Google is rolling out the beta version of AI Max for Search Campaigns, an upgrade to its Search Ads platform that it says provides intuitive advertising tools to businesses − including those in Africa.
According to a statement, the tools, targeted at companies looking to grow and expand their online presence, use artificial intelligence (AI) to improve how ads are shown, helping local firms to connect with a larger customer base.
AI Max is designed to help businesses become visible in more relevant searches, even when potential customers don’t use the exact search words the business might expect.
By drawing on the latest AI models, including Google’s Gemini technology, the feature allows companies to expand their reach beyond traditional keyword targeting.
This allows, for example, a small shop in Kumasi, Ghana, selling handmade bags to appear in searches like “durable carryall for weekend travel” − even if the advert didn’t include those specific words, says Google.
“People are asking more specific questions on Google Search, and they expect more helpful answers,” says Brian Burdick, senior director of search at Google.
“With AI Max, we’re using advanced AI to better understand those questions and help businesses show up at just the right moment − with content that’s more relevant and more likely to help people find what they’re looking for.”
The new features include:
- Search term matching, which automatically finds new relevant queries that a business might not have thought of.
- Dynamic text customisation, where ad copy updates in real-time to better match user intent.
- Final URL expansion, which directs customers to the most relevant page on the firm’s website.
- Control settings, like location targeting and brand filters, which give advertisers more say in where and how their ads appear.
African businesses are navigating an increasingly digital economy, and as more people across the continent turn to Search to make decisions, the opportunities for businesses to connect with local customers are now greater, says Google.
For African business owners − many of whom operate in crowded marketplaces with limited marketing budgets − these tools can make the difference between being discovered or being overlooked, it adds.
According to Google, this is not a new campaign type − it’s a setting within existing Search campaigns, so African businesses can turn on AI Max and begin experimenting immediately, without needing to start from scratch.
“We know many African entrepreneurs wear multiple hats. They’re managing stock, serving customers and handling finances − often all at once,” comments Burdick. “AI Max is about making their advertising work harder for them, not adding to their workload.”
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