The short answer is nothing has changed at this point in Google ads.
You need to be using AI-powered targeting solutions, which include:
- Broad Match on Search
- Keywordless targeting technology available in:
- AI Max for Search campaigns
- Performance Max (PMax) campaigns
- Shopping campaigns
- Dynamic Search Ads (DSAs)
Note: Dynamic Search Ads (DSAs) are migrating into AI Max for Search campaigns.
Also, you should be using Smart Bidding with any of these targeting technologies.
How ads are matched in AI Search
The relevance bar is higher in AI Search.
Ads are matched to Google’s understanding of the user’s intent, based on:
- The user query
- The content in the AI response
Why AI Max and Performance Max matter
There are two key reasons why Google emphasises AI Max and Performance Max for AI Search experiences.
1. Better matching for complex searches
As search queries become:
- Longer
- Multimodal
- More complex
Gemini can look at the full context of both:
- The AI response
- The user’s query
to improve ad matching.
2. Text Customisation
Text Customisation allows the ad to be tailored to the context and more clearly indicate relevance to the user.
AI Max Controls
AI Max provides additional controls to help steer AI towards the traffic you want.
These include:
- Brand controls
- Location of Interest controls at the ad group level
- URL inclusions
- URL exclusions for Final URL Expansion
AI Brief (Coming Soon)
The AI Brief will roll out in English in the coming months.
It can be used to set:
- Messaging
- Matching
- Audience guidelines
using natural language.
