Performance Max

Performance Max (PMax) is a Google Ads campaign where the advertiser provides goals, budget and assets (copy, images, videos, customer lists) and Google decides where and to whom ads are shown, across all its channels at once.

How it works

Automation depends on quality signals: well-configured conversions (form, chat, qualified call), audience signals (customer lists, site visitors, search terms) and varied assets for the algorithm to combine. Without reliable conversions, PMax optimizes for whatever is easiest, such as cheap clicks and low-quality forms. In B2B it usually works best alongside a Search campaign with controlled keywords.

Practical example

A packaging manufacturer replaced three Display campaigns with one PMax but only tracked site visits. Leads got worse. Once only CRM-qualified quotes were imported as conversions, the campaign began seeking profiles like real customers and cost per quote dropped 40%.

Common mistakes

• Running PMax without reliable conversions.
• Uploading a single image and headline, limiting combinations.
• Letting PMax cannibalize brand searches without monitoring.