The Future of Google Ads: PMax, AI Max and Broad Match

By: Jyll Saskin Gales, Google Ads Coach

Do you feel like Google Ads is changing at a speed you can't keep up with? Do you hear terms like "Performance Max" and "AI Max" and wonder if you're missing out on the secret to better results?

Allow me to cut through the noise and explain exactly what Performance Max, AI Max, and Broad Match are, how they relate to each other, and how you can use them to your advantage. I'll show you why embracing Google's automation can lead to better performance and how to do it without losing control.

We'll cover:

• PMax, AI Max, and Broad Match: What's the difference?

• Black Box or Clear Box? How much control and transparency do you really have?

• A "How-To" Guide: The best way to use these tools for your own campaigns

• Which is best: PMax, AI Max or Broad Match?

PMax, AI Max and Broad Match: What's the difference?

Many people get confused by the differences between Google's automated campaign solutions. They hear how subpar Broad Match can be, but then get excited about AI Max. Or, they "love" Broad Match, test PMax, and think it's "garbage." The truth is, these tools are not all that different in their core philosophy - they all use Google's AI to find new opportunities. The key difference lies in where and how that AI is applied.

Let's break it down:

• Broad Match: This is a keyword match type. It gives Google permission to show your ads for any query that is somewhat related to your keywords. You might see a lot of irrelevant search terms at first as the system learns, but over time it can discover valuable new searches you would have never thought of.

• AI Max: This is an optional setting you can turn on in your Search campaigns. It's not a new campaign type but a bundle of features that enable "keywordless targeting," which is even broader than Broad Match. If you choose to turn on AI Max, it acts like a layer on top of your existing keywords. If you're already using Broad Match, you will probably see a smaller impact. However, if you are using exact or phrase match, you'll likely see a bigger change to the search terms you are showing up for.

• Performance Max (PMax): This is a campaign type that allows you to show ads across all of Google's advertising platforms: Search, Display, Discovery, YouTube, Gmail, and more. You provide Google with your budget, bidding strategy, and creative assets (text, images, and videos), and its AI figures out where, how, and to whom to show your ads. The key difference is that you don't get to choose your targeting or keywords at all; the AI does it for you based on the goal of your bid strategy.

All three tools are powered by Smart Bidding and AI matching. This means they don't just match a few words; they try to predict a user's intent. In a world of conversational searches and AI assistants, this is where advertising is headed. You have to give the system some freedom to find new opportunities, and Google has confirmed that in order to show ads in AI Overviews, you will need to use broad match, AI Max, or Performance Max.

Is AI Max just another black box like Performance Max?

One of the biggest concerns with Google's automation is the idea that it's a "black box" where you have no control or transparency. While that has been true in the past, Google is actually moving towards providing much greater transparency in its advertising products.

Performance Max, which was once considered a complete black box, now provides more transparency than ever before. You get a full Search Terms Report, channel reporting, audience insights, and asset-level reporting. You can't opt into or out of channels, but you can see what PMax is doing under the hood.

AI Max, however, offers even more transparency and control. Because it's a feature within a Search campaign, you can still control which channels your ads show on (opt out of Search Partners!). Additionally, AI Max provides more details in your search terms report, showing you the exact headlines and landing pages that were used for each query. This gives you a clear view of how the automation is performing, which is something that even Performance Max doesn't provide to that level of detail.

The real question isn't whether automation is a black box, but which level of control you're willing to give up for the sake of scale and reach. PMax takes almost all control away in exchange for access to all of Google's inventory. A Search campaign with AI Max gives you more control over placements while still leveraging advanced AI.

A "How-To" Guide for Success

Regardless of whether you choose to use PMax, AI Max, or Broad Match, here’s how to work with Google's automation to get great results.

1. Give the System Time and Data

AI is like a child learning to talk. It starts out "dumb" and it needs time and practice to learn. You have to be patient and accept that some money will be spent on irrelevant searches at first. This is part of the learning process. If you don't give the system enough time, you'll get frustrated and think it doesn't work. But with enough patience, and the right data, it can find new opportunities you would have never discovered on your own.

2. Use the Right Data

For automation to work, you need to give it the right information. Google's algorithms are only as good as the data you feed them.

• Set up conversion tracking: This is the most important step. You need to tell Google exactly what a valuable action is for your business. For lead generation, this often means offline conversion tracking, which sends data back to Google about which leads actually turn into customers. This teaches the system to find high-quality leads, not just cheap ones.

• Upload your customer list: This is a crucial step that many people overlook. Even if you don't use your customer list for direct ad targeting, having it in your account gives Google's bidding algorithms a powerful signal. It helps them understand your ideal customer and find more people like them.

3. Choose Your Tools Wisely

• Start with a strong foundation. If you're new to Google Ads or have a small budget, stick to a basic Search campaign for now - potentially even with Exact Match keywords rather than Broad Match. Performance Max, AI Max and Broad Match all require a significant amount of data and money to learn.

• Understand the prerequisites. Performance Max and AI Max are not for everyone. You should only consider launching a PMax campaign, for example, if you have:

  • A daily budget of at least $50 per campaign.

  • Full-funnel conversion tracking in place (tracking sales or qualified leads).

  • High-quality creative assets (images and videos) that can engage your audience.

• Test with an experiment. If you're skeptical of automation, you can test it without risking your entire campaign. AI Max is fully compatible with Google Ads' built-in experiment feature. This lets you run a controlled A/B test to see if AI Max performs better than your existing campaign. Or, you can test if Broad Match keywords outperform Phrase Match or Exact Match.

4. Focus on Creative

With automated targeting and bidding, your ad creative becomes more important than ever. The user only sees your ad, and that's what helps them decide whether to click. Prioritize your ad copy, images, and videos. With a tool like PMax, every piece of creative you provide needs to be strong and consistent, as the AI will mix and match them to find the best combinations. With AI Max or Broad Match, flesh out your Responsive Search Ads with a variety of headlines, descriptions and assets to give the system flexibility to find the right creative for the right users at the right time.

Which is best: PMax, AI Max or Broad Match?

There are valid reasons to use all three of these AI features; they are not mutually exclusive.

• AI Max is still a very new beta feature, and it might make sense to wait until it's a bit more "fully baked." However, if you're already using automation in Search and are looking for a way to expand your reach with more transparency than PMax, it might be worth a test.

• Broad Match has been a core Search competency for years and can be incredibly effective when used with the smart bidding and sufficient data.

• Performance Max is designed for businesses that have their foundation in place and want to use Google's full inventory to scale their results beyond Search.

Whatever you choose, by providing the right data and creative, you’ll be able to find new customers, increase your ad's relevance, and get better results without constantly micromanaging your campaigns.