Cracking the Code: Using AI to Win at Google Ads

Jessica Wat
Sep 23
3 min read

Ever feel like you're shouting into the void with your Google Ads? You set a budget, write what you think are Pulitzer-winning ad copies, and then… crickets. You’re not alone. The digital marketing world is changing at light-speed, and the new pilot in the cockpit is Artificial Intelligence.

In our latest WoHK Community Call, we sat down with the brilliant Anne Suaverdez, founder of Wresonate Media, to demystify how we can harness AI for Google Ads without it blowing up our marketing budgets. The discussion was practical, the advice was gold, and the message was clear: AI is your incredibly powerful intern, not your replacement.

Key Takeaways from Our AI for Google Ads Deep Dive

1. The 80/20 Rule of AI: Be the Boss, Not the Bystander

The biggest theme of the call? Balance. While AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini are phenomenal for brainstorming keywords, generating ad copy ideas, and even creating images, they shouldn’t be left unsupervised.

Manual Control for Maximum Impact: Anne emphasised that for lead generation and smaller budgets, keeping manual control over your bidding strategies and ad assets is often smarter. Letting AI run wild on a Performance Max campaign might boost your "Optimisation Score," but it could also spend your budget in ways that don't align with your actual goals.
Your New Magic Number is 80%: Speaking of that Optimisation Score—turns out, you can stop stressing about hitting 100%. An 80%+ score is perfectly healthy. Chasing that last 20% often means handing over more control to Google’s AI than might be beneficial for your specific campaign.

2. The Art of the Prompt: It’s Not Magic, It’s a Framework

Asking AI, "Write me a Google Ad," is like asking a genie for "more money." You might get it, but probably not in the way you wanted. Don’t just use a template, use this helpful framework for crafting prompts. Provide your AI with:

The Problem: "My click-through rate for my yoga studio ads is low."
The Objective: "I need to attract more high-intent clients looking for beginner classes."
The Desired Output: "Generate 5 ad headlines that are calming, action-oriented, and include the keyword 'beginner yoga.'"

This structure gives the AI context and direction, leading to dramatically better and more usable results.

3. Surprising Insights & Myth Busting

Anne shared some gems that flipped conventional wisdom on its head:

Text Over Pixels: For search campaigns, your headlines and business name are far more influential in driving clicks than your images. So, obsess over your copy first! (Visuals are still king for discovery and display ads, though).
AI Images are Allowed (But Use Taste): Google Ads does not penalise AI-generated images (from tools like Canva or DALL-E). However, they often lack the brand nuance and cultural sensitivity a human eye can catch. Use them for inspiration and concepts, but maybe not for your final, customer-facing asset.
Patience is a Virtue: The algorithm needs time to learn! Let your campaigns run for at least 14 days before making major changes. After any tweak, give it another 7-14 days to settle. Good data beats knee-jerk reactions every time.

4. Your Action Plan: What to Do Next

Inspired? Here’s your homework, straight from the call:

Start Small: Test with a small daily budget (think HKD 50-100) to learn without fear.
Play with Prompts: Use the framework above and experiment with ChatGPT or Gemini. Ask it to analyze your service pages or brainstorm long-tail keywords.
Be a Curious Human: Use free resources like Unsplash and Pexels for imagery, and always, always review AI-generated content with your brand’s unique voice and goals in mind.

The Bottom Line

AI isn't here to steal your job nor is it something to be afraid of; it is here to handle the tedious stuff and unlock your capacity to focus on the things that matter. It’s a force multiplier for research, optimisation, and idea generation; but the strategy, the brand heart, and the final decision-making? That’s all you.

A huge thank you to Anne for sharing her expertise and making AI for Google Ads seem less daunting.

Have a burning Google Ads question we didn’t cover? The conversation continues!

Connect with Anne on Instagram, LinkedIn or through her website: https://www.wresonatemedia.com/