What Google says
On 9 October 2026 we read the Google Ads Help page on Performance Max campaigns. Google says it is meant to complement keyword-based Search campaigns, not replace them. It names these channels: YouTube, Display, Search, Discover, Gmail and Maps.
The page says you provide these inputs.
- Conversion goals: the actions you count as a win, with an optional ROAS (return on ad spend) or CPA (cost per action) target.
- Creative assets: text, images and videos.
- Audience signals: hints about the people you want, which help the campaign learn faster at the start.
- Budget and controls: a daily spend target, plus controls such as brand exclusions, placement exclusions and content suitability filters.
- Campaign objective: sales, leads, website traffic, local store visits and promotions, or no goal.
Google also says that when final URL expansion is on, it may send people to a more relevant page on your site and write extra headlines. You remain responsible for checking that these are correct.
On Search, Google says exact match keywords in your Search campaigns are prioritised over Performance Max.
A made-up example in rupees
Say a coaching institute in Lucknow runs Performance Max with ₹1,500 a day for 30 days. This is a made-up example. That is ₹45,000. The goal is a form fill for a demo class.
- Google reports 90 form fills. Cost of each: ₹45,000 ÷ 90 = ₹500.
- The institute's own record shows 12 became paying students. Cost of each: ₹45,000 ÷ 12 = ₹3,750.
The second number matters more. If the campaign counts every form, including spam, it learns to find more of them. Count the leads that turn into students, and send that result back to Google where you can. See server-side tracking.
How it works for an Indian business
It suits a business that has a clear goal, such as leads or online sales, and good conversion tracking. It also needs fresh pictures, videos and text in the assets, in the languages your buyers use. A shop with only a phone number and no tracking will find it hard to judge.
Common mistakes
- Counting every click or form fill as a win, including calls and forms that never become sales.
- Weak assets, such as one blurry photo and a single headline.
- Leaving final URL expansion on and never checking where it sends people.
- Changing the goal or the budget every day, so the campaign never settles.
- Judging only on Google's numbers, not on your own sales record.
Performance Max does not suit every business. A small budget may do better on plain Search first. To plan it, see our Performance Max work.
Related terms
- ROAS (return on ad spend): the sales you get for each rupee of ad spend.
- Conversion rate: the share of visitors who take the action you want.
- Retargeting: ads for people who already visited your site.
Sources
- Google Ads Help, "About Performance Max campaigns" (support.google.com/google-ads/answer/10724817), read 9 October 2026.
