Google Ads Performance Max: Complete Guide for 2024

Google announced the development of Google Ads Performance Max in 2020, a goal-based campaign that allows advertisers to access all Google Ads channels from a single campaign. Google launched Performance Max in November 2021, creating a new way for businesses to drive success through their online marketing campaigns.

Google Ads Performance Max Video Tutorial 2022

We put together several different Google Ads Performance Max video tutorials, and you can learn everything you need to know by watching the video below or directly on YouTube.
 


 

What Are Performance Max Campaigns?

Marketing your business through Performance Max allows you to spend less time on paid ad campaigns. Unlike traditional Google Ads campaigns, performance Max focuses on driving Performance using automation to deliver better results and convert customers across all of Google’s channels, such as YouTube, Search, Discover, Gmail, Maps, and more.


free google ads training

Marketers looking to utilize Performance Max simply input specific goals and a series of assets, and Google uses data, automation, and Smart Bidding to optimize your ad campaign. The campaign drives conversions by optimizing ad performance in real-time using Smart Bidding. It puts your ads front and center in front of your target audience in the exact place they need to be reached based on the goals you provided.

Benefits of Google Ads Performance Max 

Performance Max provides many benefits that allow you to launch ads across all of Google’s platforms. When you’re unsure if Performance Max is right for your business, consider some of the benefits it can provide for your brand.

Focus on Goals

The main benefit of using Performance Max is that it allows you to focus your ad campaigns on your specific goals. Every business has unique marketing needs, and Performance Max allows you to personalize your goals to drive the right customers to your business, ultimately leading to more conversions.

Hands-Off Ad Campaign Automation

Performance Max optimizes lead generation and conversions by using automation through bids across all of Google’s Ad platforms. The automated process allows you to reach your goals more effectively at a faster rate than a traditional ad campaign. The hands-off approach allows you to set up your ad campaign and let it run. You can even provide Google with information and assets, and it will create smart ads for you.

Optimization Through Conversion-Focused Strategy

When you set your goals to a conversion-focused strategy, the algorithm, and automation use data to predict which ad will work best on which platform for your target audience to optimize your results.

While there are many benefits of using Performance Max, it may not be for everyone. Although it’s nice to use a hands-off approach to your ad campaigns, the ability to control campaigns allows you to customize and scale using data and analytics.

When You Should Use Performance Max

Performance Max campaigns are perfect for businesses who want to appear across all of Google’s advertising platforms in an easy-to-use format with access through a single campaign. Many marketers who prefer to control their ad campaigns may find Performance Max isn’t the best fit for them. For small and medium businesses, it’s the perfect way to run a campaign without spending too much effort on creating ads or managing systems.

How Do I Create and Run Google Performance Max?

Running a performance Max Campaign is easy to set up and perfect for beginners who need to market their business. You want to make sure your Google Ads account is all set up, and then you’ll want to follow these steps.

  1. Set Your Campaign Objective – Start by creating a new campaign on your Google Ads management page. The first step in your new campaign is to select your campaign type (Performance Max) and choose your campaign objective. You’ll have to choose between Sales, Website Traffic, Promotions, Leads, and Local store visits as objectives.
  2. Set Your Conversion Goals – Google will optimize your ads based on your conversion goals, whether for purchases, lead generation, subscriptions, etc. You want to define at least one goal as your primary.
  3. Determine Your Budget and Bidding Strategy – Set your budget for your ads and choose your bidding strategy. You can choose between maximizing conversions and maximizing conversion values, setting a maximum CPA, or setting a target cost.
  4. Set Up Your Campaign Settings – You’ll need to set up your campaign settings by choosing your target location, language, and Final URL expansion. The URL expansion either allows Google to choose the most relevant URLs that match your goals or only sends traffic to URLs you provide. You can also set up an Ad schedule to optimize your ads for best conversions at specific times during the day or week.
  5. Create an Asset Group – Your asset groups allow you to choose what will appear in your ads. You can set up all your creative assets in one place. Performance Max allows for:
  • 15 images
  • 5 logos
  • 5 YouTube Videos
  • 5 Headlines
  • 5 Long Headlines
  • 5 Descriptions
  1. (Optional) Choose Your Audience Signal – Using Performance Max, you can create ad audiences by signaling to the algorithm the type of people based on demographics, history, or interests that you want your ads to appear in front of.
  2. Add Extensions – You can add site-level extensions or create your own links designed for your Performance Max campaign.

Frequently Asked Questions About Performance Max

Are Performance Max campaigns the same as Smart Shopping campaigns? 

Performance Max is set to replace Smart Shopping campaigns at the end of 2022. Performance Max differs in that it allows you to choose and prioritize multiple conversion goals rather than only focusing on maximizing sales.

Should I Test Google Ads Performance Max campaigns?

If you are new to marketing for your business, testing Google Ads Performance Max will allow you to set up a new campaign to drive business and see if it provides a good ROI. It doesn’t require a heavy investment and no specific time commitment.

 What Assets Do I Need for Performance Max? 

  • The assets you need for your Performance Max Campaign include:
  • 3-5 Headlines
  • 1-5 Long Headlines
  • 2-5 Description Texts
  • At least one landscape and one square image
  • One square logo
  • (Optional) YouTube video

Does Performance Max Allow Remarketing? 

Yes, Performance Max includes the ability to remarket to audiences.

Performance Max campaigns are a great option for businesses to use as a quick and easy way to set up a highly efficient ad campaign. Google’s Performance Max takes all the guesswork out of creating your marketing campaign by taking your goals and optimizing your results to ensure your business drives conversions efficiently and gets the best results for your business.