Merchant Center feed quality
Titles, descriptions, product identifiers, product types and images determine which auctions each item can enter. We fix disapprovals and improve the attributes that affect relevant Shopping traffic.
Performance Max management for incremental revenue
Clean Digital manages Performance Max for ecommerce and lead generation accounts. We assess brand traffic, product feeds, creative assets and conversion data against reported returns. Google Ads channel and search-term reports show where the campaign spent budget. Your commercial data shows whether that spend produced incremental revenue.
Google Premier Partner | £160M+ ad spend managed | Ecommerce and lead generation specialists
Google Ads · CampaignsPerformance Max - All Products
Last 30 days · campaign result
Eligible · no action suggested
96%
Channel performance report
Spend and conversions by Google Ads channel.
Searchmay overlap with existing Search campaignsShoppingfeed quality controls product eligibility
YouTubeauto-generated video can serveDisplayplacement exclusions require review
Gmaillow-volume placements require review
Native channel performance report in Google Ads. Proportions illustrative.
Performance Max can serve acrossSearchShoppingYouTubeDisplayGmailDiscoverMaps
Performance Max distributes budget across Search, Shopping, YouTube, Display, Gmail, Maps and Discover. We manage it alongside your paid search management programme. Brand exclusions, negative keywords and final URL rules protect campaign budget. Search themes, product feeds and conversion goals guide automated bidding. Separate reporting shows how Performance Max interacts with Search and Standard Shopping.
What Performance Max management includes
Performance Max management covers the commercial objective, the inputs given to Google and the controls that protect budget. We assess each decision against qualified leads, sales or revenue. Google's recommendation score does not replace commercial performance.
Campaign goals and account structure
Separate bidding objectivesProducts, markets, margins and lead values may need separate campaigns with different budgets and targets. We keep conversion goals focused on one commercial outcome. Smart Bidding can then distinguish a low-value action from a sale or qualified lead.
Search themes, audience signals and negative keywords
Signal relevant searches and exclude irrelevant queriesEach asset group can use up to 50 search themes. We review the resulting searches and refine audience signals. We add account-level or campaign-level negative keywords when traffic lacks commercial intent.
Asset groups, creative and final URL controls
Align creative and landing pagesWe group text, images and video around one product or service intent. Asset reporting identifies weak creative. Final URL rules direct clicks to relevant conversion pages.
Product feeds and value-based bidding
Use product economics in biddingMerchant Center titles, identifiers, product types and custom labels determine product eligibility. Revenue, margin and conversion values help Smart Bidding prioritise orders with stronger commercial returns.
Brand exclusions and Search campaign overlap
Separate brand demand from incremental contributionBrand exclusions and Search settings limit credit for demand already captured by brand campaigns. We report brand and non-brand contribution separately before reallocating budget.
How we find where Performance Max spend goes
Google Ads reports channel spend, search demand, placements and asset performance. We combine those reports with qualified-lead, sales and revenue data. The comparison tests whether Performance Max captured demand that other campaigns would not have won.
Channel performance reporting
Google Ads reports Performance Max results by channel. We compare spend, conversions and conversion value across Search, Shopping, YouTube, Display, Gmail, Discover and Maps. The comparison guides budget and creative changes.
Search terms and search theme performance
Search-term and search-theme reporting shows which queries generated traffic and conversions. We refine themes and add negative keywords when the intent does not match the campaign goal.
Placement and asset reporting
Placement reports show where Display and video ads served. Our specialists use asset and asset-group reports to select exclusions and replace weak creative.
Brand and non-brand contribution
We separate brand traffic from demand generated by the campaign. We also identify searches that an existing Search campaign could already capture. Incremental contribution guides budget changes.
Performance Max management for ecommerce
Ecommerce Performance Max depends on product feeds, conversion values and coordination with Standard Shopping. We manage those inputs against revenue, margin and stock availability.
Google Shopping managementMargin and conversion value inputs
Accurate order values, product margins and custom labels show Smart Bidding how product economics differ. We use those inputs to prioritise orders that meet the agreed margin target.
Performance Max and Standard Shopping tests
Controlled tests show whether Performance Max adds profitable reach or reallocates sales that Standard Shopping already produced. We compare like-for-like products, budgets and conversion windows.
Performance Max management for lead generation
Lead-generation campaigns require qualified-lead data after each form submission. We import CRM outcomes into Google Ads and exclude inventory associated with unusable enquiries.
PPC conversion trackingQualified-lead and offline conversion imports
Offline imports send sales-accepted leads and closed outcomes back to Google Ads. Smart Bidding can then learn from the enquiries that became genuine opportunities or revenue.
CRM feedback and lead values
CRM stages, lead scores and values distinguish strong enquiries from low-quality submissions. Reporting shows the campaigns and search demand associated with progress through the sales process.
Placement and content exclusions
Placement and content reporting identifies inventory that generates weak or irrelevant leads. Exclusions reduce repeated spend on sources that fail the agreed lead-quality threshold.
How we take over and optimise a PMax account
01
Audit conversion goals, assets and controls
We review campaign goals, conversion actions, brand settings and negative keywords. We also check search themes, final URLs, assets, product data and campaign overlap.
02
Correct exclusions, feeds and measurement
We correct exclusions and controls that allow wasted spend. For retail accounts, we improve relevant Merchant Center data. We connect qualified leads, sales and margin values to reporting and bidding.
03
Run controlled tests and report the result
We test changes against a defined baseline. Our reports separate channel results, brand contribution and commercial outcomes. The results guide the next budget decision.
Performance Max results
These case studies report account-wide paid search outcomes. They are not presented as Performance Max-only results.
Go deeper
Related services & tools
- Google Ads managementGoogle Ads management across Search, Shopping, Performance Max and YouTube.
- Google Shopping & feedProduct feed and Shopping campaign management for retail accounts.
- Search campaign managementSeparate campaign control for brand and high-intent non-brand searches.
- Conversion tracking & measurementConversion tracking supplies verified signals to automated bidding.
- Paid search managementOne programme covers Search, Shopping, Performance Max and Microsoft Ads.
Performance Max management FAQs
Performance Max decisions depend on brand controls, channel reporting, search themes, conversion quality and coordination with Standard Shopping.
Does Performance Max cannibalise brand search?
It can. Performance Max may capture branded searches when brand exclusions are missing. We exclude brand traffic and keep branded demand in a separately measured Search campaign. Incremental revenue then determines the Performance Max budget.
Can you see where Performance Max spends?
Yes. Google Ads provides native channel performance, search-term, search-theme, placement and asset reports. We combine these reports with brand and non-brand analysis. Budget decisions then reflect the channels and queries that produced each conversion.
How do you control Performance Max?
We apply brand exclusions, account-level and campaign-level negative keywords, placement exclusions and final URL rules. Clean conversion goals direct Smart Bidding towards the agreed commercial outcome. Search themes, audience signals, product data and creative provide the campaign inputs.
Should I replace Search and Shopping with Performance Max?
No. Search campaigns provide direct control over brand and high-intent non-brand queries. Standard Shopping provides product-group and bid controls for Shopping inventory. Performance Max can add reach across Google's other surfaces when managed against the same commercial outcomes.
Why does my Performance Max ROAS look great but growth has stalled?
Brand searches and remarketing can inflate reported Performance Max ROAS. Separate brand, non-brand and channel reporting shows the campaign's incremental contribution. We optimise budget against that commercial result.
What inputs does Performance Max need to work?
Performance Max needs deduplicated conversions with verified values, complete creative assets and focused search themes. Audience signals and a clean retail product feed provide additional context. Smart Bidding uses these inputs to decide which auctions and users receive budget.
What are search themes in Performance Max?
Each asset group can use up to 50 search themes. Search themes signal the searches that Google should prioritise, but they do not operate as exact keywords. We review the generated searches, add negative keywords and refine themes using conversion data.
Does Performance Max work for lead generation?
Yes, when bidding receives qualified-lead data. We import CRM stages, sales-accepted leads and offline conversions into Google Ads. Placement and content exclusions reduce spend on inventory associated with unusable enquiries.
What is the difference between Performance Max and Standard Shopping?
Standard Shopping provides direct product-group and bid controls for Shopping inventory. Performance Max uses automated bidding across Shopping, Search, YouTube, Display, Gmail, Discover and Maps. Native channel reports show its allocation, but account managers have fewer direct controls. Many retail accounts test both campaign types against the same commercial outcomes.
How long does Performance Max take to learn?
Performance Max often needs several weeks of stable data before performance settles. Low conversion volume can extend that period. Frequent structural changes restart parts of the learning process. We batch material changes and assess them over an agreed measurement window.
Get a senior review of your Performance Max account
A senior specialist reviews campaign goals, brand controls, search themes, feeds, assets and channel performance. The written review identifies changes with the strongest evidence of incremental revenue.
- Conversion goals, values and offline outcome imports
- Brand exclusions, negative keywords and Search campaign overlap
- Product feeds, asset groups and final URL controls
- Channel, brand and commercial outcome reporting
“A useful PPC review should make the next decision obvious: what to cut, what to protect, and what is worth more investment.”
Fraser Smith, Chief Strategy Officer, reviews every submissionFree senior PPC review
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