Twenty-five years ago, marketing was on the cusp of a seismic shift, sparked by a new advertising product. From the early days of Google Ads, few could have predicted the fundamental change it would ignite in how people consume information and how businesses reach them.
People come to Google and YouTube to get answers to their questions, discover new things, and find inspiration. Ads help connect people to businesses of all sizes along these journeys, and enable publishers and creators to offer content for free.
And now, AI is transforming how people interact with the world around them and reshaping how they discover and engage with brands. This behavioral change, combined with next-gen AI-powered ad solutions from Google and YouTube, translates into new and better opportunities for businesses to reach their customers.
To celebrate this quarter-century milestone, leaders from small businesses, global brands, and agencies are sharing how Google Ads has impacted their business and the advertising industry as a whole. Here’s what they had to say.
Leveling the playing field for small businesses
Technological advances can be great equalizers for small businesses. We saw that with the arrival of the internet. Through an online presence and digital advertising, many small businesses gained access to consumers on a global scale that wouldn’t have been possible before without the big budgets or massive marketing teams typical of larger corporations.
Today, 79% of small businesses say these digital tools help them compete with much larger companies, and 82% of those businesses attribute their revenue growth directly to digital ads. And in the era of AI-powered marketing, Google AI is helping businesses of all sizes not only run better ads but also run better businesses.
For Avery Smith, CEO and co-owner of Louisiana Crawfish Company, digital advertising has helped expand the legacy of her family’s work. Investment in Google Ads provided a critical mechanism for expanding their customer base and fueling their growth.
“When Louisiana Crawfish Company started more than 40 years ago, we were primarily selling wholesale to seafood markets and restaurants. It wasn’t until we built our first website in 1998, and advertising with Google starting in 2002, that we were reaching more consumers. And, naturally, as technology and the internet changed over the years, we started seeing a shift in our business towards more direct sales to the front doorstep of everyday people across the country. Google Ads helps us find new customers and keep our loyal ones coming back.” Avery Smith, CEO, Co-owner Louisiana Crawfish Company