Google Is Auto-Upgrading Your Ads to AI Max: What Garage Door Companies Need to Know

Google is making major changes to Search campaigns, and some garage door companies may be affected without realizing it. In this episode of Torsion Talk, Ryan breaks down Google's move toward AI Max, the settings business owners and marketing agencies need to review, and why giving Google's AI more control over your advertising isn't necessarily producing better leads. Ryan explains his concerns with AI Max campaigns, including spam, questionable conversion data, broader search term matching, and wasted ad spend. He also discusses why negative keywords are becoming even more important as Google expands beyond the keywords advertisers specifically choose. Something as simple as failing to exclude searches for “garage sale,” DIY repairs, cheap garage doors, or cities outside your service area could mean paying for clicks that have little chance of becoming customers. The episode also covers major changes happening with Google Business Profile. Recent data shows calls and website clicks from GBP declining while direction requests are increasing, potentially signaling that more homeowners are completing their search journey directly inside Google Maps. AI-powered local search is changing too. Ryan discusses reports of AI local packs displaying fewer businesses than the traditional three-pack and sometimes removing the click-to-call option entirely. As Google continues experimenting with AI Overviews and AI Mode, garage door companies may have fewer opportunities to earn visibility—and getting into those top positions could become even more competitive. Ryan also covers Google's new generative AI reporting inside Search Console, giving businesses another way to monitor their visibility within Google's AI ecosystem. Google Post view counts are also returning after several years, providing businesses with additional insight into GBP engagement. Finally, Ryan warns garage door companies about a new Google Business Profile scam involving customer-uploaded photos containing fraudulent phone numbers. If homeowners see the image and call the number instead of the company's legitimate phone number, the lead could end up somewhere else entirely. Google Ads, Google Business Profile, Maps, AI Overviews, and local SEO are evolving quickly. If you own a garage door company, now is the time to review your campaigns, monitor your GBP, tighten your negative keywords, and understand how Google's AI changes could affect your leads and advertising budget. Subscribe to Torsion Talk for more garage door marketing, Google Ads, local SEO, AI, Google Business Profile, and industry updates. Find Ryan at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://garagedooru.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://aaronoverheaddoors.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://markinuity.com/⁠ Check out our sponsors! Sommer USA - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://sommer-usa.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Surewinder - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://surewinder.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Stealth Hardware - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://quietmydoor.com/⁠