During this week’s PPCChat session, host Julie F Bacchini invited Ginny Marvin of Google Ads to answer experts’ questions about AI Max for Search Campaigns, which was announced last week.
Concept of “keywordless” in AI Max
Q1 Could you provide some more explanation on the role of keywordless versus our targeted keywords?
Yes. The keywordless technology in AI Max for Search campaigns enables targeting based on the information on your landing page, similar to Dynamic Search Ads, as well as targeting based on the assets in the ad group. The keywords in your campaign will continue to match as usual, plus they’ll also expand to broad match versions in the backend. @adsliaison
Q2 What could be examples of “keywordless matches”? How is it different from broad match, which I already considered “keywordless”?
Broad match is not considered “keywordless” because the keyword is what’s used for matching to the query (along with other signals). DSAs & PMax are examples of using keywordless technology – where you don’t explicitly enter keywords for targeting. AI Max for Search uses 2 types of info for keywordless targeting: landing page info (like DSA) as well as targeting based on the content in the ad group including your assets & keywords. @adsliaison
Q3 How will these keywordless matches appear in the search term report?
New things coming to STR : A new source column will indicate if the match was from a keyword, or keywordless or broad match expansion. And a new “AI Max for Search campaigns” view will show the queries plus the headlines & landing page combinations served for keywordless & broad match expansion traffic. @adsliaison
Q4 Will advertisers be able to opt out keywordless matching, while keeping other features of AI Max?
Yes, there’s flexibility here. The opt-in turns all three features on at once and then you can make adjustments. You can opt out of Search term matching at the ad group level — that means opting out of both broad match and keywordless expansion. A reminder from an earlier question that keywordless technology matches to queries based on the content on your landing page as well as the content in your ad group assets and keywords. @adsliaison
Q5 Should we still be grouping our campaigns and ad groups strategically, grouping our keywords in themes, or does this mean with a ‘keywordless strategy’ we should think differently? And does quality rank and the action change with AI Max?
Yes you should continue to think strategically about ad group theming because search term matching uses the keywords, assets & landing pages in your ad group to find new queries that are predicted to perform (based on your goals). You should also consider new opportunities for campaign consolidation & simplifying your account structure. @adsliaison
I’m not totally clear on what the second part refers to, but enabling AI Max does not change the auction dynamics and keyword prioritization remains the same (e.g. if you have a keyword that exactly matches the query, that will be prioritized first). @adsliaison
Q6 Do you all have any additional questions on the keyworldess aspect of AI Max?
Maybe super basic but: do negative keywords behave the same way for AI Max as they do for search? @JuliaVyse
Yes, they do @adsliaison
nice! and how does AI Max interact with PMax auctions/other automated auctions? @JuliaVyse
So is this a new campaign type in and of itself or a set of expansion options to your search campaigns? @revaminkoff
It’s not a new campaign type but a suite of optional AI-powered features. @adsliaison
Remains to be seen, but there is a non-zero chance that advertisers will be unhappy with Google’s construction of ads. What is the best way to maintain a semblance of control over creative/copy? @teabeeshell
Hi Maria!! And Travis, yes, I’ll grab these questions, but think we’ll address them in upcoming sections. meaning grab for future if we don’t get to them later @adsliaison
What @JuliaVyse said. What controls will we have if running PMAx etc. crossover might be an issue? @mariacorcoran
Hi Maria!! And Travis, yes, I’ll grab these questions, but think we’ll address them in upcoming sections. meaning grab for future if we don’t get to them later @adsliaison
When will this be rolled out to all accounts? @AmberDeedler
It’ll start rolling out globally at the end of the month. @adsliaison
Is it available in every account? Or is it a beta? @pascal
I’ve already seen notable cannibalization between PMax and Demand Gen (sharing Gmail, YouTube, and Discover inventory…with PMax adding in Display).What is the best approach to avoiding further overlap with PMax within text-based search inventory? Same re: Standard Search campaigns. @teabeeshell
Geographic Targeting
Q1 Will geographic targeting settings be impacted? The section in the documentation about geographic interests is unclear… it implied that somehow geo targets would do the work keyword targeting had done in the past?
Your existing campaign settings don’t change, including location, budget, language, etc. However, AI Max introduces new optional location controls at the ad group level. @adsliaison
The ad group level controls enables new use cases to reach users based on their expressed geo intent if present in the search, otherwise if they don’t express geo intent in their query targeting is based on their physical location. @adsliaison
A couple of use case examples: @adsliaison
- show ads to people interested in a local business location – either they’ve expressed location intent in their search, or they don’t use a location in the query but they’re physically in the area
- reach users who are physically in one location (defined at the campaign level) but are searching for another location (defined at the ad group level). Both campaign level and ad group level location requirements need to be met for the query to match
For example, you might be targeting ‘Texas’ at the campaign level but set an ad group level location of ‘Austin’. For use cases that only depend on the user’s location intent (e.g. ‘Austin’), you can choose to rely entirely on ad group location of interest. If you are using location in your keywords, we recommend adding it as a location of interest at the ad group level so that keywordless targeting will respect it too. You’ll see the new “locations of interest” option at the ad group level. @adsliaison
Same question on exclusions: do my campaign location exclusions overrule ad group signals? do i need to apply location exclusions in two places? @JuliaVyse
The new ad group geo control is for positive targeting. No need to add exclusions there. @adsliaison
so use-case wise: I’d love to target all of one province and exclude 1 city. That’s still to be done at the campaign level, and positive targeting at the ad group level only? basically I batch upload a lot of city/town names. @JuliaVyse
+ to @JessicaWeber ’s question for GMB locations: Are we able to control which GBP locations are shown per ad group? @JuliaVyse
What is the value add if you are already geo targeting with bid modifiers? They are using target ROAS and/or CPA so there is that element in place already. It looks like it would just include keywordless based on your comment above. @mariacorcoran
Yes it can help cover keywordless and broad expansion and also reduce the need to build out location terms in your keywords @adsliaison
How does this differ from “located in” vs. “interested in” today? @teabeeshell
the Presence and Presence or interest settings at the campaign level aren’t changing. Just the addition of locations of interest option at the ad groups level @adsliaison
So is this the setting that would work for tourism/travel companies who want to target people looking for their location but aren’t necessarily in it, which wasn’t necessarily an option before? @revaminkoff
Are we able to control which GBP locations are shown per ad group? @JessicaWeber
How AI Max Will Work Relative to Other Campaign Types
Q1 How does AI Max interact with, or not compete with, traditional text-based search campaigns? Your typical exact, phrase, broad match campaigns?
Important to note that keyword prioritization rules will work the same https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/2756257?hl=env. So if the user’s search query is identical to an eligible Search keyword — of any match type — in your account, the Search campaign will be prioritized over AI Max for Search campaigns keywordless and broad match expansions, and PMax. @adsliaison
Q2 How would this work alongside Performance Max campaigns? Would you use both?
Very good question and hopefully this helps. For advertisers who are already running Search and Performance Max campaigns together, continue to use both! Advertisers using Search campaigns can (we’d say should. activate & test how AI Max boosts results — and take advantage of the additional controls and reporting features. What we’ve seen is that advertisers who are mostly using exact & phrase match keywords, and not already all in on PMax, see the most impact.Search and PMax campaigns may be eligible for the same auctions today — and this dynamic is not changing. The way your keywords and keywordless matches are prioritized in serving works the same as it does currently. @adsliaison
Q3 Is AI Max basically just the Search part of a PMax campaign? If not, how is it different?
AI Max for Search campaigns is built to have parity with Search on PMax. Both AI Max for Search campaigns and PMax use the latest Google AI and the main difference is that PMax serves ads across Search and non-Search channels, while AI Max for Search campaigns only serves on Search text inventory.And as we’ve touched on — there are also additional features available with AI Max for Search campaigns such as new ad group level controls (search term matching, text customization, URL expansion, location targeting, brand controls and search category tracking parameter) and reporting options. @adsliaison
Q4 How does AI Max compare to Search Max or does it replace it?
This replaces it. During the pilot phase we were referring to this as Search Max. However, this is now called AI Max for Search campaigns @adsliaison
AI Max campaign Set Up and Defaults
Q1 During campaign setup, is AI Max on by default or must you turn it on?
For existing campaigns, this is opt-in. When this becomes available for new campaigns it’s likely to be on by default with the ability to opt out and tailor what features you want enabled. @adsliaison
Q2 If AI Max gets toggled on, can it easily be toggled off? Can it just be toggled off and the rest of the campaign and its history remain intact?
Yes! It’s just a campaign setting toggle that can be turned on and off. You can also adjust the features you want enabled. We’ll typically recommend keeping them all enabled, but you can opt out of text customization & final URL expansion, or both, at the campaign level, and out of Search term matching at the ad group level. @adsliaison
Q3 It was mentioned that there would be the ability to remove specific AI-generated assets/extensions. How does that differ from the settings we have today, where we can turn off all auto-generated assets?
Just to clarify first, AI Max doesn’t automatically generate extensions. Text customization is the new name for automatically created assets (ACA). It combines your existing assets with additional optimizations based on content from your landing pages and existing ads. @adsliaison
You’ll continue to have the option to remove any generated assets. You can also opt out of text customization in AI Max for Search campaigns at the campaign level @adsliaison
Lastly, note: If you’re currently using ACA in your Search campaigns, you can continue to use it or migrate to AI Max for Search campaigns. More info here: https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/11259373 @adsliaison
Q4 Will we be able to turn text customization off and use RSAs?
Yes, you can opt out at the campaign level if needed. @adsliaison
Q5 Can we opt out of locations of interest?
Yes (are you sensing a theme. Tt’s optional at the ad group level with AI Max for Search campaigns, but I also just want to confirm that campaign-level location targeting options aren’t changing. You’ll continue to select either “Presence” or “Presence or interest”. When using the optional ad group level locations of interest controls with AI Max, locations of interest is based on our understanding of the user’s geo interest. This means if there’s an expressed location in the user’s search (e.g. ‘car rental Boston’) it takes precedence; otherwise, we will use our understanding of the user’s physical location (e.g. ‘car rental’ + user is in Boston). If you are using location in your keywords, we recommend adding it as a location of interest at the ad group level so that keywordless targeting will respect it too. @adsliaison
Q6 Will page feeds be supported?
Yes page feeds are already supported (as are URL rules) for final URL expansion. @adsliaison
Q7 Where can you add exclusions/negative controls? (i.e pages that shouldn’t be used, negative keywords, negative ad copy, etc.
- Negative keywords continue to work the same.
- Final URL expansion supports URL inclusions and exclusions.
- You can remove any generated assets you don’t want to serve: https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/11259373#remove_gcta @adsliaison
Q8 Will we be able to enable AI Max through experiment campaigns?
Yes, drafts & experiments are available for AI Max, and more customized A/B testing capability is on the roadmap! @adsliaison
Any chance of ad previews for auto-gen assets turned on? I have a feeling doing this will help cautious clients see how good they are and relax a little. @JuliaVyse
PPCChat Participants
- Julia Vyse @JuliaVyse
- Julie F Bacchini @NeptuneMoon
- Reva Minkoff @revaminkoff
- Ginny Marvin @adsliaison
- Travis @teabeeshell
- Pascal Klopp @pascal
- Amber Deedler @AmberDeedler
- Maria Corcoran @mariacorcoran
- Jessica Weber @JessicaWeber
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