Google Ads has started automatically updating its campaigns to Performance Max this year. As Smart Shopping and Local campaigns are phased out following the upgrade, Google has added new features to Performance Max that will allow advertisers to reap better campaign performance easily.

What to expect and how to make the most of it are detailed below.

What exactly is Performance Max?

Google Performance Max is a goal-based campaign that drives Performance based on your specified conversion goals through automation technology.

Google uses machine learning to efficiently test and discovers which ads perform best for your needs.

Performance Max, unlike Smart Shopping, can be used for eCommerce and lead generation. Google's new features enable retailers to track and optimise online sales and in-store goals, as well as reach new audiences across all of Google's inventory.

This includes Search, Display, YouTube, Gmail, and Discovery advertising.

Using Google's machine learning algorithms, Smart Bidding enables advertisers to make the most of their budget by providing more accurate predictions of how different bid amounts may affect conversions or conversion value.

Performance Max also provides more detailed reporting and insights.

You can see top-level campaign and location performance and measure performance by an hour, day of the week, and day and hour combined.

How to Create a Google Ads Performance Max Account?

Begin with Performance Max and tailor it to your specific business objectives. If your campaigns have not yet been rolled over, you can do so yourself and learn more here.

Your previous Local and Smart Shopping campaign settings, assets, and learnings will be automatically transferred to Performance Max.

When you're ready, here are some things to remember when launching Performance Max campaigns.

Structure of the Campaign:

Unless you are looking to segment for budgeting or target allocation purposes, it is best to simplify and condense your campaign structure, as this allows the system to push for optimal Performance with more data sources.

Campaign Objectives:

Next, select the primary goal of your campaign for conversions. Choose 'Purchases' for eCommerce or shopping, and calls, forms, chats, and so on for Lead-gen or Services.

Targeting by Location:

After selecting your campaign's targeted location, check the box next to "Presence: People in or regularly visiting your targeted locations." Otherwise, your ads may be shown to people who are not in the locations you specify.

Asset Classes:

You should add more creative assets after upgrading to start serving on the extra inventory immediately. You must upload at least one video asset; otherwise, Google will generate one for you, which falls short of expectations. A simple video created in Canva or another editing tool will suffice.

Exclusions:

You can also upload your customer list and exclude them from all targeting to help you acquire new customers.

Signals from the audience:

Google Efficiency Max uses Audience Signals to identify ideal potential customers from your data. To help with this, upload any customer lists, including email addresses and phone numbers, to 'Customer Match.'

Make a list of your top performing keywords from Search and Standard Shopping in 'Custom Intent.' Use 'Interests' to target people based on pre-defined interests and 'Website Visitors' to target new users based on data from your account's website visitors, leads, and purchases.

Data Stream:

Providing as much product information as possible for eCommerce is critical for Google Performance Max, as it significantly impacts your shop's campaign performance. Data such as brand, MPN/SKU, UPC Code, descriptive titles, Google Taxonomy/Categorisation, product type, multiple images, and so on are included.

Bidding Strategies:

You have two bid strategies to choose from here. There are two options: maximise conversions (with an optional target CPA) and maximise conversion value (with optional target ROAS). For Google to collect data, new accounts should begin with Maximise Conversions.

Accounts with historical data can be routed directly to tCPA or tROAS to achieve those objectives.

When Should You Use Performance Max?

So, now that we know how Google Performance Max campaigns work, who can benefit from them? Google Performance Max is recommended for the following applications based on the new technology and features described:

Obtaining specific advertising and conversion objectives

Advertising across all of Google's advertising channels with a single campaign to maximise campaign performance, if not limited to which platform your ads appear on, increasing the reach and conversion value of keyword-based Search campaigns.

As Google Performance Max is implemented across campaigns, its new features can assist businesses in finding more converting customers across all of Google's channels and quickly increasing marketing efficiency.

Axismobi Take:

So, now that we know how Google Performance Max campaigns work, who can benefit from them? Google Performance Max is recommended for the following applications based on the new technology and features described:

• Obtaining specific advertising and conversion objectives.

• As Google Performance Max is implemented across campaigns, its new features can assist businesses in finding more converting customers across all of Google's channels and quickly increase marketing efficiency.

Advertising across all of Google's advertising channels with a single campaign to maximise campaign performance, if not limited to which platform your ads appear on. It is increasing the reach and conversion value of keyword-based Search campaigns. 

Also, if you're looking for a digital marketing agency, check out our website www.axismobi.com as we are a powerful new programmatic solution that uses artificial intelligence to meet the needs of global brands. 

Axismobi also helps with market research with AxisPerformance, which targets customers and segments brands across geographies.

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