Digital briefing, October 30: Documents and slides in Gemini, AI Mode ad revenue, Business Profile messaging
Document editing in Gemini, Google's AI Mode ads, AI for business messaging, shifting search behavior, and Alexa's new shopping features in today's briefing.
- Web
Gemini now lets you create and edit documents, slides and spreadsheets right in chat #
Google announced that the Gemini app can now create and edit documents, PDFs, slides, spreadsheets and code files directly inside the chat window. Users can open a file in full-screen view and edit the text, select a section to ask a question about it, or ask Gemini to make corrections. PDF preview and editing work on both web and mobile, while other file types are currently web-only. The feature is rolling out to all users in every language where Gemini is available.
What it means for your business: Turning handwritten notes or rough drafts into editable files is now possible without switching to a separate program, which can save small businesses time. - Advertising
Google says AI Mode ads earn less than ads in classic search #
During Google's earnings call, Senior Vice President and Chief Business Officer Philipp Schindler said that ads within AI Mode are at a 'lower monetization' level compared to traditional search ads.
What it means for your business: If part of your search ads are showing within AI Mode, it's worth knowing this placement may not yet be as efficient as classic search — you may want to factor that into how you allocate your budget.Source: Search Engine Roundtable — Google: Ads In AI Mode Earning Less Than Traditional Search Ads
- Web
AI-powered messaging in Google Business Profile is rolling out to more businesses #
Google has begun rolling out AI-powered messaging in Business Profile to a wider range of users. The feature lets customers reach your business through Search and Maps using their phone's built-in messaging app; an AI agent answers routine questions instantly and for free, such as 'what's today's special menu,' and hands off anything it can't answer to you directly. All messages remain visible through Business Profile.
What it means for your business: The feature currently only works on RCS-enabled phones and carriers; for other customers, messages go straight to your regular phone number and standard text message rates may apply. Before turning it on, make sure your menu, business hours and service details are up to date so the AI can answer accurately.Source: Search Engine Roundtable — Google Business Profiles AI-Powered Messaging Expands
- Search
Google: users are asking longer, more exploratory questions in AI Mode #
In the October 28 episode of Ads Decoded, Ads Product Liaison Ginny Marvin and VP of Search Data Science Shivani Mohan shared that AI Mode queries average 3 times longer than classic search queries, and that one in six queries is multimodal (visual or voice). Mohan noted that, alongside AI summaries, users are also seeking out real experience accounts from forums, podcasts and videos. Google did not specify the underlying measurement period for these figures.
What it means for your business: Customers can now search by describing their problem without knowing the product name. Adding content to your product pages that answers comparison questions — price, compatibility, limitations — can improve your visibility in these earlier-stage searches. - E-commerce
Amazon adds over 100 new shopping features to Alexa ahead of the holiday season #
On October 29, Amazon announced it had added more than 100 new features to Alexa, including shopping list management, subscription changes, delivery instruction updates and resolving payment issues. Users can now give Alexa commands like 'switch delivery from monthly to every three months,' change their delivery address, and ask questions about Prime or Audible subscriptions. The company said the number of people using its agentic features has grown 8-fold since the start of the year, and that more than 400 million consumers have used Alexa for shopping in the past 12 months.
What it means for your business: For businesses selling through Amazon, this means customers will increasingly manage orders and subscriptions through the voice assistant, making it more important that delivery and subscription details on your product pages are complete and accurate.