Performance Max (pMax)
Performance Max (PMax) is a Google campaign type that runs across all advertising networks simultaneously — in search results, the Display Network, YouTube, Gmail, and Discover. Google automatically selects the channels, formats, and audiences, aiming to maximize conversions within the given budget and bidding strategy.
Table of Contents
- How pMax differs from classic campaigns
- Creating a pMax campaign step by step
- What Sembot controls in pMax vs. what Google controls
- Audience signals
How pMax differs from classic campaigns
| Shopping / Search | Performance Max | |
|---|---|---|
| Display channels | Google Search only, or Display Network only | All networks simultaneously |
| Keywords | You configure a list of keywords | None — Google selects queries automatically |
| Ad templates | You define headlines and descriptions in a template | None — Google composes ads from the assets you provide |
| Ad groups | Created through Segmentation in Sembot | Created automatically by Google |
| Ad assets | Not required | Headlines, descriptions, images, logos, video — provided in the Assets step |
| Optimization | Bids and budget per selected strategy | Google automatically optimizes channels, bids, and creatives |
Creating a pMax campaign step by step
The Performance Max campaign wizard consists of 7 steps.
Step 1 — Configuration
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Campaign name | Label visible in Sembot and in the Google Ads dashboard |
| Google Ads connection | Select an authorized Google Ads account from the project |
| Merchant Center account | Google Merchant Center account with the product feed — required when the campaign is to advertise products from the catalog |
| Data source (target country) | Optional — specifies a particular feed if the project has multiple feeds for different markets |
| Domain | The store's website address, used by Google to extend the campaign's reach |
Step 2 — Budget and strategy
Budget
The pMax campaign budget is daily.
| Type | Description | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| Individual | Budget assigned exclusively to this campaign | Campaigns with separate goals |
| Shared | Budget assigned to a shared pool across multiple campaigns | Multiple pMax campaigns serving the same store |
Bidding strategy
Performance Max supports only automated strategies — Google independently sets bids for each auction.
| Strategy | What it does | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| Maximize conversion value | Google optimizes bids to achieve the highest total conversion value. Optional ROAS target. | E-commerce campaigns with transaction values — the primary choice for pMax |
| Maximize conversions | Google optimizes bids to achieve the highest number of conversions. Optional CPA target. | When the number of conversions matters more than their value |
pMax does not support Manual CPC or Sembot CPC strategies — bid control belongs exclusively to Google's algorithm.
Step 3 — Products
Determines which products from the feed will be included in the campaign. By default, the campaign covers the entire catalog.
To restrict products, click Add filters and define conditions based on feed attributes (brand, category, price, custom labels, etc.). Sembot continuously displays the number of products that meet the criteria.
The Products step is only available when a Merchant Center account was specified in the Configuration step. A pMax campaign without Merchant Center skips this step.
Step 4 — Segmentation
Optional division of products into asset groups — the equivalent of ad groups in pMax campaigns. Each asset group can have a separate set of creative assets.
Available segmentation dimensions: Brand, Product type, Google category, Custom label 0–4.
If segmentation is not configured, all products are placed in a single default asset group.
Step 5 — Goals
Specifies the conversion goals the campaign should pursue. Sembot retrieves available goals from the connected Google Ads account.
In pMax, the choice of goals directly affects Google's algorithm optimization — it is worth selecting only goals that measure genuinely valuable actions (e.g., a purchase, not just a page visit).
Step 6 — Assets
The Assets step is where you provide Google with the creative assets needed to build ads across all networks.
Asset library
Before adding assets to a campaign, they must first be uploaded to the Asset library, available in the Campaigns → Asset library menu. The library is the central storage for images and logos — once uploaded, assets can be reused across multiple pMax campaigns without re-uploading files.
In the Assets step, you select assets directly from the Asset library. You can also upload a new file directly from this step — it will be automatically added to the library.
Assets toggle
At the top of the Assets step, there is a toggle that determines whether the campaign should include ad assets. When you turn it off, Sembot displays a confirmation message: "All currently saved assets will be removed — do you want to proceed?" — the campaign will sync without creative assets, relying solely on product feed data.
Ad asset fields
Text
| Field | Character limit | Min. | Max. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Headlines | 30 | 3 | 5 |
| Long headlines | 90 | 1 | 5 |
| Descriptions | 90 | 2 | 5 |
| Business name | 120 | 1 | 1 |
At least one description must be under 60 characters.
Images
| Field | Format | Min. | Max. | Recommended size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing images | Landscape (1.91:1) | 1 | 20 | 1200×628 px |
| Square marketing images | Square (1:1) | 1 | 20 | 1200×1200 px |
| Logos | Square (1:1) | 1 | 5 | 1200×1200 px (min. 128×128 px) |
Video
| Field | Min. | Max. | Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| YouTube videos | 0 | 5 | No |
You provide a link to a published YouTube video. If you do not add a video, Google may automatically generate a video from the images you supplied.
URL
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Final URL | The page users land on after clicking the ad |
| Display path | Text shown in the ad's URL (two fields of up to 15 characters each) |
Step 7 — Sync
The final step before launching the campaign. Sembot displays a summary of the configuration — the number of asset groups and products that will be created.
Key toggle: Enable campaign activation automation
- On — the campaign will be automatically activated in Google Ads immediately after syncing
- Off — the campaign will appear in the account as inactive; you activate it manually
After clicking Finish, the campaign status changes to Syncing, then to Synced.
What Sembot controls in pMax vs. what Google controls
Sembot configures and syncs
| Element | Description |
|---|---|
| Budget and bidding strategy | Daily budget, strategy selection (Target ROAS, Maximize conversion value, etc.) |
| Product filters | Which products from the feed are included in the campaign |
| Ad assets | All creative assets passed to Google (headlines, images, logos, video) |
| Segmentation | Optional division into asset groups based on product attributes |
| Activation | Whether the campaign starts automatically after syncing |
Google controls automatically
| Element | Description |
|---|---|
| Channel selection | Google decides where to show the ad — Search, Display, YouTube, Gmail, Discover |
| Creative composition | Google selects combinations of headlines, descriptions, and images from the provided assets |
| Audience recognition | Google identifies users most likely to convert |
| Bid optimization | Google adjusts the bid for each auction in real time |
| Ad group structure | Google creates and manages asset groups internally |
Important: With pMax, you give up direct control over where and to whom the ad is shown. Your role is to provide high-quality creative assets and set precise goals (budget, ROAS).
Audience signals
In the Assets step, you can optionally specify audiences from your Google Ads account as a signal for the pMax algorithm. Sembot retrieves the list of available audiences from the selected Google Ads connection and lets you choose one.
An audience signal does not restrict ad delivery to that group — it only informs Google what type of users tend to convert most often. The algorithm may show ads to people outside the specified group if it determines this is beneficial.
The audience field is optional. If you have remarketing lists or customer lists defined in Google Ads, it is worth specifying them here — especially at the start of a campaign, when Google does not yet have its own data for optimization.
This document covers Performance Max campaigns available in the Campaigns section of each Sembot project.