Before you start running ads with Google Performance Max, it’s important to understand what it’s built for. This campaign type isn’t just a new feature, it’s a shift in how Google Ads handles automation, data, and reach. Think of it less like setting up individual campaigns and more like giving Google a set of goals, assets, and signals to work with. Your job isn’t to control every lever anymore, but to feed the system the right inputs so it can learn and adapt. The better you understand how it thinks, the better your results will be.
What Is a Google Ads Performance Max Campaign?
A Google Ads Performance Max campaign is a goal-based campaign type that lets advertisers reach users across all of Google’s ad channels like Search, Display, YouTube, Gmail, and Discover, with a single campaign. Unlike traditional campaign types, Performance Max uses Google AI to manage bidding, ad placement, and creative combinations automatically.
To launch a Performance Max campaign, you provide:
- Creative assets: headlines, descriptions, images, and video
- Conversion goals
- Optional feeds via Google Merchant Center (for Shopping)
Google uses this input to serve the most relevant ads to people who are more likely to convert, showing your ads wherever they’re most effective. Everything happens within one campaign, which simplifies management and helps you scale faster.
How Performance Max Campaigns Work
Performance Max works by removing a lot of the manual work involved in traditional Google Ads setups. You provide assets and define your campaign goals, and the system uses machine learning to handle everything else from bidding to placements to ad variations.
Behind the scenes, the campaign draws on:
- Google AI combines your assets and tests different versions
- Real-time signals from your account, website, and Google Analytics guide optimisation
- Your bid strategy (e.g. Maximise conversions or ROAS) shapes how your ads are delivered
- Ads appear across all Google channels, depending on where your audience is most likely to convert
Performance Max now includes search term reporting and asset group performance breakdowns, making it easier to understand how your campaign is performing across different placements and formats.
Benefits of Using Google Performance Max
Performance Max offers several advantages for advertisers looking to simplify campaign management and improve results. With one campaign, you can target audiences across Google’s entire ad network, saving time and extending your reach.
Some key benefits include:
- Automated bidding, budget allocation, and creative testing.
- Improved ad performance through AI-driven optimisation.
- Access to all Google Ads inventory without needing multiple setups.
- Dynamic ad placements that follow users across their journey.
- Search term insights and asset-level reporting to inform future creative strategy.
This campaign type is especially useful for a digital marketing agency that wants to focus on outcomes like conversions or return on ad spend without managing multiple campaign formats.
When and Why to Use Performance Max Campaigns
Performance Max works best when you want to run ads across multiple channels while letting Google’s AI handle optimisation. It’s especially useful for:
- eCommerce businesses looking to improve their Shopping campaign performance
- Lead gen campaigns that benefit from AI-based targeting
- Advertisers who want to maximise reach and return with minimal manual input
That said, Performance Max now allows for more control than it used to:
- You can add campaign-level negative keywords to prevent irrelevant queries
- Use search term reports to monitor and fine-tune targeting
- Exclude specific brands, URLs, and placements
If you still need precise control over keyword targeting or want to manually manage bidding and segmentation, a traditional search campaign might still be the better fit. But for many businesses, PMax is now a flexible and powerful option especially with the latest updates.
Start a Campaign That Works Across Channels
Want better performance without managing multiple ad groups and formats? A Performance Max campaign lets you run a single campaign across all of Google’s networks Search, Display, YouTube, Gmail, and more. You’ll upload a variety of Performance Max assets, and Google’s system will automatically test and optimise them for the best results.
Your ads appear where they’re most likely to convert, thanks to real-time decisions about ad placement. Whether you’re new to Google Ads or looking to scale, Google Performance Max campaigns can help simplify your strategy while improving ROI.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Performance Max campaign, and how is it different from search campaigns?
It’s a goal-based campaign type that allows advertisers to show ads across all Google Ads inventory using a single campaign. Unlike keyword-based search campaigns, Performance Max uses Google AI to optimise performance in real-time without relying only on keywords.
How does Performance Max create more relevant ads?
Performance Max uses Google AI to test and combine assets automatically. This helps create more relevant ads for customers by showing the best-performing combinations based on real-time signals and intent.
What types of conversions can Performance Max optimise for?
Performance Max campaigns can optimise for a range of conversions—purchases, leads, calls, and visits—based on your campaign goals. You set the conversion types, and the system adjusts delivery to improve results.
Can I run Performance Max with my existing Google Ads campaigns?
Yes. You can launch a Performance Max campaign alongside existing keyword-based search campaigns. It helps fill gaps and improve performance across channels without replacing your current ads.
How do I track ad performance in Performance Max?
Use Performance Max asset reporting to see how each asset group performs. You can also access search term reports and conversion data to understand what’s working and how to optimise your creatives and placements.