When Google started mentioning AI max, my reaction was the same as any experienced paid media consultant - immediate skepticism followed by that need to know everything before everyone else that we all share.
Google’s recent rollout of AI overviews highlights just how much Max relies on automation, positioning it as another AI-powered feature shaping the future of search campaigns.
After months of testing this new feature, I’ve got some honest feedback on what works, why it works & whether this new feature is right for everyone.
What is AI Max? Like really.. what is it?
AI max is Google's attempt to let artificial intelligence take the wheel for your search campaigns. We’ve been using it to control bids for years, but this new feature expands AIs presence into search term matching. The system expands your keyword targeting using machine learning, essentially saying "I know you wanted to target 'running shoes,' but what about people searching for 'shoes for marathon' and 'best shoes for running & knee pain'?"
We’ve always used various assets like keywords, ad copy, and landing pages to guide campaigns, but AI Max takes things further. The tool doesn’t only extend keyword reach — it also uses keywordless matches and broad match to discover relevant queries you’d otherwise miss.
The premise is simple - let AI max expand your reach & see an uplift in conversion rate as a result… but is it really so simple?
The Good, The Bad & The Ridiculous
Let me start with the most impressive part, AI max really does expand your reach like nothing I’ve ever seen before, and different to expanding this through display ads, you can actually see what terms it’s serving on instead of blindly hoping!
In some cases I’ve seen it increase reach by silly %’s, like this client below -
Tracking performance metrics like CPA, CTR, and ROAS early on is essential when testing any new feature like this.
New reporting features give clearer visibility into which search terms (across all match types) are driving performance, not just which ones show impressions.
Like with anything paid media related, the important part is bottom line impact on conversion rate & ROAS.Iin the early days - I wasn’t impressed.
The first time I implemented AI Max I did what we’re advised to do - turn it on & let it run. The results were creative to say the least, serving for variations of branded terms (barf bags instead of barking bags??) & burning budget on competitor terms which don’t convert.
At this stage, I had Max Include wide open, giving Google full control with minimal restrictions.
After letting this play out for a test period, I took performance back in to my own hands & excluded all crazy brand & competitors variations. This did reduce reach, but I wasn’t really seeing any benefit from AI max thereafter. Until I discovered the location of interest targeting, by combining AI Max's reach capabilities with specific geographic parameters, suddenly the chaos became manageable.
This is where AI max is genuinely clever, instead of wasting budget on competitor terms and brand searches, I could apply location of interest targeting to maintain relevancy while expanding reach.
For example, if I wanted to target people searching for university courses nationwide but specifically attract students interested in Los Angeles courses, I could set the location of interest to LA. AI Max would then find people across the entire country searching for university course related terms, but prioritise those showing interest in Los Angeles based on other online behaviour, giving me that extended reach without sacrificing relevancy or needing heavy geographic overlays at keyword level.
This approach completely changed my thoughts on AI Max - turning it from a budget burner into something that actually made business sense. Reach still increased, but now we weren’t sacrificing relevancy and actually saw an uplift in end figures.
That’s also when the ROI finally started to justify the additional spend.
The Verdict
I started this AI max journey feeling dubious - as you should be when Google asks for blind faith. Mid journey my skepticism felt validated, but through new advancements & the introduction of certain features, I can say that AI Max does exactly what it promises - increases reach. Does it always increase conversion rates? No. But with proper nurturing and about four weeks of hand holding, it becomes a powerful tool for expanding your customer base.
Keeping an eye on core performance metrics helps make sure increased reach doesn’t come at the cost of wasted spend.
The key is managing expectations. AI Max won't replace your carefully crafted keyword strategy overnight.
Think of AI Max as Search Max on steroids, offering more sophisticated targeting options with better control when used correctly. The most underrated element is definitely the locations of interest targeting. It takes a hyperlocal strategy you could previously only implement safely in a restricted area and lets you roll it out countrywide without losing your mind or budget!
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