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70% of my job is advertising and 30% is SEO. AI had me panicking for a bit because on paper it looks like it's eating my job. Plus, think about Google itself. If everyone is just asking AI, why would anyone even need Google search anymore?
Yesterday I had some free time after work with nothing to do, so I ended up going into deep thinking mode.
Google’s main ad revenue comes from Search, plus display ads through YouTube and their ad networks. Right now, there are basically two types of signals that help Google figure out which ads to show you. First is the keyword you actually type in. Second is the data from your past interactions, like your browsing history and emails, which is a lagging indicator anyway.
But right now, there is still a massive disconnect with targeting. Even with long-tail keywords, I don't fully know what the user actually wants as a marketer. For example, if someone searches "cheapest flights to Los Angeles," I know they want cheap flights, but what does "cheap" mean to them? What amenities are they willing to give up to save a buck? At what exact price point will they pull the trigger and buy? Google has no way of knowing that yet, and that is the missing link.
However, if a user is chatting about this with Gemini, they won't just ask detailed questions. The AI is going to ask clarifying questions back. That is going to make ad targeting insanely effective. It’s not just next-level, it’s a total game-changer.
As the AI usage growth, Google won't just dominate ads like it does now. It will literally be the only platform that can pull this off.
Honestly, Google doesn't even need to win the war for the absolute "best" AI. All they have to do is be the most-used free AI. Once they fully figure out how to serve ads inside the AI chat, like the AI Max updates they're rolling out now, they are going to absolutely crush Meta and every other ad platform.
After the recent AI hardware stock crash, which I luckily escaped early, I just don’t want anything to do with that kind of volatility anymore. I'm putting some in VOO for defense, majority in Google, and I'm just going to chill.