In 60 seconds
- Google matches meaning, not words. Your keyword list is a brief, not a fence.
- AI answers more searches before anyone clicks, so the clicks you get are closer to buying.
- What moves results now: conversion data, audiences, creative and landing pages.
"So, what keywords are we targeting?"
After more than five years running search campaigns, it's still the question I hear most. It's a fair one. For years, paid search really was about the perfect keyword list.
That's no longer how it works. Here's why.
01 · Match types
Match types don't mean what they used to.
Google now reads the meaning behind a search, then decides which ad fits.
02 · AI Overviews
Fewer clicks. Better clicks.
Why US data? Google launches these features in the US first. Australia typically follows 6–12 months later, so here's what happened there first.
When Google answers the question itself, fewer people click. But the ones who do have already researched and compared. They're closer to deciding.
Branded, local and ready-to-buy searches still send strong traffic. Informational searches lose the most.
03 · What matters now
If not keywords, then what? Five levers.
- 01Conversion data. Track qualified leads and sales, not just form fills. A $5,000 client should count for more than a $50 enquiry.
- 02Audience signals. Customer lists and first-party data help Google find people who look like your best customers.
- 03Ad creative. AI assembles ads from your headlines, images and video. Quality and variety shape what people see.
- 04Landing pages. AI Max reads your pages to choose searches and write ad text. A clear page is now a targeting tool.
- 05A human in the loop. Regular search term reviews to add negatives, protect the brand and spot new opportunities.
- "We're targeting your best customers. Keywords are just how we describe them to Google."
04 · Beyond Google
Be the business AI recommends.
More people now ask ChatGPT, Gemini or Copilot to recommend a provider. For service businesses, being named in the answer matters more than the click. It shows up later as branded searches and direct visits.
- Say exactly what you do, for whom, and where. Vague pages are hard to cite.
- Answer real customer questions in plain language.
- Keep business details consistent across your site, Google Business Profile and directories.
- Build reviews and third-party proof. Case studies and trusted mentions add credibility.
- Track it. Separate AI referral traffic in GA4 and watch branded search grow.
60-second health check
How ready is your search account?
Tap everything that's true for you.
Not sure what your account is really matching to?
I'll review tracking, match types, AI Max settings and landing pages, then give you a clear list of what to fix.Keep reading
All insights →Sources
- SparkToro: zero-click searches, Jan–Apr 2026 (via TechWyse)
- Seer Interactive: AI Overview impact on CTR (via Moburst)
- Search Engine Journal: 15% of queries are new
- AdNews: Google rolls out AI Mode in Australia
- Common Thread Collective: AI Max auto-upgrade
- Optimising: AI traffic study, 115 Australian businesses