Last Tuesday, I stumbled across Google’s new AI marketing tool called Pomelli while scrolling through tech news. The promise sounded too good to be true automated marketing content that actually matches your brand. It is completely free, built by Google Labs and DeepMind. After spending a week testing it with my actual business, I have thoughts.
Table of Contents
What Is Google Pomelli Exactly?
Pomelli is Google’s experimental AI marketing assistant that analyzes your website or social media profile and automatically creates branded marketing materials. Think Instagram posts, Google Ads, email banners and YouTube assets all generated in minutes instead of hours.
The tool launched October 28, 2025, and it’s currently free while in beta testing.Google built it specifically for small business owners and solo marketers who don’t have design teams or massive budgets for agencies.
My First Experience: Setting Up Business DNA
I logged into labs.google/pomelli and clicked “Let’s get started.” The interface asked for my website URL. I entered my small consulting business site and waited about three minutes while Pomelli did its thing.
What happened next genuinely surprised me. Pomelli created what it calls a “Business DNA Profile”. It pulled my exact brand colors (that teal I spent hours choosing), identified my fonts, grabbed professional images from my site. And even analyzed my brand’s tone as “professional yet approachable.”
Everything was accurate. I didn’t have to manually input hex codes or upload logo files. The AI just figured it out by crawling my website.
You can edit anything in the Business DNA if it misses something. I adjusted one secondary color it picked incorrectly. But otherwise, the profile was spot-on.
How I Actually Used Pomelli: Real Scenarios
Scenario 1: Last-Minute Instagram Launch Post
I had a new service launching Friday morning. Wednesday afternoon, I realized I had zero promotional graphics ready. Normally, this means either staying up late in Canva or postponing the launch.
I opened Pomelli and typed: “Create a launch campaign for my new consulting package focused on helping small businesses with digital strategy.”
Within 90 seconds, Pomelli generated three complete campaign concepts with different angles. Each included multiple asset sizes Instagram square posts, stories, Facebook ads, and email banners. All with copy already written in my brand voice.
I picked the concept I liked, clicked into the Instagram post, tweaked the headline slightly and downloaded it. Total time: 6 minutes. No joke.
Scenario 2: Running Google Ads Without a Designer
I’ve avoided Google Ads for months because creating proper display ads felt overwhelming. Pomelli changed that.
I prompted: “Create display ads promoting my business strategy consultation service.”
Pomelli generated responsive display ads in multiple sizes (300×250, 728×90, 160×600) with compelling copy and visuals that matched my website perfectly. I downloaded them, uploaded directly to Google Ads, and launched my first display campaign the same day.
Scenario 3: Email Newsletter Graphics
Every month I send a newsletter but always struggled with creating an attractive header image. Pomelli solved this permanently.
I asked for “email banner promoting my monthly newsletter about business growth tips.” It generated five variations. I picked one, saved it, and now use similar prompts monthly to keep my newsletters visually consistent without hiring a designer.
The Features That Actually Matter
Business DNA Extraction
This is Pomelli’s secret weapon. Instead of manually building brand guidelines, the AI analyzes your existing digital presence and extracts:
- Primary and secondary brand colors
- Typography choices
- Visual style and imagery preferences
- Brand tone and voice patterns
- Messaging themes
You can analyze one website or social profile at a time. If you have multiple brands. You’ll need to switch between them manually.
Campaign Generation
You describe what you need in plain English. No design jargon required. Examples from my testing:
- “Promote my holiday sale with 25% off”
- “Announce my new podcast launching next week”
- “Create awareness campaign for my coaching services”
- “Generate ads for my webinar about content marketing”
Pomelli interprets your request and produces 3 campaign concepts. Each with complete asset packages across multiple formats.
Multi-Format Asset Creation
Every campaign generates content for:
- Instagram posts (square 1:1)
- Instagram stories (vertical 9:16)
- Facebook ads (multiple sizes)
- Google Display Ads (standard IAB sizes)
- Email banners (EDM format)
- YouTube thumbnails
All assets maintain brand consistency because they’re built from your Business DNA.
Natural Language Editing
You don’t need to know design terminology. I tested prompts like:
- “Make the tone more playful”
- “Emphasize the limited-time offer”
- “Use more images of people working”
- “Make it feel more premium”
Pomelli adjusted the designs accordingly. Sometimes it nailed the changes; other times I needed to iterate. But the ability to edit with conversational language removes the Photoshop barrier completely.
Layout Variations
For any asset, Pomelli generates multiple layout options. I counted 6-8 different arrangements of the same content elements. You pick your favorite then customize colors, text, images and calls-to-action.
One-click downloads save everything as PNG files ready for immediate use.
Limitations of Pomelli I Discovered
No Direct Publishing
This frustrated me. Pomelli doesn’t connect to social media accounts or ad platforms. You create content, download files then manually upload them wherever you need them.
I kept wishing for a “Publish to Instagram” button that doesn’t exist. You’ll still need tools like Buffer, Hootsuite or native platform uploaders.
Limited Geographic Availability
Pomelli only works in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. English language only for now. I have international colleagues who can’t access it yet, which limits collaboration on global campaigns.
One Website at a Time
If you manage multiple brands or client accounts, switching between different Business DNA profiles requires re-analyzing websites each time. There’s no multi-account dashboard yet.
Image Library Constraints
Pomelli pulls images from your website or generates AI images. The AI-generated options are decent but sometimes generic. If your website doesn’t have strong photography, your output quality suffers.
I supplemented by uploading my own images. which works fine but adds manual steps.
No Video or Animation
Pomelli creates static images only. If you need video ads, animated graphics, or GIFs. you’ll still need other tools.
Experimental Status Uncertainty
Since Pomelli is a Google Labs experiment. There’s no guarantee it stays free or even continues existing. Google has shut down experimental projects before. I’m using it enthusiastically but keeping my Canva subscription as backup.
How Pomelli Compares to Other Tools
Pomelli vs Canva
I’ve used Canva Pro for three years, so this comparison matters to me personally.
Where Pomelli wins:
- Automated brand analysis (Canva requires manual brand kit setup)
- Campaign-level thinking vs single asset creation
- Completely free (Canva Pro costs $120/year)
- Faster for generating multiple format variations simultaneously
- Better integration of brand consistency automatically
Where Canva wins:
- Vastly larger template library (100,000+ vs Pomelli’s AI generation)
- Direct social media scheduling and publishing
- Animation and video capabilities
- Photo editing tools built-in
- Mobile app that actually works well
- Established reliability and ongoing development guarantee
My verdict: I’m using both. Pomelli for quick campaign generation and initial concepts. Canva for refinement, animation, and publishing workflow.
Pomelli vs Adobe Express
Adobe Express recently redesigned and improved significantly. Here’s how they stack up:
Where Pomelli wins:
- Simpler interface for non-designers
- Automatic brand DNA extraction
- Free with no limitations during beta
- Campaign generation from text prompts
- Faster learning curve
Where Adobe Express wins:
- Superior layer control and design precision
- Better integration with Adobe Creative Cloud
- Higher quality stock photos and videos from Adobe Stock
- PDF import and editing capabilities
- More sophisticated generative AI tools (Firefly)
- Professional-grade templates
My verdict: Adobe Express for serious design work with precise control. Pomelli for speed and simplicity when brand consistency matters more than design sophistication.
Pomelli vs Jasper AI
Jasper focuses on marketing copy, not visuals, but people compare them:
Where Pomelli wins:
- Visual content creation (Jasper is text-only)
- Free vs $49-69/month for Jasper
- Automatic brand visual identity extraction
- Multi-format asset generation
Where Jasper wins:
- Long-form content (blog posts, articles, scripts)
- SEO-optimized content creation
- Multiple AI models to choose from
- Proven ROI for content marketing teams
- Better for comprehensive content strategies
My verdict: Different tools for different jobs. Jasper for written content strategy. Pomelli for visual marketing assets.
Pomelli vs Lately
Lately converts long content into social posts and manages scheduling:
Where Pomelli wins:
- Completely free
- Simpler learning curve
- Better for standalone visual content creation
- No subscription commitment
Where Lately wins:
- Automatic content repurposing from blogs/videos/podcasts
- Built-in social media scheduling
- Performance analytics and tracking
- Multi-platform campaign management
- Team collaboration features
My verdict: Lately for comprehensive social media management. Pomelli for creating individual campaign assets quickly.
Real-Life Questions I Had (And Answers)
Can I use Pomelli without a website?
Yes, but with limitations. You can enter an Instagram profile URL instead. Pomelli analyzes your Instagram aesthetic and creates a Business DNA from that. However, it works best with websites that have clearer brand information.
Does Pomelli work for e-commerce stores?
Absolutely. I tested it with a friend’s Shopify store. It pulled product images and created promotional graphics for sales campaigns. Worked particularly well for seasonal promotions and new product launches.
Can I create content for clients?
Technically yes. Enter the client’s website URL, generate content, download, and deliver. However, without multi-account management, switching between multiple clients gets tedious. I wouldn’t recommend Pomelli as your primary agency tool yet.
What if I don’t like the AI-generated images?
You can upload your own images or photos from your computer. I do this frequently because my specific industry photos don’t exist in Pomelli’s generation capabilities.
Can I save campaigns for later?
Sort of. Pomelli keeps your Business DNA saved, and you can regenerate campaigns anytime. But there’s no “saved campaigns” library. I keep a folder on my computer with downloaded assets organized by campaign type.
Does Pomelli replace my graphic designer?
For me partially. I handle routine social media graphics and ad campaigns myself now. But for major brand initiatives, website redesigns, or complex visual projects, I still hire my designer. Pomelli handles the repetitive 80%; professionals handle the crucial 20%.
Who Should Actually Use Pomelli Right Now?
Perfect for:
- Solo entrepreneurs managing their own marketing
- Small business owners without design budgets
- Content creators needing consistent branded graphics quickly
- Startups in early stages building marketing presence
- Side hustlers promoting products or services
- Consultants and coaches creating course or service promotions
- Anyone launching campaigns frequently who needs speed over perfection
Not ideal for:
- Large agencies needing sophisticated design control
- Brands requiring highly custom, artistic visual identity
- Companies with complex multi-platform publishing workflows already established
- Businesses operating outside US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand
- Organizations needing video-first marketing content
- Teams requiring robust collaboration and approval processes
My Honest Bottom Line
After a week of real use, Pomelli isn’t replacing my entire marketing toolkit. But it’s earned a permanent spot in my workflow.
The time savings are legitimate. What used to take 45 minutes in Canva now takes 6 minutes in Pomelli. The brand consistency happens automatically instead of manually checking color codes and font choices.
For small business owners drowning in the sheer volume of content social media demands, Pomelli provides breathing room. You can actually keep up with posting schedules without sacrificing your evenings or hiring expensive help.
The fact that it’s currently free makes experimentation risk-free. I recommend every small business owner and marketer try it immediately while access is open. Even if Google eventually adds pricing, understanding what AI-powered marketing tools can do shifts how you think about content creation.
I’ll keep using Pomelli for rapid campaign generation and routine promotional graphics. I’ll keep using Canva for animations, detailed refinements and publishing workflows. And I’ll keep hiring designers for major brand projects that need human creativity and strategic thinking.
Pomelli doesn’t eliminate the need for marketing skills or strategic thinking. But it dramatically lowers the barrier between idea and execution. For many small businesses, that’s exactly the tool they’ve been waiting for.
