What is the Google AI Max Campaign Setting? + How to Implement It

AI Max (formerly Search Max) is a new feature for Google Search Ads campaigns that offers search term matching along with text and URL optimization. Here’s what the experts want you to know about this future-minded setting.

Earlier this year, eagle-eyed marketing pros spotted a new Google Ads feature the team was ostensibly beta testing: AI Max.

When the option began appearing on selected match-type reports, people started asking questions (leave it to marketers, we’re a nosey bunch).

Now, as this feature continues to roll out into more accounts, we wanted to know more, then share our findings.

We asked Google Ads expert and HawkSEM Director of Account Performance Jessica Weber for her take on Google AI Max. Read on for what she had to say, how to implement this new feature, and what it means for the future of digital advertising.

(Image: jakkapan/Adobe)

What is AI Max?

AI Max is a paid search campaign feature that offers search term matching as well as text and URL optimization.

AI Max leverages Google’s AI and automation tools to enhance both performance and transparency when it comes to pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns on the Google platform.

Is your head spinning yet? Let’s break it down.

Search term matching uses Performance Max (PMax), Broad Match, Dynamic Search Ads (DSAs), and AI to expand your campaigns’ reach.

Text and URL optimization surfaces the most “performant URLs” (in Google’s words) for a search query, and leverages automation for more relevant and better-performing ad creation.

From what we know now, “AI Max is more of a campaign setting than anything else,” says Weber.

This setting is currently in beta and, once opted in, you’ll be able to find it in the campaign setting section.

“I like to think of it as a mix of DSA gone wild with PMax minus display and video with URL expansion on,” she adds.

Essentially, you’re relinquishing targeting and control to Google’s machine learning when it comes to where users are sent.

Google lays out five core benefits it sees of AI Max, which are:

1. Better reach via expanded keywords to Broad Match keywords and keywordless targeting opportunities
2. Increased campaign performance through more conversions
3. A cutting-edge marketing strategy that has AI and the future in mind
4. More efficiency through automations and easy ad updates
5. Enhanced transparency via deeper reporting insights and data

First impressions of AI Max

Google Ads AI Max is a nascent campaign setting, which means it’s still in its early stages.

So, what’s the industry buzz so far?

During an industry Q&A chat with digital marketing expert Julie Friedman Bacchini and Google Ads Product Liason Ginny Marvin, it was mentioned that AI Max will start rolling out globally at the end of May.

When asked if advertisers will be able to opt out of keywordless matching while keeping other features of AI Max, Marvin stated that yes, there will be flexibility, and the opt-in turns all three features on at once, allowing you to make adjustments from there.

“The keywordless technology in AI Max for Search campaigns enables targeting based on the information on your landing page, similar to Dynamic Search Ads, as well as targeting based on the assets in the ad group,” she added.

The keywords in your campaign will continue to match as usual, and they will expand to broad match versions in the backend.

“Search Max aims to increase conversions by dynamically tailoring ads based on user searches, ad assets, and landing pages – going beyond traditional keyword targeting,” Search Engine Land reports, which classifies AI Max fka Search Max as a match type.

“By expanding search term matching beyond traditional keywords, dynamically optimizing ad components, and leveraging AI-generated assets, it could help reach new audiences with minimal manual effort.”

More automation, less control

However, the publication adds that more automation usually means less control. Because of this, it will be crucial to continue closely monitoring performance as well as how Google inevitably updates or modifies AI Max.

“To many, this will be another eye roll at Google’s new offering,” says Weber, “or [it will be brushed off] out of fear of something new with seemingly no control.”

However, she believes that this has the potential to be a powerhouse for scaling, especially with high volume or SKU count ecommerce.

“Being an early adopter of new Google products has worked out well for our clients,” she adds. “Early PMax was a good time! I look at this situation no differently.”

(Image: Google Ads screenshot)

How to determine if AI Max is right for you

When thinking about implementing this, Weber recommends asking yourself if you think Google truly understands your business:what it does, and who its products or services are for, specifically.

If you aren’t sure, she suggests maybe avoiding this setting for now and working on providing Google the data it needs to figure you out instead.

She adds that your success with this product, just like any other AI-led product, will depend on factors like:

• Your strategy
• How your campaigns are set up
• The data quality and volume you are sharing with Google

Odds are, you will not be successful with this campaign type if you’re not communicating who a customer is or what you deem to be valuable conversion actions (this does not mean phone calls and form fills), or if you have low conversion volume.

Weber recommends giving AI Max a shot if you meet these two requirements:

1. You’re importing purchases or new customers (or even qualified leads) into your Google Ads account via automated methods, not static Google Sheets
2. You have a volume of over 50 per 30-day period

How to implement AI Max

At this time, you must be added to Google’s AI Max pilot program to use this campaign feature. Once that happens, you’ll see that your Smart Bidding campaigns now have an “AI Max” toggle option.

From there, you’ll go to AI Max in your Google Ads campaign settings, then toggle the option to opt in to the AI Max settings. You can also add a URL exclusion if there’s a URL or ad you don’t want to serve.

Pro tip: At this time, only English advertisers can use AI Max, and the feature isn’t available for DSA-only ad groups.

AI Max and the future of paid search

“I think we’re seeing the beginning of the end of keyword targeting,” says Weber.

“We are moving into intent-based search, [just like] the golden days of marketing. It will be a little more complicated since machine learning and algorithms were not around with traditional advertising.”

While getting the right creative and copy in front of people who look and act like your customers is a powerful combination, she suggests sprinkling in some real-time data-driven decision-making by Google to take things to the next level.

Pro tip: While existing campaign settings don’t change — including location, budget, language, etc. — AI Max introduces new optional location controls at the ad group level, according to Marvin. Additionally, for advertisers who are already running Search and Performance Max campaigns together, she suggests continuing to use both.

The takeaway

It’s fair to say that AI Max has had some marketers worried about too much automation.

However, those who have been in the game for a decade or more know that automated solutions simply can’t match the experience and attention to detail that comes from a real-deal marketing human.

“Don’t be afraid of new products,” Weber suggests, “but ensure your account is ready for it first.”

She recommends making sure that you’ve gone through the AI Overview essentials and gotten your account set up to send the information to Google that it needs.

And if you aren’t sure how to do this? Partner with the right team to ensure your digital marketing, from paid search and remarketing to SEO and everything in between, is future-minded and set up for success.

We’d love to partner with your brand to explore this exciting new frontier of Google Ads. Let’s connect.