How to set up a P-Max campaign

By Mizanur Rahman, digital marketer. Updated 31 October 2026.

What is Performance Max?

Performance Max is a goal-based Google Ads campaign type that can show your ads across Google’s channels, including Search, YouTube, Display, Discover, Gmail and Maps, from a single campaign. You provide assets, goals and signals, and Google’s automation decides where and how to show them.

Before you create the campaign

• Accurate conversion tracking with values. See the Google Ads tracking guide.
• At least some conversion history if possible, so bidding has data.
• For ecommerce, a Merchant Center account with an approved product feed.
• Good creative: clear images, short videos and strong text.

Step 1: Pick the goal

In Google Ads choose New campaign, then the goal that matches your outcome: Sales, Leads or Website traffic. The goal determines which conversion actions are used. Choose Performance Max as the campaign type.

Step 2: Set conversion goals, budget and bidding

• Review the conversion actions assigned to the account or campaign, and keep only meaningful ones.
• Choose Maximize conversions or Maximize conversion value. Add a target CPA or target ROAS only when you have stable data.
• Set a daily budget large enough for the campaign to gather conversions, and avoid changing it sharply.
• Consider the new customer acquisition setting if you want to value first-time buyers more.

Step 3: Choose locations, language and URL options

Target the locations you serve and the language of your customers. Final URL expansion lets Google send traffic to the most relevant page of your site, so review it and add URL exclusions for pages that should not be used.

Step 4: Build asset groups

Create separate asset groups for different products or themes, each with matching landing pages.

Step 5: Add signals

• Audience signals: customer lists, website visitors and custom segments tell Google who is likely to convert. They guide, not limit, targeting.
• Search themes: add themes describing what customers search for, to help match intent.

Step 6: Add the product feed (ecommerce)

Link Merchant Center and select the feed. Strong titles, accurate prices, good images and complete attributes improve performance. Consider splitting listing groups by margin or category.

Step 7: Launch and review

1. Allow a learning period and avoid frequent edits.
2. Check asset ratings, search term insights and channel performance reports.
3. Replace weak assets and add new ones regularly.
4. Use brand exclusions and negative keywords at account level where supported, to reduce branded traffic taking credit.

Common mistakes

• Launching without reliable conversion tracking.
• Using poor or few assets and letting Google fill gaps.
• Mixing unrelated products in one asset group.
• Judging results after only a few days.

Frequently asked questions