Freelance Performance Max: get the upside of PMax without flying blind
Performance Max is powerful and opaque. I deploy it when your conversions are reliable, with well-crafted assets, precise audience signals and guardrails. And I explain what it is doing.
What a Performance Max campaign really is
Performance Max (PMax) bundles all of Google’s inventory into a single campaign: Search, Shopping, YouTube, Display, Gmail, Discover and Maps. You provide headlines, images, videos and a conversion goal; the algorithm assembles the ads and decides where to show them.
The flip side: less control over keywords, placements and the share of branded traffic. A poorly framed PMax account can show an excellent ROAS while mostly capturing people who were already searching for you. My job is to frame the campaign so it brings real growth, not a pretty report.
My PMax framework
- Conversions and values verified before launch, otherwise we start with tracking
- Asset groups by product line or intent, with adapted visuals and videos
- Audience signals: your customers, your visitors, in-market intent for your category
- Brand exclusions and account-level negative keyword lists
- Placement, search term and brand share reports reviewed monthly
- Monthly PMax vs Search vs Shopping comparison to check incrementality
When PMax is a good idea, and when it isn’t
Good idea
- E-commerce with a clean Merchant Center feed and a reliable purchase event
- Accounts already generating dozens of conversions a month
- Businesses that want to expand beyond Search without multiplying campaigns
Bad idea
- Brand-new account with no conversion history
- Approximate tracking or conversions counted on page views
- Very small budgets that don’t let the algorithm learn
- Regulated industries where placement control is non-negotiable
When in doubt, I start with Search and standard Shopping, make the measurement reliable, then open PMax on part of the budget with a value-based goal.
What you get every month
A report that answers three questions: how much each conversion cost, where the traffic really came from (Search, Shopping, YouTube, Display), and what share of your PMax conversions came from your brand. With the decisions taken: assets replaced, signals adjusted, budget moved.
Performance Max pricing
Prices in euros, excluding VAT, no long-term commitment. Every setup includes a QA report with screenshots.
Google Ads or Meta Ads management
Ongoing optimization, monthly reporting, budget and bid adjustments. Month to month, no long-term contract.
Account setup + first campaign + tracking (e-commerce)
Account, Shopping feed if needed, first campaign, purchase tracking with reliable revenue.
Tracking audit
I check what actually gets recorded, then hand you a prioritized fix list.
Your questions
Does Performance Max replace Search campaigns?
No. PMax complements them. Search campaigns keep control over precise queries and your brand; PMax widens reach. I run both with exclusions so they don’t cannibalize each other.
Why does my PMax show a huge ROAS while sales don’t grow?
That is the classic symptom of a PMax capturing branded traffic and already-convinced visitors. I measure the brand share and add exclusions so the campaign goes after new demand.
Do I need videos for PMax?
Google auto-generates them if you don’t provide any, and they are rarely good. A simple 10 to 15 second video, even shot on a phone, clearly improves YouTube results.
Let’s talk about your project
Tell me where you stand. I reply within one business day with an honest assessment.