Google’s Search Campaign AI Max: What It Is and How It Works?

Summary

AI marketing tools 2025 is one of the most searched terms because the marketers want to deliver the best possible results to their clients.

But we are here to talk about something that Google offers for free and has delivered amazing results for brands like MyConnect & L’Oréal.

Read this blog and become the marketer who can deliver profitable Google Ads campaigns using AI Max      

Key Takeaways

• Remember the days when AI-powered Google Ads were becoming a hassle instead of help.

• We have all been using AI in Google Search Campaigns, but AI Max is a class apart.

• Well, the hassles are disappearing due to a new Google Search campaign optimization that has been launched.

• Before you go looking for Google AI campaign tools, learn about AI Max with this blog.

Table of Contents

1. A few facts about AI Max and AI in Google Ads
2. Real World Case Studies on AI Max

⤷ L’Oréal

⤷ MyConnect

3. What is AI Max in Google Search Campaigns?

⤷ Is AI Max Google Ads a new ad type?

⤷ What are the various boosts brought by Google Search AI Max?

⤷ How to turn off AI Max in Google Search Campaigns?

4. Why is AI Max needed in Google Ads?
5. AI Max vs PMax & DSA (Dynamic Search Ads)

⤷ When should you not use AI Max?

6. How is AI Max helping with Better Controls in Google Ads?
7. What are the updates that AI Max brings to Reporting?
8. Conclusion
9. FAQs

The pain felt by Paid Ad marketers is about to end with respect to Google Ads.

Because Google just dropped AI Max for Google Search Campaigns.

We know some of you might feel that AI is intruding and might take away your jobs.

But believe us, AI in Google Search Campaigns is here to make your campaigns perform better and turn you into a Paid Ads expert.

A few facts about AI Max and AI in Google Ads

• AI Max has led to a 14% (average) increase in conversions from Google Ads.

• The conversion value increase can go up to 27% if phase match or exact match keywords are used.

• AI-powered smart bidding strategies can decrease the CPA, or cost per acquisition, by 30% (average) in comparison to manual bidding.

• Adore Me, an apparel company, increased their ROAS or return on ad spend, by 30% using AI for ad spending and targeting optimization.

• As per Deloitte’s findings, AI in Ads led to a 22% boost to ROI or return on investment.

Real World Case Studies on AI Max

Below are two real-world case studies that will help you understand the power of AI Max in Google Ads.

L’Oréal

L’Oréal used AI in Google Search Campaigns to locate new search options and boost their ads’ relevance.

Results

• Conversion rate increased by 2X

• Cost per Conversion or CPC reduced by 31%

• More Conversions unlocked from net-new search queries

MyConnect

MyConnect is a utility connection service company based in Australia that used Google Ads AI features to garner amazing results.

Results

• 16% more Leads

• 13% lower CPA or cost per action

• 30% more Conversions from net-new queries

Aren’t these results exciting?

What is AI Max in Google Search Campaigns?

We all have heard about Performance Max, or PMax, and some might also have heard the term “Search Max”.

But now a new feature has been released in Google Ads called the AI Max.

It is the evolved version of what was earlier referred to as ‘Search Max.’

Is AI Max Google Ads a new ad type?

No, AI in Google Search Campaigns is not another ad type; rather, it’s a feature upgrade that can be activated in your existing search campaigns with one click.

What are the various boosts brought by Google Search AI Max?

Fig 1: A graphical representation of the benefits of AI Max.

Google Ads AI features boost your Search campaigns by,

Search Term Matching

Google Ads AI features are used to extend the scope of keyword matching and cover relevant & high-performing queries which were not covered in your current keywords.

Text Customization

Now, the Automatically Created Assets or ACA tool will be known as Text customization.

Via text customization, headlines and descriptions for the Google Search Ads can be dynamically generated as per the keywords, existing ads & landing pages.

Final URL Expansion

Users get directed to those pages on your website which are the most relevant to them as per their search query’s intent.

Although the benefits of Google Search AI Max seem amazing, some marketers might not want to go with it in existing campaigns and test it first before adoption

How to turn off AI Max in Google Search Campaigns?

Google Ads AI features can be turned off by

• Opting out of Final URL expansion and Text Customization at the Campaign level.

• For Search Term matching, you need to opt out of it at the Ad group level.

Whenever you try them, they all should be turned on for maximum results as per Google.

Why is AI Max needed in Google Ads?

We all know how Google AI Overviews, or AIOs, and Google Lens, or Google Scan, changed the user search experience.

And AI is already improving Google Ads, as depicted by the aforementioned stats.

But, paid ads experts were quite worried about the rising costs and decreasing results of Google Ads.

So, Google announced AI-powered Ads, or Google Search AI Max Ads.

Via AI in Google Search Campaigns, Google Search Ads will,

• Allow Advertisers to retain access to Ad controls and Search reports while getting new creative & targeting tools.

• Have detailed Reports (in the pipeline) that will include better URL parameters for tracking and search terms by asset.

In a nutshell, AI in Google Search Campaigns is Google’s way of rendering flexible automation while allowing advertisers to set the guardrails as per their liking.

AI Max vs PMax & DSA (Dynamic Search Ads)

Marketers might be wondering how Google Ads AI features are different from Performance Max (PMax) and Dynamic Search Ads (DSAs).

Because only when they know it can they pitch it to their superiors and clients.

	AI Max	PMax	DSA
Purpose	Boost the coverage and perfect the targeting of Search Ads using AI	Boost conversions and revenue using ML & automation	Automatic ad generation and search query targeting based on web content.
Search Auction Availability	Yes	Yes	No
Search Keyword Priority	First	Second	Keyworth Matching not used.
Best For	Real-time ad optimization	To garner reach across all Google Channels	For websites with a lot of products and great schema.

Fig 2: A tabular comparison between AI Max, PMax and DSA.

You can make the best choice amongst them as per your liking, client business and their business goals.

When should you not use AI Max?

There are certain scenarios when you should not use AI Max,

• Working with Strict creative guidelines and/or Sensitive content policies

• For brands that need Pinning for the ad assets (Final URL expansion does not support it)

• Rapidly changing business that cannot rely on automated ads

Other than these scenarios, you can experiment away with AI in Google Search Campaigns.

How is AI Max helping with Better Controls in Google Ads?

For long, pay-per-click or PPC experts have voiced their issues regarding loss of control and transparency in Google Ads.

These issues started happening when automation was increased in paid ad campaigns.

And thus, Google Ads AI features were launched by Google to resolve these issues once & for all.

Fig 3: A comparative graphical representation showing how Max imparts better controls.

Here’s how Google Ads AI features impart better controls for Brand Safety,

Brand Controls

Allowing you to choose what brands your ads appear with and exclude the ones you don’t want.

Location of Interest Controls

Designed for businesses that either dwell with a local audience or cover multiple locations.

It allows user targeting based on their geographical search intent and can be set in the ad groups.

Creative Asset Controls

If some assets don’t meet your brand guidelines, they can now be removed or blocked.

This way advertisers can ensure that automation of Google Ads doesn’t take away the value addition brought by their expertise.

Note: AI-generated assets can not be reviewed as of now and can only be seen after the ad has gone live.

What are the updates that AI brings to Reporting?

Due to AI in Google Search Campaigns, the search reporting will get three major updates, and they are as follows:

• Associated headlines & URLs will be shown in search term reporting.

• Asset reports to cover spend and conversions, along with impressions, while measuring performance.

• New URL parameter to deliver a deeper dive into the performance of all match types and search queries.

Conclusion

In conclusion, AI Max brings the power of PMax via its creative flexibility and adaptability while retaining keyword control and the same campaign type.

AI in Google Search Campaigns will feel natural to those advertisers who use automated bidding and broad match.

While if you use phrase and/or exact match keywords, then you can still use AI Max but with caution.

Whatever the case might be, Google will only be moving forward with automation, so it is better to align with it and learn how to profit from it.

Wildnet Technologies is a leading Digital Marketing Company in India that has helped more than 4100 clients over 19 years to improve their reach and ROI.

Do you need to hire contractual marketers? We got that as well.

For more information,

> Paid Search Analytics: How to turn Clicks into Conversions?

> Google Ads now Permits Double Serving: A New Era for Advertisers

> Wildnet’s Digital Glossary

> Wildnet’s Digital Yum (our weekly newsletter from the thought leadership desk about the latest in the digital realm)

Connect with us at info@wildnettechnologies.com and experience the power of AI Max. 

FAQs

FAQ: 1 Is MaxAI free?

Ans: MaxAI.me which is a low-code/no-code development platform that leverages AI powerups, is free to use.

FAQ 2: What is AI Max?

Ans: AI Max is a new automation feature introduced in Google Search campaigns that enhances targeting, creativity and results.

It is a must-try, but we do suggest experimenting in a lab environment first.

FAQ 3: Do you need any special expertise to use AI Max in Google Search Campaigns?

Ans: No, you just need to know your paid ads marketing services and the knowledge shared in this blog.

It will be enough to let you go wild with AI in Google Search Campaigns.

FAQ 4: Will AI help Advertisers with issues faced in Google Ads in the past and present?

Ans: Google has announced this ambitious automation feature in the hopes of wooing back the Paid Ads community.

So, we also hope that AI in Google Search Campaigns will turn out to be fruitful.

FAQ 5: How can Wildnet Technologies help with Max in Google Search Ads?

Ans: Wildnet Technologies has a team of skilled advertisers who have been helping our clients to maximize their footfall and revenue generation.

Be it PMax, DV 360, Programmatic Ads or more, our advertising champs can do it all and garner the best results for your brand.

Now with AI in Google Search Campaigns, the results are going to skyrocket for brands who leverage Google Search Ads powered by our niche expertise.

So leave the competition behind and become the best in your industry with Wildnet.