Launched in 2021, Performance Max campaigns are just a few years old. Also known as PMax, this powerful campaign type has a lot to offer advertisers — namely, its reliance on artificial intelligence (AI) to drive conversions across ad channels from a single campaign.
But just because these campaigns use artificial intelligence to optimize your campaigns, it doesn’t mean you can’t make them even better.
Read on for seven tips for successful Performance Max campaigns.
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What is Performance Max?
Google’s Performance Max campaigns leverage AI and machine learning to automate your campaigns for maximum conversions (e.g. leads or sales) while maintaining a cost per action (CPA) or return on ad spend (ROAS) that you set. Then, similar to responsive display ads, you just upload your assets — including ad copy, headlines, logos, imagery, and videos — and Google spins up the optimal combination, in real-time, for driving conversions.
But, a key difference between PMax campaigns and responsive display ads is that Google performs that automation across multiple channels, including YouTube, Display Search, Discover, Gmail, and Maps. And, it leverages Google AI technologies across various aspects related to a PPC campaign, including Smart Bidding, budget optimization, audiences, and more.
Tips for successful PMax campaigns
Follow these tips for PMax campaign success.
1. Be prepared to invest
It takes time and money for PMax campaigns to work at their best. Google recommends running a campaign for at least 6 weeks to give their algorithm sufficient data for maximum performance.
Pro Tip: Performance Max campaigns have two bidding options. Maximize Conversions optimizes for pure conversions, whereas Maximize Conversion Value optimizes for higher-value conversions as opposed to pure quantity. Consider the best option for your campaign.
2. Upload as many assets as possible
The more assets you provide, the more Google has to work with. At a minimum, you should add the following, but you can always add more.
- 20 text assets, including 15 headlines and 5 descriptions
- 7 image assets, including 3 landscape images, 3 square images, and 1 portrait
- 1 video asset
Pro Tip: You can also organize your assets by theme or channel by creating asset groups.
3. Feed PMax the right audiences
Instead of traditional targeting, Performance Max campaigns use audience lists as signals. You can add remarketing lists, custom intent, Customer Match, and more to improve your campaign performance.
Pro Tip: Do you want your campaign to focus only on new customers? Exclude existing customers by checking “Only bid for new customers” during campaign setup.
4. Review all the minor details
There are a few more options you have for optimizing Performance Max campaigns. Don’t forget to decide whether you want to:
- Target only people who are in a specific location (Presence only), or those who are also interested in it (Presence or Interest).
- Allow Google to send people to other landing pages than what you’ve specified. This setting, called URL expansion, is turned on by default, but you can turn it off.
- Exclude any products or keywords from your campaign to avoid wasting spend.
- Add ad extensions to your campaign, such as sitelinks, promotions, or call assets.
5. Update your product data feed
If you’re running a Performance Max campaign for an eCommerce brand, you’ll want to confirm that your data feed is clean, accurate, and up to date.
Pro Tip: During campaign setup, add lifestyle photos as image assets to complement your product photos and tell a story in your PMax campaigns.
6. Run multiple Performance Max campaigns for different objectives
There’s no rule that you can only have one PMax campaign. In fact, you can have up to 100! You can create multiple PMax campaigns to support different ROAS or CPA goals for different products or sales.
7. Run Performance Max in combination with other ads
Along the same lines, you don’t want to limit yourself just to Performance Max campaigns. For the best success with Google Ads, it’s smart to run multiple campaign types so you can gather more insights and apply those learnings to future campaigns.
This is where having a PPC expert comes in. Contact Your Marketing People to discuss your advertising goals.
