AI Max is a new Google Search feature (announced May 2025) that layers automation onto Search campaigns by expanding beyond keywords, generating ad copy from your site, and routing users to the most relevant landing pages. Early pilots report around a 14% lift in conversions at similar costs, but contractors should closely monitor lead quality and call outcomes rather than just clicks. It’s an add-on at the campaign level—not a new campaign type—that enables keywordless serving, creative generation, and smart URL selection. Before enabling, ensure conversion and call tracking are accurate, and use reporting on search terms, landing pages, and assets to optimize inputs and outcomes.

AI Max in Google Search: What Contractors Must Know Before You Flip the Switch

TL;DR AI Max is Google’s new Search feature (announced May 2025) that automates targeting and ad creative—often without keywords—to match more searches, customize text, and route traffic to the best landing pages. Early results claim +14% conversions at similar costs. It can grow volume, but contractors must watch lead quality and call outcomes, not just click numbers.

Google’s AI Max bolts more automation onto Search campaigns: keywordless serving based on context, auto-generated headlines/descriptions from your site and prior ads, and dynamic routing to the “best” URL. If that sounds powerful and risky, you’re hearing me right. For contractors, volume without booked jobs equals wasted budget.

What AI Max Is (and Isn’t)

AI Max is a campaign-level feature for Search. Turn it on, and Google can expand beyond your keywords, generate/adjust text assets, and send users to the landing page it believes will convert best. The promise: more relevant matches, faster creative iteration, and fewer dead-end clicks.

Important: this is not a new campaign type. It’s an add-on that changes how your Search campaign finds and qualifies traffic.

How It Works Under the Hood

• Keywordless serving: Your ads can show based on contextual signals even when you didn’t add the exact keyword.
• Creative generation: Headlines and descriptions can be pulled from your landing pages and existing ads to fit the query.
• Smart URL routing: Traffic can be steered to the “optimal” page on your site for the query to improve relevance.

Translation for trades: Google can find more queries, write more variations, and choose the page. That can uncover demand you weren’t targeting—along with a few tire-kickers. Your job is to make sure the system is aiming at calls and booked work, not vanity metrics.

How to Turn on AI Max (Quick Steps)

1. Create or edit a Search campaign.
2. Set your bidding (e.g., Maximize Conversions or Target CPA/ROAS) and standard campaign settings.
3. Find the AI Max option and toggle it on before you publish changes.

Do this only after your conversion tracking is clean—especially call tracking. Otherwise, you’re handing the wheel to a system that can’t see the road.

What You’ll See in Reporting

Google adds reporting around:

• Search terms and keywords (to spot what AI Max is matching you to).
• Landing pages (which URLs the system prefers, and how they perform).
• Assets (which generated headlines/descriptions are pulling weight).

Use these reports to evaluate lead quality and feed the machine better inputs: clearer service pages, stronger offers, and obvious phone CT