Why You're Losing Customers By Watching Your Rivals

Google Ads Competitor Research in the AI Era: AI Max and LLMs Your competitor's spend estimate is a guess, and AI Max may be making your impression share look worse than it is. Brittany Sager explains why the smarter move is to follow your ideal customer and let competitor data shape your message. Recorded live at HeroConf San Diego 2026, Lisa Raehsler talks with Brittany Sager on AI Ads and Beyond about whether AI answers cite your brand, using LLMs to mine competitor reviews for ad copy, the limits of auction insights and Semrush spend data, and a readiness scorecard for ChatGPT ads, Reddit ads, LinkedIn, and video. 👉 👉 Subscribe for new episodes:    / @lisaraehsler   #googleads #ppc #PerformanceMax #paidmedia #aiads Stop chasing competitors and start prioritizing your customer behavior. Learn how to refine your paid advertising strategy today. In this episode of AI Ads and Beyond, Lisa Raehlser breaks down why fixating on competitor spending is a distraction. Instead of mirroring what others are doing, you will learn how to focus on the signals your ideal customers are sending. We cover how to leverage competitive intelligence to make smarter budget decisions rather than just reacting to auction insights that may not tell the whole story. This session moves past the metrics that platforms prioritize and shows you how to build a framework for better decision-making. You will see how to pull insights directly from user feedback to craft ad copy that resonates, and learn the trade-offs of using AI video and automated tools in your campaigns. Walk away with a clear process to stop chasing market noise and start following the data that actually drives growth. Subscribe to AI Ads and Beyond for more weekly breakdowns on how AI is changing the paid media landscape. Stop obsessing over competitor spending data that is likely just a guess. Focus on your ideal customer behavior instead. In this episode of AI Ads and Beyond, Lisa Raehsler and Brittany Sager from Seer Interactive discuss why auction insights are misleading in the age of AI. They break down why metrics like impression share can look alarming due to AI Max, and why you should be using LLMs to mine actual user feedback for better ad copy rather than mirroring market rivals. This session helps you build a more reliable decision-making framework. You will learn to navigate the trade-offs of using automated AI video tools and when to prioritize human strategy over platform-suggested optimizations. If you are ready to stop chasing market noise and start following data that drives actual growth, this conversation provides the clarity you need. Subscribe to AI Ads and Beyond for more weekly breakdowns on how AI is changing the paid media landscape. 00:00 Stop Chasing Competitors. Follow Your Customer. 00:49 Competitive Intel for PPC 01:45 Ad Copy from Reviews 03:54 Audience Research Tools 05:14 Auction Insights Limits 06:11 AI Max and Metrics 09:59 Semrush Data Reality 11:30 Competitive Scorecard 13:13 Channel Strategy Calls 17:04 Video Marketing Reality 18:54 AI Video Tradeoffs 20:57 Key Takeaways Framework 22:10 Recap and Connect 23:01 Closing Moments About the Guest Brittany Sager leads a team of strategists at Seer Interactive, a digital marketing agency specializing in paid media, SEO, GEO, creative strategy, and analytics. Seer builds smarter, full-funnel strategies for brands that drive growth and prove ROI with data. Her thought leadership focuses on the full customer journey and how brands can turn that understanding into real competitive advantage. LinkedIn:   / brittanysager   Seer Interactive: https://www.seerinteractive.com/ Connect with Lisa LinkedIn:   / lisaraehsler   Website: https://www.bigclickco.com/ Newsletter: https://thepaidmediamix.substack.com/ #googleads #ppc #aiads #paidmedia #digitalmarketing #marketingcompetitive