Each day, advertising groups face a vital determination: Ought to they depend on Google’s built-in AI instruments or put money into customized options for particular advert marketing campaign duties?
I’ve watched this debate play out numerous instances with shoppers.
Google continues including extra AI options for duties like advert copy era, headline creation, picture era, and product feed optimization.
In the meantime, specialised instruments and customized options are thriving, and no actual breakthrough for Google AI will be seen.
Current analysis helps this pressure.
Gherheș et al. (2025) discovered that whereas AI-generated content material can outperform human-created alternate options in sure contexts, the standard varies considerably relying on implementation and goal.
Their examine revealed that over 50% of customers most well-liked AI-generated informative content material over sensationalized approaches, suggesting that how AI is deployed issues greater than the know-how itself.
However which method really delivers higher outcomes? And at what price?
As Pavlik (2024) notes in his evaluation of AI in journalism, instruments like ChatGPT don’t merely exchange human creativity however reasonably current alternatives for “enhancing the standard and effectiveness” of artistic work when correctly built-in into present workflows.
A latest examine by Ameet Khabra in contrast the efficiency of human-written versus AI-generated advert copy in Google Adverts campaigns.
Over an eight-week interval with a $500 funds, human-crafted advertisements considerably outperformed AI-created content material from Copy AI, reaching 60% extra clicks, a 1.33% increased click-through price, and a decrease price per click on ($4.85 vs. $6.05).
Researchers attributed human copywriters’ superior efficiency to their capacity to know viewers feelings, make use of creativity and emotional enchantment, adapt to particular contexts, and leverage cultural nuances that AI nonetheless struggles to copy.
Whereas acknowledging AI’s evolving capabilities and potential worth as a supplementary software, the examine emphasizes the enduring significance of human creativity in crafting compelling promoting messages that drive engagement and conversions.
No matter these combined analysis findings, one factor is definite: AI is more and more embedded in artistic processes throughout advertising, and its integration is inevitable.
The query isn’t whether or not AI will play a task in promoting creation, however reasonably how entrepreneurs can finest leverage these instruments to boost their campaigns.
As AI capabilities evolve quickly, immediately’s limitations could also be tomorrow’s strengths. With this inevitability in thoughts, entrepreneurs want sensible steerage on navigating the present panorama of obtainable options.
This text compares Google Adverts built-in AI instruments towards third-party and customized options for artistic and optimization duties particularly.
AI-Generated Advert Copy
Google AI Routinely Created Belongings
Google’s AI textual content generator goals to streamline the advert creation course of by changing primary product descriptions into campaign-ready belongings.
The platform encourages advertisers to enter distinctive promoting propositions and key product options to generate contextually related advert copy.
Upon testing this software with a simulated online game enterprise specializing in refurbished PlayStation 5 consoles and video games, the efficiency fell notably wanting expectations.
The output high quality was inconsistent, however extra regarding had been the numerous compliance points noticed.
In a single notably problematic occasion, the system generated the phrase “Welcome to the Amazon® Web site” as steered advert textual content, presenting a transparent trademark infringement threat and potential authorized publicity for advertisers.
Such crucial errors spotlight a basic limitation in Google’s native AI answer: Whereas providing workflow comfort, it demonstrates insufficient safeguards for model compliance and authorized safety.
The system additionally produced contextually inappropriate messaging, resembling “PlayStation 5 Issues Solved,” which misaligned with sales-oriented marketing campaign aims by suggesting restore providers or technical help reasonably than product choices.
With out cautious human evaluate, these issues make the software dangerous to make use of, particularly for companies in aggressive markets the place mistaken id or inaccurate representations may result in severe authorized points and harm to your fame.
When producing longer headlines, there have been a lot fewer outcomes.
Solely three advert ideas appeared, one among which included free delivery data for orders over $50, which was a hallucination, as this data was by no means disclosed within the immediate or the touchdown web page.
Picture from creator, April 2025Creating descriptions was even worse, as there was just one advert suggestion and never even a superb one from a copywriting perspective.
Picture from creator, April 2025After attempting with totally different prompts, I used to be capable of get at the least 5 new descriptions out of Google AI.
Nonetheless, the outcomes had been fairly disappointing. The advert copy contained hallucinations just like the “free delivery over 100 USD,” in addition to the enterprise identify “Instance Video Video games,” as an alternative of utilizing the enterprise identify of the account or extracting it from the touchdown web page or URL.
General, underwhelming outcomes, contemplating Google is without doubt one of the greatest firms on earth and owns the most important internet marketing platform.
Picture from creator, April 2025Third-Social gathering Advert Copy Creation
Whereas Google’s AI textual content generator struggles with model accuracy and contextual relevance, a number of general-purpose AI fashions supply extra refined advert copy creation capabilities that stability automation with high quality management.
Main normal AI assistants like Claude, ChatGPT, and Gemini symbolize compelling alternate options for entrepreneurs searching for higher-quality advert copy era.
Not like Google’s extra constrained system, these platforms supply better flexibility in dealing with nuanced prompting and brand-specific necessities.
Picture by creator, April 2025In testing with our online game enterprise situation, we prompted every mannequin to create headlines for refurbished PlayStation 5 consoles.
The outcomes demonstrated important benefits over Google’s native providing:
- Claude 3.7 produced premium-positioned headlines like “Save On Licensed PS5 Consoles,” “High quality PS5 | Full Guarantee,” and “Premium PS5 | Quick Transport” that emphasize each worth and high quality assurance. Claude’s headlines maintained robust model positioning whereas highlighting availability (“PS5 Consoles In Inventory Now”) and worth benefits (“PS5 Consoles 30% Off Retail”) with out sacrificing perceived worth.
- ChatGPT (o3-mini) centered extra on emotional enchantment and deal framing with choices resembling “PS5 Offers You’ll Love,” “Get Extra, Spend Much less PS5,” and “Price range PS5, Premium Enjoyable.” ChatGPT’s method successfully balanced affordability messaging with aspirational components, doubtlessly interesting to each value-conscious and experience-focused shoppers.
- Gemini 2.0 took a extra direct value-oriented method with simple headlines like “Refurbished PS5 Offers,” “Low cost Used PS5,” and “Low cost PS5 Titles.” Whereas much less nuanced in positioning, Gemini’s headlines clearly talk the core providing and should carry out nicely for price-sensitive segments or direct response campaigns.
All three fashions demonstrated superior context consciousness in comparison with Google’s native software, with every showcasing totally different strategic approaches to headline creation.
They efficiently averted the hallucinations and model confusion points noticed in Google’s Advert software, whereas offering better headline selection tailor-made to totally different advertising aims.
The important thing benefit these normal AI assistants supply is their adaptability and extra refined understanding of selling language.
By offering detailed prompting with model tips, target market data, and particular messaging necessities, entrepreneurs can obtain considerably higher outcomes than with Google’s extra restricted built-in software.
For companies the place advert copy immediately impacts conversion charges, leveraging these extra refined AI choices can yield higher-quality artistic belongings that higher symbolize model positioning and communicate extra successfully to buyer wants.
Regardless of Gemini’s related headline concepts, it struggled to stick to the 30-character restrict for some prompts on Google Adverts headlines – a shocking limitation on condition that Gemini is Google’s personal AI mannequin and could be anticipated to know Google Adverts tips inherently – whereas Claude and ChatGPT constantly produced correctly sized headlines with out main extra enhancing or truncation.
Picture Technology
Google AI Picture Technology
Picture era is one other space the place AI can actually shine and cut back the workload.
Pictures are a core asset in ecommerce, not solely used for product pictures, but in addition for class pages, store banners, show advertisements, and extra.
For our digital online game enterprise, I attempted to create some pictures matching our PlayStation 5 asset group. The outcomes had been fascinating to say.
The primary created picture seems to be similar to an Xbox. Particularly, an Xbox One S or an Xbox Collection S, which is the newest mannequin.
Now, there aren’t any logos or logos seen, and the shape issue is just a little off.
AI-generated picture by creator, April 2025Much more fascinating, relying on the precise immediate, Google AI reveals an error message associated to branded gadgets and content material restrictions.
Picture from creator, April 2025One other picture created seems to be just a little extra like a PlayStation, however not as described and marketed as a PlayStation 5, however reasonably an older PlayStation 4 mannequin.
Once more, the content material restrictions are more than likely liable for the outcomes.
AI-generated picture by creator, April 2025Whereas the picture outcomes are considerably disappointing for these branded gadgets, it’s comprehensible that Google AI follows content material restrictions and model tips to keep away from any authorized points, because the PlayStation is a trademark of Sony, and the Xbox is a trademark of Microsoft.
It’s fascinating to see that Google AI tries to work round this limitation and nonetheless creates a picture, however in that particular case, the picture is kind of ineffective, as there may be little worth in showcasing a non-existent online game console.
A query right here could be why the content material restrictions and tips didn’t apply to textual content creation when the textual content asset “Welcome to the Amazon® Web site” was created.
To test the picture creation high quality, I attempted a special method for non-branded gadgets within the pet food class.
The picture is nice at first look since a number of merchandise are proven with a canine within the image, supporting the class, however some issues are off.
The textual content within the picture remains to be a large number for Google AI. Plus, the proportions are incorrect. The canine is method too small, contemplating the cans of pet food displayed, that are small gadgets.
AI-generated picture by creator, April 2025Higher than online game consoles, however nonetheless not adequate to rely solely on Google AI with none backup or different.
Third-Social gathering Picture Technology
ChatGPT
Utilizing the identical prompts to create pictures, ChatGPT delivers wonderful outcomes in comparison with the Google Adverts built-in picture creator.
Visually, it was capable of recreate a PlayStation online game console with a gaming controller.
ChatGPT even bought particulars proper, besides the model emblem, which is likely to be on account of some model safety measures.
AI-generated picture by creator, April 2025Additionally, the newest Xbox mannequin was created with in-depth particulars.
This time, even the Xbox emblem was created, possibly as a result of ChatGPT and Microsoft have made a trademark deal of some type? Or trademark restrictions have some loopholes.
AI-generated picture by creator, April 2025Finally, the creation of the pet food picture was additionally a hit.
The immediate included the model to be named “Doug’s Greatest Canine Meals,” which was completely written on the product, together with a properly positioned bowl stuffed with pellets in entrance of a golden retriever.
Compared, Google AI was capable of create an honest picture, however upon nearer look, points with displaying phrases had been obvious, which ChatGPT may deal with completely.
AI-generated picture by creator, April 2025Qwen
Qwen is a picture era software primarily based on Deepseek, which is a Chinese language-based AI developer.
AI-generated picture by creator, April 2025The picture from Qwen clearly had an “AI” look in comparison with the ChatGPT or Google AI picture.
Nevertheless, it bought the model identify “Doug’s Greatest Canine Meals” proper. With some enhancements, Qwen can produce first rate pictures, if you’re okay with having a digital picture look.
Google AI was capable of create a extra real-life wanting picture, with the draw back of not with the ability to show the model identify accurately.
Video Creation Instrument
Google Adverts Video Creation Instrument
Google’s built-in video creation software goals to make video promoting accessible to entrepreneurs with out manufacturing sources.
The software covers a number of advertising aims – from model consciousness and consideration to direct gross sales and app promotion – accommodating numerous enterprise classes, together with apps, merchandise, and providers.
It presents flexibility with vertical, sq., and horizontal codecs in lengths starting from fast six-second spots to 15-second and longer movies.
Nevertheless, the software’s output high quality reveals its limitations.
Most movies are primarily slideshows, stitching collectively static pictures, logos, and textual content overlays reasonably than fluid video content material.
Whereas this method democratizes video advert creation, the outcomes typically lack the polish and engagement energy of correctly produced video content material.
For a lot of entrepreneurs, this represents the elemental tradeoff of Google’s native instruments: accessibility and integration vs. artistic limitations that may influence efficiency.
Picture from creator, April 2025At finest, entrepreneurs get a nice-looking slideshow; talking of a severe promoting video could be an excessive amount of.
The higher templates are largely for app-related movies, the place at the least some type of animation is included with a finger performing some telephone contact gestures.
General, the native video creation software serves as a backup for entrepreneurs who want a video instantly and don’t have any instruments available.
In every other case, it’s finest to postpone video creation and begin with a extra first rate software.
Third-Social gathering Video Creation
Canva Video Creation
Screenshot from Canva, April 2025Canva makes a lot better movies than Google Adverts’ built-in instruments with virtually the identical effort.
Google largely creates primary slideshows, however Canva provides you hundreds {of professional} templates, animations, and inventory movies to make use of in your advertising.
The straightforward drag-and-drop design permits you to make participating movies with easy transitions and textual content results that preserve viewers engaged.
Not like Google’s static slideshows, Canva creates flowing video content material that appears professionally made.
If you happen to spend just some extra minutes utilizing Canva as an alternative of Google’s software, your movies will look far more skilled and certain carry out higher along with your viewers.
Qwen
Alibaba’s Qwen is a robust competitor to Google Adverts’ primary video instruments, giving entrepreneurs higher movies without having particular abilities.
Whereas Google simply makes easy slideshows, Qwen makes use of AI to show your pictures and textual content into dynamic movies with easy actions {and professional} transitions.
The software is nice at mechanically creating cohesive visible tales even from minimal enter, including movement to nonetheless pictures in ways in which look skilled.
What stands out is how Qwen creates animations that truly match your product kind and model type, avoiding the one-size-fits-all look of Google’s templates.
Although not as well-known as Canva within the West, Qwen’s AI method produces polished movies that look deliberately designed reasonably than template-made, making it an incredible selection for entrepreneurs who need higher movies than what Google presents.
Picture by creator, April 2025
Picture by creator, April 2025For the instance of a pet food model, Qwen delivered distinctive outcomes.
With the primary immediate, Qwen created a five-second clip of golden retrievers enjoying round and going to a human hand to eat pet food from the hand.
Not solely did the video look fairly near actual life in comparison with the Qwen picture era “AI look,” however Qwen additionally did this as a free software. No price concerned.
If you happen to evaluate this to the Google video creation, which is mainly a PowerPoint presentation, Qwen makes a extremely good efficiency.
Sora
One other nice video software is Sora from OpenAI.
Since Sora is included within the $20 Premium membership, you may generate movies at virtually no price, although with some limitations on video high quality and size.
Nonetheless, there are a couple of instruments on the market that may generate first rate AI video output for that price.
Product Picture Enhancements
Product Studio
The Product Studio for Service provider Heart Subsequent is a beta picture optimization software inside the Service provider Heart, additionally accessible by way of the Google App inside Shopify.
It permits for creating product pictures in numerous scenes, in addition to eradicating backgrounds and growing picture high quality.
Picture from creator, April 2025
Picture from creator, April 2025These are two tries to show a gaming controller in a scene.
Though the standard of the product picture has remained fairly good, the scenes are barely usable.
The picture processing immediate was “Showcase this controller in a lounge, in entrance of a TV with neon lighting.”
In apply, the specified scene was not even remotely depicted. The controller in entrance of notebooks or pens is misplaced; the second try resulted in three black backgrounds and a fiery background.
Free Options To Google’s Product Studio
Not like Google’s Product Studio, which struggles with correct scene era as proven within the gaming controller instance, a number of free instruments supply extra dependable picture optimization capabilities.
Canva’s free tier features a background elimination software that produces clear cutouts with outstanding accuracy.
Whereas scene creation is extra restricted within the free model, you may nonetheless place merchandise on numerous pre-designed backgrounds or use their in depth template library to create extra contextually applicable product shows than what you skilled with Google’s software.
To take away backgrounds, use take away.bg, which is a specialised software that focuses solely on background elimination with spectacular outcomes, even for complicated merchandise like your gaming controller.
The free model has dimension limitations however delivers professional-quality cutouts that may then be positioned into scenes utilizing different instruments.
For every thing extra complicated, GIMP is a free and succesful software. This open-source picture editor gives sturdy capabilities for each background elimination and scene composition.
Although it has a steeper studying curve, GIMP presents exact management over picture high quality enhancement and lifelike product placement.
Closing Ideas
Google’s native AI instruments, whereas conveniently built-in into their promoting platform, constantly underperform in comparison with third-party alternate options.
The proof is obvious and regarding. Google’s AI advert copy generator produced legally problematic content material with model infringement dangers and hallucinated product particulars.
Its picture era produced visually inaccurate representations. The video creation software delivered little greater than primary slideshows reasonably than participating video content material.
In the meantime, third-party options or Google’s personal Gemini mannequin used externally demonstrated superior capabilities throughout all artistic capabilities:
- Normal-purpose AI assistants like Claude and ChatGPT produced extra compelling, correct, and compliant advert copy.
- Specialised instruments like Canva, Take away.bg, and Photopea supplied vastly superior picture manipulation choices.
- Video creation platforms like Canva and Qwen delivered professional-quality animation and transitions inconceivable with Google’s primary instruments.
This efficiency hole reveals the elemental tradeoff entrepreneurs face: comfort of integration vs. artistic high quality and efficiency.
Google’s in-platform AI instruments present workflow effectivity however on the important price of artistic limitations, model security issues, and potential authorized publicity.
For entrepreneurs severe about marketing campaign efficiency, the trail ahead is obvious: Leverage exterior AI options for artistic improvement, then import these higher-quality belongings into Google’s promoting platform.
This hybrid method maintains the benefit of Google’s concentrating on and supply mechanisms whereas avoiding the substantial limitations of their artistic AI instruments.
As AI continues to evolve in advertising, profitable advertisers will likely be those that strategically choose the appropriate instruments for every particular perform reasonably than defaulting to in-platform choices for comfort alone.
The proof means that, for now, the advertising benefit lies decidedly with these keen to look past Google’s native AI for his or her artistic improvement wants.
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Featured Picture: KinoMasterskaya/Shutterstock
