In some select accounts, we also have control over which fonts Google will use for our ads.
These usually show right alongside the color code controls.
In the image below, you can see the entire list of fonts Google offers. This is less customizable than other functions in brand guidelines, but I’ll almost guarantee you’ll be able to find something that’s at least close to what you’re currently using.
4. Ad copy tone and messaging signals
The most recent set of controls is designed to help Google draft ad copy that better fits with your tone, affect, and messaging.
These features are so new that I don’t actually have them available in my accounts just yet, so we’re going to rely on our friends at Search Engine Land to give us a view of what they could look like.
In the image below, you can see there are two main sections for these controls:
Term exclusions seem to be similar to negative keywords in Google, meaning you enter terms or phrases you don’t want Google to use in your ads here. The example shows “cheap” or “low cost,” which would signify not wanting your brand to be seen as inexpensive or a bargain. If there are certain terms you need to stay away from, either from an aesthetic, positioning, or even legal standpoint, this is where you would add them.
Messaging restrictions allow you to add up to 40 different directives to Google. These seem to be more conversational, as if you’re talking to a creative team who is making ads for you (which…you kind of are). Here, you can add in things like “Avoid implying our products are cheap, discounted, or a bargain,” which mirrors the term exclusion above. But you can also say things like “Use capitalization for our brand name: organizationName (not OrganizationName) to help drive those brand guidelines home. With 40 different directives (each with 300 characters available), this seems to be quite a bit of direction Google thinks it’s capable of accepting.
Where these work
- Performance Max: Since this feature is only compatible with campaigns that use text customization, Performance Max is one of the two places it can be used. These settings will live at the campaign level.
- Search ads using AI Max: This setting will live at the campaign level for AI Max campaigns that are opted into text customization.
Takeaways with brand guidelines
Overall, AI features within Google can really help you see strong performance from your campaigns, but if you’re leveraging Google’s features to help create your ads, it’s important to make sure you have control of how your brand is being conveyed.
Just a few things to keep in mind before you dive in:
- Brand guidelines are distributed: Unfortunately, not all brand guidelines live at the account level. Instead, they’re at the campaign level, so make sure you have all controls in place as needed throughout your account.
- Advisory, not absolute: Additionally, brand guidelines are not hard, fast rules. Google will take them into account, but things won’t be perfect.
- Only as strong as your input: Even if they’re not perfect, just like everything else in the era of machine learning, the better information you put in, the better outputs you’ll get.
Take full advantage of all brand guidelines, and you’ll see the best on-brand outcomes you could ask for from Google. These controls might not be absolute, but they’re incredibly better than what we’ve had in the past and a big step forward to quashing any hesitations brands have about leveraging automation. For more ways to optimize your search strategy, see how our solutions can help!
