Google has officially expanded AI Max to Shopping and Travel campaigns as it hits one year in market.
The announcement comes on the heels of its upcoming annual Google Marketing Live event on May 20th.
Google noted that AI Max has become the fastest-growing AI-powered Search ads product.
Both AI Max for Shopping and Travel campaigns are rolling out as closed betas globally in all languages.
Read on to understand how AI Max will work with Shopping campaigns and travel-specific vertical ads.
AI Max for Shopping Campaigns
Google confirmed that it will use an account’s linked Merchant Center feed to create dynamic Shopping ads that help answer “conversational queries.”
One of the reasons Google is expanding AI Max to Shopping ads format is that it’s become more “difficult to manually meet every search with the right ad.”
AI Max for Shopping is meant to better capture long-tail searches and showcase your ad in a way that meets the user where they’re at.
Three components of AI Max for Shopping campaigns include:
- Text customization: Creates ad copy for Shopping ads to better align with shopper intent and conversational searches
- Final URL Expansion (FUE): Matches your website’s most relevant landing page(s) to the shopper’s intent
- Optimal Format Selection: Automatically selects the best format (either text-only or Shopping ads) based on what’s most relevant to the individual shopper
Similar to the rollout of AI Max for Search, advertisers will be able to upgrade to AI Max with one click. However, you can turn off Final URL Expansion (FUE) at any time.
Existing product targeting controls and bidding structures will still stay in place.
Travel Ads Shifting to Search Campaigns For Travel
Not only is AI Max coming to Travel ad formats, but the way travel ads are managed is changing.
Google announced the shift to Search Campaigns for Travel, which brings in travel feeds and formats into standard Search campaigns.
The goal is to simplify workflow while providing more AI-powered campaign management.
Some of the benefits Google noted with this change include:
- Consolidated buying door: Removes multiple campaign types into a single campaign, while retaining all previous feature and advanced controls across travel formats.
- Real-time enhancements: Utilize travel feed and keywords, as well as AI Max functionality.
- New and unified reporting: Travel ad format data will now be in one view because of the migration to Search campaigns
What This Means For Advertisers
Google is expanding AI Max while many advertisers are still evaluating the first version of it.
But, for most advertisers, this isn’t yet available and it may be weeks or months before it rolls out to general availability.
Some accounts have seen positive results from broader query coverage and automated optimization. Others have questioned how much visibility they lose in exchange, especially as Dynamic Search Ads begin shifting into AI Max. For advertisers who relied on tighter controls, that hesitation is understandable.
In the meantime, while advertisers wait for AI Max expansion in their accounts, the best thing to do now is clean up the areas automation depends on.
That can include items like optimizing Shopping and Travel feeds, landing pages, and reviewing conversion tracking accuracy.
Additionally, if you’re already running AI Max for Search, keep close eye on what types of queries your ads are already showing up for. Having a good negative keyword strategy going into this expansion can help save time and money.
Looking Ahead
With Google Marketing Live coming up, this announcement likely sets up a broader AI Max push for further launches.
It wouldn’t be surprising to see Google expand it beyond individual campaign types, along with more clarity on reporting and when advertisers should or shouldn’t use it.
Measurement will likely be part of that conversation as well, especially as advertisers continue asking where performance is actually coming from.
We will have a clearer picture soon, but AI Max is quickly becoming a bigger part of how Google expects campaigns to run moving forward.
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