Performance Max Campaigns: The Decisions That Matter
A Google Ads campaign type that uses automation to show ads across Search, YouTube, Display, Discover, Gmail and Maps from one campaign.
Samir Haddad
What is at stake
Performance Max can find conversions across Google's inventory, but it depends heavily on conversion data, assets and signals supplied by the advertiser.
The playbook
- Feed accurate conversion values
- Provide high-quality assets in every format
- Add audience signals from first-party data
- Use brand exclusions where appropriate
- Review asset and search term insights
Where it goes wrong
Avoid:
- Launching with poor conversion tracking
- Low-quality or missing video assets
- Assuming audience signals restrict targeting
- Judging results after a few days
The numbers behind it
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Channels | Search, YouTube, Display, Discover, Gmail and Maps |
| Asset groups | collections of images, videos, headlines and descriptions |
| Audience signals | suggestions that guide automation, not strict targeting |
| Shopping | can use a Merchant Center feed |
Getting outside help
When to hand it over: Bring in help when Performance Max spend rises without clear returns, or when it overlaps with other campaigns.
Where this comes from
- Google Ads Help — About Performance Max campaigns
- Google Ads Help — About audience signals
The figures and practices above come from the sources listed.
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Where to go next
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