Werben im Zeitalter der Konversation – Warum Keywords nicht mehr genügen

Here you will find all parts of our blog series:
Part 1 - Why "Zero-Sum" is a misconception and the search is just beginning | find it here
Part 2 - The "December 2025 Core Update" and how to regain visibility | find it here
Part 4 - 2026 and the Age of Agentic Search - When customers are no longer human | find it here

—————

Blog Series: The Transformation of Search 2026 (Part 3/4) 

In the first two parts of this series, we've analyzed the economic theory behind Google's transformation ("Expansionary Moment") and the brutal reality of December's update for SEOs. But while SEOs are still licking their wounds, SEA managers (Search Engine Advertising) need to reforge their weapons. 

The year 2026 marks the end of classic keyword dominance. With the introduction of "AI Max for Search" and the opening of "AI Mode" for advertising, Google has fundamentally changed the rules of monetization. Trying to bid exact keywords ("Exact Match") against an AI today is like fighting drones with bows and arrows. 

In this article, we deconstruct the new advertising infrastructure and show you how to run ads in a world where users no longer search but engage in conversations. 

AI Max: The "Intent Engine" Replaces the Keyword 

For a long time, "Performance Max" (PMax) was the panacea for Google's inventory. But there was a gap for pure search campaigns. This is now filled by "AI Max for Search," a tool that Google markets as a "One-Click Power-Up." 

The Problem with Keywords 

Imagine users searching: "I need a car for 3 kids and a dog that runs on electricity and costs under $50,000." 
Previously, you had to bid on combinations like "electric SUV," "affordable family car," or "7-seater." It was necessary to guess what users would enter. 
 
AI Max turns this principle on its head. It analyzes not the words (strings), but the intent. 

How AI Max Works 

AI Max uses your website and its assets as a foundation. When users make the above complex request, the AI understands the context ("family + space requirement + budget constraint"). It scans your landing page, finds your model "E-Family Van," dynamically generates a fitting headline (e.g., "The perfect E-Van for your family of 5"), and displays the ad – even if you have never booked the keyword "dog." 

The results speak clearly: Beta tests show a 27% increase in conversions with a similar CPA (Cost per Acquisition) compared to pure keyword campaigns. 

Strategic Advice: Keywords become mere "signals." Your landing page and your creative assets (images, text) become the real targeting. If your landing page does not answer the question, AI Max cannot generate an ad. 

The "AI Mode": Ads in the Conversation 

The "AI Mode" is Google's answer to ChatGPT and Perplexity – a purely conversational interface capable of handling complex, multi-step inquiries. The crucial question for advertisers has long been: Where is the space for advertising here? 

The answer is: Sponsored Responses. 

Integration Instead of Interruption 

Unlike the classic search where ads are often perceived as disruptions, Google integrates ads seamlessly into the dialogue in AI Mode. 

• Scenario: Users plan a trip to Tokyo and ask the AI Mode about hotels near Shibuya Crossing with a pool. 

  
  

• Advertising: Instead of a banner, your hotel appears as part of the response, marked as "Sponsored," including an image and direct booking link. 

Since inquiries in AI Mode are "2x to 3x longer" than in classic search, the algorithm receives significantly more context signals. This enables targeting with unprecedented precision. A user who asks so specifically is deep in the funnel. The click rate may decrease, but the conversion rate rises. 

The New Currency: Assets 

To participate in AI Max and AI Mode, you need "raw material." The AI assembles the ad in real time. This means for you: 

1. Visual Excellence: You need high-quality images and videos. AI Max prioritizes visual elements to create "Rich Cards" in the chat. 

   
   

2. Structured Data: Your product feed (Merchant Center) must be flawless. The AI needs to know if the shoe is "waterproof" to display it for the query "running shoes for rain." 

   
   

3. Broad Match + Smart Bidding: This is the technical prerequisite. "Exact Match" cuts you off from the new AI interfaces. You need to release the algorithm (Broad Match) but control it through the target (Smart Bidding on ROAS/CPA). 

Conclusion for Part 3 

We are moving from a "Search Engine" to an "Answer Engine." Advertising must become the answer. Banner ads are dying out; helpful, context-sensitive product suggestions take over. 

Don't throw away your keyword lists, but treat them for what they are: relics from a time when we still communicated with machines in "telegraphic language." 

Need help transitioning to AI Max? The SEA team at internetwarriors audits your account and prepares it for 2026.