Short answer: Performance Max is a goal-based Google Ads campaign that reaches all of Google’s inventory from one campaign: YouTube, Display, Search, Discover, Gmail and Maps. You give it conversion goals, assets and audience signals, and Google AI decides where to show the ads. Google recommends it when you have specific conversion goals, such as leads.
Your part and Google’s part
| You set | What you give it | What Google AI does |
|---|---|---|
| Conversion goals | The conversion actions you care about, and an optional ROAS or CPA target | Bids in each auction based on the chance of a conversion |
| Creative assets | Text, images and videos | Combines your assets into ads for each placement |
| Audience signals | Hints about the customers you want | Uses them to speed up the campaign’s learning |
| Safety and budget | A daily budget and brand safety settings | Moves the budget toward the placements that perform best |
From Google Ads Help, “About Performance Max campaigns”, read November 2, 2026.
When Google recommends it
Google recommends it when you have specific conversion goals, such as online sales or leads, and don’t want to restrict where your ads appear. It also fits if you want every Google channel in one campaign, or more reach than keyword-based Search campaigns.
You can create it with the Sales, Leads, Website traffic, or Local store visits and promotions objectives, or with no goal’s guidance.
How it works next to Search
Google says you can use Performance Max to complement keyword-based Search campaigns. When a search hits an exact match keyword in a Search campaign, that campaign takes priority over Performance Max.
Search themes in Performance Max carry the same priority as phrase and broad match keywords.
The controls you keep
You can add brand exclusions and negative keywords to block unwanted searches, and search themes to steer the AI. With Final URL expansion on, Google may send people to a more relevant page of your site and write a matching headline and description.
Google adds that you remain responsible for the landing page content and for every generated asset. During setup, it suggests up to three daily budgets, Low, Medium and High, and the lowest is the minimum it recommends.
Asset groups hold your images, text, logos and videos around one theme or audience, and Google AI mixes them into ads.
From Google Ads Help, “About Performance Max campaigns”.
How to set up a Performance Max campaign
- Set up conversion tracking first: our guide to Google Ads conversion tracking covers it.
- Mark the actions that matter as primary, so bidding optimizes for them.
- Create the campaign with an objective such as Leads or Sales, and choose Performance Max.
- Build each asset group around one theme or audience, with your own images, text, logos and videos.
- Add audience signals, brand exclusions and negative keywords.
- Decide whether to turn on Final URL expansion, which lets Google pick other pages of your site.
- Choose a daily budget with Google’s suggestions in view: the lowest one is its minimum recommendation.
From Google Ads Help, “About primary and secondary conversion actions” and “About Performance Max campaigns”.
What our own account would optimize for
On November 2, 2026, our Google Ads account had four website conversion actions enabled. Two are primary, the ones Google uses for bidding: a website lead from a form and a booked call.
Contact clicks and chat leads are secondary, so they show in reports without steering bids, unless they join a custom goal. The account has no campaigns at the moment, so this is the setup a Performance Max campaign would start from.
Before you launch
- Conversion tracking works, with primary actions set.
- Each asset group built around one theme or audience.
- Your own images, text, logos and videos.
- Brand exclusions and negative keywords added.
- A decision made on Final URL expansion.
- A budget no lower than Google’s minimum recommendation.
RememberSet the right conversions as primary first, then give Performance Max your own assets, your exclusions and a budget at the recommended level.
If you want us to set up and run your campaigns, see our Google Ads management service.
Quick answers about Performance Max
What is Performance Max in Google Ads?
A goal-based campaign type that reaches all Google Ads inventory from one campaign: YouTube, Display, Search, Discover, Gmail and Maps. Google AI uses your goals, assets and signals to decide where to show the ads.
Does Performance Max replace Search campaigns?
No. Google says you can use it to complement your keyword-based Search campaigns. When a search hits an exact match keyword in a Search campaign, that campaign gets priority over Performance Max.
Is an asset group the same as an ad group?
No. An asset group is a collection of creative assets, such as images, text, logos and videos, built around one theme or target audience. Google AI mixes and matches those assets to make ads for each placement.
Which campaign goals allow Performance Max?
Google lets you create it with the Sales, Leads, Website traffic, or Local store visits and promotions objectives, or with no goal’s guidance. It recommends it when you have specific conversion goals, such as leads.
Can Google change my landing page in Performance Max?
Yes, with Final URL expansion on. Google may send people to a more relevant page and write a matching headline and description. You stay responsible for the landing page content and the generated assets.
Sources
Read on November 2, 2026. Google Ads Help: About Performance Max campaigns and About primary and secondary conversion actions. Our own case: our Google Ads account, on November 2, 2026.