Google Bard is here and it sure has been making its mark this year. What is Google Bard? Google’s answer to ChatGPT has some similarities to the well-known chatbot, but is also different in many ways. Whether you’re looking to make use of Google Bard for marketing or personal purposes, here are some of the positives and negatives to note about the new AI chatbot from Google.
Pros of Google Bard
Conversational
Compared to traditional search methods that rely heavily on keywords, Google Bard is much more conversational. With Bard you can type or talk the way you usually would in a conversation, and it can interpret what you’re asking and provide answers. No more relying on typing unnatural, clunky phrases with keywords to get the answers you’re looking for.
Includes Photos
Another fun feature of Google Bard is the way it can incorporate photos into its functionality. Google is continuously rolling out new features for Bard, but for the time being photos can be used in a few different ways. Bard has started including photos as part of their answers to some questions or requests (when relevant). You can also input photos as part of your search, which Bard can interpret.Â
Follow-Up Questions
Once you conduct a search on Google, that’s pretty much the end of the road. If you have a follow-up you just have to start all over and try another search. Bard’s capabilities make it much more useful for follow-up questions. This is helpful for people using Google Bard for marketing. A customer journey is rarely just a one-and-done question. Bard’s capability to continue the conversation or journey will be relevant in digital marketing as Bard is made use of more and more.Â
Integrated with Google Search
And finally, despite its benefits compared to traditional search, Bard is still in the experimental phrase so it may not always answer your questions perfectly. If you don’t like Bard’s response to your query, it is integrated with traditional Google Search, so you can easily see results from the search engine instead.
Cons of Google Bard
Not Always Accurate
Now for some of the downsides and shortcomings of Google Bard. As of right now, there are some concerns about he accuracy of answers the chatbot provides. In some demos, it has given factually incorrect information. However, Bard is a constant work in progress and is improving its knowledge base every day. Like any AI, it improves its effectiveness by learning over time. Time will tell whether there are lasting accuracy issues.
Lacks in Citations
Another area Google Bard falls short is when it comes to citing its sources. In some cases, it provides information without any indication of where that information came from. Or, it will provide a faulty citation. Google will need to be careful to fix these issues and ensure Google Bard is properly citing sources of the information it’s sharing with users.
Plagiarism Concerns
Along similar lines, much of the AI on the market today brings to light concerns about plagiarism and intellectual property. If you ask Bard to write you a blog post or Instagram caption, has it truly created new ideas for you or copied them from someone else? As Google continues to update and refine Bard, it will be important that measures are taken to prevent plagiarism and issues surrounding intellectual property.
With all the announced updates and changes coming to Google Bard, it is hard to make a final judgment on it just yet. For now, there are quite a few upsides to using Google’s new AI chatbot, but it has some shortcomings as well.Â
Google Bard for business can be a great way to help your small business. It is often difficult to reach new audiences and improve your marketing. Assistance from a digital marketing agency with tools like Google Bard is a great way to start. BYK Digital Marketing is a marketing Swiss army knife, and provides small businesses with the marketing services they need to compete in the business world. We offer services such as PPC management, content creation, social media management, SEO, community management, and email marketing to ensure your small business succeeds! If you need help making use of Google Bard or other digital marketing for your small business, please reach out to us.
