Google Ads Performance Max: how to optimize your campaigns in 2025?

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Performance Max is the most powerful Google Ads campaign in 2025. It displays your ads on Search, Display, YouTube, YouTube, YouTube, Discover, Discover, Gmail, and Maps, using machine learning to automatically adjust bids and targeting. You save time and reach more prospects, provided you structure your campaigns well and provide a variety of creative resources.

In this article, you will discover:

• How to set up Performance Max step by step
• the essential settings to optimize your results
• mistakes to avoid and quick fixes
• best practices for renewing your assets and refining your audiences.

Ready to take things to the next level? Follow the guide!

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Operation and specificities of Performance Max

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Performance Max is the all-in-one Google Ads solution for reaching your prospects across all Google channels. Using powerful machine learning algorithms, PMax continuously analyzes hundreds of signals (device, behavior, search history, purchase context) to adjust your bids and offer the most relevant ad, at the right time.

What you need to know:

• Dynamic auctions : the algorithm adapts your CPA or your target ROAS for each impression, depending on the probability of conversion.
• Multiplicity of locations : automatic distribution on Search, Display, YouTube, Discover, Gmail, and Maps, without creating multiple campaigns manually.
• Unlimited combinations : Google combines your titles, descriptions, images and videos into thousands of variants, then chooses the most efficient ones.
• Rich insights : a centralized report showing the top creatives, the most profitable audience segments, and the most effective channels.

This “black box” approach frees up time by automating management, but it requires a solid database and quality assets to fully exploit machine learning.

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Effective structuring of a PMax campaign

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The success of a PMax starts even before launch: everything depends on a clear structure and abundant creative resources.

1. Clear goals

👉 A single main KPI (CPA, ROAS or lead/sales volume).

👉 Realistic threshold based on your previous performance

1. Organization of campaigns

👉 One campaign = one objective.

👉 Segmentation by product line, geographic area, or time period.

👉 Precise naming convention (e.g.: PMax — Chaussures FR — Q4 2025).

1. Preparing assets

👉Texts : 5 short titles (30 characters), 5 long titles (90 characters) and 5 descriptions (90 characters).

👉Visuals : at least 10 varied images (product, context, lifestyle) with recommended dimensions (1200×628 px).

👉Videos : 3 short videos (6—15 s) in landscape and portrait formats, for YouTube and Discover.

1. Budget to plan for your campaigns and calendar

👉 Minimum monthly budget of €500 per campaign to quickly get out of the learning phase.

👉 Scheduled start and end dates to avoid uncontrolled distribution.

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Optimal setting for Performance Max performance

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To get the most out of Performance Max, a few key settings are essential:

• Bidding strategy

First, choose your auction method. The target CPA allows you to precisely control your cost per acquisition: Google will automatically adjust the bids to reach this threshold, which is ideal if your budget is limited or if you need to strictly control your expenses. Target ROAS, on the other hand, aims to maximize the value of conversions per euro spent: each auction will be optimized to generate the best possible return on investment.

• Conversion window and attribution model

Set up your conversion window according to your sales cycle. For e-commerce, a 30-day attribution window captures deferred purchases; for lead generation, 7 days are often enough. Then, test different attribution models (linear, last-click, data-driven...) to understand exactly which interactions deserve the most credit. These choices directly influence how the algorithm values each channel and every moment in the funnel.

• Advanced targeting

Feed your PMax with your own data. Import your CRM lists (loyal customers, hot prospects) and your Google Analytics audiences (recent visitors, abandoned carts). Also add “in-market” audiences (users in the buying phase) and “affinity” audiences (strong interests) to give the algorithm points of support right from the start. These audience signals guide machine learning and accelerate initial optimizations.

• Exclusions and filters

Lock the locations that are causing you to lose money. Block low-quality sites, sensitive content, or categories that don't match your image. Likewise, exclude age groups or interests that don't match your target audience. These exclusions reduce unqualified traffic and limit budget waste.

By combining these settings, you improve the relevance of each broadcast, you save your budget on unnecessary clicks and you accelerate the increase in the performance of your ads campaign.

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Tips for maximizing your Pmax results

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Here are a few tips from our Google Ads agency especially for you. Even if PMax is automated, proactive management is still essential.

• Refreshing assets: Renew images and messages every 4 to 6 weeks to counter advertising fatigue and stimulate new ML learning.
• Exploitation of “Insights” reports: Analyze which creatives, demographics, or channels are generating the most conversions and then reinforce them.
• Asset A/B testing: Use PMax experiences to compare two sets of visuals or messages, and extend the best performing one.
• Coupling with manual search campaigns: maintain control over your strategic keywords and defend your positions on key queries.
• Continued refinement of exclusions: Update your audience and location exclusions every week to eliminate unqualified clicks.

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Common mistakes and how to fix them quickly

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Here are the most common mistakes and how you can simply fix them:

• Insufficient creative resources
• Result: low number of impressions or clicks.
• What to do: Enrich your ads campaign with more titles, descriptions, images, and videos.
• Poorly defined objective
• Result: very volatile CPA or ROAS costs.
• What to do: clearly reformulate your KPI and check conversion tracking.
• Budget too low
• Result: long learning phase (“Learning”).
• What to do: temporarily increase your budget to twice the recommended minimum.
• Absence of exclusions
• The result: unqualified traffic and budget wastage.
• What to do: Activate geographic, site category, and unsuitable audience exclusions.

Do you want to take Ads to the next level? Our pole Growth Ads is at your disposal to take stock with you.

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Our answers to your questions

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What is Performance Max on Google Ads?

Performance Max is a fully automated campaign type that shows your ads across all Google channels (Search, Display, YouTube, Discover, Gmail, and Maps). Thanks to machine learning, Google adjusts your bids and targeting in real time to maximize your conversions or the value of your conversions, without having to manage several separate campaigns.

What is the Performance Max format?

The Performance Max format refers to all Assets (titles, descriptions, images, videos) and parameters (goals, budget, audiences) that you provide. Google automatically combines these elements into thousands of possible combinations to determine which ones perform best, and displays the corresponding ads across all of its networks.

What is a good CTR for Performance Max campaigns?

One click through rate (CTR) satisfactory for a Performance Max campaign is generally between 2% and 4%, according to your sector of activity:

• E-commerce : 2.5 - 3.5%
• B2B services : 1.5 - 2.5%
• Mobile applications : 3 - 4%

Below 1.5%, it is recommended to review your assets and your targeting to increase your audience interest.

What is the best practice for creating a Performance Max campaign?

1. Clear objective : Define a target CPA or ROAS.
2. Wealth of assets : Provide at least 5 titles, 5 descriptions, 10 images, and 3 videos.
3. Audience signals : import your CRM lists and Analytics audiences, add “in-market” audiences.
4. Budget and planning : plan a minimum of €500 per month and clearly define your launch and end dates.

Exclusions and tracking

: check your conversion tags and activate unsuitable geographic, site, and audience exclusions.

What are the characteristics of Google Performance Max campaigns?

Performance Max campaigns are automated Google Ads campaigns that broadcast across all Google channels (Search, Display, YouTube, Discover, Gmail, and Maps). They rely on artificial intelligence to automatically adjust bids, targeting, and creative combinations based on user signals. Each advertiser provides assets (titles, descriptions, images, videos), and the algorithm tests the variants to maximize conversions.

What are the benefits of a Performance Max campaign?

Performance Max campaigns offer time savings, extended distribution, and automated optimization of advertising performance. They make it possible to reach more prospects with a single set of multi-channel ads, while maximizing conversions through data-based management. Insights reports make it easy to analyze the most effective audiences and creatives.

How do I create a Performance Max campaign?

To create a Performance Max campaign, go to your Google Ads account, click “New Campaign”, choose a goal (sales, leads, traffic), then select the “Performance Max” type. You will then need to configure your budget, your bidding strategy (target CPA or ROAS), your audience signals and import your assets (titles, descriptions, visuals, videos). Once the parameters have been validated, the campaign goes online and enters the learning phase.

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