In this blog, we will discuss 5 proven ways to optimise your Performance Max campaigns for better ROI.
Set Clear Conversion Goals, Check Tracking
Conversion tracking setup is the foundation of how PMax learns to optimise your ads. If your conversion data isn’t set up properly, the system will not know what the goal is, and what it is optimising for. Therefore, setting up clear, concise goals will take you a long way when creating successful PMax campaigns.
- Set up tracking: Before we begin setting up conversion goals, it’s absolutely critical to set up correct tracking. Make sure our Google Ads and GA4 accounts are linked correctly.
- Check key events: Ensure all key actions, such as leads, sales, and signups, are tracked consistently across both platforms. Without reliable tracking, Google would not be able to optimise your ads correctly.
- Optimise conversion values: While the intent is to maximise leads, as a business, you should focus on acquiring quality leads. Assigning values to different actions (e.g., a newsletter signup vs a sale) better equips the system to understand what matters more.
- Activate Enhanced conversions: Implementing enhanced conversions helps Google capture more accurate first-party data, especially in the absence of cookies.
- Check attribution models: Data-driven attribution models often work best with PMax, as they attribute multiple touchpoints to the campaign.
Remember: This step will help you feed Google the right signals about what ‘success’ means for your business and how you define it.
Trigger Rich Audience and Search Signals
While a PMax campaign does not necessarily look at strict targeting and uses audience signals as suggestions, feeding it with high-quality signals can significantly impact performance.
- Use first-party data: Customer lists, CRM data, and past converters help Google build smarter lookalikes.
- Look for customer intent: Guide the campaign with people actively searching for your products or services.
- Use remarketing segments: Retargeting audiences can help send warm, welcoming signals to users who have already engaged with your brand.
- Use Search Themes: PMax includes a ‘Search Themes’ feature, which acts like keyword targeting at a broader level. This helps guide Google on the type of searches to target.
Remember: Audience signals and search themes are for nudging Google, not forcing it, to maximise results and show your ads to people with higher buyer intent.
Assess Creative Quality
Similar to a social media campaign, PMax campaigns tend to perform better with a variety of assets across a variety of placements. Variety in assets and copy ensures your ad looks as fresh as possible, reducing content saturation among audiences.
- Diversify formats: Experiment with multiple headlines, descriptions, vertical and landscape images, and short-form video formats.
- Test various messaging angles: Try performance-focused copy vs brand storytelling and analyse which approach works better with your audience.
- Localise assets: Especially if you serve different regions, it is important to create customised copy for different regions to create hyper-focused ads.
Remember: Testing creatives should act as a lever and not an afterthought. Poor assets will limit performance even if you have a good targeting strategy.
Optimise Asset Groups
Treat your asset groups like mini-campaigns, each tailored around a specific product or service theme. Especially when dealing with larger accounts, ensure you do not put all your eggs in that one basket. Logical structure and tightly aligned creatives can help reach your goals faster.
- Variety, not just quantity: Providing Google with more information about your services or products increases your chances of being eligible across all types of formats.
- Test, pause, and refresh: PMax campaigns provide you with asset performance ratings. Use the insights to prune underperformers and replace them with fresh creatives. Continuous testing ensures your asset groups stay competitive and relevant.
- Use Videos Creatively: YouTube is one of Google’s strongest channels within Performance Max. Video content is no longer optional; it is a major driver of reach. Short, engaging brand videos or product explainers help your ads feel native to the platform.
Remember: For big-ticket accounts, map your asset groups to your customer journey. This will ensure your asset groups are aligned with your campaign goals, leading to efficient results.
Analyse Insights
Performance Max offers unique reporting that can be used very strategically if you look in the right places.
- Search term insights: Google has now enabled Search Term analysis in PMax, offering visibility similar to Search campaigns. You can use the Insights tab to spot trends and the ‘Search Terms’ section to review all terms being triggered. This also allows you to exclude irrelevant queries with negative keywords.
- Category trends: Google’s Insights also highlight trending categories relevant to your campaigns. These can help you spot early opportunities before competitors do.
- Budget allocation: Not all asset groups or product categories perform equally. By analysing ROAS or CPA, you can redistribute budget to the areas delivering the strongest return.
Remember: Do not stop at surface-level metrics. It might be overwhelming, but often the real insights emerge only after digging deeper.
Performance Max campaigns can feel like a black box, but they aren’t untouchable. The secret is in how you train it: accurate conversions, strong audience signals, high-quality creatives, and continuous optimisation. Done right, PMax doesn’t just broaden your reach; it becomes your most efficient campaign type.
With the right strategy in place, you can reach your max performance (quite literally).
Ready to get more out of your Google Ads budget? Our team can help you structure, optimise, and scale your Performance Max campaigns so you stop wasting spend and start driving measurable growth. Book a free consultation today, and let’s unlock your next level of ROI.