Google Ads Liaison Ginny Marvin clarified how advertisers can make their ads eligible for AI Search, explained the new Qualified Future Conversions metric, and addressed rights for YouTube Creator Partnerships in a recent Q&A. The clarifications, following Google Marketing Live, provide marketers with actionable details on campaign setup, long-term measurement, and creator content usage as Google pushes AI-powered advertising tools.
AI Search eligibility still depends on Google's AI campaign types
Marvin said nothing has changed about which ads can appear in AI Overviews and AI Mode. Advertisers still need to use Google's AI-powered targeting: Broad Match or keywordless targeting through AI Max, Performance Max, Shopping campaigns, and Dynamic Search Ads. Smart Bidding remains part of the requirement.
She spent more time explaining why those campaign types are central. "Keep in mind that the relevance bar is higher in AI Search, and ads are matched to Google's understanding of the user intent based on both the user query and the content in the response," Marvin said. As search queries become longer and more conversational, Google's systems use that extra context to decide which ads are most relevant.
Marvin pointed to AI-powered matching and text customization as reasons these campaign types stay essential. Text customization tailors ad copy to the surrounding conversation, while Final URL Expansion can send users to the landing page Google determines is most relevant. She also highlighted controls available in AI Max, including brand controls, location-of-interest settings, and URL inclusions and exclusions. AI Brief, which lets advertisers provide guidance in natural language, is expected to roll out in English in the coming months.
Qualified Future Conversions predicts sales beyond the standard window
Qualified Future Conversions (QFC) is a predictive metric that estimates conversions happening up to 180 days after an ad interaction. It combines early signals like branded searches with historical data to forecast future sales. Google designed the metric to address what it calls the "growth gap," where traditional attribution windows miss the full impact of awareness and demand generation campaigns.
According to Google, roughly 70% of conversions from standard Google Ads campaigns occur within a 30-day click and three-day engaged-view attribution window. That figure drops to about 50% for Performance Max campaigns and 40% for Demand Gen campaigns. QFC aims to give visibility into conversions that may happen after those reporting windows close.
Marvin emphasized that QFC does not replace existing conversion metrics. Like Attributed Branded Searches, Google positions it as a supplemental reporting signal. The feature is currently being tested with a limited group of advertisers, with broader availability expected later this year.
Creator partnerships require explicit permission
Marvin confirmed that advertisers need permission before using a creator's video in Google Ads. While Google Ads provides tools to discover creators and send partnership requests, securing the necessary rights is the advertiser's responsibility.
She also pushed back on the idea that creator partnerships are only for large consumer brands and well-known influencers. Marvin encouraged advertisers to consider creators with smaller, highly engaged audiences, including those covering SaaS, lead generation, and other niche industries. In many cases, businesses may already have creators publishing reviews, tutorials, or product walkthroughs that could become candidates for paid promotion through a partnership.
Why this matters for marketers
Advertisers who want their ads to show in AI Search should adopt Google's AI-powered campaign types and bidding strategies, because the relevance bar is higher and eligibility hasn't changed. Qualified Future Conversions offers a way to measure long-term brand impact beyond the standard 30-day window, though it supplements rather than replaces existing metrics. And for creator content, the rule is simple: get permission first, and don't overlook niche creators who are already talking about your product.
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