Performance Max is no longer optional. It's the central nervous system of most Google Ads accounts. But after years of "black box" complaints, 2025 brought real changes.
Here's what's actually different—and what still frustrates experienced advertisers.
The 2025 Updates That Matter
- •Campaign-level negative keywords: Now supports up to 10,000 negatives per campaign. One retailer saw immediate 15% cost reduction by adding "free" and "used."
- •Channel performance reporting: See exactly how campaigns perform across Search, Shopping, YouTube, Display, Gmail, Maps, and Discover.
- •Asset-level performance data: More granular with concrete improvement recommendations.
These aren't minor updates. They address the core complaint advertisers had for years: you couldn't see what was happening or control what wasn't working.
The Setup That Actually Works
- •Minimum viable data: Need 30+ conversions in last 30 days for effective optimization.
- •Budget reality: Minimum $50/day for low AOV. Recommendation: $100-150/day for 4-6 weeks. Calculate baseline as 3x your target CPA.
- •Asset groups: Treat each as a mini-campaign. Fill every slot—15 headlines, 4 descriptions, all image specs.
- •Search themes: Upload all 25 allowed themes per asset group. Focus on long-tail phrases.
The Controls You Now Have
- •Negative keywords: Review Search Terms weekly. Apply high-volume irrelevant terms as negatives.
- •Final URL expansion: Leave ON for ecommerce with strong product pages. Turn OFF for specific landing pages.
- •Brand controls: Can now apply brand exclusions to Search while still running Shopping ads for brand searches.
- •High Value Mode: Upload Customer Match data from best customers, Google finds lookalikes. One furniture store saw 23% higher Customer Lifetime Value.
What Still Doesn't Work
- •The learning phase is brutal: Wait 2-3 days after changes. Major changes require 2-3 weeks. Budget scaling: 20% every few days max.
- •Low-intent placement waste: Wide reach means varying quality from Display and Discovery.
- •Consolidation pressure: Google recommends consolidating, but separate campaigns might make sense for different CPA/ROAS targets.
The Honest Assessment
Performance Max in 2025 is genuinely better than 2023. The transparency updates address real complaints. But it still requires sufficient conversion data, budget to let the algorithm optimize, quality creative assets, patience through learning phases, and active monitoring.
The advertisers succeeding aren't the ones who "set it and forget it." They're treating it as a powerful tool that still requires strategic guidance, regular monitoring, and continuous optimization of inputs.
Trust the automation. Verify the results. Adjust accordingly.
