Performance Max (PMax) integrates Search, Display, YouTube, Gmail, and Discover ads into a single, automated campaign, leveraging Google’s machine learning to optimize for your goals (e.g., conversions, brand awareness).
In this lesson we'll dive into how PMax is structured, the assets you feed into it, and your targeting options available.
Spoiler: There isn't a ton you can configure—and that's a good thing. Google's algorithm knows best, so the goal of PMax is to feed it assets and data and let Google do its thing.
PMax uses responsive, dynamic ad formats across channels, requiring minimal setup while maximizing performance.
Your job is to feed it a mix of text, images, and video. ThenGoogle’s machine learning tests thousands of combinations to deliver the best results.
Like other campaign types, with PMax you configure these main things at the campaign level:
This is effectively the same as Search Ads so we won't cover them in detail.
PMax doesn't have ad groups or ads. Instead, you create Assets Groups which are a combination of:
Here's a list of all the assets you feed into PMax (the more the better):
If you are an ecomm company with products, you can leverage Shopping Ads directly within Performance Max.
Note, we also have a Shopping Ads module as we often recommend starting with a dedicated Shopping campaign and only expanding into Performance Max as you scale the account.
To do this, you need a Google Merchant Center account populated with your products and connected to Google Ads. Performance Max will then use them at its discretion to drive conversions.
See instructions in Project; Google Merchant Center.
PMax uses what it calls "signals."
These aren't explicit targeting options but instead signals you want to give Google to give it a general idea of the type of people you're looking for.
These break down into two types:
You can list upwards of 25 search themes (a.k.a. keywords):
This is pretty simple and I would come up with at least 10-15 targeted and related keywords much like you would for ad groups in Search Ads.
This is much like the Audience targeting covered in Search where you either use your own data or you use Google's built in audience types and demographics:
So at the campaign level you can set your budget, location, and language targeting, and then you create some assets groups that target specific keyword and/or audience grouping.
In the next lesson, we'll walk you through creating and launching your first PMax campaign!