With the help of Google, artificial intelligence (AI) took over PrimeTime’s Digital Mainstage in Nashville. Titled “Google AI: Shaping the Future of Discovery and Discussions,” the session opened with a short introduction by Nationwide Marketing Group (NMG) CMO, Aaron Bundschuh, followed by a highly informative and practical look at AI from Google Principal Account Executive, Layla Tavanger.
Bundschuh kicked off by welcoming Google back to PrimeTime before setting the tone with talk about disruption in the digital space since Covid’s shake-up five years ago. Since then, the search and discovery phase of the consumer journey has largely shifted from in-store to online — forcing more retailers to adapt their marketing strategies and overall online presence in order to stay relevant.
Nationwide Marketing Group (NMG) CMO, Aaron Bundschuh
And, the evolution of search continues, with AI driving the latest digital innovations for everything from dynamic webpages and product descriptions to marketing automations. With AI adoption becoming increasingly critical, Bundschuh posed this pointed question before passing the mic to Tavanger: “How can you harness the power of AI to succeed and win?”
AI: The Next Big Shift
Tavanger seamlessly reinforced Bundschuh’s message by outlining major digital shifts in retail over the past 30 years, including the launch of websites in the 90s, mobile shopping in the early 2000s, and this decade’s massive AI boom.
Discussing AI’s influence on search behavior, Tavanger described how users are searching more naturally, searching more often and are more satisfied with the results. So, how can retailers get in front of shoppers researching via Google?
Google Principal Account Executive, Layla Tavanger
Two SEO Tips to Optimize AI Search Experiences
Search engine optimization (SEO) is a crucial component. Tavanger shared three focus areas to help independent retailers get started — or improve existing SEO strategies.
- Ensure Google can access your content by prioritizing content-rich pages that are well-structured and optimized for Google indexing and crawling.
- Understand the full value of your visits beyond clicks, with emphasis on the user-experience and stages of the shopper journey.
NEED HELP navigating SEO and website optimization? Connect with our digital experts.
Top Google Search Tools You Need to Know About
Going back to the Google search experience, Tavanger touched on three key features helping today’s consumers search more efficiently.
Google Lens
- Designed for image-based searches
- 20 percent of users indicate intent to purchase
Google Shopping
- 80% of GenZ uses Google Shopping during their purchase cycle
- Over 50 billion shopping listings in Google
- Anticipates needs based on a user’s past searches
AI Overviews
- Appear on most search engine results pages (SERPs) to summarize top responses
- Ads have begun to appear in AI Overviews — offering new opportunities for retailers
Google Ad Campaigns: Performance Max and AI Max
Transitioning to ad campaigns, Tavanger discussed AI’s impact on two of Google’s advertising options – also available on the OneShop digital platform for NMG members.
Google Performance Max
Performance Max gives independent retailers the full might of Google’s channels and AI, all rolled into one campaign. Google has continued to evolve Performance Max, and over the last year, dealers are seeing conversion values increase by 10 percent.
Google AI Max
AI Max works in tandem with Performance Max by further optimizing campaigns to create dynamic, personalized ads. Retailers can use AI Max to achieve precise search term matching through automatically created assets that resonate and final URL selections that guide shoppers to the most relevant page on your website — all based on search intent.
Tavanger closed the session with an action step: Get your next-gen AI assessment to be ready for tomorrow, today. Available for NMG members on OneShop, the assessment includes:
- AI Data Strength
- AI Content Strength
- AI Performance Strength
Ready to harness the power of AI for your business? Let NMG OneShop x Google AI do the technical work for you.
