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Google expands AI Search ads to international markets

The Editors ·

Google expands AI Search ads to international markets

Alphabet reports revenue growth alongside slowing search advertising growth.

Google is expanding the availability of advertisements within its AI-powered Search experiences to international markets. This move follows an announcement during Alphabet’s third-quarter earnings call, where the company reported revenue of $127.6 billion, representing a 25% increase year over year. While overall revenue rose, growth in the company's core search advertising business has shown a deceleration. Search advertising revenue grew 12% year over year in the third quarter, a decrease from the 17% growth recorded in the second quarter and the 19% growth seen in the first quarter.

The expansion includes the introduction of ads in AI mode to a global audience, alongside the implementation of multi-turn ads and AI mode in the United States. Philipp Schindler, Google’s chief business officer, stated that the company is scaling high-quality ads within AI overviews to more users and queries. According to the report, early data suggests that click-through rates for sponsored product listings in AI Mode are comparable to those for organic listings. User research also indicates that the advertisements are perceived as relevant by users.

This development follows the introduction of Gemini-powered ad formats in May, which include conversational discovery ads and sponsored recommendations integrated into AI-generated answers. These features are designed to respond to user questions and provide recommendations within the generative AI interface. Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai noted that search queries have grown at their fastest year-over-year rate in five years, though the specific rate was not disclosed.

The nature of user interaction with search engines is shifting due to these AI features. Queries in AI Mode are, on average, three times longer than traditional searches. Additionally, one in five AI Mode searches globally utilizes voice, images, or documents. The company also reported that it has surpassed 50 billion visual searches per month. Following the announcement of the quarterly results and the subsequent market reaction, Alphabet shares fell 8%.

Takeaway: Google is moving its AI-mode advertising footprint into international markets.

Source: TechCrunch AI