Google kicked off its “Summer of AI Essentials” with two new features for marketers. One is a marketing resource hub called Accelerate with Google. The other is AI-powered “Brand Recommendations” within the Recommendations page of Google Ads.

Accelerate with Google

What it is. Accelerate with Google is a central destination rooted in Google’s AI Essentials resources for ad products like Search and Performance Max. 

Why. With AI playing an increasingly pivotal role in powering ad products, Google wants to equip marketers with best practices for driving customer connections, creating high-quality creative, and making data-driven decisions using AI.

What’s included:

• Customized skill assessments to identify knowledge gaps.
• A library of video tutorials and articles tailored to business goals.
• Upcoming digital live streams on AI marketing topics.
• Resources spanning areas like campaign automation, predictive insights, and dynamic ad creation.

It is available only in the U.S., Germany and India, but the company said additional global availability is coming soon.

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Why we care. This gives marketers one central point to keep up to date with new AI functionalities. Regardless of skepticism of how much of it should be implemented, there will be one place to go to see what the options are.

FYI. Google launched the “Summer of AI Essentials” program to demystify AI and educate marketers about how it can be used in advertising.

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Brand Recommendations

What it does. Brand Recommendations analyze an advertiser’s Google Ads history, campaign settings and industry trends to optimize brand campaign performance and effectiveness.

The recommendations fall into five main categories:

• Ads and assets (e.g. add bumper ads, include ideal video aspect ratios)
• Bidding and budgets (e.g. adjust CPM/CPV bids and budgets for flighted campaigns)
• Keywords and targeting (e.g. opt into audience expansion, remove contextual targeting)
• Measurement (e.g. link YouTube account for more reporting)
• Full-funnel opportunities (e.g. “funnel up” to a brand campaign)

The recommendations are customized for each advertiser and updated as Google’s systems discover more optimization opportunities.

The tailored Brand Recommendations span awareness and consideration campaigns with cost-per-thousand (CPM) and cost-per-view (CPV) bidding. They complement the existing performance recommendations for cost-per-action campaigns, giving advertisers a “full-funnel” of optimization choices.

Why we care. For brand marketers looking to stay ahead, these automated, insight-surfacing recommendations could provide an easy way to access Google’s latest best practices.