E-commerce
September 30, 2026
Wondering how AI Max ads refine search intent?
It's simple: Google no longer relies solely on your keywords. It analyzes search signals, your pages, and your copy to show the most relevant ad to each user. For a Shopify merchant, this means more qualified clicks and a better return on your bids.
Beware, this automation requires precise framing: URL inclusions, brand exclusions, query monitoring. Without adjustments, you are letting the AI decide on its own.
So, how do AI Max ads refine search intent? On the agenda:
What is AI Max for search and why does it change your campaigns?
How does query matching replace keywords?
How does text personalization boost your ads?
How to control final URLs with inclusions and exclusions?
How does Qstomy help convert this intent into sales?
Let's get started.
Summary
What is AI Max for search and why is it changing your campaigns?
AI Max for Search is a new type of Google Ads campaign launched in 2025. It pushes automation further than Performance Max or smart bidding. AI is no longer limited to matching keywords to queries: it analyzes the user's actual intent.
Concretely, Google decides which ads to display, what text to write, and which URL to use to maximize conversions. For you, as a Shopify merchant, this means less time managing bids, but more vigilance regarding settings.
The goal is clear: capture buyers at the right time, with the right message. If you want to understand how Google ranks your Shopping ads, read our guide on Shopping ad ranking.
This automation relies on learning algorithms that improve with every click. The more data you provide, the more precise the AI becomes. It takes into account browsing history, location, and even the type of device to refine its choices. For a merchant, this means a better allocation of the advertising budget, as every euro is spent where it has the highest chance of generating a sale. However, it is essential to define clear objectives from the start; otherwise, the AI could optimize for metrics that do not align with your priorities, such as traffic rather than conversions.
Convert over 2,000 customers on average per month with Qstomy.
The world’s 1st Shopify AI dedicated to customer conversion
Empowering 200+ e-commerce merchants
How does query matching replace keywords?
In AI Max, keywords are no longer the unique starting point. Google uses broad match combined with smart bidding to determine if an ad is relevant, even if the query does not contain your exact keywords.
It's like Netflix recommendations: the AI analyzes your history, your pages, and your text to guess what the user is looking for. For example, if you sell photo frames, Google can display your ad for "4x6 frame" even if you haven't targeted this keyword.
This approach broadens your reach, but it requires precise tracking of queries. Without this, you risk irrelevant clicks. To avoid this, combine AI Max with a SEO strategy for your category pages.
Query matching works by analyzing hundreds of signals, such as semantic similarity, synonyms, and phrasing variants. For example, a search for "cheap photo frames" could trigger your ad if you sell frames at a competitive price, even if your keyword is "photo frames." This flexibility is a major advantage for reaching customers who use natural language, but it requires constant monitoring. Use the search terms report to identify terms that generate conversions and add them as negative keywords if necessary. This allows you to reduce waste and progressively improve the relevance of your ads.
How does text customization improve your ads?
Text customization, formerly "automatically created assets," allows AI to generate headlines and descriptions tailored to each search. It relies on your existing ads, landing pages, and assets.
Let's take an example: you sell photo frames. Your headline says "All Frame Sizes." Google can display "4x6 Frames" if the user is searching for that size and you offer it. The message becomes highly relevant, which increases the click-through rate.
You can control these texts via the "asset performance" report and filter by "automatically created." If a text does not work, delete it. This flexibility is an asset for refining your message without starting from scratch.
The AI constantly tests different combinations of headlines and descriptions to find those that resonate best with each audience segment. It can highlight a promotion, a product feature, or a competitive advantage depending on the context. To make the most of this feature, provide varied and high-quality assets. Include multiple headlines, descriptions, and images to give the AI rich material to work with. Monitor performance and remove assets that do not perform. This continuous optimization allows you to improve your click-through rate and quality score, which reduces your costs per click in the long term.
How does final URL expansion optimize your landing pages?
Google sometimes modifies the final URL of your ads to improve performance. This feature already existed in Performance Max and dynamic ads, but AI Max generalizes it. The AI chooses the page of your site most likely to convert.
For example, if a user searches for "4×6 frame", Google can send them directly to your corresponding product page, rather than to your homepage. The result: a smoother experience and a better conversion rate.
To maintain control, use URL inclusions and exclusions. Include the pages you want to target, such as your product pages. Exclude blog pages if you do not want to pay for that traffic. This precision avoids unnecessary spending.
Final URL expansion is particularly useful for stores with a large catalog. The AI can identify the product pages that best match search intent, even if they are not explicitly linked to your keywords. This improves the user experience, as the visitor arrives directly on a relevant page, which increases the chances of conversion. However, it is crucial to regularly check the pages Google is sending traffic to. If some pages have low conversion rates, add them to your exclusions. This vigilance allows you to maintain an optimal return on investment and prevent the AI from wasting your budget on unoptimized pages.
How do URL inclusions and exclusions refine your targeting?
With AI Max, you can now tell Google which URLs to use and which to avoid. Inclusions list the pages to prioritize, such as those submitted manually or via a feed. Exclusions block specific pages, like your blog posts.
This feature is crucial for Shopify merchants who have many pages. Without exclusions, Google could send traffic to low-converting pages, wasting your budget. With inclusions, you focus the AI on your most profitable product pages.
Remember to link this strategy to your e-commerce integrations to automate the management of your feeds and pages.
URL inclusions and exclusions give you granular control over the traffic generated by AI Max. For example, you can include only your top-performing product pages, such as those with a high margin or high conversion rate. Conversely, you can exclude overly broad category pages that attract poorly qualified visitors. This approach allows you to align your advertising campaigns with your business goals. In addition, by using product feeds synchronized with Qstomy, you can automate the update of these inclusions and exclusions, ensuring that the AI always has access to the most relevant pages. This reduces the risk of wasted spend and improves the overall profitability of your campaigns.
How do brand settings protect your image?
Performance Max introduces brand settings that allow you to include or exclude brand names in your ads. For example, if you only sell Nike and Adidas shoes, you can include those brands and exclude "Reebok" from search queries.
This avoids wasting clicks on searches where you do not sell the brand. It also protects your image by avoiding appearing on irrelevant queries. For Shopify stores, this is a simple way to keep control over your positioning.
Combine these settings with a smart product recommendations strategy to maximize the relevance of every visit.
Brand settings are essential for avoiding irrelevant clicks and protecting your brand image. For example, if you sell luxury products, you do not want to appear on searches for low-end brands. By setting up brand exclusions, you ensure that your ads are only shown when the intent matches your offering. Additionally, you can use inclusions to target brands you distribute, thereby increasing the relevance of your ads. This feature is particularly useful for multi-brand retailers, as it allows them to precisely control which brands are associated with their campaigns. By combining this with smart product recommendations, you can offer a consistent and personalized experience to every visitor.
How does the transparency of AI Max reports help you track queries?
One of the criticisms of Performance Max was the lack of search term reporting. AI Max corrects this by adding an "AI Max" column to the search terms report. You can see exactly which queries triggered your ads.
This transparency is valuable for adjusting your negative keyword exclusions and your bids. You can identify queries that convert and those that waste your budget. It is a continuous optimization lever.
To go further, measure the overall effectiveness of your campaigns with our analysis on Google Shopping ad effectiveness.
The AI Max search terms report gives you unprecedented visibility into the search terms that trigger your ads. You can see not only the exact queries but also the variations and synonyms that the AI associated with your keywords. This information is crucial for refining your strategy. For example, if you discover that many queries contain "free" but you do not offer free shipping, you can add this term as a negative keyword to avoid wasted clicks. Conversely, if certain long-tail queries convert well, you can create dedicated campaigns to target them more precisely. This regular analysis allows you to continuously optimize your campaigns and improve your return on investment.
How does AI Max integrate with Performance Max campaigns?
AI Max and Performance Max share the same philosophy: AI at the service of performance. But AI Max focuses on search, while Performance Max covers all channels (YouTube, Gmail, Display). You can use them together for a complete strategy.
For example, use Performance Max for awareness and AI Max to capture direct search intent. This combination allows you to cover the entire buying journey, from discovery to conversion.
If you are starting out with Google Ads, first understand how responsive search ads work before moving on to full automation.
Integrating AI Max with Performance Max allows you to create a powerful synergy. Performance Max can handle the upper funnel by serving your ads across different channels to increase brand awareness. AI Max, on the other hand, focuses on high-intent search queries, capturing customers who are ready to buy. By using them together, you can cover the entire customer journey, from discovery to conversion. This holistic approach allows you to maximize your advertising budget and improve your overall return on investment. Be sure to track the performance of each campaign type separately to understand their respective contributions and adjust your budget allocations accordingly.
How does AI Max handle smart bidding?
AI Max relies on Google's Smart Bidding, such as Target CPA or Target ROAS. The AI adjusts your bids in real time based on the likelihood of conversion. It takes into account the search context, device, time, and many other signals.
For a Shopify merchant, this means you no longer have to set manual bids for each keyword. You set a target cost per acquisition, and Google does the rest. This is a considerable time saver.
However, monitor your performance regularly. Smart Bidding requires sufficient data to be effective. If you are launching a new campaign, start with a test budget.
Smart Bidding is designed to automatically optimize your bids based on the conversion probability of each query. The AI analyzes thousands of real-time signals, such as device type, location, time of day, and user behavior, to determine the optimal bid. This allows you to maximize your conversions while staying within your budget. However, it is important to note that these algorithms need historical data to be effective. If you are launching a new campaign, start with a test budget to collect data, then gradually increase it. Regularly monitor your performance and adjust your CPA or ROAS targets based on the results. This iterative approach allows you to refine your campaigns and improve your return on investment over time.
How does AI Max transform ad creation?
With AI Max, ad creation becomes dynamic. Google assembles your texts, images, and URLs to generate unique ads for each search. This approach is similar to responsive ads, but with more advanced automation.
You no longer need to write dozens of variations. The AI continuously tests and learns. It identifies the combinations that work best and uses them more. This improves your click-through rate and quality score.
To maximize impact, make sure your product pages are optimized. Check out our guide on Google Shopping for e-commerce to structure your feeds.
Dynamic ad creation is a major asset for merchants looking to save time while improving performance. The AI generates combinations of headlines, descriptions, and images tailored to each query, increasing the relevance of your ads. For example, if a user searches for "wooden photo frame," the AI can highlight a headline mentioning "wood" and an image of a wooden frame, even if your standard ad does not. This personalization improves click-through rate and quality score, which reduces your costs. To get the most out of this feature, provide a variety of high-quality assets and ensure your product pages are optimized for conversion. This ensures the AI has enough material to create effective ads.
How does Qstomy help convert search intent into sales?
Qstomy, the Shopify AI agent, perfectly complements AI Max. While Google attracts qualified visitors, Qstomy guides them towards purchase. It recommends products, offers cross-selling and upselling, and optimizes the average cart value.
Concretely, Qstomy tracks packages, manages returns, and answers customer questions in real time. This assistance reduces cart abandonment and increases satisfaction. For merchants, it is a virtual assistant that works 24/7.
With more than 100 merchant users, Qstomy transforms paid traffic into recurring revenue. Combine your AI Max campaigns with Qstomy to maximize your return on ad spend.
Qstomy acts as a virtual salesperson who accompanies every visitor throughout their buying journey. It can recommend complementary products, offer personalized discounts, and answer frequently asked questions, which increases the chances of conversion. In addition, Qstomy tracks orders and manages returns, offering a seamless customer experience that encourages loyalty. By integrating Qstomy with your AI Max campaigns, you create a complete ecosystem where acquisition and conversion are optimized. Visitors attracted by your ads are immediately taken care of by Qstomy, which guides them towards purchase. This synergy improves your return on advertising spend and allows you to build a lasting relationship with your customers.
What is the checklist for a successful AI Max campaign?
Before launching AI Max, check these points:
Define your objectives: Target CPA or target ROAS, depending on your margins.
Configure URL inclusions and exclusions to avoid unnecessary pages.
Set up brands to include or exclude relevant names.
Monitor the search terms report to adjust your keyword exclusions.
Integrate Qstomy to convert traffic into sales.
In short, AI Max automates search, but you keep control through the settings. Test, measure, adjust.
FAQ
Is AI Max available for all Shopify stores? Yes, you just need to have an active Google Ads account.
Should I abandon my keywords? No, they serve as themes, but AI expands the reach.
How does Qstomy improve ROI? By increasing conversion and the average order value.
By following this checklist, you ensure that your AI Max campaigns are properly configured to achieve your goals. Each element is crucial to avoid common pitfalls and maximize your return on investment. For example, setting clear goals allows you to measure the success of your campaigns and adjust your strategies accordingly. URL inclusions and exclusions give you precise control over traffic, while brand settings protect your image. Monitoring queries allows you to continually optimize your campaigns, and the integration of Qstomy ensures that traffic is converted effectively. By testing and measuring regularly, you can refine your campaigns and improve your performance over time. Remember that automation is a tool, but you remain in control of your strategy.
Enzo
September 30, 2026
