Google continues to evolve its campaign format Performance Max and now introduces more detailed reporting for assets and channels. This update aims to give marketers greater visibility into how different components contribute to results – and thus the ability to make more data-driven decisions.
Why this update is important
Performance Max has long been criticized for being something of a “black box,” where advertisers have limited understanding of which channels and creative assets are actually driving conversions. With the new segmentation options, you now get better insight into how your investments are performing over time. Google Ads entire network – including Search, Display, YouTube, Discover, Gmail and Maps.
Improved asset reporting
One of the most requested improvements is the ability to break down results by asset type. You can now analyze performance based on a range of parameters, making it easier to identify strengths and weaknesses in your assets that you use in Performance Max.
- Asset segmentation by device, time, conversion, and network
- Ability to discover which ad assets drive the best results
- Better basis for optimizing text, images and video in the same campaign
More detailed reporting per channel
Google is also introducing a number of new features to more clearly visualize how each channel contributes to the overall picture. This makes it easier to identify where campaign budget is making the biggest difference and where adjustments need to be made to increase campaign profitability.
- Bulk reporting and account-level downloading
- Cost data in channel visualizations
- ROI columns for more transparent analysis
- Segmentation by conversion action and ad interaction
- Diagnostics that show, for example, limited delivery when bidding strategies are too strict
What this means for marketers
For digital marketers, these updates mean a significantly improved ability to analyze and optimize Performance Max campaigns. With more available insights, you can fine-tune ads, allocate budget more effectively, gain more insights, and thus motivate customers or internal stakeholders to make the right investments.
What comes next?
Google has also confirmed that more improvements are on the way. Advertisers are encouraged to continue providing feedback on what types of insights and reports best support their business goals. The focus is on creating even greater transparency in a format that has so far been driven more by machine learning than user control.
For more information, see Google's official blog post: Get more visibility in Performance Max with new asset and channel reporting improvements.
