Written by Tori Varyu
Dropkick Ads
Google recently introduced a goal-based, smart shopping campaign option called Google Performance Max. According to Google, the advantage of Performance Max campaigns is that it ‘allows advertisers to access new inventory, formats, and audiences across all Google channels including YouTube, Search, and Discover.’ Additionally, it combines Google’s automation technologies for bidding, budget, audience, creative, attribution, and more, meaning Google’s algorithm is working across more variables to optimize your campaign further than it can through individual campaigns.
As a digital marketer, the ability to rely on Google’s AI to maximize results is invaluable, particularly as Apple and other major providers increase data privacy across their products. Read on to learn more about why you should try Google Performance Max and some of the key specs you’ll need to know.
The Google Performance Max Specs are Simple
The specs required by Google Performance Max are simple and will likely look familiar to those who have run ads on Google before. Plus, by only having to upload copy and assets into one place, you’ll simplify initial ad launch as well as monitoring. The list below may look extensive, but if you have current ads running or simply want to get started with an image and text, you can get things going in a matter of minutes. To get your ad up and running, here’s what you need:
| Type | Asset | Specifications | Min | Max |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Text | Final URL | 1 | 1 | |
| Text | Headline | 30 char max; include at lease one with 15 char or less | 3 | 5 |
| Text | Long Headline | 90 char max | 1 | 5 |
| Text | Description | 90 char max; include at lease one with 60 char or less | 2 | 5 |
| Text | Business Name | 25 char max | 1 | 1 |
| Text | Call To Action | Automated by default, or select from a list | 1 | 1 |
| Text | Display URL Path | 15 char max each | 0 | 2 |
| Image | Landscape (4:1) | Recommended: 1200 x 628- Min. required: 600 x 314 | 1 | 15 |
| Image | Square (1:1) | Recommended: 1200 x 1200- Min. required: 300 x 300 | 1 | |
| Image | Portrait (4:5) | Recommended: 960 x 1200- Min. required: 480 x 600 | 0 | |
| Image | Square Logo | Recommended: 1200 x 1200- Min. required: 128 x 128 | 1 | 5 |
| Image | Landscape Logo (4:1) | Recommended: 1200 x 300- Min. required: 512 x 128 | 0 | |
| Video | Video | Horizontal, vertical or square. Min 10 seconds in length | 0 | 5 |
| Note: At least 1 landscape (1.91:1) or square (1:1) image required | Note: At least 1 square logo required |
Increase your conversion and return on investment
By automating your budget within Google Performance Max campaigns, you are optimizing your spending and increasing your opportunities to reach customers on the platforms they’re already shopping on. Google’s algorithm will target the customers with the highest chance of taking action or converting, whether they are on Youtube, Display, Search, Maps, Gmail, or Discover. Google has cited that advertisers who use Google Performance Max have seen an average increase of 13% in total incremental conversions at a similar cost per action.
Plus, Google Performance Max improves the quality of new customers you can attract, by increasing the channels your ads appear on and optimizing the place, time, and type of ad shown to a potential customer. Plus, by leaning on Google’s AI you have the potential to unlock new customer segments you didn’t even realize existed. Win, win.
Save time by setting ads and optimizing on one ad platform
For advertisers who are strapped on time, Google Performance Max takes out the energy and guesswork of trying to optimize ads across different ad types and platforms. Google will combine the best assets to create many variable ads that will appeal to wider customer bases across channels. Plus, rather than targeting each of your audiences for your different ad types and channels, you can simply add all of your audience lists, which Google will then use to optimize and identify similar key audiences across platforms.
However, if you’re worried about Google showing your ads in places you don’t want them, or optimizing for conversion types you don’t care about, there are safeguards in place. Digital marketers still have the power to provide input about which conversion types are most valuable by setting value rules. Further, on the account level, you can set brand safety standards to tell Google where your ads should not appear.
Google Insights can be more helpful
Google Performance Max is now part of Google’s Insights Page, which means it may be easier to understand how Google is choosing to spend your ad money and what type of results you are getting from it. The Insights Page will show you which combinations of assets and audiences are performing the best to allow you to make informed decisions to further build on your success with the new campaign type. Finally, you can also browse search trends and demand forecasts to keep up with your industry as a whole and help you plan for your future digital marketing efforts.
With so much done for you, Google Performance Max is a no-brainer for digital marketers looking to improve performance and save time. For more information on Google Performance Max, tune into the Ultimate Marketer Podcast, or to get some help with copy and image development made specifically for Google Performance Max, visit https://dropkickads.com/products/google-search-ads.