Google makes changes to Google Performance Max campaigns

Performance Max campaigns will now have new insights, recommendations, and in-store goals

A total of seven new updates are on the horizon for Performance Max (PMax) campaigns.

Performance Max is Google’s newest campaign type and was highlighted at this year’s Google Marketing Live.

What are Performance Max campaigns?

The principal difference between Performance Max and other campaign types is that Google automates campaign targeting and delivery by using the information provided by the advertiser.

As Performance Max is an automated campaign type, it has some similarities to the Smart campaign type, but there are differences.

Essentially, Google will use the assets provided by the advertiser to automate ad creation; in this way, it is similar to how responsive display ads run.

Performance Max can be viewed as a hybrid of various platforms. For example, there are also similarities between Performance Max and social campaigns as they both run across multiple placements leveraging dynamic ad formats and in the way that performance reporting by audience and placement has limitations.

What is changing with Google Performance Max campaigns?

Concerning In-Store Goals, Google has gradually been rolling out Performance Max updates for online optimization from its launch, and now they will include a local add-on.

Performance Max campaigns will have the added function of optimizing the campaign for store sales goals to increase in-store sales, store visits, and other local actions.

These updates will likely encourage businesses with physical stores to test out Performance Max campaigns in their ad accounts.

Performance Max Optimization score. This update will provide enhanced automation functionality by placing automated optimization tips that apply to Google’s most automated campaign offering. This update is rolling out globally.

Burst Campaigns. Google is adding a new “burst” feature to Performance Max campaigns that will run alongside in-store goals and give advertisers the ability to advertise for a set time to reach in-store goals. Once advertisers have set up in-store goals, they will have the option to boost seasonal in-person traffic.

Additional Insights and analysis. Advertisers will receive increased intelligence customized to their Performance Max campaigns through expanded insights.

The data covers performance Max campaigns’ audience, consumer, and auction insights. The information in the report may not be able to directly be acted on, depending on the campaign type; however, it will demonstrate to advertisers what is driving performance.

Performance Max experiment tools. This does not mean that traditional Google Ad experiments are being added to Performance Max campaigns.

This relates to “Experimentation tools” which shows how Performance Max campaign can drive conversions from any existing Google Ads campaigns.

This will likely sound attractive to advertisers; however, the function should be used with caution. The comparison used for the data is based on existing “comparable campaigns” and the process will layer Performance Max on top to demonstrate how much increase could be made.

At this time, the comparable campaigns cannot be adjusted, so advertisers are not able to control the ‘control’ part of this experiment. Performance Max campaigns can include a range of branded/competitor/remarketing audiences that can have a favorable cost per action (CPA)/ or return on ad spend (ROAS).

Considering that there is little in the way of meaningful data currently offered by Performance Max campaigns, it is prudent to be cautious when measuring the source of additional volume.

Also, experiments of this nature are available for non-retail campaigns and are currently in open beta for advertisers globally.

Increased availability and access. Advertisers who use the Google Ads app or Search Ads 360 will have the option to manage Performance Max campaigns. Performance Max campaigns began with reduced access to reporting since launch, however, Google has been improving this. This particular update will also allow Google Ads App users and Search 360 to test.

Performance Max for hotels

Hotel advertising will also be available in Performance Max campaigns from the second half of 2022. This addition will allow hotel advertisers to use Performance Max to promote hotel properties across the Google network and channels, including property-specific queries on Search.

Hotel setup in Performance Max will include pre-populated asset groups available for all hotel properties consisting of their images, descriptions, and videos, which will all be auto-generated. Moreover, advertisers will be given the option to review and edit these automated property assets.

Conclusion

These new updates will offer advertisers more data and functionality for automated campaigns. Moreover, in-store goal improvements combined with burst campaigns should provide stores with at least a temporary method to boost sales volume.

As mentioned above, the experiment tools in Performance Max campaigns are not the same as traditional experiments in Google Ads. Mainly, they will not have the option for Performance Max campaigns to be tested against one another; instead, they can be used as an additional method to “comparable campaigns” in your account, so they should be used prudently. At first appearance, it looks like the experiments should be used as a Performance Max sales tool rather than a typical A/B test tool; however, this will be clearer once there is an opportunity to evaluate fully.

 If you have any questions about Google Performance Max campaigns or exploring other types of advertising, please feel free to contact our expert team at info@relevantaudience.com for more information.