How to Evaluate and Improve AI Max Performance

In Google Ads, AI Max is not a separate campaign type but a set of AI enhancements embedded within existing search ads. As a result, the methods for viewing data and analyzing performance are integrated into your Search campaign reports.

Once AI Max is enabled, advertisers are most concerned with performance: how do features like expanded keyword matching, automatically generated ad copy, and AI-selected landing pages impact traffic and conversions? In Google Ads, we can use several key reports to gain deeper insights into AI Max performance.

Keywords Report

In the summary section of the Keywords Report, you will see a Total column:

Total: Campaign = Total: Keywords in your campaign + Total: AI Max landing page matches + Total: URL inclusions in your campaign

• Total: Keywords in your campaign = Your manually added keywords + AI Max expanded matches
• AI Max expanded matches: New matching keywords generated by AI based on your existing keywords
• AI Max landing page matches: Traffic triggered by search queries matching your landing pages or assets, outside of your original keyword list

Example use case: For e-commerce advertisers, newly captured long-tail keywords can drive additional traffic from new customers without manually adding each search term.

Search Term Report

In the Search Term view, the Match Type column now includes a new type: AI Max, in addition to the original Broad, Phrase, and Exact Match types.

• When the Match Type is AI Max, the Source field will indicate whether the traffic came from Landing pages and URL inclusions or AI Max expanded matches
• This allows you to quickly identify which traffic comes from AI-captured new search intents and which comes from landing page matches

Additionally, the Search Term Report now includes the Search terms and landing pages from AI Max view:

• You can see the search term + ad headline + landing page combinations after enabling AI Max
• Associated metrics include: Clicks, Impressions, Cost, Conversions, etc.

Example use case: This view helps you identify which ad headline and landing page combinations perform well for new search terms, guiding optimization of creative and pages.

Landing Pages Report

• Supports differentiation between Automatically selected and Advertiser selected landing pages
• Allows analysis of performance differences between AI-selected landing pages and manually provided landing pages

Example use case: If AI-selected landing pages outperform manually set pages, you might consider applying elements from those pages to more ad groups.

Assets Report

• Supports viewing Expanded Final URL Assets, i.e., AI Max-generated headlines and descriptions
• Allows analysis of performance metrics for AI-generated copy

Example use case: By comparing CTR and conversions of AI-generated copy versus original copy, you can determine which headlines and descriptions better engage users and guide future creative optimization.