Performance Max Campaign Management

Our approach to Performance Max

Performance Max runs one campaign across Google Search, YouTube, Display, Discover, Gmail and Maps. Google decides where each ad shows, based on the goals and signals you give it. It can find customers that keyword campaigns miss, but it can also quietly spend on brand searches and low-quality placements if it’s set up loosely.

Google added more control in 2025 and 2026: search terms reporting, channel performance reporting and campaign-level negative keywords. We use all of them. The rule is simple: PMax is only as good as the conversion data and creative you give it.

PMax takes most control out of your hands, so what you feed it matters more than anything: conversion goals, lead-quality signals, asset groups and exclusions. We set those guardrails so the automation doesn’t just recycle branded traffic or buy cheap display impressions that never convert.

What’s included

Conversion goal & value setup

Only real leads or purchases as primary goals, with values that reflect lead quality or margin.

Asset groups by theme

Separate asset groups for product categories or services, with matching headlines, images and video.

Audience signals

Customer lists, website visitors and custom segments that steer the algorithm toward buyers.

Brand exclusions & negatives

Brand exclusions and account-level negative keywords so PMax doesn’t take credit for sales you would have won anyway.

Search term & channel insights

Regular review of search-term insights, channel performance and placement reports to find waste.

Problems we fix

PMax “performs” but revenue doesn’t grow

Often it’s capturing branded searches and returning customers. Brand exclusions and new-customer goals reveal the real incremental value.

Spend going to low-quality placements

Weak creative and no lead-quality signals push spend toward cheap inventory. Better assets and offline conversion imports fix this.

Search campaigns lost volume after PMax launched

PMax can overlap with Search. Exact-match Search keywords still take priority when they match the query, so we structure both to work together.

Who it’s for

Lead generation businesses with offline conversion imports
Service businesses with steady conversion volume (roughly 30+ per month)
Accounts where Search campaigns are already profitable

In the platform

What Performance Max looks like inside the account

These are the screens you’ll see when you log in, recreated with example data, and what we do on each one.

Asset groups

One asset group per service

An asset group holds the headlines, images, videos, search themes and audience signals for one service. Mixing services in one group mixes the message and the landing page.

Example asset group for an HVAC company. One asset group per service, each with its own page and message.

Search terms

We check what PMax is buying

Performance Max now shows search terms and channel performance. We review both and add campaign-level negative keywords where it strays.

Google Ads Insights and reports › Search terms Example account

Search termMatch typeClicksCostConv.

furnace repair calgary Search theme 18 $121.40 5.00

your business nameIrrelevant: exclude Brand 22 $19.80 6.00

hvac technician jobsIrrelevant: exclude Search theme 6 $27.10 0.00

heat pump rebate canada Search theme 9 $31.50 1.00

how to relight a furnace pilotIrrelevant: exclude Search theme 7 $18.20 0.00

Example Performance Max search terms. Figures are illustrative. Red rows: brand traffic to exclude and irrelevant searches to add as negatives.

How it works

How Performance Max decides where to show

You don’t pick keywords or placements. You give Google goals, signals and creative, and it bids across every channel.

Conversion goals set the direction

PMax bids toward whichever conversions are primary. If page views count as conversions, it will find cheap page views.

Audience signals are hints

Customer lists, site visitors and custom segments help it start in the right place. They are suggestions, not strict targeting.

Search themes

Search themes tell PMax which searches are relevant, much like keywords. They help new campaigns and new services get going.

Final URL expansion

When switched on, Google can send traffic to any page on your site. For lead generation we usually switch it off or exclude pages such as careers and blog.

Brand exclusions and negatives

Brand exclusions stop PMax from claiming credit for people already searching your name. Negative keywords apply on Search and Shopping inventory, not on YouTube or Display.

Channel reporting

Channel performance shows how spend splits between Search, YouTube, Display and others, so weak channels can be fixed with better assets or tighter goals.

Canada

Performance Max in Canada: what’s different

French asset groups

For Quebec, we build separate French campaigns or asset groups with French headlines, images with French text and French landing pages.

Offline conversions from Canadian CRMs

We connect tools such as Jobber, Housecall Pro and GoHighLevel so booked and sold jobs flow back to Google as conversions.

Comparison

Performance Max vs. Search campaigns

	Performance Max	Search
Where ads show	Search, YouTube, Display, Discover, Gmail, Maps	Google Search and search partners
Keyword control	Search themes and negative keywords	Full keyword and match type control
Creative needed	Headlines, images, logos and video	Text ads and assets
Best for	Accounts with steady, accurate conversion data	New accounts and high-intent service searches
Main risk	Spend on brand searches and low-quality placements	Missing searches you didn’t think of

Checklist

Performance Max setup checklist

Accurate primary conversions (real leads only) before launch
Offline conversions or lead values from your CRM where possible
One asset group per service, each with its own page
At least 15 images and a real video instead of an auto-generated one
Brand exclusions switched on
Final URL expansion off, or careers and blog pages excluded
Campaign-level negative keywords from search terms
Target CPA changes of 10–20% at a time

Mistakes to avoid

Common mistakes

Launching with no conversion history

PMax needs data to learn. In a new account, Search campaigns come first.

One asset group for everything

Emergency plumbing and bathroom renovations need different ads, pages and audiences.

Letting Google make your video

Auto-generated videos look cheap and run on YouTube anyway. A simple phone-shot video is better.

Process & cost

How we work

Data readiness
Confirm tracking, conversion values and lead-quality signals before launch.
Structure
Build asset groups and signals by service line.
Guardrails
Apply brand exclusions, negatives and URL rules.
Iterate
Refresh low-performing assets and adjust CPA targets gradually.

What we report on

Cost per qualified lead
New vs. returning customer conversions
Channel and placement breakdown
Search-term categories
Asset performance

How the cost works

Ad spend is paid to Google and controlled by your daily budget and CPA targets. We change targets gradually (10–20% at a time) to avoid resetting learning.

Performance Max: frequently asked questions

Should Performance Max replace my Search campaigns?

Usually not. Keeping Search campaigns for your highest-intent keywords gives you control and visibility, with PMax adding reach across other channels.

Why does Performance Max spend so much on branded searches?

Without brand exclusions, PMax often bids on your own brand name, which is cheap and converts well but would often convert anyway. We apply brand exclusions so reported results reflect new demand.

Does Performance Max work for lead generation?

It can, but only with strong lead-quality signals. Without offline conversion imports, PMax often optimizes toward spam or low-intent form fills.

Can I add negative keywords to Performance Max?

Yes. Performance Max now supports campaign-level negative keywords. They apply to Search and Shopping inventory, not to YouTube, Display or Gmail placements.

Can I see search terms in Performance Max?

Yes. Google now provides search terms reporting for Performance Max, along with channel performance reporting. We review both regularly.

Performance Max across Canada

Related services

Google Ads Management

Canadian Google Ads management built around cost per lead, not clicks. Search, Performance Max, YouTube and Local Services Ads with verified conversion tracking.

Conversion Tracking (GA4 & GTM)

Accurate conversion tracking for Google Ads: GA4, Google Tag Manager, enhanced conversions, call tracking, Consent Mode v2 and offline conversion imports.

Landing Pages & CRO

Fast, focused landing pages built for Google Ads traffic. Conversion rate optimization that lowers your cost per lead without raising ad spend.

Related guides

Performance Max vs. Search Campaigns: Which Should You Use?

When to use Google Ads Performance Max, when to use Search campaigns, and how to run both without overlap. A practical comparison for Canadian advertisers.