Performance Max Results So Far

• Ad Grants
• Tips
• 17. 03. 2025

As a team committed to staying ahead of Google’s latest innovations, we closely monitor every new feature and update. Naturally, the introduction of Performance Max (PMax) campaigns caught our attention. In a typical commercial account this campaign type allows you to leverage all of Google’s advertising channels within a single campaign. Unlike traditional search campaigns that rely heavily on keyword targeting, Pmax relies on audience signals. Audience signals utilize AI to expand targeting beyond keywords, reaching users based on demographics, interests, behaviors, and conversion goals.

Although Performance Max has been a key feature in commercial Google Ads accounts for quite some time, it was only rolled out to all Ad Grants accounts earlier this year – though approximately 50% of Ad Grants accounts had early access.

At present, PMax campaigns in Ad Grants accounts are restricted to Search and Google Maps, which, ironically, removes one of the campaign’s most highly praised advantages, the ability to seamlessly advertise across multiple channels. This limitation is certainly a point of frustration, however, we remain optimistic that Google will extend this functionality to additional platforms for Ad Grants accounts in the near future. Given how other advertisers have already reported significant success using Performance Max across YouTube, Display, and Discovery, we hope it’s only a matter of time before nonprofits can also tap into its full potential.

Our Experience With Performance Max So Far

Since integrating PMax into our clients’ Ad Grants accounts, we have consistently observed their above-average performance.

• In approximately 20% of the accounts we manage, Performance Max campaigns have already become the dominant campaigns, utilizing the largest share of the grant.
• Among the accounts where Performance Max has gathered sufficient data (some are still in the ramp up phase), the average click-through rate (CTR) has exceeded 9%.
• Additionally, in an average Ad Grants account, these campaigns currently generate over 11,000 impressions per month, with more than 300 clicks per month, demonstrating their ability to drive significant engagement.

A few critical factors contribute to the success of these campaigns:

• Accounts with a strong performance history and high quality scores tend to see the best results, highlighting the importance of continuously optimizing ad quality and landing page experience.
• Content-rich pages play a crucial role, as the more relevant content available, the better PMax can match queries to user intent. We’ve found that these campaigns perform best when they have access to comprehensive and high-quality content, allowing them to attract engaged users effectively.
• Early adoption provides a competitive edge, as setting up PMax campaigns now allows the system to learn and refine performance over time. For organizations with robust website content, these campaigns are already outperforming traditional search campaigns in several key performance indicators.

Here’s an example of an Ad Grants PMax campaign, which picked up shortly after its launch in 11/2024. It is currently the biggest campaign in the account in terms of grant utilization and clicks. It quickly surpassed even a well-established dynamic search ads campaigns with years of history and decent quality scores.

To learn more, check out our webinar video for further insights. Watch below!

Conclusion

Given the promising results we’ve seen so far, we firmly believe that Performance Max campaigns are on track to become the top-performing assets in many Ad Grants accounts. If you haven’t yet launched a Performance Max campaign, now is the perfect time to start. Early adopters often gain a competitive edge as Google’s algorithms fine-tune and optimize performance over time. However, if diving into a new campaign type feels overwhelming, don’t worry, you’re not alone. Many organizations are still navigating the learning curve, which is why we’re hosting a webinar entirely dedicated to Dynamic Search Ads and Performance Max campaigns.

During the session, we’ll break down the fundamentals, explore key benefits, and share our optimization tips to help you maximize your campaign’s potential. Additionally, we’ll provide a live account demonstration, showcasing real-world examples of Performance Max success stories. Whether you’re looking to refine your current approach or start from scratch, you’re welcome!

The webinar is recorded and you can watch the recording here.