Have you ever felt like your advertising budget is disappearing without knowing what it yields? Or that your campaigns are performing well, but you can't determine which channel is responsible for that? Google is now introducing enhanced reporting within Performance Max (PMax) that makes this insight possible.
Soon, you will be able to see with new tools in Google Ads which channels – such as Search, YouTube, Display, Discover, Gmail, and Maps – actually contribute to your campaign performance. This finally partially opens the 'black box' of PMax.
What changes in Performance Max
Three important reports will soon be available:
Channel Insights:
You receive a visual and detailed breakdown of performance by channel, including clicks, conversions, and costs. The information is also available for download for further analysis.
Search Terms Reporting
Similar to what you are used to from Search and Shopping campaigns, you will gain insight into keywords that generate conversions.
Asset reporting:
show which creations are effective by using data on impressions, clicks, and costs per asset.
These insights help marketers better understand what works and where opportunities lie. Consider, for example, an underperforming landing page in Search or a missed location extension in Maps.
Impact on businesses and marketers
Transparency is a frequently expressed desire among advertisers using PMax. Until now, detailed feedback per channel was lacking, which led to hesitation among some advertisers. Some even chose to revert to Standard Shopping.
With these new insights, it becomes easier to allocate budgets strategically and improve performance without external scripts or detours. This lowers the barrier to staying with PMax or returning to it.
Possible solutions and points of attention
While channel insights are valuable, Google emphasizes that the strength of PMax lies in AI optimization across all channels. Therefore, it is important not only to focus on short-term returns per channel but also to consider the bigger picture of customer behavior in your analysis.
In a few weeks, the open beta of channel reporting will begin. Full details will be provided during Google Marketing Live on May 21. At the same time, richer asset metrics will be rolled out within Search and Display campaigns, allowing for better-supported creative choices.