A Reality Check on Intent-Driven Search
Are Keywords in Google Ads Really Being Phased Out?
Why Keywords in Google Ads Still Matter — Even as Google Shifts To Intent-Driven Ads
Thoughts on “Google Ads No Longer Runs on Keywords. It Runs on Intent.” Search Engine Journal recently published a piece making a significant claim: Search advertising is no longer driven by keywords — it’s driven by intent. It highlights how AI Overviews and AI-inferred user goals are transforming the way ads are triggered and served.
But before you start rewriting your entire Google Ads strategy, here’s a more balanced way to interpret this shift — based on what actually works in most real-world PPC campaigns (especially for SMBs and mid-market clients). Keywords still matter, but discovery today depends on far more than search terms alone.
What the Article Gets Right
1. Search is more conversational than transactional now
Users don’t always type clean “buy” keywords anymore; many queries are exploratory or multi-stage. Google’s systems are increasingly focused on what someone is trying to achieve, not just the exact words they type.
2. AI infers commercial intent in informational queries
Examples like “why is my pool green?” illustrate how Google’s AI can detect problems that products or services solve, even when users don’t explicitly show purchase intent.
3. The mental model of audience intent is valuable
Understanding why someone searches — not just what words they use — helps marketers design better campaigns and landing pages that speak to user goals.
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Here’s Where the Narrative May Fall a Little Short
The article’s tone makes it sound like keywords are obsolete, but that’s not supported by how Google Ads actually works today.
1. Keywords in Google Ads still matter — maybe now more than ever
Even Google’s own help documents explain that keywords are still used to enter the auction and match ads to relevant searches. Broad match and AI modalities expand this, but your core keyword strategy still determines where you’re eligible to show.
2. Exact and phrase match still have value
For brand protection, high-intent search, and controlled budgets, exact/phrase match still delivers predictability and performance that many automated formats can’t match.
3. AI-powered campaigns aren’t a one-size-fits-all solution
Newer campaign types (Performance Max, AI Max) require significant conversion history and often perform best when there’s volume to train on. This biases results toward larger advertisers and can create a gap for smaller accounts that don’t have that data density.
4. Search’s narrative doesn’t change how performance is evaluated
Google’s reporting doesn’t cleanly separate “intent-driven placements” from traditional search clicks — meaning you still have to use classic PPC metrics to measure success.
What This Means in Practice
Here’s a framework that keeps you grounded in reality:
✔️ Keep Search Campaigns at the Core
Focused keyword lists + strong negative keywords = controlled spend and clear demand capture.
Exact/phrase match remains important for high-intent audience segments.
✔️ Use Intent Signals to Enhance — Not Replace — Keywords in Google Ads
Group keywords by intent (awareness, consideration, purchase) instead of by match type alone.
Align landing pages with the user’s problem and motivation — not just the phrase they used.
✔️ Test, Don’t Flip a Switch
Pick one campaign where user intent is broad or ambiguous.
Test limited broad match with strong negative keywords
Rewrite landing content to answer why someone should convert, not just what you sell.
This hybrid approach gives you the control and efficiency of keyword campaigns, while still capturing the broader intent signals that modern Google Ads systems evaluate.
Intent Needs Content to Land Somewhere:
While intent may very well be the direction Google is moving, content is still the mechanism that makes intent actionable.
We’ve always coached clients to frame content around solving real problems — answering the questions people actually ask, not just listing features or pushing offers. That approach aligns naturally with how intent-based systems work.
Keywords still play a role here — not as the holy grail, but as context anchors.
They help search engines and AI systems quickly understand what a piece of content is about and where it belongs. Think of them less as ranking levers and more like index cards in a library — not the knowledge itself, but the system that helps you find it.
In an intent-driven world, keywords won’t carry a strategy on their own.
But they still help guide crawlers and AI engines in the right direction — faster.
Final Thoughts
📌 Keywords in Google Ads aren’t dead.
📌 Search campaigns aren’t obsolete.
📌 Google is layering intent inference on top of — not instead of — traditional mechanisms.
If your Search campaigns are performing today, they still deserve a central place in your strategy. But if you want to stay ahead in 2026 and beyond, it’s worth incorporating intent thinking into how you:
✔ Structure campaigns
✔ Write ad copy
✔ Build landing pages
✔ Measure success
This isn’t a tactical mutation — it’s a strategic evolution.
