AI in Advertising: Good Idea or Brand Risk?

Posted on September 22, 2026September 26, 2026 by Stephen Brumwell

Article Snapshot

AI in advertising can be a useful advertising asset, but generating an image and designing an advertisement are two different jobs.
Start with the audience, message, call to action and visual hierarchy first. The prompt should support the ad concept, not decide it for you.
Brand risk increases when AI introduces clutter, distorted products, invented label details, incorrect logos or the obvious appearance that nobody reviewed the final image.
A stronger workflow is to use AI for concepts, backgrounds or supporting visuals, then bring in real brand assets, accurate product imagery and controlled typography during the design stage.
Before publishing, review the ad at the size people will actually see it, check the focal point and CTA, proofread every detail, and make sure the overall image does not create a misleading impression.

AI image generation has moved quickly from novelty to everyday advertising tool. Small businesses can now create glossy product scenes, dramatic campaign images and surreal concepts in seconds.

I have started noticing more of these appearing in social ads, and an array of negative comments to follow, possibly hurting the business.

This prompted me to make this post. Because the problem isn’t the AI use, it’s often the first generated image appears to have been treated as the finished advertisement.

Let’s dive in.

An AI Image Is Not a Polished Advertisement

An image can create a mood or stop someone scrolling, but an advertisement has a more demanding job, depending on your goal.

Don’t get me wrong, there is a time and place for AI images in advertising, but more careful planning still needs to be considered, along with proofreading and reviewing the final result.

An advertisement needs to communicate a specific message. A customer needs to understand the offer at a glance and feel pulled to click through.

This means that even though we can use AI to create an image, we still need to review it to make sure the main message, brand recognition and call to action are easily understood.

AI can help create the raw visual or idea, but it does not automatically know where text or words should be placed to best communicate with your audience.

Generating and designing are two different stages of the process.

Why One-Pass AI Ads Look Like Slop

Image generators are very good at filling space, and it’s good to create something that might make sense visually at a glance.

But when it comes to advertising design, there’s so much more that needs to be considered.

A one-pass AI image may contain several people, glowing effects, floating products, decorative text and a complicated background. The result looks busy because nothing has been given priority.

There’s also a chance for distorted product, elaborate brush strokes, invented label details, unreadable text, and incorrect logos. These errors usually suggest no one proof read this image long enough, it literally went from GPT to Meta, not good.

I have written more broadly about this problem in How to Use AI in Business Without Sounding Generic or Creating AI Slop. The same principle applies visually: prompt, review, refine and then bring human judgement back into the process.

Start With the Advertising Message

Before jumping into your favorite AI generating platform, think of your advertisement first.

I should disclose though, I am no advertising expert, but from my experience, you should at least be thinking of the below:

Who is the advertisement for (target audience)
What is the call to action? (CTA)
What is the key messaging, or thing they need to understand?
What should they look at first?
Where will the ad appear?

If you cannot answer those questions, AI is probably not going to answer them for you when it makes the image.

The intended layout/messaging should shape the generated image. If the headline sits on the left, ask for negative space there. If the product is the hero, do not surround it with five competing objects. For mobile ads, generate and review the image at a small scale.

Use AI to Create an Asset, Then Design the Ad

AI works better when it contributes one part of the advertisement rather than attempting the entire layout.

Use it to create a background, texture, location, supporting character or unusual concept. Generate several variations, choose the clearest composition and bring it into proper design software.

This is actually something I do often, particularly when I want a subtle, relevant background layer or texture. I also use AI quite often for rapid idea prompts, it’s very good for this.

Once I have what I need, or the idea/concept, I’ll add in the real logo, product images, typography, and then move things around further. This gives you full control over hierarchy, and prevents AI from doing it and making it look like a complete mess.

You also need to make sure the products in the ad are accurate. If an ad needs to show exact packaging, colour, ingredients or scale, genuine product photography will usually be a stronger foundation.

A Quick Check Before You Publish

Before approving an AI-assisted ad, reduce it to the size at which people will actually see it and ask maybe just a few of these questions:

Will people look at this and notice immediately it’s AI slop? (if so, do not post it.)
Is the main message clear within two seconds?
Is there one obvious focal point (main header, and easy visual hierarchy)
Is it just overall not too cluttered and easy to understand the offering?
Are the logo, product and important details accurate?
Is the call to action easy to find?
Have I checked faces, hands, reflections, labels and background objects?
Could any part of the image create a misleading impression?

The #1 and #8 have bookended this list, because they’re pretty important. #1 is just a big no no, get it off the internet. #8 keeps you safe legally im health, wellness and product advertising. Australian businesses remain responsible for avoiding false or misleading representations, regardless of how an image was produced (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, n.d.).

Use AI to Speed Up The Process

AI can make concept exploration faster, help small brands test directions and create visuals that would otherwise require complex production.

It’s an absolutely fantastic tool, if used correctly, because speed is not clarity.

Good AI-assisted advertising still involves art direction, selection, editing and design. It may take ten generations to find one useful asset, followed by a separate layout process.

Use AI to expand the possibilities. Then slow down long enough to decide what deserves to represent your business.

What am I trying to say here? Well, while it’s great experimenting with AI-generated visuals, please always consider using a designer or marketing expert to help you get it right.

I can help with creative direction, graphic design, campaign assets and branding systems. I also offer a low cost retainer or even provide a FREE quote if budget is tight.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can I use AI-generated images in advertising?

Yes, AI-generated imagery can be used as part of advertising, and platforms such as Google Ads now provide their own generative image tools. You still need to check the terms of the tool you use, advertising platform requirements and any relevant local regulations. More importantly, the finished ad is still your responsibility.

Are AI-generated images bad for your brand?

Not automatically. The risk comes when the image looks generic, inaccurate, cluttered or obviously unreviewed. AI can be useful for concepts and supporting visuals, but the final result still needs to look and feel like your brand rather than something produced from a generic prompt.

Should I use AI to create the whole advertisement?

Usually, I’d use AI to create an asset rather than the finished ad. Generate a background, scene, concept or supporting visual, then bring your real logo, typography, product photography, messaging and CTA into the design separately. That gives you much more control over hierarchy and brand consistency.

Do I need to disclose that an advertisement uses AI-generated images?

This increasingly depends on the platform, location and type of advertising. Google, for example, now provides AI-content labelling tools and notes that some jurisdictions require disclosures for certain AI-generated or edited advertising assets. So this is an area businesses should check rather than assuming one rule applies everywhere.

Can an AI-generated image create misleading advertising?

Absolutely. In Australia, advertising images and descriptions can create a misleading impression just as written claims can. If AI changes the apparent size, packaging, ingredients, results, features or capabilities of a product, that could become a problem. The ACCC specifically includes images and descriptions among the information businesses must ensure is accurate and truthful.

References

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. (n.d.). False or misleading claims.

Your Website Was Designed for Google, Is It Ready for AI Search?

Posted on August 27, 2026July 26, 2026 by Stephen Brumwell

Article Snapshot (AI Generated)

AI search is changing how people find information, compare services and decide who to trust online.
A website still matters, but it now needs to be easy for both humans and AI systems to understand.
The old SEO habit of writing vague keyword-heavy pages is becoming less useful.
Clear service pages, direct answers, strong internal links, real expertise, structured data and trust signals are becoming more important.
Google says there are no special hidden requirements for appearing in AI features, but its guidance still points back to useful, people-first content and technically accessible pages.
For health, wellness and product-based businesses, the opportunity is to make your website the clearest source of truth about who you help, what you do, where you work and why people should trust you.

Search is Changing

For years, most business websites were built with Google and a stream of keywords in mind.

That usually meant service pages, keywords, metadata, headings, blog posts and enough technical SEO to help Google crawl the site properly. For a long time, that was the only approach.

While this is still considered strong foundations, people are no longer only typing a short phrase into Google and clicking through a list of blue links.

They are asking longer questions. They are reading AI summaries. They are using tools like Google AI Overviews, Google AI Mode, ChatGPT, Perplexity and other answer-style search experiences to compare options faster.

It doesn’t mean you need to change your website completely, it means you need to make sure your website is a source of truth, and provides answers people have questions for.

If your website is vague, thin, generic or built only around old SEO habits, AI search has very little useful information to work with. If your website is clear, specific, structured and genuinely helpful, it has a much better chance of being understood, cited, summarised and trusted.

What Is AI Search?

AI search is a broad term for search experiences that generate a direct answer instead of only showing a traditional list of links.

Google describes AI features such as AI Overviews and AI Mode as experiences that use generative AI to help people understand topics, ask follow-up questions and explore information from across the web (Google Search Central, 2026a).

In plain English: AI search tries to answer the question before the user clicks.

That might look like a summary at the top of Google results, a quick explanation pulled from multiple sources (one could be yours), and even a prompt box to ask more clarifying questions.

We’re not longer trying to rank purely off search terms, but for AI systems now.

This means AI search needs to understand clearly who you are, what you offer, how you can help, and what makes you stand out.

Traditional SEO Alone Is Not Enough

Traditional SEO still provides strong foundations, such as titles, headings, page speed, crawlability, links. But the quality matters too to ensure AI search can provide the correct result.

Instead of keywords these days, consumers a searching in a more conversational way.

Someone might not search:

naturopath gut health Brisbane

They might search in a more natural, intent-based way:

I’m looking for a naturopath in Brisbane to help with gut health

Or they may just ask a question:

Can a Naturopath help me with bloating and reflux?

Or it may be a general search question:

Can bloating and reflux be linked to poor gut health?

These are very general examples, but examples of intent-rich queries, not keyword searches.

If your website can answer these real questions, it makes it easier for AI search to pull your website and bring it to the person searching.

Google’s guidance on helpful content is still a good foundation here. It says people-first content is content created primarily for people rather than to manipulate rankings, and it encourages website owners to focus on usefulness, reliability and the needs of the audience (Google Search Central, 2026b).

This means Google still values rich, useful data for the consumer. With AI search though, it’s harder to hide weak content behind keyword placement.

The Zero-Click Search

One uncomfortable truth: AI search can reduce clicks.

If a user gets enough of an answer in the search result, they may not visit your website at all. This is often called zero-click search.

Bain & Company reported that many consumers now rely on zero-click results for a significant share of searches, estimating that this behaviour can reduce organic web traffic by 15% to 25% (Bain & Company, 2025). Pew Research Center has also reported that many Americans have mixed feelings about AI summaries in search results, with usefulness varying by age and search behaviour (Pew Research Center, 2025).

Pretty grim, right? people are landing on google but… not really leaving it.

Of course, our website still supports some level of discovery, trust and conversion, but that gap is widening.

For small businesses, especially in health, wellness, nutrition, clinics, ecommerce and design-led product brands, this means your website needs to become clearer, not louder.

So not more keywords, more answers to questions in a natural, conversational way.

Your Website = Point of Truth (to AI)

AI search pulls understanding from the information available online.

If your website does not clearly explain your business, AI systems may rely on weaker signals: directory listings, old social bios, incomplete Google Business Profile data, product listings, reviews, third-party mentions or competitor content.

Your website should be the best source of truth about your business.

That includes:

your services
your process
your location
your audience
your credentials or experience
your product range
your clinic approach
your booking or enquiry pathway
your policies where relevant
your frequently asked questions
your examples, case studies or proof points

For a wellness business, that might mean clearly explaining your clinic services, who each practitioner helps and what a client can expect before booking.

For a supplement or ecommerce brand, it might mean clear product information, ingredient context, usage guidance, shipping information, FAQs and trust-building product photography.

For a service business, it might mean pages that explain each offer properly instead of grouping everything into one vague “services” page.

Answer the Questions People Actually Ask

AI search is built around questions and answers.

That means your website should include the questions your clients, customers or patients actually ask before they buy, book or enquire.

Useful questions might include:

What do you help with?
Who is this service for?
What happens in the first appointment?
How long does the process take?
What is included in the package?
Do you work with Brisbane clients only, or Australia-wide?
Do you offer telehealth consultations?
How can you help with my gut health or sleep issues?
Can you help me with my joint pain?
Do you provide health rebates?

This is only a small example, but these questions can become FAQ sections, blog posts, service page sections, product page content or internal links.

You can then answer these directly as well. If you look at most of my articles, there is always an FAQ section, because i’m also answering questions people ask.

And you know what? Drum roll you can use AI to search the internet and find common questions people ask across specific industries or niches (if prompted right – I can help with this if you like).

Prompts are like briefing a graphic designer; if not done well, the result is less desirable.

See How to Brief a Graphic Designer Without Overcomplicating It.

Structure Helps Humans and Machines

A well-structured page helps people skim, compare and decide. It also helps search engines understand the relationship between the page title, headings, sections, links and body content.

Useful structure includes:

one clear H1 per page
descriptive H2 headings
short paragraphs
bullet points where they help scanning
internal links to relevant pages
FAQs where useful
clear service, product or location details
consistent naming across your site

Kind of like all my articles are laid out!

Google’s AI optimisation guidance still points website owners back to fundamentals: make pages accessible to Google, use supported structured data where relevant, and focus on unique, valuable content for users (Google Search Central, 2026c).

In Plain English: AI search is not a magic switch either. You still need to continue to focus on unique, valuable content for your clients.

Trust Signals Matter

AI search does not remove the need for trust. It raises the standard of trust.

If a user is comparing businesses quickly through summaries and snippets, your website needs to provide clear signals that you are legitimate, experienced and relevant.

Some of these examples of trust signals include:

real business details
clear contact information
practitioner bios
qualifications or relevant experience
transparent service descriptions
product details and usage information
original images
case studies or examples (if relevant)
internal links to helpful resources
consistent brand voice

If AI search can trust you and use your website as a trust signal, it’s win win.

For health and wellness businesses, this is especially important. You do not want content that sounds like exaggerated health claims, generic AI copy or vague wellness language. You want content that is clear, careful and helpful.

A website can have technically useful content, but if it looks cheap, cluttered or inconsistent, trust drops before anyone reads deeply.

Do Not Publish AI Slop (And Call it Quality)

I won’t lie, I use AI for a lot of my content. Why? Because I’m a small biz and I run this outside of my day job.

The key is I use AI very selectively, and prompt it very well, which a lot of human edits and 7-8 revised cuts.

AI can help so much with content planning, outlines, editing and idea generation, but you need to put your own human input and common sense in too!

Publishing generic AI-written content without editing is not a strategy. It usually creates the same problem AI search is trying to solve: too much content, not enough useful information.

Google’s guidance on AI-generated content is clear that automation itself is not the issue. The issue is whether content is created primarily to manipulate rankings rather than help people (Google Search Central, 2023).

For more on this, see How to Use AI in Business Without Sounding Generic or Creating AI Slop.

Quick Tips for an AI Search-Ready Website

Don’t think you can rebuild everything overnight. I can’t even do this (but I can help you, and perhaps do it a little faster!).

Below are some tips and changes you can do to swing your website in the AI search direction.

1. Make Each Core Page Specific

Each important page should have a clear job. Avoid pages that try to do everything.

A service page should explain one service properly. A product page should explain one product properly. A location page should explain local relevance properly.

If you’re familiar what an alt or meta tag is, begin to change this to flow more naturally. Have it be more of a question or descriptive answer, rather than keywords (I hope most are not like this anymore).

2. Add Useful FAQ Sections

FAQs are useful because they mirror how people ask questions.

They also help you cover practical details that may not fit naturally into the main body copy.

See the bottom of all of my articles to get an idea of what this looks like.

3. Strengthen Internal Links

Internal links help people move through your website. They also help search systems understand which pages are connected.

If you mention packaging, link to your packaging page. If you mention product photography, link to that article. If you mention ecommerce, link to your ecommerce content.

Link all your pages together!

4. Add Real Proof

AI search can summarise claims, but trust still needs evidence.

Use examples, images, case studies, process details, before-and-after context, testimonials where appropriate and clear explanations of how you work.

Increase those trust signals.

5. Clean Up Generic Copy

Read your website and highlight any sentence that could apply to almost any business.

Then rewrite it with:

who it is for
what you actually do
what the client gets
what makes the work useful
what the next step is

6. Keep Technical SEO Healthy

Your site still needs to be crawlable, fast enough, mobile-friendly and technically sound.

AI search does not replace the basics, do not ignore foundational SEO, which is still relevant.

The Takeaway

Your website was probably designed for Google as it used to work.

That does not make it outdated, but it does mean the bar has moved.

AI search rewards clarity. It needs content that explains real services, answers real questions, shows real expertise and gives search systems enough structure to understand what your business is about.

The best move is not to chase every new acronym: SEO, AEO, GEO, LLMO or whatever arrives next.

The best move is to make your website genuinely clearer.

If your website needs sharper structure, clearer service pages, better product content or a stronger trust-building design, Stephen can help you build a website that works for people first and gives search systems something useful to understand.

FAQ

Is SEO dead because of AI search?

No. SEO is not dead, but it is changing. Technical SEO, useful content, internal links, structured data and trustworthy pages still matter. The difference is that search is becoming more answer-based and conversational.

What is AI search optimisation?

AI search optimisation means making your website easier for AI-powered search systems to understand, summarise and trust. In practice, this usually means clearer content, stronger structure, better internal links, useful FAQs, real expertise and technically accessible pages.

Do I need structured data for AI search?

Structured data is not a magic ranking tool, but it can help search engines understand business details, articles, products, FAQs, breadcrumbs and local information. It works best when the visible page content is already clear and useful.

Should I rewrite my whole website for AI search?

Not necessarily. Start with your most important pages: homepage, service pages, product pages, about page and high-value blog posts. Improve clarity, structure, internal links, FAQs and proof before rebuilding everything.

Can AI-written content rank in Google?

Google says the method of creation is less important than whether the content is helpful, reliable and people-first. AI-assisted content can be useful, but generic AI content written mainly for rankings is a weak long-term strategy.

What should health and wellness businesses focus on first?

Start with trust. Make your services clear, explain who you help, add practitioner or business credibility, avoid exaggerated claims, answer common client questions and make booking or enquiry pathways easy to follow.

References

Bain & Company. (2025). Goodbye clicks, hello AI: Zero-click search redefines marketing. https://www.bain.com/insights/goodbye-clicks-hello-ai-zero-click-search-redefines-marketing/

Google Search Central. (2023). Google Search’s guidance about AI-generated content. https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2023/02/google-search-and-ai-content

Google Search Central. (2026a). AI features and your website. https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/ai-features

Google Search Central. (2026b). Creating helpful, reliable, people-first content. https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/creating-helpful-content

Google Search Central. (2026c). Optimizing your website for generative AI features on Google Search. https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/ai-optimization-guide

Google Search Central. (2026d). Local business structured data. https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/structured-data/local-business

Pew Research Center. (2025). Americans have mixed feelings about AI summaries in search results. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/10/01/americans-have-mixed-feelings-about-ai-summaries-in-search-results/

How to Use AI in Business Without Sounding Generic or Creating AI Slop

Posted on August 18, 2026July 19, 2026 by Stephen Brumwell

Let’s get one thing straight: AI in business can be so incredible useful!

It can help you brainstorm ideas, organise messy notes, draft first-pass content, summarise research, plan campaigns, write email variations and speed up the boring parts of marketing.

It’s a bit of a game changer, but there’s one small catch.

When everyone is using the same AI tools, in the same lazy way, everything kind of… starts to sound and look the same. You can even see it from a mile away when people have sort of done a one-pass prompt and hit publish.

This is the real risk for AI in small business, and in this article, we’ll unpack some of these elements and how to properly use AI to accelerate parts of your biz.

AI Is a Tool, Not a Personality

Businesses (or, heck, people in general) that use AI well are not handing over their entire voice.

They are not using it to copy and paste employees, nor are they using it to remove entire parts of their job. They are using it as a tool to support, speed up or enhance their work.

Some examples where you might use it as a tool include:

turn rough ideas into a cleaner structure
find gaps in a piece of content, or map out some initial content structure
repurpose one strong idea into several formats, or generate more ideas from it
Create initial design concepts from an idea
Speed up admin-heavy data processing jobs or reporting

This a very short list of its potential as a tool, but it gives you some idea here.

It becomes a problem, though, when we stop using it as a tool and start using it to replace our work completely.

This is worse if your brand foundations are already vague or not clear. Because if we start using it to produce design content, AI can make it appear more vague or just more generic.

That is why brand strategy still matters. If you have not clarified who you serve, what you stand for and how you want to be perceived, start there before asking AI to write fifty social posts. For more on this, read Branding for Wellness Businesses: Why a Logo Is Not Enough.

What AI Slop Looks Like

AI slop falls into many categories, but for the context of using it for branding or design, it often looks super over-polished, generic, or just cluttered and gross.

AI Slop is usually generated when we don’t prompt AI well, or we do one pass and then post the content without reviewing, re-prompting, or trying again.

If you’re not good at spotting it, some classic giveaways include:

broad statements that could apply to any business
Similar font style, and brush stroke like content objects
overused phrases like “unlock your potential” or “elevate your brand”
Heaps of text or clutter mashed into one design, with no clear hierarchy

Spotting AI Slop does matter because the internet is already filling up with AI-assisted content. A recent Pangram analysis of social content found a high volume of AI-generated long-form posts across major platforms, especially LinkedIn (Pangram, 2026).

AI detection is not perfect, but the broader trend is showing us that readers are becoming sensitive to content that feels low-value or low-effort.

Google’s own guidance is also clear that content should be helpful, reliable and people-first, regardless of whether AI helped create it (Google Search Central, n.d.).

Use AI Earlier in the Process

One of the best ways to avoid generic AI content, or creating AI Slop, is to stop using it when we’re in the final polish stage.

Always use it in the earlier concept stage, when you’re really just formulating or generating ideas.

You may even choose to ask it to check something before you publish, but be mindful that final human checking is always just as important.

You may use AI to turn messy client FAQ lists into blog topics or create rough article outlines from your own notes.

These are some good use case examples of how you can use AI, but keep your ideas at the centre.

If you are briefing someone else to help with content, design or marketing, the same principle applies: the better the input, the better the output. This is very similar to writing a good creative brief. You can read more in How to Brief a Graphic Designer Without Overcomplicating It.

Keep a Human Edit in the Middle

Do not go straight from prompt to publish; this is where people get it wrong.

The output quality comes in the thorough edit and review process.

Before you publish AI-generated content, ask yourself a few questions:

Does this sound like us or reflect our brand well?
Are there any AI-looking errors? Is our logo actually our logo?
Could a competitor publish the same thing unchanged?
Is what I’ve produced too cluttered, long or generic?
Are any claims too strong or unsupported?
Is the language clearer than when we started?

I have seen so many AI-generated posts that, when you look closely, is filled with jumbled wording, or the logo is even incorrect. This happens when there is minimal checking or human edit passes.

I’ll be honest, I have used AI for content; heck, I’ve used it many times to map out ideas for these blog posts. Of course, it also comes with thorough checking, and the layout is almost completely changed or reworded before posting.

Build a Simple Brand Voice Guide

If you want AI to sound more like you, and less generic, give it guardrails or very specific brand guidelines.

Most AI models have rules and instructions, so fill it with as much detail as possible, including:

who the target audience is and what they care about
what your business does and does not say
Logos, assets, promotional schedules (if applicable) and other related copy.
preferred words and phrases, and ones to avoid!
examples of good previous writing and writing styles
the level of warmth, authority or technical detail you want

Don’t complicate it, but honestly, if you spend more time on it, you’ll get better output.

That kind of direction gives AI something to work with. It also gives the human editor a standard to judge against.

Where I Find AI Works Best

If you really want to use AI to optimise your workflow, you can eliminate repeatable work with it.

Below are some use cases i’ve found to be very beneficial, and to speed up a lot of my processes, while still allowing time to review and check.

drafting product descriptions from accurate product notes or copy.
turning blog posts into email newsletters or social captions.
Giving me alternative headlines or specific keywords based on internet trend
building FAQ sections from real customer questions
planning content calendars and base content (Meaning backgrounds or initial ideas)
cleaning up rough internal notes or heck, summarising my to-do list from my emails! (Game changer!)

Your positioning, visual identity, website hierarchy, packaging decisions and brand story still need human direction though. AI can assist, but it should not decide what your business stands for.

That is especially true for customer-facing design. Your brand still needs to feel deliberate, not assembled from whatever was fastest. Related: Packaging Design: How to Make Products Easier to Notice, Understand and Trust and Graphic Design File Formats: What Clients Should Expect at the End of a Project.

If you are looking to create packaging or labels for your next product, do not use AI. You will come across barriers more than I can outline here, instead, reach out for a FREE quote or discussion with me.

What I Am Using Across AI Platforms

I’d love to share briefly what I’ve been using and found most useful.

Of course, it really depends on the model inside the platform and how you use it, but I’ll share what I’ve been leaning on most and some I’m considering.

ChatGPT – I am still using this, but will usually only use High or Pro models to ensure I’m getting output quality. ChatGPT is the OG, and I do like it for its agent function as well. Not going to lie, I have about 7-8 agents for different things!

Manus AI – Owned by Meta, this one is extremely useful and comprehensive. I recommend using the Max model for best results, but it does also churn through Credits. This one can add up and be expensive depending on how often you use it.

Claude (considering) – I hear great things about Claude, but I’m hesitant to run multiple platforms and get lost in the AI noise, so I have not trialled this yet.

Suno – The best AI music generator out there. I use it for my AI Band – Genesis AI. This is a fun project of mine, and some of the music I’ve made is just so good. If you’re into Christian Rock, please give it a listen and follow; every bit helps!

These are the main ones i’m using right now. Of course, I’m all about the human work too, but AI just helps speed so many processes up.

If you ever need help with using AI as a tool for your business, this is something I can help you with too. Please just reach out.

References

Google Search Central. (n.d.). Creating helpful, reliable, people-first content. https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/creating-helpful-content

Google Search Central. (2023). Google Search’s guidance about AI-generated content. https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2023/02/google-search-and-ai-content

McKinsey & Company. (2025). The state of AI: Global survey. https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/quantumblack/our-insights/the-state-of-ai

Pangram. (2026). AI content is everywhere on social media, especially LinkedIn. https://www.pangram.com/blog/ai-in-your-feed

Packaging Design That Sells: More Than Just a Pretty Label

Posted on August 6, 2026July 14, 2026 by Stephen Brumwell

Good packaging can look beautiful and still fail commercially.

That sounds harsh, but it happens all the time. A label is polished, the colours are tasteful, the mockup looks great on Instagram, and then the product reaches the shelf or ecommerce page and customers still hesitate.

Why?

Because packaging is not just about visuals and pretty colours, there’s a psychology component that plays a large part in the consumer buying decision.

My earlier packaging article covered how packaging helps products become easier to notice, understand and trust: Packaging Design: How to Make Products Easier to Notice, Understand and Trust. This article takes a slightly different angle: how packaging can support sales by reducing hesitation, improving perceived value and making the product easier to choose.

Packaging Has To Do A Job

The job of packaging is not simply to look nice. It needs to help a customer move from interest to decision.

Of course, it starts at a pretty colour or design (to captivate them), but then leads them into the real internal questions, including:

What is this product?
Is it for me? Can it help me and does it provide me value?
Why this one over another option?
Why is this one more expensive?
Does it feel worth the price?
Can I trust what it says?
Who is this brand?
What do I do next?

The list can go on.

Research into packaging and purchase intention has found that visual and informational packaging elements can influence how customers interpret a product and whether they feel inclined to buy it (Liu et al., 2025). That does not mean packaging can rescue a weak product, but it does mean design can either support or slow down the sale.

For wellness, supplement, food, skincare and lifestyle products, this matters even more because customers are often comparing quality, suitability, ingredients, claims and price at the same time.

Pretty Packaging Can Still Create Friction

A label can be attractive but still make people work too hard.

Have you ever visited your local retail store lately and see some that really catch your eye, and then it kind like… stops there?

You probably hit a friction point, and it stopped at one of these dot points:

It looked great, but I couldn’t work out what the product was
the product category is unclear
the flavour, size or variant is hard to spot
Cost vs benefits was too vague
claims feel inflated
ingredients or usage information are difficult to read
the product looks cheaper than its price point
I was shopping online and the e-commerce thumbnail was too small (This is a big one actually when people can’t read the nutritional label).

Each of these problems adds a tiny pause, and it can only go one of two ways. You buy the product (because it told you enough data to make an informed choice), or you put the product back down or scrolled away (because the friction was too much).

Packaging design is visual and strategic. You need to being asking, “Does this look good?” and also asking “Does this help my customer choose?”

The Front Panel Should Sell The First Five Seconds

The front of pack has a simple job: earn the next few seconds of attention.

It does not need to explain everything. But it needs to explain enough key selling points and value to generate interest, keep consumers reading, comparing, and adding to cart.

This means we need strong visual elements, but also clear brand name, product type, product names, and meaningful points of difference.

For example, a protein powder label does not need ten claims on the front. It may need the product type, flavour, protein per serve and one clear positioning cue, such as plant-based, whey isolate, grass-fed, or even really underscoring the protein per serve.

Think of your front panel as a sign outside a shop, it’s purpose is to get them to walk into the store.

The Back Panel Should Remove Doubt

So you’ve converted them with the front panel and made them flip the product (which is a good sign).

Now the customer is looking for proof, detail and reassurance. For health-adjacent products, that might include ingredients, directions, warnings, suitability, nutritional information, country of origin, claims, certifications or storage instructions.

In Australia, labels also need to avoid misleading or deceptive representations. Food Standards Australia New Zealand notes that food labels must not misinform consumers through false, misleading or deceptive representations, and that Australian Consumer Law and food laws can both apply (Food Standards Australia New Zealand, 2024).

That does not mean the back panel should become a wall of tiny text. It means the information needs hierarchy.

A customer should be able to scan the back and quickly find the answer they need. If the label forces them to hunt, the packaging is working against the sale.

Claims Need To Be Specific, Not Just Loud

The world is full of product noise, especially with e-commerce (which we’ll cover soon).

People are pretty aware of the general health claims, we’ve gotten good at seeing through the marketing jargon (Added protein anyone?).

Words like premium, clean, science-backed, high-quality and professionally formulated. While these words are useful and help position a product, they can become weak when overused, or sound too generic.

Yes use these, but also add stronger clarifying elements to back it up, such as:

what makes the formula premium (Is it Australian made?)
which ingredient choice matters (Source of origin?)
what the packaging material actually is (Can it be recycled?)
which certification, process or sourcing detail supports the claim (Produced where?)
what the customer can realistically expect (QR code to your website to show reviews/proof of benefits?)

This is especially important for sustainability language. The ACCC’s guidance on environmental claims warns businesses not to make products seem better or less harmful for the environment than they really are (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, 2024).

Packaging Should Help Protect Margin

One overlooked part of packaging design is price perception.

If a product costs more than the cheaper alternatives around it, the packaging has to help explain why. That explanation may come through material choice, print finish, typography, space, structure, photography, product information or the overall brand system.

This does not mean every product needs to look luxury. A family-friendly pantry product should not necessarily look like a boutique skincare serum. But the packaging should feel aligned with the price and audience.

When design undersells the product, customers may assume it should be cheaper. When design oversells the product, customers may feel disappointed when the real experience does not match the promise.

It’s a real juggling act, and you need to also ensure your brand identity and values fit in there too.

This is exactly why hiring a Creative expert is key. Yes, sure, use AI to generate some concepts, but use a Designer to help navigate and execute your strategy.

The E-Commerce Situation

Packaging used to be designed mainly for the shelf. Now it also has to work inside product grids, social ads, email campaigns, marketplace listings and website product pages.

This means if you’re not also optimising (or even doing) online sales, you are missing out.

A pack that looks strong in a full-size mockup may lose its impact when it appears as a small thumbnail. The product name may disappear. The variant colour may become unclear. A beautiful label may become visually noisy beside competitors.

This is where packaging design connects directly with product photography and ecommerce. Strong packaging gives your product images a better foundation, and better product images make the packaging easier to sell online. I covered this connection more directly in Product Photography for Wellness Brands: How Better Images Build Trust Online.

If the product will be sold online, test the packaging small. View it as a thumbnail, not just a mockup.

Visual Systems As Your Portfolio Grows

A single product can get away with a one-off design for a while. A growing range usually cannot.

Once you add flavours, sizes, strengths, scents, bundles or product categories, the packaging needs a system. Customers should be able to recognise the brand while quickly telling each product apart.

This is not urgent in the early days, but as you expand, you should start thinking or keeping in mind some of the following:

colour coding (i.e.: Categories of your product range, or is it unscented vs scented?)
variant naming
product hierarchy
repeatable layout rules (Making it easier to replicate new SKUs)
icon or claim systems (Similar icon use across products)
back-of-pack structure
photography style
how future products will fit

This overlaps heavily with brand identity. If the wider brand is weak or inconsistent, the packaging range often becomes messy too. That is why packaging is usually easier when the brand foundations are clear first. See: Branding for Wellness Businesses: Why a Logo Is Not Enough.

Some Questions to Ask

Before approving packaging, ask a few sales-focused questions:

Can someone understand the product in five seconds?
Is the main reason to buy obvious?
Does the design feel aligned with the price?
Are the most important claims specific and believable?
Is the variant easy to identify?
Does the pack work as a small ecommerce image?
Can the system handle future products?
Does the back panel answer the questions customers actually ask?
Would the packaging sit comfortably beside stronger competitors?

If the answer is no, the design may not need more decoration. It may need better hierarchy, sharper messaging or a clearer brand system.

Also, sometimes you need to create a first (or second draft) design and just sit with it. A good label doesn’t pop out instantly, it takes time.

The Takeaway

Packaging design that sells is not about making the loudest label on the shelf.

It is about making the buying decision easier.

The best packaging helps customers understand the product quickly, believe the value, compare options, trust the claims and feel confident enough to buy. It works across shelves and e-commerce. It supports the price point. It gives future products somewhere to go.

That is the difference between a pretty label and packaging that actually works.

If you are launching a product, refreshing a label or trying to make a growing range feel more consistent, Stephen can help with packaging design, branding, product visuals, ecommerce and website support for health, wellness and small product businesses.

If you need assistance from someone who understands both the health and design industries, reach out to me. All my quotes are FREE and have a no-obligation policy. Let me help you!

References

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. (2024). Environmental and sustainability claims.
Food Standards Australia New Zealand. (2024). Truth in labelling, weights and measures and legibility.
Liu, C., Samsudin, M. R., & Zou, Y. (2025). The multidimensional impact of packaging design on purchase intention: A systematic hybrid review. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 12, Article 785.

If You’re Not Using Shopify for E-Commerce, You’re Missing Out

Posted on July 28, 2026July 8, 2026 by Stephen Brumwell

Shopify has become one of those platforms that is easy to dismiss until you actually need your online store to do more than sit there and look pretty.

A basic website can show your products. A decent e-commerce website can sell them. But a strong e-commerce system needs to handle the messy business reality behind the scenes: inventory, checkout, discounts, shipping, email, analytics, wholesale, product variants, point-of-sale, customer data, abandoned carts, the list goes on.

This is where Shopify comes into play, and it can cover literally all this (and more!).

For anyone looking to sell health and wellness supplements, skincare, food or a small clinic e-commerce store, Shopify should be your go-to.

Of course, Shopify doesn’t come with a cheap price tag, so in this article, we’ll unpack how beneficial Shopify really is, so you can think again about shifting to an e-commerce platform that’s ahead of the curve.

What To Know

Shopify is a dedicated commerce platform, not just a website builder with a cart bolted on.
It can support online stores, social selling, marketplaces, wholesale, international selling and in-person selling through Shopify POS.
For product-based wellness brands, Shopify is useful because product data, checkout, inventory, payments, discounts, shipping and reporting can sit in one place.
It is not always the cheapest option, and it is not automatically the right fit for every business.
The real benefit is operational: less patchwork, fewer disconnected tools and a stronger foundation for growth.
Good design, product photography, packaging and copy still matter. Shopify gives you the system, but the brand experience still needs to be built properly.

Why Shopify Matters More Than People Think

A lot of small businesses choose their website platform based on the first problem they see.

They need a homepage. They need product pages. They need somewhere to take payment.

That sounds simple enough, right?

The problem is that if you’re selling e-commerce, it can sometimes grow sideways too fast (making it hard to contain).

You then need a more streamlined product grid, a seamless checkout button, and other ways to integrate your marketplace channels without having to jump into 3-4 different portals.

Shopify understands how a real scalable business needs to operate, covering endless areas you need, including:

customers buying online and click and collect
stock being sold through your website and at events
discount codes for email campaigns (and email campaign integration).
bundles or subscriptions
product variants by size, flavour, colour or format
abandoned cart emails
wholesale pricing
shipping rules
gift cards
analytics
app integrations
product feeds for Google, Meta, marketplaces and AI-driven shopping channels

Shopify is built for you to grow, from selling across channels to e-commerce inventory management and physical point of sale; it’s an all-in-one growth ecosystem (Shopify, n.d.).

Of course, it still needs to be done right (this is where I come in). You can still confuse people with weak product photos, unclear copy, or messy navigation. We’ll unpack this soon.

Australian E-Commerce Is Still Worth Taking Seriously

Australian online shopping is no longer a temporary pandemic habit. It is now part of normal buying behaviour.

The Australia Post eCommerce Report 2026 describes the report as being powered by millions of deliveries and shopper insights. It also highlights that 35% of shoppers buy online weekly or more, while 47% of Millennials buy online at least weekly.

This is an astounding number, and even then, I still see some people not even selling online. They are missing out!

Your customers are already comfortable in purchasing online; they check delivery, compare products and look for real value.

Even better, if you Sign Up for Shopify’s free trial and get started, you can begin to integrate other marketplaces like Amazon – One of the highest customer shopping intent platforms right now.

The same Australia Post report also notes that 81% of shoppers shop around for deals and that marketplace apps are almost as common as retailer websites for online shoppers (Australia Post, 2026).

If you are in Australia and have not considered Shopify yet, please reach out.

Shopify Is Built for Selling in More Than One Place

One of the biggest strengths of Shopify is that it does not treat your website as the only sales channel.

As I’ve mentioned earlier, Shopify supports other ways to integrate and sell across social media, marketplaces, wholesale, and through Shopify POS (Shopify, 2026a).

For a wellness or supplement brand, that can matter quickly.

You might start with a small online store. Then you sell at local events. Then, a clinic wants to stock your product. Then you want to run a limited bundle. Then you want Meta or Google product feeds to work properly. Then you need better email flows. Then you need to know which products are actually moving.

If your platform cannot support that without a pile of disconnected plugins and manual workarounds, growth becomes frustrating.

This is why Shopify is useful. It gives you a clearer path from “I have a product” to “I have a commerce system.”

The E-Commerce Checkout Experience

Checkout is where trust either holds or breaks. If a customer checks out, they convert; if they don’t, we lose that conversion. It seems simple, right?

Well, Shopify has one of the best checkout experiences, including a wealth of payment options, express checkout, discount codes, and an incredibly fast checkout process (Shopify, 2026a).

Fewer clicks, faster pay, more conversions, win-win.

People may be buying something they will put on their skin, eat, drink, take as a supplement, use with a client, or recommend to a family member. The buying experience needs to feel polished, secure and easy.

Pausing here for a moment, because the design and packaging matter for your product too. Remember, our E-commerce stores are digital merchandising. They are shop shelves in a digital world.

Your packaging design might build product trust before the customer clicks “add to cart”, but the checkout experience needs to carry that trust all the way through to payment.

Inventory, Orders and POS Can Get Messy Fast

A simple store feels simple when you only sell in one place.

But once products move across your online store, pop-ups, markets, clinics, wholesale customers or physical retail, inventory can become messy.

Shopify’s POS and e-commerce integration is designed to keep customer, product, inventory, order and payment data consistent across channels. Shopify explains that its POS can sync sales, orders and inventory with the Shopify admin across retail locations, the online store and active sales channels (Shopify, 2026b).

This might be a little boring, and start to seem like a sales pitch (well, it is really, because Shopify is awesome).

Inventory is important, though, because if you are not tracking it properly, you can’t project future stock ordering properly, and your sales reporting across inventory becomes unreliable.

Shopify Is The King of Product Data

We still need good visuals when it comes to e-commerce, but also, we need to ensure good product information is generated, maintained and stored well.

Your product data needs to be clean, structured and useful. This includes product titles, descriptions, images, prices, variants, stock status, categories, shipping details, metafields, search information and product feeds.

Why does this matter? Well, because with Shopify integration, this can be fed seamlessly to platforms like Google search, Google shopping, Meta platforms, and most importantly, Shopify’s Agentic AI search and targeting.

Shopify’s current platform messaging includes a strong focus on products being discoverable across AI channels and shoppers checking out in chat through agentic storefronts (Shopify, n.d.). Shopify Editions also shows that Shopify is releasing platform updates every six months, with recent editions focused heavily on AI, agentic commerce and selling everywhere (Shopify Editions, n.d.).

Confused about AI and e-commerce? Let Shopify do it for you through agentic commerce (sounds futuristic, I know).

What it essentially means is, when someone searches through ChatGPT, Claude or other AI platforms for products, Shopify helps your products show here.

Australia Post’s 2026 report also points to this shift, noting that 44% of Australian businesses are advocates of agentic commerce, while 85% are taking steps to prepare for an agentic future (Australia Post, 2026).

Shopify Does Not Replace Brand Strategy

Shopify is the king of e-commerce and selling infrastructure, but it does not give you a brand strategy.

You still need clear positioning, strong product photography and branding, good product copy (although it does have great AI copy assistance) and other good customer trust signals.

Without this and a “slap-it-all-together” approach, you can still end up with a generic Shopify website with weak branding.

That is why product photography, packaging, copy and design still matter. Shopify gives those assets somewhere practical to perform.

This is also why I am here. As a Creative Strategist, I work with you, your budget, and your branding needs.

When Shopify Makes the Most Sense

Shopify is especially useful when your business is product-led.

It may be a strong fit if you:

Sell physical products online
Sell supplements, wellness products, skincare, food, drinks, books or clinic products
Need a reliable checkout and payments
Want to manage inventory properly
Sell across markets, events, clinics, wholesale or retail
Want to connect email, ads, analytics, reviews and shipping tools
Plan to scale beyond a basic online store
Want a platform that is built around commerce first

For example, a clinic may sell practitioner resources, books, skincare, pantry products, supplement bundles, retreat products or digital downloads. In that case, Shopify may provide a cleaner selling experience than trying to force everything through a basic website setup.

When Shopify Might Not Be the Right Fit

Shopify is good, but it is not automatically the right choice for every business.

It may not be the best fit if:

You only need a simple service-based website
You do not sell products
Your business is heavily content-led, and e-commerce is minor
You need a highly customised publishing experience
You want full technical control over every part of the site
You are trying to keep monthly platform costs as low as possible

For some businesses, WordPress may still be the better option. For others, a hybrid approach can work well: WordPress for content and Shopify for commerce, or Shopify as the main store with supporting content built properly inside the platform.

If sales, inventory, checkout and product data are central to the business, Shopify becomes much more attractive.

What a Good Shopify Store Still Needs

Before we tie off this article, let’s briefly unpack what a good Shopify store looks like. Of course, this is highly generalised, and I always recommend reaching out for a FREE audit and quote.

Clear product architecture. Products need to be organised in a way customers understand. Collections, filters, variants and product categories should make buying easier.
Strong product pages. A product page should answer the obvious questions: what is it, who is it for, what does it do, how do I use it, what size is it, what is included, and why should I trust it?
Better product photography. Product photos should show scale, texture, packaging, usage and detail. If the product needs to be inspected before buying, the images need to do real work.
Clean packaging and label design. Packaging affects trust before the product even reaches checkout. If the label looks unclear or low-quality, the store has to work harder to convince people.
Conversion-focused copy. Copy should be clear, specific and useful. Avoid vague claims. Explain benefits, use cases, differences, ingredients, materials, shipping and guarantees clearly.
Simple checkout and delivery information. Make shipping, returns, payment options and delivery expectations easy to find. Confusion here can create hesitation.
Email and retention strategy. E-commerce is not only about the first sale. Welcome emails, abandoned cart flows, replenishment reminders and post-purchase education can all help build repeat business.
Analytics and ongoing improvement. Your store should be reviewed over time. Product views, add-to-cart rate, checkout behaviour, conversion rate and average order value can all show where the store needs work.

The Takeaway

If you are selling products online, Shopify is hard to ignore.

You can also sign up for a FREE 3 Day Shopify Trial PLUS $1/month for the first 3 months, this is an amazing offer – Grab it here!

It gives product-based businesses a dedicated commerce foundation: checkout, inventory, orders, shipping, POS, apps, marketing tools, analytics and multichannel selling all working from one ecosystem.

For health, wellness, supplement and small product brands, that can make a big difference. These businesses need trust, clarity and operational reliability. Customers need to understand the product, feel confident in the brand and move through checkout without friction.

Shopify will not fix weak branding, poor product photography or unclear copy by itself.

But when it is paired with strong design, clear product pages and a thoughtful customer experience, it can become a very practical platform for growth.

If you are planning an e-commerce store, rebuilding a product website, or wondering whether your current setup is holding your business back, Stephen can help you map the right approach: platform, branding, product photography, packaging, website structure, copy and the customer journey from first click to checkout.

FAQ

Is Shopify good for small businesses?

Yes, Shopify can be a strong option for small businesses that sell products online. It is especially useful when checkout, inventory, shipping, product data, payments and integrations need to work together.

Is Shopify good for wellness brands?

Shopify can be a good fit for wellness brands that sell products such as supplements, skincare, food, drinks, books, digital resources or clinic products. The platform supports product pages, checkout, subscriptions, apps, shipping, email integrations and multichannel selling.

Is Shopify better than WordPress?

It depends on the business. Shopify is usually stronger for product-based e-commerce. WordPress can be stronger for content-heavy or service-based websites. Some businesses may use Shopify for commerce and WordPress for content, depending on their goals.

Why use Shopify instead of a basic website builder?

Shopify is built around commerce. It can manage product data, checkout, inventory, orders, shipping, discounts, analytics, POS and sales channels in one ecosystem. A basic website builder may be fine for simple sites, but it can become limiting once selling becomes more serious.

Does Shopify help with SEO?

Shopify can support SEO through editable titles, descriptions, URLs, product pages, collections, redirects, structured product information and integrations. However, SEO still depends on good content, site structure, product copy, speed, authority and ongoing optimisation.

Can Shopify handle in-person selling?

Yes. Shopify POS can connect in-person selling with your online store, helping keep inventory, orders and customer data consistent across channels.

Is Shopify expensive?

Shopify has monthly platform costs, app costs and payment fees to consider. It may not be the cheapest option, but for product-based businesses, the operational benefits can outweigh the cost if the store is set up and used properly.

Do I still need good design if I use Shopify?

Yes. Shopify gives you the system, but design still affects trust, clarity and conversion. Product photography, packaging, copy, navigation and brand identity all influence whether people feel confident enough to buy.

What businesses should not use Shopify?

Shopify may not be necessary for businesses that do not sell products, only need a simple service website, or are mainly publishing long-form content. The platform is strongest when commerce is central to the business.

What should I prepare before building a Shopify store?

Prepare your product range, product photos, descriptions, pricing, shipping rules, returns policy, brand assets, packaging details, email setup, payment options and launch plan. The better the preparation, the smoother the build.

References

Australia Post. (2026). Australia Post eCommerce Report 2026. https://auspost.com.au/business/ecommerce/ecommerce-report

International Trade Administration. (2026). Australia – eCommerce. https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/australia-ecommerce

Shopify. (n.d.). Shopify: The all-in-one commerce platform. https://www.shopify.com/

Shopify Editions. (n.d.). Everything new across Shopify. https://www.shopify.com/editions

Shopify. (2026a). 11 best ecommerce platforms for your business in 2026. https://www.shopify.com/blog/best-ecommerce-platforms

Shopify. (2026b). POS ecommerce integration: How to set up unified workflows. https://www.shopify.com/au/blog/pos-ecommerce-integration