I’ve noticed a significant shift in how Google Ads operates. No longer is it about simply targeting keywords. Now, it’s all about understanding and leveraging user intent. Here’s what this evolution means for eligibility, structure, and PPC strategy.
Most PPC teams, myself included, have operated on autopilot: compiling keyword lists, assigning match types, and structuring ad groups around search terms. This was the norm.
However, Google’s auction process has transformed. Search interactions are evolving into more conversational experiences. People engage with AI as if they’re having a dialogue, asking follow-up questions and refining their inquiries. AI now reasons through a question before linking it to suitable ads.
Today, the auction isn’t kicked off by a keyword but by the user’s implied intent. If I’m still relying on exact and phrase match structures, I’m planning for a system that’s no longer there. It’s time to embrace intent as the foundation—not the specific words typed, but the underlying goals they signify.
With this intent-first approach, I find a more resilient strategy. It allows me to effectively design campaigns, creativity, and metrics, especially as Google rolls out new AI-focused formats.
While keywords still play a role, they no longer serve as the framework.
Recently, I’ve learned about changes happening under the hood during a search.
Google’s AI now utilizes a method called “query fan out,” which breaks down complex queries into subtopics and conducts simultaneous searches to provide a comprehensive response.
The auction begins even before users finish typing. Importantly, AI can deduce commercial intent from purely informational searches.
For example, if someone asks, “Why is my pool green?” Google understands they’re troubleshooting, not shopping, but identifies potential product needs and displays ads for pool-cleaning supplies. The AI’s reasoning layer recognizes the solution products offer.
This change in auction logic focuses on matching offerings to the user’s inferred intent, rather than merely matching keywords to queries. Recognizing this shift is crucial, or I risk misinterpreting the user journey.
I’ve come to appreciate the intricacies of an intent-first approach. It doesn’t eliminate the need for keyword research but changes how I prioritize keywords. Now, I align campaigns to the user’s intent.
This strategy encourages me to consider:
- What problem is the user addressing?
- What stage of decision-making are they in?
- What role does the product play in solving their issue?
Realizing that the same intent can emerge from various queries and that identical queries can express different intents based on context has been illuminating. Phrases like “Best CRM” might indicate a need for feature comparison or a readiness to purchase; Google’s AI can now make those distinctions, and so should my campaigns.
This shift is more mental than tactical. While I still build keyword lists, they’re now organized by intent rather than match type. My ad copy speaks directly to user goals instead of echoing search terms.
Moving from keywords to intent isn’t merely a tactical alteration—it’s a strategic lens through which I plan for future campaigns, especially as Google enhances its AI-driven ad formats.
Reorganizing campaigns around intent rather than keywords has its immediate effects, impacting eligibility and landing page efficacy while fundamentally influencing system learning.
Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.
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