How to Optimize Performance Max Campaigns

Let’s talk about optimising your Google Ads Performance Max campaign!

Now one thing I want to make clear is that when I say “optimise” your performance max campaign I need to make it clear that you cannot optimise a performance max campaign in the same way you do a search or standard shopping campaign 

And the reason for that is that Google has built Performance Max campaigns to be based off their automated learning algorithm and even when you are building your audience signals Google make it very clear that they only use this as a guide and the will 

“Go beyond your selections to find new conversions based on your goals”

So while you can add some optimisations to Performance Max campaigns you do need to understand that this won’t stop Google testing some keyword themes, audiences & demographics that you know are not going to be profitable.

1. When to use a Performance Max Campaign

One thing that I want to make very clear is that I DO NOT Recommend you using Performance Max campaigns as a lead off or priority campaign - meaning that it should not be your first or only campaign that you use in Google Ads. And the reason for this is that I have found that PM campaigns are generally only successful when:

•  They are Used in Google Ads accounts with good remarketing, similar & optimized audience lists, as this gives Google more data into what a “potential converter” is for your product or niche. 
•  They are used Products or services that have a good conversion history

The reason for this is the way the Performance Max campaigns work in that they are one campaign that runs across all of Google’s channels like: Youtube, Search, Display, Maps & Gmail

So they are a great campaign to use for remarketing, so once you get someone to interact with your website or an ad your PM campaign will continue to show ads to that user whenever they are on YT, checking emails or just surfing the web.

So for me I have found better success when I have partnered PM with a search campaign that is being used to build the best audiences for Google to use as a data feed in the Performance Max campaign.

And the reason for why you should only market products or services with good conversion histories is because PM campaign will target search terms based off your products or services landing or product page. So by only using products & services with good conversion rates means that you know these pages are well optimised for the traffic that Google will be targeting.

1. Best 2 options for optimisations

Now that we know the best times to use Performance Max campaigns, I want to show you the current best options for optimising a Performance Max campaign. 

I do want to stress that this may change in the future as I have been hearing that Google is looking to add in some extra optimisation points but at the moment here are the best 2 options:

•  Review your Clicks vs Conversions or Conv. Value & then remove any keyword themes that are not profitable from the Audience Signals
•  Review locations and exclude under performing locations or increase/decrease the bid adjustments