Performance Max that you can actually see inside.
Performance Max can find customers across Search, YouTube, Display, Discover, Gmail and Maps from one campaign. It can also quietly spend on placements and branded searches you would have won anyway. We set it up so the spend is visible, controlled and forecast before it scales.
What is Performance Max management?
Performance Max management is the ongoing work of structuring, feeding and controlling a Google Performance Max campaign so its automated bidding spends on new, profitable customers instead of easy, low-value conversions.
In practice that means clean conversion tracking with real lead or sale values, asset groups built around distinct audiences, brand exclusions so PMax is not taking credit for people already searching your name, account-level negative keywords, and weekly reviews of search term and placement insights.
Performance Max is not right for every account. When conversion data is thin or the offer has a long sales cycle, a tightly managed Search campaign often outperforms it. We will tell you which one your numbers support before you spend.
Everything a Performance Max campaign needs to earn its budget.
Conversion values that mean money
We pass real lead values or revenue into Google so bidding optimizes for profit, not just form fills.
Asset groups by audience
Separate asset groups for each service line or buyer type, each with its own headlines, images, video and audience signals.
Brand exclusions
Your branded searches stay in a dedicated Search campaign so PMax has to find genuinely new demand.
Negative keywords
Account-level negative lists keep PMax away from job seekers, DIY searches and irrelevant queries.
Placement review
We review where ads appear and exclude low-quality apps and sites that burn spend without leads.
Feed and creative
Merchant Center feed cleanup for ecommerce, and fresh creative testing so asset quality stays high.
We forecast Performance Max before it scales.
Every new Performance Max campaign starts with a written projection built by Cheeky Merlin, our predictive marketing platform. Each month we report actual results against that projection, including when it is behind.
From audit to a Performance Max campaign you trust.
Audit
We review tracking, existing campaigns, branded search overlap and how much of current PMax spend is reaching new customers.
Predict
We build a written projection of conversions, cost per conversion and ROAS for your budget.
Build
Asset groups, audience signals, brand exclusions, negatives and creative, launched alongside a protected brand Search campaign.
Optimize
Weekly insight reviews, asset testing and budget shifts, reported against the projection every month.
Performance Max, answered plainly.
Is Performance Max worth it?
Performance Max is worth it when you have reliable conversion tracking, enough monthly conversions for the algorithm to learn from, and conversion values that reflect real revenue. Without those, a well-managed Search campaign is often more efficient. We check your data and tell you which one fits before you spend.
Why is Performance Max spending on my brand name?
Performance Max will bid on branded searches by default because they convert easily. Adding brand exclusions and running a separate brand Search campaign forces PMax to look for new customers and makes its reported results more honest.
Can you add negative keywords to Performance Max?
Yes. Google now supports account-level negative keyword lists and campaign-level negatives for Performance Max. We use both to keep spend away from irrelevant and low-intent searches.
How long does Performance Max take to learn?
Most Performance Max campaigns need two to six weeks to stabilize, depending on budget and conversion volume. We set expectations for that learning period in the written projection.
How much budget does Performance Max need?
There is no fixed minimum, but PMax works best when the budget can generate a steady flow of conversions each week. Our Google Ads budget calculator shows what your target leads would cost.
Will you replace my Search campaigns with Performance Max?
Not by default. Most accounts we manage run Performance Max alongside Search, with brand and high-intent keywords kept in Search where we have more control.
Keep exploring
Paid Search Advertising
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Free Google Ads Audit
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Landing Page Optimization
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Is Performance Max wasting your money?
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ROAS calculator
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Cheeky Merlin
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Black X Marketing is based in Fort Collins, Colorado, and runs campaigns for businesses across the US. See the markets we serve.
Find out how much of your PMax spend reaches new customers.
Send us read-only access and we will show you where your Performance Max budget is going, then forecast what it should produce.