We’ve said it before: we’re not just another digital marketing agency. We’re the brand performance partner that turns ambition into measurable results. And today, that ambition has a brand-new tool at its disposal: AI Max for Search campaigns.
What Is AI Max?
AI Max is Google’s new AI-powered layer for Search campaigns. It expands your reach beyond the keywords you manually select, using Google’s machine learning to match ads to high-value searches based on your seed keywords, creative assets, and URLs. In plain terms: it doesn’t just wait for people to type in your keywords, it finds related intent you’d otherwise miss, while giving you new reporting and control options.
Think of it as the next evolution of search: keywords are still there, but AI Max extends them, anticipates user intent, and adapts your ads in real time.
In this article, we’ll explore:
- What changed: how AI Max expands matching beyond keywords.
- What stays the same: controls and reporting that keep you in charge.
- Where it fits: how AI Max integrates with your wider Google Ads strategy.
What’s New: AI That Thinks Beyond Keywords
For years, keyword targeting has been the backbone of search marketing. But keywords only take you so far. AI Max changes that by expanding your reach beyond the words you’ve already thought of. It uses Google’s AI to learn from your keywords, creative assets, and URLs, then matches you with net-new, high-value searches you would have missed.
That means:
- More conversions (Google reports a typical 14–27% uplift)
- Smarter reach into moments that didn’t even exist yesterday
- Ads that adapt in real time to user intent
In short: AI Max doesn’t just find your audience, it anticipates them.
Controls & Safety Rails: Not a Black Box
AI Max isn’t about losing control; it’s about smarter control. With new safety rails in place, you stay firmly in the driver’s seat. Features include:
- Brand exclusions to prevent irrelevant or competitor matches
- URL allow/deny lists to control which landing pages expand
- Location-of-interest vs. presence targeting for sharper geo focus
- Negative signals to block unhelpful queries
- Query insights for transparency into what’s driving performance
On top of this, we continually review queries, calibrate bids, and adjust budgets to ensure efficiency and alignment with your goals. The AI does the heavy lifting, but strategy and human oversight remain central.
Why This Matters for WilsonCooke Clients
At WilsonCooke, we’ve built our reputation on Brand Performance Marketing. We believe brand and performance are not opposites; they are partners. AI Max brings that philosophy to life.
- Brand-first relevance: AI Max adapts creative so your brand story is always at the heart of the ad, no matter the search.
- Performance-driven growth: smarter intent capture means more leads, sales, and value at lower CPAs.
- Full-funnel visibility: with new reporting and control features, we can show you not just impressions but real customer journeys.
For our clients, this means unlocking new markets, lowering costs, and driving more relevant engagement.
How We’ll Put AI Max to Work
When we come on board, we don’t just push buttons; we engineer growth. Here’s how we’ll harness AI Max for your brand:
Expand Your Reach
Use search term matching and keywordless tech to capture high-intent searches you would otherwise miss.
Adapt in Real Time
Deploy AI-powered text customisation to ensure every headline, every CTA, every landing page speaks directly to the moment.
Optimise With Precision
Leverage location-of-interest targeting, brand controls, and URL expansion to keep campaigns sharp, efficient, and aligned with your business goals.
Track What Matters
Go beyond vanity metrics and measure conversions, CPA, ROAS, and brand impact in one joined-up view.
The Future Is Here And We’re Ready
AI Max for Search isn’t about replacing strategy with machines. It’s about amplifying what great strategy can achieve. That’s where we come in. We’ll take the power of Google’s AI, fuse it with brand thinking, and turn it into results that actually matter for your business.
The search landscape is evolving fast. But that’s the point. We grow together, we adapt together, and we succeed together.
Ready to unlock new growth with AI Max?
Book a strategy session with our team today, and let’s explore how we can build smarter, more powerful campaigns tailored to your business.
Your brand. Our mission. Powered by AI.
Let’s smash your goals together.
