Performance Max (PMax) is a goal-based campaign type that allows you to access all your Google Ads inventory within a single campaign. It focuses on improving performance by aligning with your specific conversion goals, optimizing in real-time across channels through Smart Bidding.
Note: Fluency supports Microsoft PMax campaigns.
Understanding PMax asset groups
PMax campaigns in Google combine audience signals, creative images, headlines, and descriptions into asset groups. In Fluency, these settings are split between ad group and creative assets settings.
You will need to build a separate ad group for each asset group. For example, if your PMax campaign has three asset groups, such as targeting three different audiences or themes, you need to build three separate ad groups.
Find audience signals and ad extensions under targeting in ad group settings.
PMax Creatives
Text specifications:
Headline: Minimum of 3, maximum of 15 (max 30 characters; include at least one with 15 characters or less).
Long Headline: Minimum of 1, maximum of 5 (max 90 characters, minimum 30 characters).
Description: Minimum of 2, maximum of 5 (max 90 characters).
Business Name: The name of the business (max 25 characters).
Call to Action: Choose from options.
Path1: Display URL path. Minimum of 1, maximum of 2 (max 15 characters each).
Destination URL: Final URL
Image and video specifications:
Image (Marketing, Square Marketing, Portrait Marketing): Add up to 20 images for each type. Note: In Blueprints, add all required image assets into a single tag (e.g., [marketing images] and add it to the Marketing Images field. Fluency will automatically select and size the appropriate image for each required asset slot.
Logo & Landscape Logo: In Blueprints, create a separate tag for logos (e.g., logos]).
YouTube Video URL: Add up to 5 videos.
Video assets must be hosted on YouTube. If you do not add a video, Google will auto-generate one for you using your other assets.
Always use the full YouTube URL (e.g., https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=...) to avoid common build errors.
Creating a PMax campaign in Manage
Go to Manage (globe icon) in the left menu.
Select Accounts.
Click on an account in the list.
In the Campaigns tab, click the + button in the top-right to create a new campaign.
Select Performance Max as the advertising channel.
Input your campaign settings:
Basic Settings: Name the campaign and add a tracking template if available.
Select your Budget Settings.
Select your Location Settings.
Positive Geo Target Strategy (Performance Max only):
People in, or who show interest in, your targeted locations (recommended); this is the default option
People in your targeted locations
People searching for your targeted location (Microsoft only)
Start and End Dates: Add campaign start and end dates.
Bidding: Select Maximize Conversion Value or Maximize Conversions.
Max Conversion Value: Set a Target ROAS.
Max Conversions: Set a Target CPA.
Click Save and Continue in the top-right.
Enter Ad Group Settings and click Save and Continue.
Under Creative Type, select Performance Max.
Build your asset group by filling out the required fields, including image uploads. Be sure to review the asset requirements.
(Optional) Bulk Image Upload: Add multiple images at once by:
Dropping files or a folder into the drop zone.
Pasting a list of image URLs.
Choosing images from your media collection.
Add another creative or click Save and Exit.
PMax Blueprints
Go to Automate (rocket icon) in the left menu.
Select Blueprint Editor.
Click + Blueprint on the top-left, choose Build from Scratch, and enter a name for the Blueprint and choose a vertical. Alternatively, select an existing Blueprint from the list.
Toward the bottom of the Blueprint, click + New Campaign and select Performance Max. Fill out relevant campaign settings.
Click + New Ad Group and fill out relevant ad group settings. To select listing groups, open the Product Divisions menu and select + Add Product.
Click + New Creative and build your creative. Be sure to review the asset requirements.
Launching PMax Blueprint campaigns
If PMax assets are missing or incorrectly sized (e.g., an image is too large or a required headline is missing), the campaign may not generate the asset groups. Use Launch Review for details on which assets are missing or incorrectly formatted (e.g. Too few headlines, Marketing image failing).
Troubleshooting: If you encounter an error (e.g., 500 Internal Server Error), make sure your ads meet the asset requirements for text, image, and video assets.
Reverse Sync: Audiences
While building a PMax campaign, keep in mind how Fluency handles Google user lists.
During reverse sync, user lists that show (Google Ads) in their name becomes (AdWords) in Fluency (e.g., All visitors (Google Ads) become All visitors (AdWords)). If you are trying to name match Google generated user lists, double-check that you’re matching the Fluency name. Manage > Account Targeting > Google Audiences
Google does not allow audience targeting “Similar to” for Performance Max or Discovery user lists. To do a name match, add “*” before and after the target (e.g., -*similar* or *All Visitors Tag*). Adding a “-” at the beginning will exclude the target.
PMax reporting in Data Explorer
All PMax performance data is found at the campaign level (e.g., impressions, clicks).
Creative and asset group level metrics are not visible in the Fluency interface and may show as zero. Consider running different PMax strategies in its own campaign to give you more accurate metrics for comparison.