Once upon a time, an online marketing agency started experimenting with a new Google campaign type: the Performance Max! Let’s guide you back to the beginning of 2022: that’s when we began rolling out the first Performance Max campaigns within Google for our clients. Now, you may be wondering, what exactly does this entail? Simply put: it’s a single campaign designed to maximise your objectives by integrating all existing Google Ads campaign types, such as Shopping ads, Search ads, YouTube ads, Display ads, Discovery ads, and ads within Gmail & Maps.

As previously described, the initial results were indeed very promising. However, how does this campaign type fare today? What changes have occurred in the meantime, and what results are we seeing now? Well, I’m happy to share with you.

Which novelties occurred in the meantime?

a) Refine by search themes

Let’s start with the most recent one: the introduction of search themes by the start of 2024. Through this way, Google gives the ability to input additional context & signals to target customers on. Think of closely related search queries fitting with your product or a specific context closely related to your target audience. Why is Google doubling down on this approach? Well, we can now pinpoint their target audience even more effectively with their asset group. In other words, start using this feature to assess its impact as soon as possible.

b) Is the blackbox still there?

One of the most frequently mentioned downsides of the Performance Max, was the limited information given on targeting, ad variants and just all over in-depth insights. Prayers were heard at Google, as more insights are available today. These include audience insights, top-performing assets, auction insights and results based on asset group. However, this does not imply that we are already there. Let us say that it’s still a bit of blind faith in machine learning, but that a watchful agency eye is definitely needed here.

c) Exclude your own brand name

Shortly after the launch, Google came up with the possibility to actively exclude your own brand name from your Performance Max campaign. This offers the ability to ensure that sessions gathered via this campaign type are solely non branded. However, we’ve experienced that chances are high that it blocks your campaign performance. Test & monitor is the golden rule!

What are the results?

Let’s start to make an honest comparison based on the same KPI’s as we did back in the days. Allow us to jog your memory. What were those indicators again?

• Click through rate (CTR) : how easily / quickly people click through on our ads compared to all other non-branded campaigns (*Search, Shopping, Display, Video)
• Conversion rate (CVR): how easily / quickly will people perform a conversion compared to all other non-branded campaigns
• Return on ad spend: how many euros do I get back after investing €1.

First results showed a significant increase in ROAS, CTR & CVR changes were rather limited.

After 2 years of testing and optimising, we can today proudly say that both conversion rate & ROAS are positively evolving. Apart from the traditional (and essential) branded search campaign, the Performance Max emerges as the top-performing campaign across most of our accounts. P.S.: Bear in mind that the search queries of a Performance Max campaign are a mix of both branded & generic ones. Considering the impressive improvements we’ve seen from Google’s end in the past two years, we’re enthusiastic about further leveraging this campaign type. Additionally, we’re eagerly anticipating the fresh demand generation outcomes. Curious about the latter? Stay tuned because there’s more to come soon…