Table of Content
- Google Ads
Performance Max – Google’s New Campaign Type
What Is Performance Max?
In January 2022 Google announced their latest campaign type to Google Ads, Performance Max. As the name suggests, it is a campaign type that can generate a significant boost on Google by using the algorithm, data and good creatives. By combining these three elements, you will be in the best position to get the best results from your Google Ads advertising.
Performance Max is a campaign type that provides advertisers with access to all of Google Ads’ tools through a single campaign. Performance Max is configured to supplement your search campaigns by targeting and converting customers across all Google channels, including YouTube, Display, Search, Discover, Gmail, and Maps.
By combining Google’s algorithms with data that complement machine learning, Performance Max helps you achieve more conversions and more value. The idea behind this type of campaign is that you, as an advertiser, should find it simple to get started. Google must know who the intended audience is. This must be combined with the available data as well as creatives that are appropriate for the target groups. If Google obtains the data, machine learning will take care of the rest. As a result, you may be able to achieve better results than before.
Should You Use Performance Max?
Performance Max is still in its early stages, but the early results are promising. This type of campaign has advantages and disadvantages, which will be discussed in this article. Your advertising will be affected by Performance Max. If you are currently using Smart Shopping and/or Local campaigns, these will be phased out and replaced with Performance Max between April and September 2022. At the time of writing, the official end date for Smart Shopping and Local Campaigns is September 2022, but it is expected to take effect sooner on your Google Ads account as Google continues to roll out these updates. Initially, you will be able to use Google’s one-click upgrade tool, which will assist you in converting your existing smart shopping and local campaigns into Performance Max campaigns.
This process will take approximately 24 hours. You will have access to your historical data once this is completed. If you do not begin using this tool, Google will do so for you in September 2022. Performance Max is currently handling only two campaign types.
How Do I Setup Performance Max?
If you’re already familiar with the Google Ads platform and have just launched a new campaign, you won’t be surprised. As usual, you select a goal for your campaign as well as the type of campaign you want to create. You can now select Performance Max from this menu.
The addition of Audience Signals is a new step in this process. You can use this section to create different audiences for your campaigns. These can be broken down in a variety of ways depending on the needs of your campaign. Google will use machine learning in the future to better reach your target audiences.
It’s time to create your ads now that you’ve created your audiences. It’s very similar to the way responsive ads are set up. Google has more information about the required requirements here.
If you have a Performance Max campaign, a Smart Shopping campaign, or a Local Campaign running at the same time and there is a product or creator overlap, Google will prioritise Performance Max. There is no problem as long as there is no overlap.
Examples of target audiences:
- Audience for remarketing: All visitors who do not convert
- Men who are new customers: Men + relevant interest + demographic setting
- Women who are new customers: Women + relevant interest in a demographic setting
A few tips from IBEX:
- Adapt your creative elements (images, video, and text) to your target audience. There is no need to show menswear or other items if you want to advertise to women who are interested in women’s clothing.
- If your audiences have different goals (leads vs. sales), you can create a new Performance Max campaign with separate messages for each.
- Prepare as many creative elements as possible ahead of time. If you want to advertise to three different audiences, make sure each one has its own set of elements, such as text, images, and possibly video. Google can create a video based on your images automatically, but the results are not always optimal.
How Do I Optimise Performance Max Campaigns?
If you say yes to this campaign, you must automatically say no to some other things. Some of the things you say no to, among other things, are previously available data insights. At the moment, Performance Max is a bit of a black box, making it difficult to assess what worked well or poorly in this campaign.
The only optimization options available right now are a Google indicator that marks your headline as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ for your image, headline, or video. If your item is in poor condition, consider replacing it with another, such as. could fit better. You may have noticed this from responsive search ads.
It’s a very “hands-off” campaign in which all you have to do is change your creatives and keep scaling it up if the ROI / ROAS allows it.
Machine Learning Optimisation vs. Human Manual Optimisation
We are in a situation where Google provides some unique automation options for advertisers that can improve performance and assist a business in meeting its business objectives.
This means that we are relinquishing some of the control we have had in the past in order to achieve a better result. To achieve a good result, man and machine must still collaborate. Google cannot provide you with good results on its own. In this case, the machines are still limited because they cannot understand the company’s business goals and can only create the most optimal creative elements. They’re getting better, but they haven’t taken over yet.
As time passes in Google Ads, we see a trend in which Google Ads specialists are no longer required to be as technically savvy as they once were. As Google handles most technical aspects, the work will become more visual and creative in the future.
As a result, we recommend that you be at the forefront of the upcoming change and begin testing with the Performance Max campaigns as soon as possible, as the changes will occur sooner or later.
Are you interested in getting started with Performance Max or other aspects of Google Ads? We are ready to help you tailored to your specific needs. Contour our Google Ads Agency in Bangkok today.
IBEX is a leading Digital Marketing Agency Bangkok – Social Media Agency, Facebook Agency, SEO Agency & Video Production Company.