1Prerequisites Checklist
Before Considering AI Max, Verify You Have:
- ☐ 30+ conversions/month on the test campaign
- ☐ Clean, updated website (no outdated content Google might scrape)
- ☐ Accurate conversion tracking (server-side + browser-side recommended)
- ☐ NOT a compliance-heavy industry (finance, healthcare, legal, insurance)
- ☐ Budget for 3-4 week learning phase (expect higher CPA initially)
- ☐ Previous broad match experience (understand how AI expansion works)
Missing 2+ items? Stop here—fix these first.
2Decision Tree
Should I Enable AI Max?
Q1: Do you have 30+ conversions/month on this campaign?
- NO → DON'T USE AI MAX (insufficient data)
- YES → Continue
Q2: Is your industry compliance-heavy (finance, healthcare, legal)?
- YES → DON'T USE AI MAX (can't pre-approve auto-generated ads)
- NO → Continue
Q3: Is your website clean and well-organized?
- NO → DON'T USE AI MAX (clean website first)
- YES → Continue
Q4: Have you maxed out traditional Search volume?
- YES → STRONG CANDIDATE (AI Max adds incremental reach)
- NO → Continue
Q5: Can you tolerate 3-4 weeks of potentially worse performance?
- NO → DON'T USE AI MAX (wait until you have buffer)
- YES → TEST AI MAX
3Quick Risk Assessment
Risk Factors
| Factor | Low Risk | High Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Account Age | 6+ months with data | New account |
| Conversion Volume | 50+/month | <30/month |
| Industry | E-commerce, SaaS | Finance, Healthcare |
| Website Quality | Clean, organized | Outdated, messy |
| Budget Flexibility | Can absorb 4-week test | Tight constraints |
| Current Match Types | Using broad match | Exact/phrase only |
Count Your "High Risk" Factors:
- 0-1: Safe to test
- 2-3: Proceed with caution
- 4+: Don't test yet
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4Testing Protocol
Option A: Large Accounts (100+ conversions/month)
- Enable AI Max directly on selected campaign
- Monitor for 3-4 weeks
- Compare before/after performance
Option B: Smaller Accounts (30-100 conversions/month)
- Create experiment with 50% traffic split
- Run for 4-6 weeks minimum
- Require statistical significance before deciding
What to Monitor
- Conversion volume and CPA
- Search terms (are they relevant?)
- Auto-created ads (are they accurate?)
- Quality of leads/sales (backend data)
When to Disable
- CPA 50%+ higher after 4 weeks
- Irrelevant search terms dominating
- Auto-created ads containing errors
- Lead quality dropping significantly
5What AI Max Actually Does
AI Max Components (Repackaged Features)
| Component | What It Is | Been Around Since |
|---|---|---|
| Broad Match Expansion | Matches related intent | Years |
| DSA-Style Targeting | Creates ads from website | Dynamic Search Ads |
| Auto-Created Assets | AI-generated headlines | RSA recommendations |
What's Actually New
- Bundled together as one toggle
- Slightly improved AI for asset creation
- Marketing positioning as "new feature"
The Reality
AI Max is essentially enabling broad match, DSA, and auto-created assets simultaneously. If you wouldn't use those features separately, don't enable AI Max.