GOOGLE EXPANDS AI ADVERTISING TOOLS FOR NIGERIAN BUSINESSES

Google has introduced new artificial intelligence-powered advertising features aimed at helping Nigerian businesses better monitor their online campaigns and understand how customers interact with their adverts.

The company’s Director for East and West Africa, Olumide Balogun, announced the updates on Friday in Lagos as part of Google’s AI Max for Search platform.

One of the new features is an improved reporting tool that brings customer search queries, the adverts they viewed and the webpages they visited into a single dashboard. Google said this would make it easier for advertisers to assess campaign performance and decide how to allocate their advertising budgets.

Google is also expanding AI Brief, a Gemini-powered tool that allows advertisers to give instructions about their campaigns using everyday language. Businesses can specify what their adverts should communicate, prioritise certain searches and highlight particular offers.

Advertisers can also preview sample adverts and searches before campaigns are launched and make adjustments where necessary.

Google said the new reporting feature would roll out globally, including Nigeria, later this year, while AI Brief is being expanded through a closed beta programme.

The company also announced that adverts can now appear above and below AI Overviews in more than 200 countries, including Nigeria.

Google urged Nigerian businesses to prepare their campaigns ahead of Black Friday and the festive shopping season.