3 Reasons Why Your Performance Max Campaign is Failing

Jill Goldstein - June 28, 2023

By now, many Google Ads advertisers have likely started to experiment with Performance Max campaigns. While this one size fits all campaign promises great results, there are instances where I’ve seen it fall short. Below are the top three reasons why your Performance Max campaign may be failing.

1. You’re not providing strong audience signals to power Google’s AI. One of the core features of a Performance Max campaigns is Google’s AI-driven optimization. This advanced technology leverages audience signals to deliver personalized ads to potential customers. However, if your campaign fails to provide strong audience signals, it can hinder the AI’s ability to optimize effectively.
   
   Audience signals can and should be in the form of customer match lists (first party audience data), remarketing lists, custom audiences (this can include commonly searched keywords/competitors) as well as in-market or demographic information.
   
   By providing clear and accurate signals to Google’s AI, you empower it to deliver tailored ads to the right users at the right time.
2. You’re simply optimizing towards conversions and not qualified conversions. Driving conversions lies at the heart of any successful marketing campaign. However, focusing solely on generic conversions without prioritizing qualified ones can undermine the success of your Performance Max campaign. Generic conversions may bring in a high volume of leads, but if they lack quality or relevance to your business objectives, they won’t contribute significantly to your bottom line.
   
   Use either offline conversion import or enhanced conversions to improve your lead quality. By setting up your campaign goal for as far into the conversion funnel as possible, you’re giving Google AI the best possible look at who you want to reach.
3. Your ad assets are limited. The success of most advertising campaigns, including Performance Max, heavily relies on compelling ad creatives. If your campaign lacks a diverse range of high-quality ad assets, it can limit Google’s ability to dynamically generate engaging ad combinations that resonate with your target audience.
   
   Ensure you’re creating a robust selection of assets including copy, images and video. Use “Ad Strength” as an indicator to determine whether you’re set up for success and add more assets as necessary. More assets = more ad formats. Last, ensure that you’re creative speaks well to your audience (defined by your audience signals).

While Performance Max campaigns offer a great opportunity for success, if not set up and run properly, your campaign will not be effective. Contact the experts at MoreVisibility for help navigating Performance Max campaigns.