What happened to our client accounts after turning on AI Max...

2 weeks ago, one of our team members delivered an internal training session on AI Max

It was an in-depth breakdown of everything we’ve learned after a few months of testing it.

During that call, we covered a lot more than I can sum up in an email…

But I know a lot of you are curious about this feature and how it impacts performance…

So today, we’re pulling back the curtain and sharing some insights we’ve discovered about AI Max.

Specifically, you’ll see the exact numbers it’s generating for our clients.

Plus, we’ll walk you through the 3 phases our accounts went through after we turned it on… and what kind of results you can expect.

Heads up: This email will be a bit longer than usual

If that doesn’t bother you, let’s start by talking about the numbers.

At its core, AI MAX is designed to help you show up on relevant searches that aren’t explicitly in your keyword list.

When it first launched, we had mixed feelings.

It sounded like a mini version of Performance Max, but built into Search.

You might get broader reach…

But would those extra impressions turn into sales?

In the early data, we noticed something interesting:

When you turn on AI Max, three metrics tend to dip, which are CTR, CPC, and conversion rate.

This was somewhat expected as a result of tapping into a wider, less targeted audience.

However…

When we zoom out to look at revenue and ROAS, the results look very promising.

After one month of running AI Max, one client saw a 157% jump in sales (from €44K to €114K).

And their ROAS only dropped by 8.85%.

Admittedly, this isn’t a perfect AI Max vs. No AI Max test.

We kept optimizing the Search campaigns throughout the month, so there were other variables at play.

But we were confident that AI Max did play a key role in the revenue lift.

That’s because of another data point…

When we first turned on AI Max, two things happened:

1. Search campaigns started spending more

2. PMax campaigns started spending less

We saw that Search campaigns were pulling budget away from PMax.

But this shift wasn’t permanent.

Over time, PMAX campaigns adapted by distributing spend across other channels.

To make it concrete, let me show you what happened in one of our client accounts:

In just the first week, Search spend jumped by 76%.

At the same time, PMax spend dropped almost the same amount.

But by week two, Search spend continued climbing.

Meanwhile, PMax started to recover and push spend into other placements.

And after 30 days, both campaigns found their groove.

Each focused on what they did best and stopped stepping on each other’s toes.

Said simply:

Your campaigns will go through an adaptation cycle when you introduce AI Max.

It happens in 3 phases:

Phase 1: Search starts spending more and pulls budget from PMax.

Phase 2: PMax adjusts by shifting spend to non-Search channels (like Shopping or YouTube).

Phase 3: Both campaigns start working together. Each focused on separate channels.

That is such a subtle insight that so many people don’t expect.

Everyone talks about AI Max helping you show up on more relevant searches, but the effects go much deeper.

Not only does it make Search smarter.

It also creates more space for Performance Max to find scale elsewhere.

Now, of course, this is the ideal scenario.

As with any AI-powered feature from Google, the key is steering the algorithm in the right direction.

Because if you don’t guide it properly, it doesn’t matter how advanced the tool is.

Which is why in the training, we also discussed common pitfalls to avoid and best practices when implementing this campaign for clients.

But that’s the topic for another time.

For now, I’d suggest testing AI Max out to see how it performs on your Search campaigns.

The results we got for our clients look very promising, and there’s a big chance you’ll see a performance lift.

But more importantly, it fits perfectly into the direction Google is heading:

Less manual work. More automation.

Which means… It’s only getting better over time.

I wouldn’t be surprised if it becomes an indispensable part of every account.

So if you want to move early and take advantage of AI Max right now, grab a call with us below.

Grab a slot here

I’ll see you soon

Jackson

Founder and CEO of Echelonn.

How we can help:

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