New developments in LSA and AI Max campaigns – SEM News – #2 July 2026

Google has introduced further updates to AI Max campaigns for Search.

The new features apply to two areas:

• Text guidance – automatic adaptation of ad content,
• URL exclusions – automatic expansion of landing page URLs.

Thanks to these new options, advertisers can better understand how artificial intelligence modifies headlines and descriptions, as well as how it selects landing pages for users.

Source: Google Ads Panel

What does this mean for you?

The continued development of automation in Google Ads is shifting the role of Marketing Managers away from manual campaign management and towards strategy design, as well as overseeing quality and brand safety.

The new features provide greater control over how AI operates. URL exclusions help prevent paid traffic from being directed to subpages that do not support business objectives, while text guidance allows advertisers to influence the content generated by AI.

Google has announced that starting July 20, 2026, it will begin migrating Local Services Ads (LSA) campaigns to the Google Ads interface. This is one of the biggest changes to this format since its launch and another step towards integrating all advertising tools into a single platform.

Ultimately, LSA campaigns will operate as a dedicated version of Performance Max, using a pay-per-lead billing model. This means that managing local service ads, budgets, and reporting will take place directly within Google Ads.

What does this mean for you?

The integration of LSA campaigns with Google Ads will simplify the day-to-day work of Marketing Managers. Campaign management will take place in one environment, eliminating the need to switch between the LSA and Google Ads platforms.

The change will also affect reporting and performance analysis. The ability to compare the effectiveness of Local Services Ads with Search, Performance Max, or Demand Gen campaigns will make it easier to draw insights faster and optimize marketing activities more effectively.

Google is expanding the reach of Google Shopping by making product ads and free product listings available in 14 new European markets.

The new countries include:

• Bulgaria,
• Bosnia and Herzegovina,
• Croatia,
• Cyprus,
• Estonia,
• Latvia,
• Lithuania,
• Liechtenstein,
• Luxembourg,
• North Macedonia,
• Malta,
• Moldova,
• Montenegro,
• Serbia.

This expansion allows merchants to reach customers in additional markets through both paid Shopping campaigns and free product listings.

What does this mean for you?

The increased availability of campaigns creates new opportunities for Marketing Managers to grow sales in international markets. Brands operating globally can scale their activities faster and enter new markets without the need to completely redesign their advertising strategy.