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Quick Guide to understand the new Google Ads Performance MAX campaigns
In the last months, Google Ads formally enabled the use of the new Performance MAX campaigns for all users who use the Google’s advertising platform. They timidly started with a beta version, but they quickly stablished as the new «toy» for Google Ads Specialists, showing great results in specific goal campaigns. Google continues to show that artificial intelligence and machine learning will be clearly the future for all advertisers.
With this brief guide you will be able to learn what these new campaigns are, how they work and when it is advisable to use them.
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What are the new Performance MAX campaigns?
In a nutshell, the new Performance MAX campaigns allow us to use the entire Google Ads inventory through a single campaign. When we mention all inventory we mean:
- Search Campaigns
- Display
- Youtube
- Discover
- Gmail
- Google Maps
Before the appearance of these campaigns, if we wanted to appear in the entire Google Ads inventory, we had to carry out campaigns separately in each channel, but thanks to these new campaigns this problem has been solved.
How does the new Google Ads Performance MAX campaign works?
These types of campaigns are easy to create and optimize since they mainly use machine learning and automation of our account and historical data to make the most of our budget and find customers in the right moment and place.
When creating a campaign with a sales, potential customers or visits goal, we can then choose the Performance Max campaign option. The next step is the usual, upload the headlines, descriptions, photos and videos (Don’t worry if you don’t have videos, the platform creates a collage with your images to show on YouTube for example). Once this basic data is loaded, all the rest is left to Google’s artificial intelligence, who will use that information (together with the historical data) to distribute our ads through the whole inventory and learn where and when it is best to push our ads.
When is recommended to use Performance MAX campaigns?
Creating and optimizing these campaigns is very simple as we have seen before, but the key part is understanding when it is convenient to use them.
Based on the experiences we have had with our clients from different industries and countries, these campaigns are recommended for those companies that want to sell a massive product or service. Of course, if we say that through a single campaign we will have the visibility of the entire Google inventory, this implies that it will reach many people through different formats. So if our product/service is something that fits the needs of most people, we recommend trying this type of campaign.
When is NOT recommended to use Performance MAX campaigns?
If you are just starting out with Google Ads, have a new account, and have not had any conversions, we do not advise you to use these campaigns. As we mentioned before, Google uses artificial intelligence and historical data to understand where and when to sell our product/service more efficiently.
Within this historical data we have the conversions of our account, which is a key part for the good use for these campaigns. If we don’t have around 30 conversions in the last 45 days it will be difficult for Google to use historical data and understand where to sell your products and services.
It is also not recommended to use this type of campaign for products or services that target a specific niche audience. As we have mentioned before, these types of campaigns are good for reaching a large part of the population. If you want to sell something very specific, it is best not to invest your budget in campaigns as massive as Performance MAX.
Let’s see some examples of good practices
Example 1
If you want to sell life insurance or shoes, for example, this type of campaign can be very beneficial since the vast majority of people need these services or products.
Example 2
If you want to sell spare parts for a specific industrial machine, then we do not recommend using these types of campaigns. The niche you are targeting is very narrow, and this type of campaign just plasters the internet with your ads, which will generate many impressions, clicks and waste your budget.
Conclusions
Google will continue using artificial intelligence, machine learning and automations in its platform and campaigns. This is the future for advertisers. On one hand, it is beneficial because it will not require great skills to publish on your platforms and get results, but on the other hand, it will not allow the Google Ads specialist to be granular with modifications or changes within their campaigns.
Beyond this quick guide to understand the new Performance MAX campaigns, we always advise you to initially test the new campaigns with a low budget and measure the results such as the cost per click, or the cost per conversion. Once you have certain results you will be able to know if it is a campaign that fits your objectives or not. Remember, in marketing the key is always to test and measure!
If you do not have much experience and want to try these campaigns or if you have any questions, contact us here or use the form below. We are delighted to hear your challenge and help you get the most out of your business and budget.
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