Performance Max
Make Performance Max work for you, not Google
Performance Max can be strong or wasteful. The difference is what you feed it and how closely someone watches. We handle both.
Automation does what you tell it, even when that's wrong
Performance Max runs one campaign across Google's inventory: Search, Shopping, YouTube, Display, Discover, Gmail and Maps. Google's system decides where your ads show and how much to bid. That's a lot of power handed to an algorithm, and it only knows what your conversion data tells it.
If your tracking counts low-value actions as conversions, PMax will chase those. If brand searches are included, it can take credit for customers who were already coming to you. If the assets are thin, it'll fill gaps with generic placements that look fine on a report and do little for revenue.
Many accounts launch PMax, see a good-looking return, and never ask where that return came from. That's how budgets grow while actual new business stays flat.
Feed it well, fence it in, check its work
We treat Performance Max as a powerful tool that needs supervision. The inputs decide the outputs, so most of our effort goes into conversion data, asset quality and signals. Then we look past the headline numbers to see what PMax is actually doing.
Clean conversion goals
We make sure PMax optimizes toward real sales or qualified leads with accurate values, not page views or newsletter sign-ups.
Asset groups with a point
We build asset groups around distinct products or audiences, with headlines, images and video that speak to each one.
Brand and placement controls
We use brand exclusions, negative keywords and placement settings where available so PMax earns new customers instead of claiming existing ones.
Honest reporting
We check channel and search term insights, compare against other campaigns, and tell you plainly whether PMax is adding revenue.
What's included
- Conversion goal and value review before launch
- Asset group structure by product line or audience
- Headline, description, image and video asset sets
- Audience signals built from your customer data
- Brand exclusions and negative keyword setup
- Feed connection for ecommerce PMax campaigns
- Search term and channel insight reviews
- Asset performance testing and replacement
How it works
From first call to results
- 01
Check the inputs
We audit conversion tracking, values and feeds, because PMax will optimize toward whatever we give it.
- 02
Build asset groups
We create focused asset groups with strong creative and audience signals for each product or segment.
- 03
Set the guardrails
We add brand exclusions, negatives and budget limits so automation stays pointed at new demand.
- 04
Review and refine
We read the insights, swap weak assets and shift budget based on what PMax is actually delivering.
Who this is for
- Ecommerce stores with a product feed and solid sales tracking
- Lead gen businesses with offline conversions or lead quality data
- Accounts already running PMax with unclear results
- Teams that want automation without giving up control
Services
More Google Ads & PPC services
Google Search Ads
Google Search campaigns built around buying intent, with weekly search term cleanup and ads that earn the click.
Learn morePerformance Max
Performance Max fed with clean data and strong assets, fenced in with brand controls, and reported honestly.
You are hereGoogle Shopping
Merchant Center cleanup, feed optimization and margin-based bidding so Shopping ads sell profitable products.
Learn moreFacebook & Instagram Ads
Facebook and Instagram ads with solid tracking, constant creative testing and results judged on real sales.
Learn moreMicrosoft Ads (Bing)
Microsoft Advertising set up and tuned on its own terms, with B2B targeting and clean tracking, not a forgotten import.
Learn moreLinkedIn Ads
LinkedIn campaigns targeted by role, company and industry, tracked through to qualified leads and pipeline.
Learn moreProgrammatic Media
Display, video, connected TV and audio bought programmatically, with brand safety controls and outcome-based reporting.
Learn morePPC Audit
A hands-on review of your ad accounts with a ranked list of what's wasting money and what to fix first.
Learn moreFAQ
Questions we get a lot
Is Performance Max right for my business?
It tends to work best when you have reliable conversion tracking and enough conversion volume for the system to learn. With weak data or a tiny budget, a well-run Search campaign is often the better starting point. We'll tell you which fits.
Can I see where my PMax ads show?
More than you used to. Google now offers channel-level reporting and search term insights for Performance Max. It still isn't as transparent as a standard Search campaign, so we pair those reports with comparisons against your other campaigns.
Should PMax run alongside my Search campaigns?
Usually, yes. Search campaigns give you control over your most important keywords, and PMax covers the wider inventory. We set them up so they work together instead of competing for the same traffic.
Do I need video for Performance Max?
You should provide it. If you don't, Google may generate video from your images, and the results are often weak. Even simple, short videos you approve will usually do better than auto-generated ones.
Find out what your PMax is really doing
Book a call and we'll review your Performance Max setup and show you where the results come from.