With benefits such as attracting new audiences and simplifying campaign management, Google’s Performance Max is a goal-based campaign. It allows advertisers to access their Google inventory from one single strategy, making your marketing goals a top priority.
How Does Performance Max Work?
Through using artificial intelligence to display responsive ads on Google’s main networks, advertisers can define and structure their campaigns. Google’s focus on their bidding and targeting system allows marketers to target their audiences using a personalised choice of conversion goals.
However, to reach these conversion goals, there are many discrepancies to look out for. Currently, Google has many default requirements and pre-selected settings which can affect the way your campaign runs. While they can be tricky to pick out, here are three top tips for optimising Google’s Performance Max.
Video and Image Assets
Performance Max is a creative format, meaning the integration of text, images, and videos is essential. Assets such as headlines and descriptions are imperative to the campaigns as Performance Max covers multiple inventories.
Unlike display campaigns where creative assets are optional, Performance Max requires campaigns to include them. Currently, if advertisers do not provide Google with an image or video, Google Ads will create them automatically.
Due to this, it is far more effective to create your own images and graphics rather than allowing Google to choose them for you. Not only will they be original and unlike others already out there, but it will also match the branding for your company.
URL Expansion
One thing to look out for when using Performance Max is URL expansion, which by default is turned on by the programme.
This means that unless you manually turn the expansion off, the campaign has permission to send users to other landing pages which are different to the final URL which you entered. This is a similar system to dynamic ad groups.
However, with dynamic ad groups, you can set specific landing pages which you would like the campaign to draw traffic to. This is unlike in Performance Max where you can only set exclusions towards the pages which you do not want the campaign to attract.
Location Setting
On Performance Max, you can choose whether you would like to have your target audience based on “presence or interest” or “presence” only. Whilst “presence or interest” takes into consideration audiences who are both in and interested in your selected location, “presence” focuses solely on the selected area.
Much like the other default settings, Google automatically selects “presence or interest”. However, it is recommended that you choose the latter option. This prevents your ads from being shown to audiences outside of your set location, therefore, optimising the advertisement.
Performance Max – The New Advertising Strategy
As Google continues to automate their advertising features, marketers are given more opportunities to reach their desired target audiences more effectively with PPC. Despite Performance Max’s discrepancies, they are leading the way for online advertisement and optimising marketing strategies.
