Google Ads has introduced new AI Max Reporting: Search Queries, Ads, and Landing Pages

On September 23, 2026, Google Ads announced a new reporting tool for search campaigns using AI Max. It allows advertisers to see the entire advertising interaction sequence: which search query triggered an impression, which headlines the user saw, and which website page they visited.

Previously, this information had to be matched across several sections of Google Ads. The new Search terms and ad combinations report brings together information about queries, ads, and landing pages. On October 13, reports emerged that the tool was available in selected accounts, but Google has not yet confirmed the exact date of its full rollout.

For advertisers, this is primarily an improvement in transparency. The more decisions AI Max makes about search queries, ad copy, and final URLs, the more important it becomes to understand exactly what the algorithm is doing and how it affects campaign performance.

Why AI Max Needed New Reporting

AI Max for Search is a set of AI features for standard Google Ads search campaigns. Search Term Matching expands reach beyond specified keywords through broad match and keywordless targeting. Text Customization creates additional headlines and descriptions based on website content. Final URL Expansion allows the system to select a landing page based on user intent.

For example, an office chair retailer may receive an impression for the query "ergonomic chair for working from home with lumbar support," even if that phrase is not included in its keyword list. AI Max can select suitable ad copy and direct the user to a relevant category page.

However, seeing that a click occurred is not enough for an advertiser. It is important to understand which query triggered the algorithm, which message was displayed, and which URL received the visitor.

How AI Max Was Analyzed Before

Google Ads already offered Search Terms, Keywords, Asset Reports, and Landing Pages reports. These allowed advertisers to analyze search queries, keyword statistics, automatically created ad assets, and landing page performance separately.

However, it was difficult to quickly reconstruct a specific combination across these views. A specialist could identify an expensive search query and separately notice a poorly performing landing page, but could not immediately determine which headline was shown for that query and exactly where the clicks were directed.

What Changed in September 2026?

On September 23, Google introduced a unified report showing combinations of search queries, ad creatives, and landing pages.

Search Term shows the user's actual query. Ad Creative allows advertisers to see the advertising headlines and assets used. Landing Page shows the final URL reached after an ad click.

For example, a user searches for an inexpensive car wash, but AI Max displays an ad for an expensive ceramic coating service. The topics are related, but the customer's intent and the offer do not match. The new report makes it possible to identify this combination without manually matching several separate tables.

Search Terms and Ad Combinations: October Rollout

On October 13, 2026, Search Engine Land reported that the Search terms and ad combinations report had already appeared in some Google Ads accounts. It connects queries with ad headlines, selected URLs, campaigns, and ad groups. Depending on the available fields, advertisers can also identify the source of query matching and the origin of ad assets.

This makes it possible to distinguish queries discovered by AI Max from queries matched to existing keywords, as well as automatically created ad copy from advertiser-provided assets.

The report is still being rolled out gradually. As of October 24, 2026, a general availability date has not been confirmed, and the set of available columns may vary between accounts.

How to Find the Report in Google Ads

If the update is already available, open Google Ads, select a Search campaign using AI Max, go to Search Terms, and open the report view selection menu. Select Search terms and ad combinations, then configure columns and filters to identify expensive or underperforming combinations.

Some accounts may use the previous name, Search terms and landing pages from AI Max. If the new report is unavailable, continue your analysis using Search Terms, Keywords, Asset Reports, and Landing Pages.

Checking the Relevance of Automatically Created Ads

Text Customization can generate headlines that make sense in context but do not accurately reflect the commercial offer. For example, a user searches for a specific laptop model, while AI Max displays a generic message about a retailer's electronics selection.

In the new report, a specialist can see exactly which ad assets were shown for that query. If the combination is unsuitable, the advertiser should review their own ads and check whether unwanted automatically created assets can be excluded.

Controlling Final URL Expansion

AI Max may direct a user to an informational article instead of a service booking page. Such a URL may be topically relevant to the query but convert less effectively than a commercial landing page.

Advertisers can now compare search intent with the selected URLs. If certain pages consistently perform poorly, it is worth reviewing URL Exclusions and Final URL Expansion settings.

Identifying Irrelevant Search Demand

Search Term Matching creates additional reach but sometimes attracts queries with weak purchase intent. If the problem lies in the query itself, Negative Keywords can be useful. If the query is relevant but the ad or landing page does not match it, correcting the specific element is a more reasonable approach. Excessive negative keywords may restrict valuable new demand.

How to Evaluate AI Max Performance

The new report is particularly useful for identifying combinations with high spending and weak conversion performance. However, the additional data should be analyzed alongside business metrics: spend, CTR, Conversion Rate, CPA, ROAS, average conversion value, and lead quality.

For B2B advertisers, it is important to match leads with CRM data. Inexpensive leads generated from new queries do not necessarily become qualified leads. For e-commerce, revenue and sales margins should also be considered.

Conclusions should not be drawn from just a few clicks. Google recommends giving AI Max time to learn before introducing significant restrictions; its help documentation mentions a guideline of at least two weeks after enabling the feature.

What Is Available Through the Google Ads API?

Developers can analyze AI Max using specialized Google Ads API resources.

ai_max_search_term_ad_combination_view provides data on combinations of search queries, headlines, and landing pages.

search_term_view is used to analyze queries and matching sources, including AI_MAX_KEYWORDLESS and AI_MAX_BROAD_MATCH.

expanded_landing_page_view provides information about final website landing pages.

This makes it possible to create automated checks, such as identifying queries that do not match the displayed advertising message or selected URL.

However, Google warns that ai_max_search_term_ad_combination_view is not intended for financial reconciliation of all account statistics. Appropriate aggregated API views should be used to calculate total spending and overall performance.

Limitations and Industry Reaction

The new report increases AI Max transparency but does not provide complete control over every combination of query, headline, and URL. If an unwanted combination is identified, advertisers typically address it through Negative Keywords, URL Exclusions, and ad asset management rather than blocking one specific combination.

Search reporting is also subject to Google's privacy rules. Not all queries are displayed individually, and information about some combinations may be unavailable.

Industry publications view the new tool as a useful step toward greater automation transparency. However, there is not yet independent data showing exactly how much the report improves CPA or ROAS. The report itself does not change bids or query matching algorithms; it provides information for more precise optimization.

Why This Update Matters

As AI Max evolves, advertisers increasingly control not only the keyword list but also the consequences of the algorithm's decisions about which queries to target, which ad copy to display, and where to direct visitors.

Search terms and ad combinations connects these three elements in a single report. For online retailers, it provides a way to check whether queries match products and categories. For B2B companies, it offers an opportunity to analyze intent quality. For agencies and developers of analytics systems, it creates a new data source for auditing AI-driven automation.

Once the feature becomes available in an account, it makes sense to incorporate search combination analysis into regular optimization, particularly for expensive queries, automatically created headlines, and pages with low conversion rates.

Sources

Google: New AI Max Features, September 23, 2026. Google Official Blog
Google Ads Help: About Reporting in AI Max for Search Campaigns. Google Ads Help Center
Google Ads API: Reports for AI Max for Search Campaigns. Google Ads API Documentation
Search Engine Land: Google Expands AI Brief and Adds Deeper AI Max Reporting, September 23, 2026. Search Engine Land
Search Engine Land: Google Ads Adds Search Terms and Ad Combinations Report for AI Max, October 13, 2026. Search Engine Land