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  8. Performance Max (PMax) Campaign Setup Checklist

Performance Max (PMax) Campaign Setup Checklist

1. Objective 

The objective of this SOP is to provide a step-by-step guide for accurately setting up a Performance Max campaign, ensuring that Google’s algorithm is fed with the highest quality “signals” and creative “assets.” This is done to maximize reach across all of Google’s channels (YouTube, Display, Search, Discover, Gmail, Maps) to achieve the specified conversion goals.

2. When to Use this SOP 

PMax is the appropriate choice when:

  • The goals are clear: You have specific online conversion goals (e.g., sales, lead submissions).
  • Maximizing reach is key: You want to reach customers across all of Google’s channels within a single campaign.
  • Sufficient creative assets are available: You have a diverse collection of high-quality images, videos, logos, and ad copy.
  • It complements Search: You are running it alongside keyword-based Search campaigns to cover queries that those campaigns might miss.

Do NOT use PMax when you require granular control and detailed reporting for each individual channel (Search vs. Display vs. YouTube).

3. Responsible Parties

  • Ads Specialist: Primarily responsible for executing this entire checklist.

4. Prerequisites & Inputs

  • [ ] Creative Assets:
    • Images: At least 5-10 high-quality images (1.91:1 landscape and 1:1 square).
    • Logos: At least 2-3 logos (1:1 square and 4:1 landscape).
    • Videos: Highly Recommended. At least one video (longer than 10 seconds). If not provided, Google will auto-generate videos from your images.
    • Ad Copy: 5 Short Headlines (30 chars), 5 Long Headlines (90 chars), 5 Descriptions (90 chars).
  • [ ] Defined Conversion Actions (SOP 1.4): The primary conversion goals have been installed and verified.
  • [ ] Audience Signals: Ideas for target audiences (remarketing lists, customer lists, interests, competitor websites/keywords that the audience engages with).
  • [ ] (For E-commerce) Google Merchant Center Feed: An approved and error-free product feed.

The Step-by-Step Setup Checklist

Section 1: Campaign-Level Settings

  • [ ] 1.1. Objective & Campaign Type:
    • Action: Click + New Campaign > Select Sales or Leads objective > Select the appropriate Primary Conversion Goals.
    • Campaign Type: Select Performance Max.
    • (For E-commerce): Connect the correct Google Merchant Center account.
  • [ ] 1.2. Bidding & Budget:
    • Budget: Enter the average daily budget.
    • Bidding:
      • Best Practice/Setting: Start with Maximize Conversions (for leads) or Maximize Conversion Value (for e-commerce).
      • Optional: After the campaign has gathered data (approx. 2-4 weeks), you can add a Target CPA (for leads) or Target ROAS (for e-commerce) goal.
  • [ ] 1.3. Campaign Settings:
    • Location & Language: Set up as per SOP 2.2. Select “Presence.”
    • Final URL expansion:
      • Best Practice/Setting: Start with “On – Send traffic to the most relevant URLs on your site.”
      • Exclusions: Add any URLs you do not want ads to lead to (e.g., blog, policy, career pages).
      • Rationale: Allows Google to find the best-performing landing pages on your website.
  • [ ] 1.4. Campaign Name:
    • Action: Apply the naming convention from SOP 2.1. Example: PMAX_US_Leads-RealEstate.

Section 2: Asset Group Setup

This is the core of the PMax setup process.

  • [ ] 2.1. Asset Group Name:
    • Action: Name the group to reflect the audience or product line it targets. Example: Remarketing-All-Visitors_30D, Prospecting-Competitors.
  • [ ] 2.2. (For E-commerce) Listing Groups:
    • Action: If you have a Merchant Center feed, you can segment products to focus on specific groups (e.g., only advertise “Brand A” or the “Running Shoes” category).
    • Best Practice/Setting: To begin, start with “All products” to give the algorithm the most data to learn from.
  • [ ] 2.3. Upload Assets:
    • Action: Fill in all the prepared asset fields: Final URL, Images, Logos, Videos, Headlines, Descriptions, Call to Action.
    • Best Practice/Setting: Provide as many and as varied assets as possible. The system will automatically mix and match them to find the best-performing combinations.
  • [ ] 2.4. Provide Audience Signals:
    • Action: Click Add an audience signal. This is the most important step to “teach” Google who your ideal customer is.
    • Best Practice/Setting: Combine multiple signal types for the best results:
      • Your data: Add all relevant remarketing lists (All Visitors, Cart Abandoners) and customer lists (Customer Match).
      • Custom segments: Create new segments based on:
        • Search terms: Keywords your ideal customer would search for.
        • URLs: Websites of your direct competitors.
      • Interests & demographics: Add the most relevant In-market and Affinity audiences.
      • Search themes: Input up to 25 search themes to help guide the AI on search inventory.

Section 3: Final Review Protocol

  • [ ] Campaign and Asset Group names comply with the SOP.
  • [ ] The budget and bid strategy are set correctly.
  • [ ] The Final URL expansion setting has been configured intentionally.
  • [ ] (E-commerce) The Merchant Center account is linked and error-free.
  • [ ] A full and diverse set of creative assets (images, videos, logos, text) has been uploaded.
  • [ ] A strong, high-quality Audience Signal has been applied to each asset group.

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