meat around with people so yeah. The law. It's always great. Having these kind of events, finally remember for your campaigns and businesses to Glide smoothly. There's a lot of hard work needed beneath the surface, so keep his hands kicking by and speak to you next week.