Sell more SMB ad services with Google’s latest generative AI update

Izzy Fletcher • 20 February 2025

Imagine your sales rep wants to sell ads to a local restaurant owner. The owner argues: "We can't afford professional photos of people enjoying our food." Your rep smiles, opens their laptop, types a few words... Seconds later, they're showing the restaurant owner stunning images of diverse customers enjoying meals at tables just like theirs. Problem solved! This isn't fantasy - it's what Google's latest ad update makes possible. And for agencies with large sales teams trying to sell digital solutions to SMBs, it might be your best tool for selling ads of 2025. 

Say goodbye to stock photos and hello to AI-generated people

Google is using their Imagen 3 model to let advertisers generate images of actual people. This isn't a basic stock photo generator, business can now use realistic lifestyle imagery created through simple text prompts.


What do you need to know?


  • Available across Performance Max, Demand Gen, Display and Apps campaigns
  • Supports six languages
  • Includes adult faces and people (no children or celebrities)
  • All images tagged with SynthID for transparency


Your sales team no longer needs to explain to SMBs why they need expensive photoshoots or stock subscriptions. So when your clients in the restaurant industry need images of "people enjoying dinner" or a fitness studio wants a "diverse group taking yoga class"? Done.


Why this solves your biggest sales challenges

If your agency struggles with these common issues, pay attention:


1. Sales pros who freeze when asked about design

Your reps don't need to understand colour theory, composition, or creative best practices. The AI handles the creative heavy lifting, letting your team focus on strategy and results.

In a sales call a rep can now say: "Let me show you how we can create custom imagery for your business in real-time" - and actually deliver on that promise.


2. Struggling to train new sales agents

New hires can now deliver professional-looking ad creative from day one. Instead of months learning creative processes, your new reps can focus on understanding client needs and letting Google's AI translate those needs into compelling visuals.


The secret weapon

This might be the most underrated part of the update. Google now shows you which themes and elements resonate with specific audiences.


For example, a travel site might discover that images containing "Nature," "Sun," and "Ocean" perform best with their target demographics. Your sales team can use this data to:

  1. Show prospects exactly what their customers respond to
  2. Create targeted campaigns for different audience segments
  3. Back up creative recommendations with actual data


No more guessing what works - Google tells you exactly what imagery connects with each audience.


How to sell this to your SMB clients

Here's your sales playbook for leveraging these updates:

  1. Run an Insites audit to assess their current digital advertising readiness
  2. Demonstrate the time/cost savings compared to traditional creative production
  3. Create sample images on the spot during your sales presentation
  4. Show the asset-audience recommendations to prove you understand their customers


Then hit them with the urgency factor: "As content creation becomes easier for everyone, standing out requires expertise in knowing which images work for which audiences. That's where we come in."

Easier selling, better results

These updates fundamentally change how digital marketing solution providers can sell and deliver advertising services to small-medium businesses.


The competition for SMB is ramping up as content creation becomes cheaper and faster. Providers that embrace these AI tools will close more deals and deliver better results - while those clinging to old processes will be left explaining why their services take longer and cost more.


Want to equip your sales team with the tools they need to sell more digital advertising services? Book a demo today to see how Insites can help identify the perfect upselling opportunities for your clients.

by Coral Wood 7 May 2025
Small business owners often view keyword research as an optional extra or a luxury they can't afford. As a digital marketing provider, you know the truth is quite the opposite - poor keyword research can silently drain their resources while delivering underwhelming results. Let's explore how to effectively communicate these hidden costs to your SMB clients in language they'll understand. The invisible drain on marketing budgets When speaking with small business owners, it's crucial to frame keyword research as an investment rather than an expense. Without proper research, your clients are essentially throwing money into digital marketing efforts that may never reach their intended audience. For instance, a local plumber targeting generic terms like "plumbing services" instead of location-specific phrases such as "emergency plumber in Southampton" is competing unnecessarily with national brands and services far outside their coverage area. This means higher costs per click, lower conversion rates, and marketing spend that delivers minimal return. Time wasted on creating the wrong content Another hidden cost that resonates with busy small business owners is time wastage. Without strategic keyword research, businesses often produce content that simply doesn't align with what their potential customers are actually searching for. Explain to your clients how creating blog posts, service pages or social content without keyword insights is like opening a shop without researching what products the local community wants to buy. They might be investing hours creating content about boiler maintenance when their potential customers are frantically searching for "emergency pipe repair near me." Lost opportunities to competitors Perhaps the most compelling hidden cost is the competitive disadvantage. While your SMB clients hesitate on keyword research, their competitors may be capturing valuable search visibility.` Show your clients real examples of local competitors ranking well for lucrative keywords they could be targeting. This concrete demonstration of missed opportunities often resonates more effectively than theoretical discussions about SEO principles. Diminished trust and authority Small businesses rely heavily on reputation and trust. Without strategic keyword targeting, they miss opportunities to establish themselves as local authorities in their field. Explain how properly researched content that answers specific customer questions positions them as experts. Without this research foundation, they're missing chances to be the business that appears when a potential customer searches "how to choose the right accountant for my small business" or "best family dentist for nervous children." Making the case for proper keyword research When presenting solutions, focus on these practical benefits: More efficient marketing spend : Target customers who are actually looking for their specific services in their specific location. Better conversion rates : Attract visitors with actual purchase intent rather than casual browsers. Strategic content development : Stop guessing what content to create and start knowing exactly what your customers want to learn. Measurable results : Show how properly researched keywords provide clearer metrics for success. Start small and demonstrate value For SMBs unconvinced about keyword research, suggest starting with a focused pilot project. Choose one service area or product line and perform proper keyword research for just this segment. Track the results carefully and use this as evidence for expanding your research to other areas of the business. This approach allows sceptical clients to see real-world benefits without committing to a comprehensive strategy upfront. Once they witness the improved performance, the hidden costs of poor research become much more tangible. Translation before selling Communicating the hidden costs of poor keyword research isn't about technical jargon or intimidating statistics. It's about translating SEO principles into business language that resonates with small business owners' practical concerns: wasted money, wasted time, missed opportunities, and diminished market position. By framing keyword research as a crucial investment rather than an optional expense, you help your SMB clients understand why cutting corners here ultimately costs them more in the long run. Want to help your SMB clients avoid the hidden costs of poor keyword research? Discover the power of Insites Keyword Intelligence , part of the Insites for Sales solution. Book a discovery call today to learn more about our tools for digital marketing providers.
A woman is typing on a laptop computer.
by Izzy Fletcher 1 May 2025
Discover 7 proven strategies to improve your digital marketing company's AI visibility and get cited in ChatGPT, Claude, and other AI tools. Learn how to position your brand as an authoritative source for SMB digital solutions.
A group of people are sitting around a table talking to each other.
by Izzy Fletcher 23 April 2025
New research reveals that top Google performers aren't always winning in AI tools like ChatGPT. Discover how your digital marketing agency can leverage both SEO and AEO strategies to deliver greater value to SMB clients and stay ahead of competitors. Includes practical implementation tips and industry-specific insights.
A person is holding a button with the number 63 on it
by Izzy Fletcher 15 April 2025
Google now shows landing page screenshots in Demand Gen ads. Learn how digital marketing agencies can turn this update into new revenue opportunities with Insites auditing tools.
A cartoon illustration of a robot with a smile on its face.
by Izzy Fletcher 8 April 2025
Learn how digital marketing agencies can navigate EU AI Act compliance while turning new regulations into a competitive advantage. Discover practical strategies for AI governance that help win more SMB clients despite compliance changes.
A man and a woman are sitting at a desk with laptops.
by Izzy Fletcher 3 April 2025
Discover how large digital marketing agencies empower non-technical sales teams to confidently sell SEO, websites, and local listings without technical expertise. Learn proven strategies that help enterprise sales teams increase conversion rates while reducing onboarding time, and see how Insites helps bridge the knowledge gap for large agencies with 10+ sales representatives.
A cartoon of a woman looking through binoculars on a pink background.
by Izzy Fletcher 1 April 2025
Today's students are becoming AI fluent at unprecedented rates. Soon, they'll be the SMB owners your sales team is pitching to with different digital expectations. Learn how Google's education initiatives are accelerating this shift and what it means for enterprise marketing providers. Discover practical strategies to prepare your sales team for the rise of AI-literate clients who expect instant insights, sophisticated solutions, and AI-powered digital marketing approaches. Read our latest insights on navigating this transformation and positioning your services for the next generation of business owners.
A hand is holding a magnifying glass over a laptop screen that says top secret.
by Izzy Fletcher 31 March 2025
Discover how leading digital marketing agencies use self-service audit widgets to generate qualified SMB leads while providing immediate value. Learn how to implement this strategy with a proven flywheel approach and industry-specific tips.RetryClaude can make mistakes. Please double-check the responses.
A yellow arrow is pointing up on a pink and black background.
by Izzy Fletcher 27 March 2025
Discover how your sales team can demonstrate clear ROI to budget-conscious SMBs. Learn 3 key strategies that help digital marketing agencies convert more prospects even when budgets are tight.
by Izzy Fletcher 19 March 2025
Google's new review QR code feature creates perfect sales opportunities for digital marketing agencies. Learn about Google's expanded data sources, and how Insites' Local Grid can help your sales team close more deals with SMB clients seeking local SEO services.
Show More