What is AI Max for Google Ads Search Campaigns?
AI Max is a wide-ranging suite filled with targeting and creative features. The two main features that it encompasses are search term matching and asset optimisation, including ad copy and final URL. This means we can leverage the use of Google AI to optimise our ads in real time whilst tailoring our creative message to drive the value of our clients’ businesses. At Daisy Digital, we work closely with Google and are in the leading position to analyse any changes and new additions that are able to increase the reach of our clients’ Google Ads campaigns.
How does it work?
Google’s AI Max can be turned on by one simple click of a button. You can toggle it on and off in the Search Campaign’s campaign settings to benefit your campaign in more ways than one.
Search Term Matching
AI Max offers a thorough suite of targeting and creative enhancements, including improved search term matching, better text customisation and final URL expansion. Together, they help to enhance ad performance, maintain campaign relevancy and extend the reach of campaigns.
Benefits
Incremental reach and performance: Search term matching will allow us to expand the keywords we already have using both broad match and keywordless technology. This means our Google Ads specialists can find queries and conversations that they may have otherwise missed without it. AI Max can even learn the current keywords we have and help our ads show up in more suitable searches.
More control: AI Max allows us to be more precise with the ads that we are creating through elements like locations of interest. This will allow us to reach customers based on their geographical intent at the ad group level. On top of this, we are even able to specify the exact brands that we want to associate with and the ones that we don’t want to appear alongside.
More Transparency: Improved asset reports will show us how all our assets are performing in comparison to KPIs like spend and conversions, not just impressions. At Daisy, we pride ourselves on the quality of our work, so with this increased transparency, we can provide even better results for our clients.
Asset Optimisation
This feature will allow our Google Ads team to deliver a better-tailored message at a larger scale. This means they have more freedom with their text customisation and final URL expansion settings, whilst also being able to toggle them off if needed.
Benefits
Improved Performance: Google will automatically send people to the landing page that is performing the best, which will create new user journeys to drive the performance of our ads.
More relevant ads: Allows us to optimise our ads to suit and tailor to the user who is viewing our ads.
Drive efficiency: On top of all that, it will automatically create ads with just a few clicks to improve our efficiency.
Although not very exciting for our clients, our Google Ads team will definitely be implementing these new features to assist in perfecting their ads.
Features Available
| SEARCH TERM MATCHING | WHAT CAN YOU DO? |
|---|---|
| Text Customisation | Uses texts from existing ads, landing page copy and assets to create customised ad copy, tailored to specific user searches |
| Final URL Expansion | Sends traffic to the most relevant URL if it’s likely to increase performance. Final URL expansion will only send traffic to the relevant URL. Requires text customisation to be turned on to ensure ad copy matches the landing page. |
| Locations of Interest | Used to reach specific customers based on their geographical intent, even in keywordless matches |
| Brand Settings | Helps to specify the exact brands that we want our ads to be associated with and those we don’t. It’s worth noting that URL inclusions are only available at the Ad group level, and URL exclusions are only available at the campaign level. |
| Updates to Reporting | AI Max includes reporting improvements to help track our campaign’s performance. – Search terms report will include AI Max as a new match type and a source column that shows whether the match is broad match expansion or keywordless matching. – Keywords report summary rows will now show AI Max so we can understand the total contribution it’s made. – The landing pages report will show the AI Max landing pages’ performance Asset report shows performance of AI Max assets |
How it will interact with Performance Max and other existing campaigns in the account.
Basically, it will interact the same way that broad match and performance max interact. If the query is eligible to match to candidates in both AI Max for search campaigns and Performance Max, then the one who ranks the highest will serve. In simple terms, if both your AI Max for the search campaign and your Performance Max campaign could show an ad for a search, only one will show, and it will be whichever one ranks higher. This then ensures both ads aren’t showing at the same time, and Google’s systems pick the one most likely to perform better.
Should you use it?
Designed to do more with less effort, why wouldn’t you want to use it? It doesn’t seem to matter if we are looking to expand the reach, improve conversion rates, or simplify campaign management; it seems as though AI Max has it all covered. However, given that AI often comes with some complications, it will be interesting to see whether or not it can efficiently get the results that we are after.
AI advertising is powerful but in the past has not always been as perfect as we would like it to be, and a tool like this may not work for all clients. Some would include clients who have a niche market, a lower budget or who aren’t looking for easy wins (value actual conversions over just engagement). In saying this, using AI does not have to be a headache and negatively affect your campaigns. AI Max not only has many customisability options, but it also has completely new features that have not previously been available to our Google Ads team before.
How do I implement it?
AI Max is relatively easy to implement in your Google Ads if you are familiar with the platform already. If you have any questions on how to implement it, contact Daisy Digital. Our Google Ads team can implement these new features to your Google Ads.
