I’ve been reviewing the latest industry updates from Google Ads, specifically a major report from Search Engine Land regarding how the system now finds customers.
I wanted to break this down for you because the “engine” under the bonnet of Google Ads has changed significantly. We are already adjusting your strategy to match this, but it’s important you understand what is happening.
To put it simply, Google has stopped looking for “Keywords” and started looking for “Intent.”
Here is what that means for your dealership in plain English.
The Shift – From “Matching Words” to “Matching People”
In the past, we told Google exactly what to search for (e.g., “Used Ford Fiesta”). Now, Google is using AI to look for the person behind the search and what they want to achieve, rather than just the words they type.
- The Old Way – We bid on the specific phrase “Cheap Kia SUV.”
- The New Way – Google sees a user searching for “how to fit 3 car seats in the back” and understands they are actually looking for a large SUV or MPV, even if they haven’t typed “buy car” yet.
We are now being asked to trust in the system to find buyers who are in “research mode” but are ready to buy.
The Missing Link – Teaching Google What “Good” Looks Like
The report highlights a major risk – Google’s AI is like a new salesperson—it needs training. If we don’t tell it which phone calls actually lead to sales, it will just chase any phone call, including service bookings or time-wasters.
This is why we use AdFeeder Converts.
We don’t just count the calls; we grade them. Through Adfeeder Converts, you can listen to and categorise every incoming lead. The system can then feed that specific data back into Google.
- Without AdFeeder Converts – Google thinks a 2-minute call about a “service booking” is a success and tries to find more people like that. (Bad for sales).
- With AdFeeder Converts – We tell Google, “Ignore that service call. Focus on the guy who called about the Audi A3.” This forces the AI to hunt for actual buyers, not just chatty people.
Why You Still Need a Pilot (That’s Us)
You might be thinking, “If Google’s AI is doing all this smart work, why do I need an agency?”
Think of Google’s new AI like a high-performance sports car. It has a massive engine and can go incredibly fast—but if you take your hands off the wheel, it will crash.
Our role is to provide the “Guardrails” and “Oversight” to keep the AI profitable.
- We Work to Stop the “Junk” Traffic – Left to its own devices, Google’s AI gets excited about any click. It might see someone searching for “toy ford fiesta” and think, “Great! That’s intent!” We act as the filter. We tell the AI “No, we only want people looking to buy the actual car.”
- We Close the Loop – By using AdFeeder Converts, we bridge the gap between “digital clicks” and “real conversations.” We act as the quality control team, ensuring the algorithm is optimising for your bottom line, not just its own stats.
- Refining the Net with Negative Keywords: Google’s AI casts a very wide net to find “intent,” but it often drags in things you don’t want. It might see someone searching for “Ford Fiesta parts” or “Ford Fiesta toy” and think, “Great! That’s interest in a Fiesta!” We constantly monitor the actual search terms triggering your ads. When we see these irrelevant searches, we add them to a “Negative Keyword” list. This effectively tells the AI: “No, we don’t want ‘parts’, ‘toys’, or ‘rentals’.” By constantly pruning these bad matches, we teach the AI to stop wasting budget on tyre-kickers and focus solely on people looking to buy metal.
The Summary The game has moved from matching words to matching behaviors. By combining this new AI tech with our Adfeeder Converts grading, we are steering your account to drive sales, not just traffic
