How to Optimise Performance Max Campaigns
Aug 20, 2025When it comes to optimising Performance Max (PMAX) campaigns, your account structure and conversion datamatter more than almost any tweak you can make inside the campaign itself. That’s because PMAX is built very differently from traditional Search or Shopping campaigns.
The best way to picture it?
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Search and Shopping are like Hawkeye with his bow and arrow—precise, controlled, and highly targeted.
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Performance Max is more like the Hulk—smashing through everything with raw power.
Both have their place, but you need to know how to use them strategically.
Why Performance Max Works Differently
PMAX campaigns were designed to replace Smart Campaigns, leveraging Google’s automation and machine learningto optimise ad delivery. At the bare minimum, you can give Google your website and ask it to “go find conversions.”
This isn’t a bad thing—but it means you should think of PMAX as a secondary campaign, a way to scale and bring in extra conversions once your Search and Shopping campaigns are already performing.
Why? Because Search campaigns “train” Google by building up valuable conversion and audience data in your account. This helps Google’s automation understand:
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Which keywords convert best for your business
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Which audiences deliver the strongest ROI
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Which ad copy resonates with users
Only after this foundation is in place should you lean into Performance Max for scale.
The S.T.A.B Method for PMAX Optimisation
Even though PMAX gives you fewer manual controls, you can still optimise strategically. We use the S.T.A.B Method—the same framework that works for Search—but applied in a PMAX context:
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S = Spending & Segmentation
For eCommerce, look at product categories. Break out campaigns where you see low spend but high results. Segmentation helps ensure budget is going to profitable areas instead of being spread too thin. -
T = Targeting
PMAX targeting is largely driven by product titles, audience signals, and Google’s automation. However, you can refine targeting by excluding underperforming categories or shifting them into separate campaigns. -
A = Ads & Landing Pages
Review your asset groups. Check which ad assets (headlines, descriptions, images, and videos) are driving the best engagement. For lead gen, removing weak landing pages and pausing poor-performing asset groups can make a measurable difference. -
B = Bidding
Your bidding strategy determines how aggressively PMAX goes after conversions. For most accounts, automated strategies like Maximise Conversions or Target ROAS work best—but make sure they align with your overall account goals.
πGoogle Ads Smart Bidding Strategies: A Step-by-Step Guide for 2025
Lead Gen vs. eCommerce Optimisation
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Lead Generation Example:
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Analyse conversion results and change history
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Review account structure before adjusting PMAX directly
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Remove weak landing pages
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Pause underperforming asset groups
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E-Commerce Example (25k+ SKUs):
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Break out campaigns by product categories with high ROI
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Optimise targeting through product title refinement
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Exclude low-performing categories and reallocate budget
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Track ad asset performance with a structured ad copy sheet
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Final Thoughts
Performance Max is a powerful campaign type, but it should never be the first step in your advertising strategy. Start by building high-performing Search and Shopping campaigns, then use PMAX to scale and capture incremental conversions.
With the right structure and the S.T.A.B Method—Spending, Targeting, Ads, and Bidding—you can turn PMAX into a strong supporting campaign that drives profitable growth.