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What's changed
Google now matches ads to intent with AI Max for Search. From 1st September 2026 eligible Search campaigns moved to AI Max automatically and new Dynamic Search Ads campaigns can no longer be created. Automation now rewards accurate conversion values and clean data and punishes accounts that optimise to the wrong goal.
Source: Google Ads announcements, as reported by Common Thread Collective, September 2026
Further reading: Bidding for profit, not revenue
What we cover
Tracking and signals
Conversion values, enhanced conversions, consent mode and offline sales fed back to bidding
Structure by margin
Campaigns grouped by intent and margin, with brand and non-brand kept apart
AI Max and Performance Max
Automation used where it earns its place, with search term and URL controls in place
Ads and landing pages
Responsive search ads, assets and landing pages matched to the query
Shopping and feeds
Product titles, attributes and pricing optimised for Shopping
Tests against a control
Ad, landing page and bid strategy experiments read on revenue
How we measure it
Cost per qualified lead or sale
ROAS on margin
New-customer share
Impression share on priority terms
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