Google Responds as Advertisers Question AI Max vs DSA Control
▼ Summary
– Advertisers are criticizing AI Max for lacking the granular URL-based targeting controls that Dynamic Search Ads (DSA) offered, particularly for managing large websites.
– Google’s Ginny Marvin confirmed AI Max supports URL rules, page feeds, and URL inclusions, but not all DSA features like “page contains” conditions.
– The shift from DSA to AI Max reflects a broader tension in Google Ads between automation and advertiser control over landing pages.
– Existing DSA URL rules will carry over to AI Max as read-only, allowing them to function but not be edited, which is a temporary solution.
– Google plans to expand AI Max controls later this year, including adding content and title-based exclusions at the account level.
Advertisers are beginning to challenge perceived gaps in AI Max capabilities, especially regarding landing page control, as Google steadily phases out legacy Dynamic Search Ads (DSA).
The friction is surfacing. Digital marketing specialist Gabriele Benedetti took to a LinkedIn discussion, pointing out that AI Max does not yet match the URL-based targeting controls that DSA campaigns provided. His argument centered on DSA’s ability to let advertisers structure campaigns around their website’s architecture, using categories, URL paths, and page rules to precisely direct traffic. That degree of granular control, he contends, remains absent in AI Max.
Why this matters. For advertisers managing large or highly structured websites, aligning campaign structure with site architecture is essential for performance. Losing the ability to finely control landing destinations can degrade relevance, harm user experience, and ultimately reduce conversion rates. This debate underscores a broader tension shaping Google Ads today: the balance between automation and advertiser control.
Google has responded. Ginny Marvin, the Google Ads Liaison, clarified in the same LinkedIn thread that AI Max does support several URL-based controls. These include URL rules and combinations, page feeds with custom labels, and URL inclusions at the ad group level with exclusions at the campaign level. However, she acknowledged that not all DSA targeting rules are currently replicated, specifically citing “page contains” conditions as unsupported.
Reading between the lines. Google is not eliminating control entirely, but it is redefining how that control functions. Instead of allowing advertisers to build granular rules manually, the platform is steering them toward structured inputs like page feeds and labels that AI can interpret and optimize.
The migration reality. For advertisers transitioning from DSA to AI Max, existing URL rules will carry over but with significant limitations. Unsupported rules will remain active in a read-only state, meaning they will continue to function but cannot be edited or modified. This setup acts as a temporary bridge, not a permanent solution.
What lies ahead. Google has indicated plans to expand controls further, including introducing content and title-based exclusions at the account level later this year. This would complement AI Max’s existing “inventory-aware” features, which already automatically exclude out-of-stock items.
The bottom line. AI Max is evolving, but it has not yet achieved full parity with DSA in terms of granular control. Advertisers are making that clear, and the conversation is far from over.
(Source: Search Engine Land)
