There’s a new frontier in digital marketing, and it’s not coming—it’s already here. It’s not called “the metaverse.” It’s not a new Instagram or TikTok trend. It’s something a lot more practical—and a lot more powerful.
It’s AI-powered Search. And for local businesses who know how to play it right, it’s not a threat. It’s a gift.
Here’s what Fencepost is seeing (and doing) as we navigate Google’s new AI Max for Search rollout—and why we believe the future of local growth still belongs to the best businesses in town.
Let’s Be Clear: Search Has Changed
Search used to be about typing the right words. Now, it’s about meaning. Intent. Curiosity. Context.
According to Google:
- People are searching with longer phrases, voice, and even images.
- 1 billion visual searches happen every month.
- Queries with five or more words are growing 1.5x faster than short ones.
- And people expect you to understand them—not the other way around.
Your customers don’t just want relevance. They demand it. And if your local business can’t offer that— if you don’t show up when they’re searching, or if your website, your ads, and your landing pages feel generic or off-point—they’ll bounce.
What Is AI Max for Search?
It’s Google’s new power setting for paid search campaigns. With a flip of a switch, you unlock:
- Keywordless Targeting: Ads no longer rely solely on your keywords. Google reads the intent behind searches and matches your business based on how relevant it is to the user’s intent.
- Automatically Created Assets: Google generates ad copy using your landing pages and headlines—tailored to the user’s specific query.
- Final URL Expansion: Users are sent to the page most relevant to their search, not just your default homepage or generic service page.
Where do AI Max ads show up in search?
Along with traditional SERP & maps listings, AI Max ads are also eligible to show within Google’s new AI Overviews, the generative summary box that answers a query in plain language. If Google’s AI decides your ad is actually useful to the end user, it may be inserted with a label like:
“Sponsored – Ads related to your search”
From what we know, Google is still testing and refining how this works, but early signs suggest that:
- Ad relevance to the original intent of the user MATTERS more than anything else
- Your landing page content, ad copy, and reviews help determine eligibility.
- This is not guaranteed—you must be a relevant, high-quality match.
According to Google’s beta results, early adopters of AI Max saw 27% more conversions at the same cost.
This isn’t theory. This is what’s already here.
Fencepost’s Take: High Trust + Smart Targeting = Local Growth
We’ve been in the trenches with our awesome reps at Google, and have seen firsthand how AI Max is working in real client campaigns—like our electrician and plumbing partners navigating high CPCs and ultra-competitive markets.
We’ve optimized for conversion value (not just clicks), imported offline booked appointments as revenue-driving signals, and adjusted our strategies to align with how real customers actually search.
What we’re learning confirms what we’ve always believed:
AI doesn’t replace trust. It amplifies it.
The AI now pulls from:
- Your reputation (reviews, star ratings, mentions)
- Your clarity (site content, landing page structure)
- Your relevance (offer alignment, search intent match)
- Your freshness (YES, consistent organic social posting now matters!)
If your brand isn’t clear and compelling, AI doesn’t lie—it just ignores you. But if your business is the real deal? AI puts you on stage.
What You Should Be Doing Now
Here’s the playbook we’re recommending to clients:
- Clean your data. Make sure your CRM data is CLEAN and consistent. That, coupled with your books, will help your campaigns more than anything else.
- Optimize for Value, Not Just Volume. Assign values to each lead type—calls, forms, appointments—based on likelihood to close. AI will chase the right kind of customer.
- Invest in Your Landing Pages. Clean, focused, fast, and aligned with real customer intent. Generic pages are dead weight.
- Say Yes to Reviews. The more high-quality reviews you collect, the more credible you appear across every touchpoint (including AI snippets).
- Test AI Max Intelligently. Run isolated tests first. Don’t blow up your whole account overnight.
- Use AI, But Don’t Abdicate. You still need strategy. AI just gives it scale.
Final Word
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again:
The best local businesses, those that create the most value for customers, will win in the next era of search.
Not by tricking the algorithm.
Not by keyword stuffing.
But by showing up (online and in person) with real value, clear communication, and high trust—week in and week out.
Fencepost is here to help you do exactly that. We’ve got the keys, the playbooks, and the in-the-weeds reps to navigate this shift with you.
AI isn’t the enemy. It’s the megaphone. Let’s make sure you’re worth listening to.
Want to test AI Max with Fencepost?
Let’s set up a call. We’ll audit your account and show you where to start.
