What are the two current keywordless campaign types that marketers can use to drive incremental reach?

|

Bhupati Barman

Infographic titled “Keywordless Campaign Types in Google Ads” showing how Dynamic Search Ads use website content and Performance Max campaigns use AI and audience signals to drive incremental reach without traditional keyword lists.

I recently completed the Google Ads Search Certification Exam with a score above 98%. To help others succeed too, I’m breaking down actual questions from the exam and explaining the reasoning behind each answer. Let’s begin.

Question:

What are the two current keywordless campaign types that marketers can use to drive incremental reach?

  • Expanded text ads
  • Dynamic Search Ads
  • Performance Max
  • Responsive search ads

Here are the correct answers:
✅ Dynamic Search Ads
✅ Performance Max

If you are interested, you can take the exam on Google Ads Search Certification.

Why These Are the Correct Answers:

✅ 1. Dynamic Search Ads (DSAs)

  • DSAs automatically generate ads based on your website content, not keyword targeting
  • Google crawls your site and matches user searches to your relevant pages
  • You don’t need to manage keyword lists manually — Google fills in the gaps
  • This helps capture incremental reach from searches you haven’t explicitly targeted

Use Case: Great for large websites or eCommerce stores with frequently changing inventory.

✅ 2. Performance Max Campaigns

  • Performance Max campaigns don’t rely on traditional keyword targeting
  • They use audience signals, product feeds, and creative assets to serve ads across all Google channels (Search, Display, YouTube, Gmail, Maps, Discover)
  • Google’s AI decides when, where, and how to show your ads — including keywordless queries

Use Case: Ideal for advertisers looking to maximize reach and conversion value across Google’s entire inventory with minimal setup.

❌ Why the Other Options Are Incorrect:

OptionWhy It’s Incorrect
Expanded Text Ads❌ Deprecated as of June 2022 — no longer editable or usable for new campaigns. Also keyword-based.
Responsive Search Ads❌ While flexible in format, RSAs still require manual keyword targeting to trigger.

Real-Life Example:

A large travel website wants to advertise new destinations and experiences.

  • With DSAs, they don’t have to create separate ads for every destination page — Google does it for them
  • With Performance Max, they upload creative assets and audience signals — and let Google reach travelers across Search, YouTube, Display, and Gmail

➡ The result? They reach new users beyond their keyword lists, expanding their conversion volume and visibility.

Additional Resources:

FAQs

Q1: Are Performance Max campaigns keywordless by default?

Yes. They rely on Google AI and signals rather than keywords. You provide assets and goals, and Google handles the targeting.

Q2: Do DSAs work for small websites?

Yes, but they work best for content-rich websites. Google needs enough information to dynamically match search queries to relevant pages.

Q3: Can I use keywords with Performance Max or DSAs?

You don’t provide traditional keywords, but you can use audience signals (PMax) or category targeting (DSA) to guide the campaign.

Conclusion:

The two current keywordless campaign types that marketers can use to drive incremental reach are:

  • ✅ Dynamic Search Ads (DSAs) – match user queries to website content
  • ✅ Performance Max – leverage automation across all Google channels

These campaigns help marketers scale reach and capture demand without relying solely on manual keyword lists.

Now, if you are ready, you can take the Google Skillshop test for the Google Ads Search Exam. If you want more questions about the Google Ads Search Certification Exam, keep following.