{"id":11760,"date":"2025-10-22T13:15:15","date_gmt":"2025-10-22T13:15:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/?p=11760"},"modified":"2025-10-22T13:15:16","modified_gmt":"2025-10-22T13:15:16","slug":"navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/","title":{"rendered":"Beyond blue links: Navigating ad placements in Google\u2019s AI Mode & AI Overviews"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Back in May 2023, Google teased new AI-powered search features<\/strong> that will eventually open up a new horizon of fresh ad inventory. Fast-forward to today, and it still feels like\u2026 not much has happened. But here\u2019s the thing: with rival answer engine Perplexity pausing its ad network plans and OpenAI still sitting on the sidelines, Google is already in a distant first place.

Google doesn\u2019t need to scramble: they\u2019ve got the advertisers and they\u2019ve got the infrastructure. When the time is right, they can more or less flip a switch and ads will be there. They’re already cashing billions with Search ads and disrupting that too early would be a risky move.

In this post, we\u2019ll break down where things actually stand before diving into a comprehensive FAQ<\/strong> based on what’s known and not known about this new category of advertising.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Google\u2019s current progress on launching ads in AI Overviews and AI Mode<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At time of writing, ads are fully launched worldwide above and below AI Overviews. They are rolling out in the US for ads within AI Overview and below AI Mode, while ads are only being tested within AI Mode. Google has hinted that more ads could start appearing in more AI contexts in English-speaking markets soon.

It’s not clear when a fully scaled ad launch will be completed. It has gone slow so far, but in principle it could go fast any time now.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
Source: Smarter Ecommerce (smec)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

FAQ on ads in AI Mode and AI Overviews<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Eligibility & Targeting<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\u2756 Do I need to use PMax and\/or AI Max to serve ads in AI Surfaces?<\/strong>

No. This is a common myth. You can also use standard Shopping (which is also keywordless) and standard Search when broad match is activated. App campaigns are also eligible to serve ads for AI Overviews. Google needs to fill these ad auctions to keep competition density high, so they want more campaign types serving here.<\/p> <\/div>

\u2756 Can I target ads only to serve within AI surfaces?<\/strong>

No. These placements cannot specifically be targeted, and AI ads are keywordless.<\/p> <\/div>

\u2756 Can I opt out of serving ads in AI surfaces?<\/strong>

No. There is no opt in or opt out. If you are running any of the eligible campaign types, you might show ads.<\/p> <\/div>

\u2756 Does Demand Gen show ads in AI Surfaces?<\/strong>

No. Demand Gen campaigns do not include the Search Network, so ads from this campaign type currently cannot appear here. YouTube is known to be testing AI Overviews as well, but there have been no confirmed updates regarding ad placements in this context. <\/p> <\/div>

\u2756 Will ads in AI surfaces be limited to text ads and shopping ads?<\/strong>

No. This is just Google’s entry point, and we expect increasingly asset-oriented ad experiences to be integrated in time. Google calls these “enhanced units.” While standard Shopping also serves on AI surfaces, this could result in Performance Max becoming the stronger option in the long run.<\/p> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

Reporting & Performance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\u2756 Are there any performance insights regarding Ads in AI surfaces?<\/strong>

No. Google is very risk-averse about making quantitative statements since shareholders are watching this closely. They will only say that consumers have found the ads “helpful”<\/a>.<\/p> <\/div>

\u2756 Will I get segmented reporting when my ads serve within AI surfaces?<\/strong>

No. However, Google has hinted that they will offer reporting at some point. It’s worth noting that Ads in AI Overviews are reported as “Top Ads,” so you might look for changes in volume or performance there.<\/p> <\/div>

\u2756 Will I see search term data for AI surfaces?<\/strong>

Yes. It is expected that queries and prompts which triggered ads for AI surfaces will be available in the search term report. However, they will currently not be labelled as such. Furthermore, it seems likely that longer, more complex queries (in AI Mode for example) will not have enough volume to clear privacy thresholds and will therefore remain hidden.<\/p> <\/div>

\u2756 How can I optimize for AI Surfaces in ecommerce?<\/strong>

This remains to be seen, but Google states that advertisers should focus on feed hygiene including detailed product data such as pricing and promotions, shipping, returns, and descriptions. They emphasize data freshness and continuous verification. Lastly, Google recommends supplying a wide variety of image and video assets. To unpack this a bit: if we suppose that users will write more detailed queries and\/or do more product filtering while chatting with AI, then your product feed needs to handle some of the browsing and filtering that your website UI might usually cover.<\/p> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

Relevance & Visibility<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\u2756 How does Google determine when ads show adjacent to or within AI surfaces?<\/strong>

Google uses standard systems to detect commercial intent. This includes search queries and chat prompts that are not overtly commercial.<\/p> <\/div>

\u2756 How is ad relevance determined for AI surfaces?<\/strong>

Existing placements expect (and reward) relevance between the query, the ad, and the landing page. In AI surfaces, Google also considers the AI content itself, in other words, the answer generated by the model. The practical implications of this are currently hard to assess but having rich product data and detailed landing pages is likely important.<\/p> <\/div>

\u2756 Why doesn’t Google show ads in AI surfaces for sensitive categories (e.g. finance, health)<\/strong>

The ads are still too experimental and “your money your life” topics are a potential liability.<\/p> <\/div>

\u2756 Are AI Overviews causing paid search CTRs to decline?<\/strong>

No concrete answer given. Instead, Google advises advertisers to optimize for conversions rather than CTR. This could be interpreted as a tacit admission that CTRs are declining. You can use smec’s free Market Observer<\/a> to monitor CTRs, CPCs and other trends in Europe.<\/p> <\/div>

\u2756 Are AI Overviews reducing ad impressions?<\/strong>

According to Google, no. In fact, AI Overviews are expected to increase<\/em> the number of ad opportunities. While this may pose a risk to organic traffic, the impact on paid placements appears minimal for now.<\/p> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\udc49 This space is evolving fast\u2014what\u2019s true today might change tomorrow. Want to stay ahead of the curve? Sign up for our newsletter<\/a> and get the latest updates delivered straight to your inbox.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Back in May 2023, Google teased new AI-powered search features that will eventually open up a new horizon of fresh ad inventory. Fast-forward to today, and it still feels like\u2026 not much has happened. But here\u2019s the thing: with rival answer engine Perplexity pausing its ad network plans and OpenAI …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":11792,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[712],"tags":[704],"class_list":["post-11760","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-google-ai","tag-microblog"],"yoast_head":"\nBeyond blue links: Navigating ad placements in Google\u2019s AI surfaces<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Ads are live in Google's AI Overviews. Learn how they work, which campaigns are eligible (not just PMax), and how to prepare for this new ad inventory.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Beyond blue links: Navigating ad placements in Google\u2019s AI Mode & AI Overviews\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Ads are live in Google's AI Overviews. Learn how they work, which campaigns are eligible (not just PMax), and how to prepare for this new ad inventory.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"smec Blog | Follow current Ecommerce News, Trends & Insights\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/SmarterEcommerce\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-10-22T13:15:15+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-10-22T13:15:16+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Beyond_Blue_Links-ai-mode-ai-overviews-cover-art.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1500\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"844\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Mike Ryan\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@mikeryanretail\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@smec\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Mike Ryan\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Mike Ryan\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/effa2765c648a602e080267660e48aac\"},\"headline\":\"Beyond blue links: Navigating ad placements in Google\u2019s AI Mode & AI Overviews\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-10-22T13:15:15+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-10-22T13:15:16+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1030,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/10\\\/Beyond_Blue_Links-ai-mode-ai-overviews-cover-art.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"microblog\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Google AI\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":[\"WebPage\",\"FAQPage\"],\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/\",\"name\":\"Beyond blue links: Navigating ad placements in Google\u2019s AI surfaces\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/10\\\/Beyond_Blue_Links-ai-mode-ai-overviews-cover-art.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-10-22T13:15:15+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-10-22T13:15:16+00:00\",\"description\":\"Ads are live in Google's AI Overviews. Learn how they work, which campaigns are eligible (not just PMax), and how to prepare for this new ad inventory.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"mainEntity\":[{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/#faq-question-1761134370642\"},{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/#faq-question-1761134387590\"},{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/#faq-question-1761134401189\"},{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/#faq-question-1761134507104\"},{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/#faq-question-1761137930083\"},{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/#faq-question-1761137697744\"},{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/#faq-question-1761137699815\"},{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/#faq-question-1761137700535\"},{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/#faq-question-1761137705668\"},{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/#faq-question-1761137554036\"},{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/#faq-question-1761135864607\"},{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/#faq-question-1761137608199\"},{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/#faq-question-1761135877045\"},{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/#faq-question-1761135886185\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/10\\\/Beyond_Blue_Links-ai-mode-ai-overviews-cover-art.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/10\\\/Beyond_Blue_Links-ai-mode-ai-overviews-cover-art.jpg\",\"width\":1500,\"height\":844,\"caption\":\"Cover Art for \\\"Ads in AI Overviews and AI Mode\\\" article\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Beyond blue links: Navigating ad placements in Google\u2019s AI Mode & AI Overviews\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/\",\"name\":\"smec Blog | Follow current Ecommerce News, Trends & Insights\",\"description\":\"smec - Smarter Ecommerce\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"smec - Smarter Ecommerce\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/04\\\/smec-company-logo.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/04\\\/smec-company-logo.png\",\"width\":500,\"height\":389,\"caption\":\"smec - Smarter Ecommerce\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/SmarterEcommerce\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/smec\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/smarterecommerce\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/company\\\/smarter-ecommerce-gmbh\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/channel\\\/UCgEKAonH-2IoV2fIDyCJFMA\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/effa2765c648a602e080267660e48aac\",\"name\":\"Mike Ryan\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/e5d5391a80dde6fdf4d7e53474ed3675cf41843e624340f45a8cfd28ee7f77ab?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/e5d5391a80dde6fdf4d7e53474ed3675cf41843e624340f45a8cfd28ee7f77ab?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/e5d5391a80dde6fdf4d7e53474ed3675cf41843e624340f45a8cfd28ee7f77ab?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Mike Ryan\"},\"description\":\"Based in Austria and originally from Boston, Mike Ryan is the Head of Ecommerce Insights at Smarter Ecommerce (smec) with over ten years of experience in retail and PPC landscape. With a robust background spanning retail operations, product management, and digital ads, Mike leverages his multidisciplinary expertise to drive data-informed strategies that help online retailers optimize their performance in an increasingly competitive market. [linebreak] As a seasoned content creator and thought leader, Mike is the force behind the popular \\\"Growing Ecommerce\\\" podcast, where he discusses industry trends, performance marketing tactics, and the evolving dynamics of digital advertising. His deep analytical approach\u2014whether it\u2019s dissecting Performance Max campaigns or refining profit-based bidding strategies\u2014has earned him recognition among peers and in leading industry publications. Mike\u2019s commitment to innovation and his ability to translate complex data into actionable insights make him a trusted advisor for clients and an inspiring speaker at major conferences (SMX, OMR, DMEXCO, IRX). [linebreak] These diverse experiences and his passion for continuous learning position Mike as a key influencer in the ecommerce space, dedicated to helping businesses navigate and thrive in the digital era.\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/in\\\/mikeryanretail\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/mikeryanretail\"],\"award\":[\"Most Influential PPC Experts by PPCsurvey.com (#8 for 2026)\"],\"jobTitle\":\"Head of Ecommerce Insights\",\"worksFor\":\"Smarter Ecommerce (smec)\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/author\\\/ryan\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/#faq-question-1761134370642\",\"position\":1,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/#faq-question-1761134370642\",\"name\":\"\u2756 Do I need to use PMax and\\\/or AI Max to serve ads in AI Surfaces?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"No. This is a common myth. You can also use standard Shopping (which is also keywordless) and standard Search when broad match is activated. App campaigns are also eligible to serve ads for AI Overviews. Google needs to fill these ad auctions to keep competition density high, so they want more campaign types serving here.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/#faq-question-1761134387590\",\"position\":2,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/#faq-question-1761134387590\",\"name\":\"\u2756 Can I target ads only to serve within AI surfaces?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"No. These placements cannot specifically be targeted, and AI ads are keywordless.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/#faq-question-1761134401189\",\"position\":3,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/#faq-question-1761134401189\",\"name\":\"\u2756 Can I opt out of serving ads in AI surfaces?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"No. There is no opt in or opt out. If you are running any of the eligible campaign types, you might show ads.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/#faq-question-1761134507104\",\"position\":4,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/#faq-question-1761134507104\",\"name\":\"\u2756 Does Demand Gen show ads in AI Surfaces?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"No. Demand Gen campaigns do not include the Search Network, so ads from this campaign type currently cannot appear here. YouTube is known to be testing AI Overviews as well, but there have been no confirmed updates regarding ad placements in this context. \",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/#faq-question-1761137930083\",\"position\":5,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/#faq-question-1761137930083\",\"name\":\"\u2756 Will ads in AI surfaces be limited to text ads and shopping ads?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"No. This is just Google's entry point, and we expect increasingly asset-oriented ad experiences to be integrated in time. Google calls these \\\"enhanced units.\\\" While standard Shopping also serves on AI surfaces, this could result in Performance Max becoming the stronger option in the long run.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/#faq-question-1761137697744\",\"position\":6,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/#faq-question-1761137697744\",\"name\":\"\u2756 Are there any performance insights regarding Ads in AI surfaces?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"No. Google is very risk-averse about making quantitative statements since shareholders are watching this closely. They will only say that <a href=\\\"https:\\\/\\\/support.google.com\\\/google-ads\\\/answer\\\/16297775?hl=en#FAQ&zippy=%2Cwhat-are-the-performance-insights-from-ads-in-ai-overviews\\\">consumers have found the ads \\\"helpful\\\"<\\\/a>.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/#faq-question-1761137699815\",\"position\":7,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/#faq-question-1761137699815\",\"name\":\"\u2756 Will I get segmented reporting when my ads serve within AI surfaces?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"No. However, Google has hinted that they will offer reporting at some point. It's worth noting that Ads in AI Overviews are reported as \\\"Top Ads,\\\" so you might look for changes in volume or performance there.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/#faq-question-1761137700535\",\"position\":8,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/#faq-question-1761137700535\",\"name\":\"\u2756 Will I see search term data for AI surfaces?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Yes. It is expected that queries and prompts which triggered ads for AI surfaces will be available in the search term report. However, they will currently not be labelled as such. Furthermore, it seems likely that longer, more complex queries (in AI Mode for example) will not have enough volume to clear privacy thresholds and will therefore remain hidden.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/#faq-question-1761137705668\",\"position\":9,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/#faq-question-1761137705668\",\"name\":\"\u2756 How can I optimize for AI Surfaces in ecommerce?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"This remains to be seen, but Google states that advertisers should focus on feed hygiene including detailed product data such as pricing and promotions, shipping, returns, and descriptions. They emphasize data freshness and continuous verification. Lastly, Google recommends supplying a wide variety of image and video assets. To unpack this a bit: if we suppose that users will write more detailed queries and\\\/or do more product filtering while chatting with AI, then your product feed needs to handle some of the browsing and filtering that your website UI might usually cover.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/#faq-question-1761137554036\",\"position\":10,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/#faq-question-1761137554036\",\"name\":\"\u2756 How does Google determine when ads show adjacent to or within AI surfaces?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Google uses standard systems to detect commercial intent. This includes search queries and chat prompts that are not overtly commercial.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/#faq-question-1761135864607\",\"position\":11,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/#faq-question-1761135864607\",\"name\":\"\u2756 How is ad relevance determined for AI surfaces?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Existing placements expect (and reward) relevance between the query, the ad, and the landing page. In AI surfaces, Google also considers the AI content itself, in other words, the answer generated by the model. The practical implications of this are currently hard to assess but having rich product data and detailed landing pages is likely important.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/#faq-question-1761137608199\",\"position\":12,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/#faq-question-1761137608199\",\"name\":\"\u2756 Why doesn't Google show ads in AI surfaces for sensitive categories (e.g. finance, health)\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The ads are still too experimental and \\\"your money your life\\\" topics are a potential liability.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/#faq-question-1761135877045\",\"position\":13,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/#faq-question-1761135877045\",\"name\":\"\u2756 Are AI Overviews causing paid search CTRs to decline?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"No concrete answer given. Instead, Google advises advertisers to optimize for conversions rather than CTR. This could be interpreted as a tacit admission that CTRs are declining. You can use smec's free <a href=\\\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/en\\\/smec-market-observer\\\/\\\">Market Observer<\\\/a> to monitor CTRs, CPCs and other trends in Europe.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/#faq-question-1761135886185\",\"position\":14,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smarter-ecommerce.com\\\/blog\\\/en\\\/google-ai\\\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\\\/#faq-question-1761135886185\",\"name\":\"\u2756 Are AI Overviews reducing ad impressions?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"According to Google, no. In fact, AI Overviews are expected to <em>increase<\\\/em> the number of ad opportunities. While this may pose a risk to organic traffic, the impact on paid placements appears minimal for now.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Beyond blue links: Navigating ad placements in Google\u2019s AI surfaces","description":"Ads are live in Google's AI Overviews. Learn how they work, which campaigns are eligible (not just PMax), and how to prepare for this new ad inventory.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Beyond blue links: Navigating ad placements in Google\u2019s AI Mode & AI Overviews","og_description":"Ads are live in Google's AI Overviews. Learn how they work, which campaigns are eligible (not just PMax), and how to prepare for this new ad inventory.","og_url":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/","og_site_name":"smec Blog | Follow current Ecommerce News, Trends & Insights","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/SmarterEcommerce","article_published_time":"2025-10-22T13:15:15+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-10-22T13:15:16+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1500,"height":844,"url":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Beyond_Blue_Links-ai-mode-ai-overviews-cover-art.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Mike Ryan","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@mikeryanretail","twitter_site":"@smec","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Mike Ryan","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/"},"author":{"name":"Mike Ryan","@id":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/effa2765c648a602e080267660e48aac"},"headline":"Beyond blue links: Navigating ad placements in Google\u2019s AI Mode & AI Overviews","datePublished":"2025-10-22T13:15:15+00:00","dateModified":"2025-10-22T13:15:16+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/"},"wordCount":1030,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Beyond_Blue_Links-ai-mode-ai-overviews-cover-art.jpg","keywords":["microblog"],"articleSection":["Google AI"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":["WebPage","FAQPage"],"@id":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/","url":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/","name":"Beyond blue links: Navigating ad placements in Google\u2019s AI surfaces","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Beyond_Blue_Links-ai-mode-ai-overviews-cover-art.jpg","datePublished":"2025-10-22T13:15:15+00:00","dateModified":"2025-10-22T13:15:16+00:00","description":"Ads are live in Google's AI Overviews. Learn how they work, which campaigns are eligible (not just PMax), and how to prepare for this new ad inventory.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/#breadcrumb"},"mainEntity":[{"@id":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/#faq-question-1761134370642"},{"@id":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/#faq-question-1761134387590"},{"@id":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/#faq-question-1761134401189"},{"@id":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/#faq-question-1761134507104"},{"@id":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/#faq-question-1761137930083"},{"@id":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/#faq-question-1761137697744"},{"@id":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/#faq-question-1761137699815"},{"@id":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/#faq-question-1761137700535"},{"@id":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/#faq-question-1761137705668"},{"@id":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/#faq-question-1761137554036"},{"@id":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/#faq-question-1761135864607"},{"@id":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/#faq-question-1761137608199"},{"@id":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/#faq-question-1761135877045"},{"@id":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/#faq-question-1761135886185"}],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Beyond_Blue_Links-ai-mode-ai-overviews-cover-art.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Beyond_Blue_Links-ai-mode-ai-overviews-cover-art.jpg","width":1500,"height":844,"caption":"Cover Art for \"Ads in AI Overviews and AI Mode\" article"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Beyond blue links: Navigating ad placements in Google\u2019s AI Mode & AI Overviews"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/#website","url":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/","name":"smec Blog | Follow current Ecommerce News, Trends & Insights","description":"smec - Smarter Ecommerce","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/#organization","name":"smec - Smarter Ecommerce","url":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/smec-company-logo.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/smec-company-logo.png","width":500,"height":389,"caption":"smec - Smarter Ecommerce"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/SmarterEcommerce","https:\/\/x.com\/smec","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/smarterecommerce\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/smarter-ecommerce-gmbh","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCgEKAonH-2IoV2fIDyCJFMA"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/effa2765c648a602e080267660e48aac","name":"Mike Ryan","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e5d5391a80dde6fdf4d7e53474ed3675cf41843e624340f45a8cfd28ee7f77ab?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e5d5391a80dde6fdf4d7e53474ed3675cf41843e624340f45a8cfd28ee7f77ab?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e5d5391a80dde6fdf4d7e53474ed3675cf41843e624340f45a8cfd28ee7f77ab?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Mike Ryan"},"description":"Based in Austria and originally from Boston, Mike Ryan is the Head of Ecommerce Insights at Smarter Ecommerce (smec) with over ten years of experience in retail and PPC landscape. With a robust background spanning retail operations, product management, and digital ads, Mike leverages his multidisciplinary expertise to drive data-informed strategies that help online retailers optimize their performance in an increasingly competitive market. [linebreak] As a seasoned content creator and thought leader, Mike is the force behind the popular \"Growing Ecommerce\" podcast, where he discusses industry trends, performance marketing tactics, and the evolving dynamics of digital advertising. His deep analytical approach\u2014whether it\u2019s dissecting Performance Max campaigns or refining profit-based bidding strategies\u2014has earned him recognition among peers and in leading industry publications. Mike\u2019s commitment to innovation and his ability to translate complex data into actionable insights make him a trusted advisor for clients and an inspiring speaker at major conferences (SMX, OMR, DMEXCO, IRX). [linebreak] These diverse experiences and his passion for continuous learning position Mike as a key influencer in the ecommerce space, dedicated to helping businesses navigate and thrive in the digital era.","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/mikeryanretail\/","https:\/\/x.com\/mikeryanretail"],"award":["Most Influential PPC Experts by PPCsurvey.com (#8 for 2026)"],"jobTitle":"Head of Ecommerce Insights","worksFor":"Smarter Ecommerce (smec)","url":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/author\/ryan\/"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/#faq-question-1761134370642","position":1,"url":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/#faq-question-1761134370642","name":"\u2756 Do I need to use PMax and\/or AI Max to serve ads in AI Surfaces?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"No. This is a common myth. You can also use standard Shopping (which is also keywordless) and standard Search when broad match is activated. App campaigns are also eligible to serve ads for AI Overviews. Google needs to fill these ad auctions to keep competition density high, so they want more campaign types serving here.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/#faq-question-1761134387590","position":2,"url":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/#faq-question-1761134387590","name":"\u2756 Can I target ads only to serve within AI surfaces?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"No. These placements cannot specifically be targeted, and AI ads are keywordless.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/#faq-question-1761134401189","position":3,"url":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/#faq-question-1761134401189","name":"\u2756 Can I opt out of serving ads in AI surfaces?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"No. There is no opt in or opt out. If you are running any of the eligible campaign types, you might show ads.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/#faq-question-1761134507104","position":4,"url":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/#faq-question-1761134507104","name":"\u2756 Does Demand Gen show ads in AI Surfaces?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"No. Demand Gen campaigns do not include the Search Network, so ads from this campaign type currently cannot appear here. YouTube is known to be testing AI Overviews as well, but there have been no confirmed updates regarding ad placements in this context. ","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/#faq-question-1761137930083","position":5,"url":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/#faq-question-1761137930083","name":"\u2756 Will ads in AI surfaces be limited to text ads and shopping ads?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"No. This is just Google's entry point, and we expect increasingly asset-oriented ad experiences to be integrated in time. Google calls these \"enhanced units.\" While standard Shopping also serves on AI surfaces, this could result in Performance Max becoming the stronger option in the long run.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/#faq-question-1761137697744","position":6,"url":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/#faq-question-1761137697744","name":"\u2756 Are there any performance insights regarding Ads in AI surfaces?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"No. Google is very risk-averse about making quantitative statements since shareholders are watching this closely. They will only say that <a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/google-ads\/answer\/16297775?hl=en#FAQ&zippy=%2Cwhat-are-the-performance-insights-from-ads-in-ai-overviews\">consumers have found the ads \"helpful\"<\/a>.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/#faq-question-1761137699815","position":7,"url":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/#faq-question-1761137699815","name":"\u2756 Will I get segmented reporting when my ads serve within AI surfaces?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"No. However, Google has hinted that they will offer reporting at some point. It's worth noting that Ads in AI Overviews are reported as \"Top Ads,\" so you might look for changes in volume or performance there.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/#faq-question-1761137700535","position":8,"url":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/#faq-question-1761137700535","name":"\u2756 Will I see search term data for AI surfaces?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Yes. It is expected that queries and prompts which triggered ads for AI surfaces will be available in the search term report. However, they will currently not be labelled as such. Furthermore, it seems likely that longer, more complex queries (in AI Mode for example) will not have enough volume to clear privacy thresholds and will therefore remain hidden.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/#faq-question-1761137705668","position":9,"url":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/#faq-question-1761137705668","name":"\u2756 How can I optimize for AI Surfaces in ecommerce?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"This remains to be seen, but Google states that advertisers should focus on feed hygiene including detailed product data such as pricing and promotions, shipping, returns, and descriptions. They emphasize data freshness and continuous verification. Lastly, Google recommends supplying a wide variety of image and video assets. To unpack this a bit: if we suppose that users will write more detailed queries and\/or do more product filtering while chatting with AI, then your product feed needs to handle some of the browsing and filtering that your website UI might usually cover.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/#faq-question-1761137554036","position":10,"url":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/#faq-question-1761137554036","name":"\u2756 How does Google determine when ads show adjacent to or within AI surfaces?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Google uses standard systems to detect commercial intent. This includes search queries and chat prompts that are not overtly commercial.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/#faq-question-1761135864607","position":11,"url":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/#faq-question-1761135864607","name":"\u2756 How is ad relevance determined for AI surfaces?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Existing placements expect (and reward) relevance between the query, the ad, and the landing page. In AI surfaces, Google also considers the AI content itself, in other words, the answer generated by the model. The practical implications of this are currently hard to assess but having rich product data and detailed landing pages is likely important.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/#faq-question-1761137608199","position":12,"url":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/#faq-question-1761137608199","name":"\u2756 Why doesn't Google show ads in AI surfaces for sensitive categories (e.g. finance, health)","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"The ads are still too experimental and \"your money your life\" topics are a potential liability.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/#faq-question-1761135877045","position":13,"url":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/#faq-question-1761135877045","name":"\u2756 Are AI Overviews causing paid search CTRs to decline?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"No concrete answer given. Instead, Google advises advertisers to optimize for conversions rather than CTR. This could be interpreted as a tacit admission that CTRs are declining. You can use smec's free <a href=\"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/en\/smec-market-observer\/\">Market Observer<\/a> to monitor CTRs, CPCs and other trends in Europe.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/#faq-question-1761135886185","position":14,"url":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/google-ai\/navigating-ad-placements-in-googles-ai-mode-ai-overviews\/#faq-question-1761135886185","name":"\u2756 Are AI Overviews reducing ad impressions?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"According to Google, no. In fact, AI Overviews are expected to <em>increase<\/em> the number of ad opportunities. While this may pose a risk to organic traffic, the impact on paid placements appears minimal for now.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11760","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/22"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11760"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11760\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11794,"href":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11760\/revisions\/11794"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11792"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11760"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11760"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/smarter-ecommerce.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11760"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}