Data collected this year by Google on non-retail advertisers indicates that adoption of AI Max is translating to better performance. Compared to using search term matching alone, AI Max campaigns that take advantage of all the suite’s features—incuding search term matching, text customization and final URL expansion—result in an average of 7% more conversions or conversion value at a comparable cost-per-acquisition or return on ad spend benchmark.
To facilitate a painless switch to AI Max, Google introduced simple tools within the Google Ads interface this week that seamlessly upgrade advertisers’ DSA or created assets setups to their AI Max equivalents.
A more formal DSA cutoff is planned for September, on the assumption that advertiser feedback supports the transition, Ervin said. “If it’s going well, we’ll likely proceed with the automatic upgrade. And if we get a bunch of [negative] feedback, we’ll have to be realistic and listen to that.”
Asked whether Google’s push toward more wholly automated Search campaigns signals a belief that the future of search advertising will not rely on keywords, Ervin said Google “wants to make sure we meet advertisers where they are, while still helping set them and us up for where we expect the ecosystem to go. Even in AI Max, the keyword is actually a core feature, even if it is a broad keyword. It’s incredibly powerful to understand in the advertisers’ words what they are trying to accomplish with the given campaign.”
He added that the company has no plans to sunset exact match in Google Ads, which gives advertisers the most control when it comes to ensuring their Search ads appear for explicitly set keywords. Plus, he said, “If you don’t want to use AI Max, you don’t have to use it. We, of course, think that’s the best way to get the best of Google, especially as consumer behavior continues to change.”
