Key Takeaways

  • Google just launched Pomelli, a free AI marketing and design tool.
  • Pomelli scans your website and builds a “Business DNA” for your brand.
  • It can generate full marketing campaigns with copy and graphics in minutes.
  • Canva is still stronger for detailed design work and heavy editing.
  • Right now, Pomelli is best for small teams that need fast, on-brand ideas.

Google is moving fast into design and marketing. Its new tool, called Pomelli, promises to scan your website, learn your brand, and then create full campaigns for you. Some people already call it a free Canva alternative.

In this guide, we walk through what Pomelli does, how it compares to Canva, and when it makes sense to use it.

What Is Pomelli?

Pomelli is a free AI marketing tool from Google Labs and Google DeepMind. It is built mainly for small and medium-sized businesses. The idea is simple but bold: you give Pomelli one website URL, and it gives you ready-to-use marketing assets.

Pomelli focuses on three big things:

  1. Understanding your brand identity.
  2. Suggesting campaign ideas.
  3. Creating editable designs and copy for many channels.

So, instead of starting with blank templates, you start with your own brand. This is a big shift from many classic tools.

How Pomelli Works: The Three-Step Flow

Google explains Pomelli as a three-step workflow. This is what the original article and other early tests describe.

1. Build Your “Business DNA”

First, you paste your website URL into Pomelli. Then the tool:

  • Scans your pages and images.
  • Picks up your color palette and fonts.
  • Tries to capture tone of voice and writing style.
  • Builds a profile called your Business DNA.

This Business DNA acts like a brand rulebook. Later, Pomelli uses it to keep your AI marketing campaigns on-brand.

2. Get Campaign Ideas

Next, Pomelli suggests campaign ideas based on your Business DNA. For example, it might propose:

  • “Holiday discount for returning customers.”
  • “Product launch tease for your new feature.”
  • “Educational series to build trust with leads.”

You can also type your own idea, like “Promote our Black Friday sale to remote workers.” Then Pomelli will shape assets around that prompt.

3. Generate and Edit Creatives

Finally, Pomelli creates a full set of marketing pieces. These may include:

  • Social media posts and captions.
  • Simple banner-style ads.
  • Short headlines and body copy.

You can edit text, swap images, and adjust layouts. However, the goal is speed: Pomelli wants you to get “good enough” assets in minutes, not hours.

Pomelli vs Canva: What’s the Real Difference?

Many people now ask if Google Pomelli AI will replace Canva. The honest answer today is: not yet, but it might replace some of the ways you use Canva.

Here is a simple breakdown.

Where Pomelli Wins

  • Brand-first workflow
    Pomelli builds everything from your Business DNA. Therefore most designs start on-brand without much tweaking.

  • Campaign thinking, not just single designs
    It suggests whole campaign ideas, not only one Instagram post. This is helpful if you struggle with planning.

  • Tight link between copy and visuals
    Captions, headlines, and graphics come as a package. So you do not have to jump between writing and design tools.

  • Free and AI-native
    It is fully AI-led and free while in Pomelli beta, which is great for small teams.

Where Canva Still Wins

  • Richer design tools
    Canva offers more control for advanced design work. You get better layout tools, effects, and asset libraries.

  • Templates for every use case
    Canva has thousands of templates for slides, flyers, menus, resumes, and more.

  • Mature ecosystem
    Millions of users, app integrations, print services, and a polished editor.

  • Global availability
    Pomelli is currently in public beta and limited to English and a few regions (US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand). Canva, however, works almost everywhere.

So Pomelli looks more like a smart campaign generator, while Canva is still your full design workshop.

Who Is Pomelli Best For?

Based on Google’s notes and early testers, Pomelli fits best if:

  • You run a small business without a full-time designer.
  • You feel lost when planning marketing campaigns.
  • You need quick social posts that still feel on-brand.
  • You like Canva, but you often start from scratch each time.

However, if you are a professional designer or a big brand with strict rules, Pomelli may feel a bit basic for now.

Step-by-Step: How to Try Pomelli

The exact screens may change while Pomelli is still experimental, but the basic flow looks like this:

  1. Sign in with your Google account
    Go to the Pomelli page in Google Labs. Sign in if you are in a supported region.

  2. Paste your website URL
    Use your main site or a product landing page. This fuels your Pomelli Business DNA.

  3. Review your Business DNA
    Check the colors, font style, tone, and brand notes Pomelli suggests. Also, fix anything that looks wrong.

  4. Pick or type a campaign idea
    Choose one of Pomelli’s suggestions or write your own goal (launch, sale, event, etc.).

  5. Generate campaign assets
    Let Pomelli create images and copy for social media and other channels.

  6. Edit and export
    Tweak the designs, adjust text, and then download or copy your assets into your normal tools.

  7. Optional: Refine and repeat
    Over time, you can refine your site and content so your Business DNA becomes even stronger.

Strengths and Limitations You Should Know

Like any early tool, Pomelli has bright spots and weak points.

Strengths

  • Very fast first drafts.
  • Strong for social media graphics and AI marketing campaigns.
  • Great starting point for non-designers.
  • Free to use during public beta.

Limitations

  • Region and language limits (English-only beta, select countries).
  • Less control than Canva for detailed layout and complex print work.
  • Works best when your website already shows your true brand style.
  • Still experimental, so quality may vary between campaigns.

Therefore, you should treat Pomelli as a smart assistant, not as a full replacement for design and brand strategy.

Tips to Get Better Results from Pomelli

Here are some practical ways to make Pomelli work harder for you:

  1. Clean up your website first
    Update your colors, fonts, and main copy. Also, remove old styles that no longer match your brand.

  2. Use clear product pages
    Pomelli pulls info from your site. So the clearer your pages, the better the output.

  3. Start with simple campaigns
    Try promotions like “weekend sale,” “new service launch,” or “event reminder” before more complex ideas.

  4. Edit, don’t just accept
    Use Pomelli’s drafts as a base. Then polish the copy and tweak graphics for your audience.

  5. Test against Canva or other tools
    Sometimes Pomelli gives ideas. Then you might rebuild a final version in Canva or another editor.

This way, you combine Pomelli’s speed with Canva’s control.

Did You Know? box

Did You Know?

  • Pomelli was built by Google Labs with support from Google DeepMind, and it is aimed mainly at SMBs.
  • The tool can create campaign ideas even if you only give it one short prompt.
  • Pomelli’s Business DNA pulls colors, fonts, and tone of voice straight from your website.
  • Several early reviews say Pomelli is best for social posts, while Canva still wins for full presentations and print assets.

Conclusion

Pomelli shows how fast AI is changing design and marketing. Google is not just copying Canva. Instead, it is trying something new: a brand-aware AI that reads your site and then builds whole campaigns around it.

Today, Pomelli will not fully replace Canva. However, it may replace some of your early brainstorming, copywriting, and quick social media graphics work. For many small teams, that is already a big shift.

If you run a small business, Pomelli is worth a test drive. Use it to spark ideas, create starter assets, and speed up your marketing. Then keep Canva or other tools handy for deep design work and final polish.

FAQs

What is Pomelli in simple words?

Pomelli is a free Google AI tool that scans your website, learns your brand style, and then creates marketing campaigns with copy and designs for you. It is like a smart helper for small business marketing.

Is Pomelli a full replacement for Canva?

Not right now. Pomelli is strong at fast, on-brand campaign ideas and social posts. Canva is still better for detailed design control, advanced editing, and a huge library of templates. Many people may end up using both.

How does Pomelli’s “Business DNA” work?

Business DNA is a profile that Pomelli builds from your website. It includes your tone of voice, images, brand colors, and fonts. Pomelli then uses this DNA to keep your AI marketing campaigns consistent with your brand.

Who can use Google Pomelli AI today?

Pomelli is in public beta and is currently available in English for users in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. You need a Google account to sign in and try it.

Is Pomelli really free?

Yes, Pomelli is free to use as part of Google Labs’ experiments. However, because it is experimental, features and access might change over time. Always check the Pomelli page for the latest details.

How should I use Pomelli with Canva?

A good workflow is to let Pomelli handle the first pass: brand scan, ideas, and quick drafts. Then, if you need more control or complex layouts, you can refine or rebuild the best concepts in Canva or another design editor.

References