Not too long ago, I remember broad match being hailed as the future of paid search. Today, AI Max has taken on that mantle.
Over recent months, I’ve received plenty of suggestions to activate AI Max on brand campaigns, even when these campaigns are performing just as I want them to.
The reality is, many accounts still aren’t equipped with the essentials AI Max requires for optimum function. Conversion tracking issues, the lack of offline conversion imports, and budget-constrained generic campaigns are common hurdles.
AI Max thrives on robust conversion signals, adequate volume, and enough variation for effective learning. I often find that brand campaigns provide most of these signals.
However, applying AI Max to brand campaigns means layering additional automation over our most efficient and predictable traffic source.
The promise and limitations of AI Max
AI Max can broaden search targeting beyond your key phrases by using keywords, landing pages, and site content as signals instead of specific targeting criteria.
Much like dynamic search ads (DSA), AI Max can align with queries you didn’t explicitly target, and it ventures even further by transcending the intent limits set by your keyword arsenal.
Google portrays AI Max as the future of Search automation, preparing to merge DSA, automatically created assets, and broad match settings into AI Max this September.
With controls like brand exclusions, URL exclusions, text guidelines, and location targeting, AI Max might tap into growth opportunities in accounts rich with strong conversion signals and enough search volume.
Yet, many accounts haven’t reached that point.
With Google’s AI Surface eligibility expanding, it’s tempting to dive headfirst into AI Max. But it’s essential to focus on account fundamentals—measurement accuracy, conversion integrity, and solid account structures—before relying solely on AI Max.
Why AI surface eligibility isn’t reason enough to rush into AI Max
The growing interest in AI Max is fueled by Google’s push toward AI-powered search experiences. AI Overviews now engage approximately 2.5 billion users monthly, presenting ads in 25.6% of AI Overview results, according to Semrush data.
While maintaining visibility in these surprising new fields is advisable, rushing to apply AI Max without assessing your campaign structure and conversion strategies can be detrimental.
Typically, Google Ads representatives pitch AI Max for brand campaigns to ensure their eligibility in AI Mode and associated AI Overviews. However, this isn’t always the truth.
Ginny Marvin, a Google Ads liaison, confirmed that three campaign types are eligible for AI Overviews: broad match with Smart Bidding, Performance Max (PMax), and AI Max for Search. Meanwhile, exact match keywords never qualify for AI Overviews.
Thus, PMax and AI Max generally serve the same purpose concerning AI surface eligibility. Running PMax brand campaigns already gives you the necessary coverage, without the need for adding another layer of automation.
Before adding AI Max into your mix, examine whether it’s genuinely necessary over addressing your account’s foundational needs.
Test data doesn’t fully endorse Google’s AI Max assertions
Google claims that enabling AI Max could increase conversions by 14%, and those employing exact and phrase matches might experience a 27% increase. Nevertheless, independent tests have yielded a wide array of results.
The evidence for AI Max remains mixed
In tests covering 600 accounts, Smarter Ecommerce observed AI Max produced 35% lower ROAS than traditional match types. This outcome aligns with intentional budget minimization by advertisers.
Through a four-month examination, Xavier Mantica discovered AI Max resulted in the priciest conversions compared to phrase and exact match. While Mantica noted $100.37 per conversion with AI Max, phrase match was at $43.97, and exact match was at $52.69.
Moreover, 99% of impressions during Ezra Sackett’s 30,000 search term analysis returned zero conversions under AI Max.
Significantly, none of this data is brand-focused. AI Max may provide benefits in certain settings, but a successful, exact match defensive brand campaign may not be the right candidate for testing new automation.
If your brand is still the standout performer in your account, you may want to question why the rest of your campaigns haven’t met similar standards.
What to consider before testing AI Max on brand
Ask yourself these critical questions before branching AI Max into your brand campaigns:
1. Are the conversion signals trustworthy?
Does your setup cleanly distinguish between macro and micro conversions? Are offline imports running smoothly? Does the lead quality feedback enhance platform optimization?
If the underlying signals falter, AI Max will simply magnify those issues.
2. Have you already explored generic growth?
In the accounts I review, problems like budget constraints, misaligned landing pages, outdated queries, and suboptimal structure frequently hinder generic campaign growth.
Real growth is often found within these issues, rather than an already strong brand campaign.
3. Can the account provide AI with sufficient learning data?
Remember, AI Max is not some sorcery; it mirrors the quality of the signals it receives.
Relying heavily on brand conversions will only amplify these markers and obstruct other growth pathways.
4. Are brand + modifier searches already structured properly?
Search variations like “Brand + pricing” or “Brand + reviews” ought to be treated as separate strategic campaigns. AI Max should not substitute for robust account architecture.
5. Do you have a strategic reason to expand the brand campaign?
Consider testing strategically through experiments, rather than viewing AI Max as a straightforward switch to augment visibility.
AI Max only works as efficiently as the signals guiding it
AI Max might develop into a truly beneficial tool over time, much like PMax did. Automation effective at any level still requires strong foundational signals for success.
The existing issue remains with insufficient solid foundations supporting the automation. Improved conversions, precise measurement, sound account structures, and comprehensive feedback loops are vital to making automation wiser.
Above all, don’t conflate Google’s automation agenda with your campaign objectives.
Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.
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