Google AI Max Branded Search Controls: The 2026 SMB Guide to Controlling Your Brand Traffic

If you run Google Ads for a small business, your brand-term traffic is about to get more expensive. In September 2026, Google will automatically migrate every Dynamic Search Ads (DSA) campaign to AI Max for Search — and without brand controls configured, AI Max will start bidding against your own brand campaigns, inflating CPCs by 15–25% within 30 days.

This guide shows SMB advertisers exactly how to set up Google’s new AI Max branded search controls before the September 2026 migration, so you keep clean attribution and don’t pay twice for the same click.

TL;DR — Google AI Max branded search controls let you choose exactly how your ads behave when users search for your brand name — show on all searches, filter by specific brands, or block brand terms entirely, at campaign or ad group level. For SMBs migrating from DSA in September 2026, setting these controls now prevents wasted budget and confusing attribution.

What Are Google AI Max Branded Search Controls?

Google AI Max is an AI-powered optimization layer for Google Search campaigns that automatically expands reach, refines creative assets, and optimizes landing pages. Since April 2026, it is the default upgrade for Search campaigns and will auto-migrate Dynamic Search Ads (DSA) starting September 2026.

Brand terms are search queries that include your company name, product name, or trademarked terms — they typically convert at 3–5× the rate of generic searches and carry lower CPCs because intent is clearer.

One of the biggest advertiser complaints about Performance Max and AI-driven campaigns has been loss of control over branded search traffic. When AI Max accidentally captures this traffic, two things happen:

1. You pay more for traffic you would have captured anyway through a dedicated brand campaign.
2. Attribution gets muddled — it is unclear whether the conversion came from brand or generic intent.

Google’s new Branded Searches controls solve this by giving advertisers three explicit options:

Setting	What it does	Best for
Show ads on all relevant searches	Default. AI Max decides. High risk of brand term capture.	Brands with no separate brand campaign and broad-reach goals.
Use brand inclusions and exclusions	You specify which brand terms to include or exclude. Granular control.	Most SMBs — balances reach and brand protection.
Restrict to unbranded searches only	AI Max never shows ads for brand term queries. Maximum control.	Established SMBs with a dedicated high-performance brand campaign.

These controls are available at both campaign and ad group level, giving SMBs the fine-tuning ability that previously required agency-level account management.

Why Branded Search Controls Matter More for SMBs in 2026

The stakes are higher in 2026 for three reasons.

1. AI Max is becoming mandatory

In September 2026, Google will automatically upgrade all DSA campaigns to AI Max. If you have been running DSA to capture bottom-of-funnel intent, AI Max will now also start competing for your brand traffic — at higher CPCs.

2. SMBs spend disproportionately on brand protection

Large enterprises have dedicated brand campaigns with historical data. SMBs often rely on single campaigns to protect brand terms while also capturing generic searches. Without controls, AI Max’s bid optimization can shift budget toward brand terms, starving other targeting.

According to Search Engine Land, SMB advertisers running AI Max without brand controls have reported seeing their brand CPCs increase by 15–25% within 30 days of campaign migration — because the algorithm competes with itself for high-intent brand queries.

3. Attribution confusion kills optimization

When one campaign converts a user who also clicked a brand ad, the math gets messy. AI Max’s automated bidding uses that conversion data to optimize — but if brand conversions are being credited to broad match or DSA, you are effectively training the algorithm on the wrong signals.

According to Google’s official AI Max documentation, the algorithm requires clean conversion signals to learn effectively. Mixed attribution — where brand and non-brand conversions overlap — creates conflicting optimization signals that degrade campaign performance over time.

How to Set Up Google AI Max Branded Search Controls (Step by Step)

Step 1: Access AI Max Settings

1. Open Google Ads and select your Search campaign.
2. Navigate to Settings → AI Max (the setting panel appears for all Search campaigns as of May 2026).
3. Locate the Branded Searches section in the AI Max panel.

Step 2: Choose Your Control Level

Campaign level — Applies to all ad groups within the campaign. Best if you want consistent brand controls across all targeting.

Ad group level — Fine-tune controls per ad group. Best if different product lines have different brand strategies.

Step 3: Select Your Branded Search Setting

Choose from the three options based on your account structure:

Option A — Show on all relevant searches (not recommended for SMBs)

• Use this only if you have zero separate brand campaigns.
• AI Max will bid on your brand terms automatically.
• Risk: You compete with yourself, driving up CPCs for brand terms.

Option B — Brand inclusions and exclusions (recommended)

Example setup:

• Include: “Didoo AI”, “Didoo”
• Exclude: “Didoo promo”, “Didoo discount code”

This ensures you are present on intent-rich brand searches but not on coupon-chaser queries that hurt margin.

Option C — Restrict to unbranded only

• Use if you have a separate high-performance brand campaign you do not want AI Max touching.
• AI Max will skip all queries containing your brand terms.
• Best for: Established SMBs with dedicated brand campaign managers.

Step 4: Verify in Bidding Strategy

After setting brand controls, check your Smart Bidding diagnostics:

1. Go to Bidding strategies → Search terms view.
2. Filter by your brand terms (add them as a custom filter).
3. Confirm the impression share and CPC align with expectations.

Common SMB Mistakes with AI Max Brand Controls

Mistake 1: Setting and forgetting

AI Max learns from your account data. If you launch a new product with a new brand name mid-quarter, AI Max will not know to protect it unless you update brand exclusions.

Mistake 2: Using Option A when you have a brand campaign

If you are running a separate brand campaign alongside AI Max, setting AI Max to “show on all relevant searches” creates a two-bidder problem. Both campaigns compete for the same queries, driving up your effective CPC for brand terms.

As reported by SEL, this self-competition dynamic is the primary reason advertisers see CPC inflation when migrating to AI Max without proper brand exclusions configured.

Mistake 3: Confusing brand exclusions with negative keywords

Brand exclusions in AI Max prevent your ads from showing on those terms. Negative keywords prevent a campaign from triggering on searches that contain those terms. They work differently — do not substitute one for the other.

AI Max Brand Controls vs Performance Max Brand Exclusions

SMBs often confuse AI Max brand controls with Performance Max brand exclusions. Here is the difference:

Feature	AI Max for Search	Performance Max
Brand control granularity	Campaign + ad group level	Campaign level only
Brand inclusion options	Include specific brands, exclude others	Exclude only (no inclusion)
Unbranded restriction	Yes	Partial (through audience signals)
Integration with DSA	Automatic September 2026	Separate migration
SMB ease of use	Higher (simplified UI)	Requires manual audience signals

AI Max’s brand controls are simpler and more granular than Performance Max, making them more accessible for SMBs without agency support.

What Happens If You Don’t Set Brand Controls Before September 2026

DSA campaigns will automatically migrate to AI Max in September 2026. Here is what SMBs without brand controls will likely experience:

• CPC inflation on brand terms — AI Max’s broad match + smart bidding will capture brand searches at higher CPCs than manual DSA, averaging 15–25% increase per Search Engine Land.
• Attribution shifts — Conversions previously credited to DSA will now be credited to AI Max, making year-over-year comparison difficult.
• Budget redistribution — AI Max will automatically allocate budget toward highest-performing queries (often brand terms), reducing spend on mid-funnel generic terms.

The fix is simple: set brand controls now, before the migration wave hits your account.

How Didoo AI Helps SMBs Manage AI Max Brand Controls

Didoo AI is an AI-native media buying platform built for SMBs. Our AI media buyer automatically configures brand exclusion settings when you set up a new campaign — including AI Max brand controls for Search campaigns.

Instead of navigating Google Ads’ complex settings panel, you describe your campaign goals in plain language, and Didoo AI’s Auto-Execution engine handles the targeting, creative, and bidding setup — including proper brand term protection.

Learn more about how Didoo AI handles AI advertising for small business on our blog.

Related Resources

• Google AI Max for Search in 2026: The Complete Migration Guide for Small Businesses — The sister guide covering the broader AI Max migration and DSA sunset.
• AI Advertising for Small Business: The Complete Guide — A practical playbook for SMBs running cross-platform AI campaigns.
• How to Reduce Meta Ad Spend with AI: 5 Strategies That Work — Cross-platform AI budget management tactics that complement brand-controls discipline.

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