This is the first in a series of articles by regular PPC Hero contributor – and Hero Conf speaker, Lisa Raehsler – in which we put some of the most anticipated talks from October’s Hero Conf San Diego in the spotlight.
AI-powered advertising is the new reality for advertisers navigating platform automation and shifting consumer behavior. At HeroConf, we’re digging deeper into how marketers can use AI to their strategic advantage in paid media, and not as just another tool. This article explores five key trends shaping AI in advertising, brought to life by insights from Hero Conf speakers who are leading the charge.
1. Mind-Hacking PMax: Behavioral Science Meets AI Automation
Performance Max campaigns may be automated, but that doesn’t mean they’re mindless. Susan Yen will bring behavioral science to the forefront, to show how psychology, emotion, and audience insights can transform PMax outcomes. Her session will reveal how ads that connect with human decision-making drive better results, even inside Google’s automated campaign system.
“PMax isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it tool. It’s a behavioral machine that responds to the signals you feed it. When you understand how people actually make decisions—emotionally, irrationally, and in micro-moments—you can use behavioral science to guide the machine and get better results. It’s not about tricking the system. It’s about understanding the human behind the click. Trust me, once you see it through that lens, everything changes.”
– Speaker: Susan Yen, PPC Team Lead at SearchLab Digital
– Session: Mind hacking PPC: using behavioral science to supercharge PMax and drive quality conversions
Susan will challenge marketers to move beyond tactics and focus on how users think. By decoding cognitive biases, tapping emotional triggers, and using audience search themes, advertisers can create PMax campaigns that feel personal and perform at scale. AI powers the delivery, but humans guide the inputs.
From writing smarter CTAs to crafting creative that resonates, this session is a reminder that automation works best when it’s grounded in human strategy.
2. AI Search Changed How Your Copy Has to Work
Generative AI is reshaping how content gets discovered and how ads perform. Today’s search results are more dynamic, more contextual, and often powered by AI-generated summaries. If your ad copy or landing page content sounds too generic and similar to everything else, it risks disappearing from both organic and paid ads visibility.
For advertisers, matching a keyword is no longer enough: AI-powered search demands context and relevance that satisfies intent.
“The rise of generative AI has dramatically shifted the search landscape, demanding that websites provide holistic answers rather than just keywords. Without adapting, many clients risk their products and services becoming invisible in this exciting new era of intelligent search.”
– Speaker: Greg McCoy, VP of Paid Advertising at Social Kapture
– Session: Navigating the AI revolution: crafting website copy that stands out in the age of generative AI
Greg will challenge advertisers to rethink content from a performance perspective. Copywriting for Google Ads or landing pages must be human-focused, and strategically structured. That’s how you help AI identify your offer as relevant, ensuring youstay visible in a crowded search landscape.
3. Advanced AI Strategies Uncover Hidden Opportunities
AI is changing the way advertisers segment audiences and refine performance across platforms. John Williams will introduce the AI-driven B-SMART approach, a strategy that goes beyond basic automation to elevate how we think about targeting and optimization.
“I hope attendees walk away believing that AI isn’t reserved for tech giants. It’s a creative engine anyone can harness. The future belongs to those bold enough to build their magic. No zaps, no shortcuts, just deeply personal tools designed to grow with your business.”
– Speaker: John Williams, Division Director of Paid Media Services at Outerbox
– Session: Target like a pro: AI-powered advertising
John will invite marketers to go further than prompt engineering or auto-applied insights. His approach dives into advanced use cases like keyword discovery, audience segmentation, and ad optimization. The takeaway: refining your strategy to uncover hidden opportunities that manual workflows often miss.
4. How SEO and SEM Work Better Together in an AI World
Organic and paid channels are no longer separate journeys. Artificial intelligence is blurring the line between them combining ads, snippets, and answers into one user experience. That’s why siloed strategies are holding marketers back. Al Sefati will set out to show why unifying SEO and SEM is essential for visibility and conversions in today’s AI-powered landscape.
“My talks is about integrating SEO and SEM, and I want attendees to leave with a clear understanding of why unifying both is critical in today’s AI-powered, decentralized search environment.”
– Speaker: Al Sefati, CEO and Search marketing consultant at Clarity Digital
– Session: How SEO and SEM work together to drive success (and leverage AI)
Al Sefati emphasizes practical steps to create a more cohesive search strategy, aligning creative messaging, audience targeting, and data across both paid and organic teams.
Marketers who align SEO and SEM can better manage the full funnel and ensure that every search result reinforces brand goals. From shared data sets to strategic collaboration, this unified approach leads to stronger insights and better performance.
5. Next-Gen PPC Starts with Better Inputs: Visibility, Bidding, and Creative
Finally, here’s what I want to share. AI can absolutely improve PPC performance if you give it strategic instructions. In my session, I will break down how marketers can use both native platform automation and external generative AI tools to improve bidding, elevate creative, and analyze campaign data to be more actionable. We’re all trying to reduce wasted spend and improve conversion paths, so let’s get serious about what we feed the machine.
“The advertisers who are getting better results are the ones using AI to improve ROAS, visibility, and team efficiency. That means designing bidding strategies that use stronger signals and building campaigns that meet real customer intent. This builds a presence where decisions get made.”
– Speaker: Lisa Raehsler, Founder & PPC Strategy Consultant at Big Click Co
– Session: AI strategies for smarter PPC: bidding, ad creative and results analysis
My session emphasizes how to work with platform automation by feeding the algorithm the right signals through quality creative, refined bids, and performance-focused analysis. Advertisers can increase visibility and profitability.
Final Takeaway
AI is changing the rules of advertising, but strategy is still the foundation. The most effective advertisers are rethinking how they plan, test, and measure. HeroConf sessions dive deep into these shifts, giving marketers a competitive edge in an AI-powered world.
Want to lead the next era of advertising? Join the conversation at HeroConf.
Hero Conf San Diego will take place September 23-24 at the Manchester Grand Hyatt. Tickets are on sale now
