Performance Max: The False Good Idea That Burns Your Budget

Performance Max: What Google Doesn't Tell You

Performance Max (PMax) is presented by Google as the future campaign — an omniscient AI that optimizes across all channels simultaneously. The reality for most advertisers is very different.

Our verdict after 13 years of management and millions in PMax budgets analyzed: it's an excellent tool in very specific cases, and a financial drain in all others.

How PMax Actually Spends Your Budget

A PMax campaign runs on: Search, Shopping, Display, YouTube, Gmail, Discover. Without you being able to see the exact budget breakdown per channel.

What we systematically observe: PMax massively favors YouTube and Display in its first weeks, because these channels have very low CPMs and easily inflate "performance" metrics. Meanwhile, your real Search intent gets cannibalized.

When PMax Makes Sense

**E-commerce with clean Merchant Center feed**: PMax Shopping is excellent for large product catalogs

**Large budgets (>€5,000/month)**: the AI needs data volume to learn

**Brand awareness goals**: if you're seeking multi-channel awareness, PMax does this well

When PMax is Counterproductive

B2B with long sales cycles

Local services

Budgets < €3,000/month

Accounts without solid tracking

Our Approach

At AdsMirable, we prefer structured Search campaigns with thematic ad groups, controlled keywords, and full visibility on every euro spent. Less "automatic" — but our clients know exactly where their budget goes and why.