Google Launches AI Max for Search: What Law Firm Advertisers Need to Know

Why This Update Matters for Law Firms Advertising on Google

Google has announced a new feature called AI Max for Search, set to roll out globally in beta at the end of this month. It’s not a new campaign type, but a setting within existing Search campaigns that applies machine learning to expand keyword reach, automatically generate ad copy, and route users to landing pages based on search intent.

For law firms running paid search, this update matters. AI Max changes how ads are matched to queries, including those not explicitly listed in your keyword strategy. While early data from Google shows higher conversion rates—up to 27% for campaigns using exact or phrase match—it also means more automation over elements legal advertisers typically manage tightly: messaging, targeting, and landing page control.

AI Max introduces new tools, but it doesn’t eliminate risk. Law firms considering it will need a plan to test carefully, monitor creative output, and ensure that automation doesn’t compromise compliance or lead quality.

What AI Max Actually Does Inside Your Search Campaigns

AI Max adds three layers of automation to your current Search campaigns: broader keyword matching, automated ad copy creation, and flexible landing page selection. Each one plays a different role in shaping how your ads get served and where users land after clicking.

1. Keyword Matching Expansion

Google’s AI looks beyond the keywords you’ve added and matches your ads to search terms it predicts will perform well based on intent, behavior patterns, and content relevance. It’s designed to capture queries your current keyword list might miss, even if you’re using broad match. Law firms that rely on specific language in their targeting should monitor this closely.

2. Automatically Created Text Assets

AI Max uses website content, existing ads, and keyword themes to generate new headlines and descriptions. This tool, a rebrand of Google’s Automatically Created Assets (ACA), is meant to increase relevance between search queries and ad copy. You can opt out at the campaign level if your firm’s messaging needs strict control.

3. Final URL Expansion

This feature sends traffic to the landing page Google deems most relevant to the user’s query, not necessarily the final URL you specified in the ad. For law firms with strong site architecture and multiple practice areas, this could increase lead quality. But for those with landing pages tailored to specific ad messages, it might dilute your conversion path.

The good news is you don’t have to enable all three features. You can turn off asset generation and URL expansion at the campaign level. Keyword matching expansion can be disabled at the ad group level. Still, Google recommends keeping them all on for best performance, so it’s important to weigh the trade-offs for your firm.

What Controls Advertisers Still Have

AI Max adds automation, but it hasn’t removed advertiser oversight entirely. Law firms can still enforce brand safety by excluding specific brands from ad placements and take advantage of geo-intent targeting to reach users based on both location and search behavior, useful for multi-office or statewide practices.

Google also allows removal of AI-generated headlines and descriptions that don’t meet brand or compliance standards. However, these assets go live before review, which may be a concern for firms operating under strict advertising guidelines.

Expanded reporting features, like asset-level performance and search term transparency, help advertisers monitor campaigns more closely. The tools are there, but law firms will need to stay engaged to make sure automation doesn’t outpace their standards.

Reporting Gets Smarter, But Not Instantly Simpler

AI Max brings new layers of reporting that could be valuable for legal advertisers, but understanding how to use them will take some adjustment. One of the most useful additions is search term reporting that now links queries to specific ad headlines and landing pages. For law firms, this means you can finally see how different versions of your ads perform against specific search intent, helping you fine-tune messaging by practice area or case type.

Google is also upgrading asset reporting. Instead of just seeing which creative elements got the most impressions, you’ll now get data tied to actual spend and conversions. That’s especially helpful for firms trying to identify which calls to action or headlines are truly driving inquiries.

A new URL parameter has also been introduced to help track which match types and queries are responsible for each click, giving firms more clarity on whether broadening keyword reach is improving lead quality or just inflating traffic.

These updates are currently rolling out inside the Google Ads interface. Support for API access, Report Editor, and Desktop Editor is planned for later in 2025. Until then, most of this insight will be available only through the online platform, so campaign managers will need to dig in directly.

Who Should Use AI Max—And Who Should Hold Off

AI Max offers potential benefits, but it’s not a perfect fit for every advertiser. Law firms with flexible creative guidelines and well-organized websites are in the best position to test this feature safely. If your landing pages are stable and aligned to specific practice areas, AI Max’s URL expansion tool may help match users to the right content more efficiently.

However, for firms with strict compliance protocols, sensitive subject matter, or highly controlled messaging, AI Max could introduce risk. Since AI-generated assets publish before you can review them, there’s a possibility of unapproved language running live. The same concern applies if your website changes frequently—automated tools pulling from new or outdated content may result in inaccurate or off-brand messaging.

Firms that rely on pinned headlines or require pre-approved copy across all ads should be especially cautious. The inability to pin assets under AI Max limits creative control, and in legal advertising, that can create more problems than it solves.

That doesn’t mean it should be ignored, but it should be tested carefully. A limited rollout using campaigns with broader targeting goals or lower regulatory risk may be the best way to start.

What This Means for Legal Advertisers

AI Max is Google’s latest push to blend automation with search intent. For law firms, that presents both an opportunity and a challenge: the opportunity to tap into more qualified traffic, and the challenge of keeping creative, compliance, and cost per lead in check.

The added tools, like asset-level reporting, geo-intent targeting, and keyword expansion, can improve campaign performance if implemented with precision. But in legal advertising, precision isn’t optional. Every word, landing page, and query match needs to reflect your firm’s reputation and stay within the boundaries of bar advertising rules.

That’s where TSEG comes in. Our team works exclusively with law firms and understands the difference between running a high-volume ad campaign and running one that protects your brand while delivering results. Whether you’re testing AI Max or sticking with traditional Search setups, we help you make the most of your ad spend without compromising compliance or lead quality.

AI Max may not be right for every campaign, but with the right strategy, it could be a useful tool in a firm’s paid search playbook. TSEG helps you decide when to use it, how to test it, and how to stay in control no matter how much automation Google adds next. Reach out to see how we can help your firm.