Google Ads Performance Max Audit Checklist

Need to audit or set up Performance Max campaigns in your Google Ads account?

Use this checklist to increase you chance of success:

PART 1

    • implement gtag.js on your site
    • add Google Ads conversion tracking code
    • setup dynamic remarketing
    • make sure the product id matched your feed id
    • include hashed email
    • add the new_customer parameter to your tag
    • customize ad_personalization_signals to comply with regulations
    • enable consent mode modeling
    • enable enhanced conversion tracking
    • set attribution to data-driven
    • make sure to have GA4 implemented and linked to your account
    • create Performance Max segment in GA4
    • <more…>

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PART 2

    • for lead gen: use UTM parameters at the asset group level so that (in your CRM) you can track the quality of the leads for individual asset groups
    • for lead gen: track lead quality and automatically send value updates to Google
    • disable Auto-applied recommendations
    • connect merchant center
    • optimize product feed
    • add a short title in the product feed so that it will show in Discovery and GMail ads
    • label products based on product margins
    • decide on campaign structure
    • make sure standard search campaigns are set up and working properly
    • make sure standard campaigns generate >30 conversions per month
    • create performance max campaigns
    • decide on realistic additional value for new customers
    • set advanced location targeting to ‘Presence: People in or regularly in your targeted locations’
    • create ad schedule
    • create assets groups
    • create headlines
    • create long headlines
    • create descriptions
    • create (lifestyle) images
    • create attention grabbing videos
    • add call to action
    • add display path
    • add extensions
    • create a customer-match audience of existing customers
    • create a custom segment audience of converting search terms
    • test both ‘People with any of these interests or purchase intentions’ and ‘People who searched for any of these terms on Google’
    • create an in-market audience segment
    • test if you should disable url expansions
    • add a dedicated (dynamic) remarketing campaign next to PMax
    • make sure website is mobile friendly
    • make sure landing page loads within 3 secs
    • make sure landing page includes social proof
    • make sure forms and/or checkouts work 100%
    • make sure your feed is updated frequently (more than default once per day)
    • exclude mobile app categories
    • exclude content keywords
    • exclude sensitive content
    • exclude parked domains
    • exclude youtube live streams
    • add url exclusions
    • exclude brand from campaign
    • add account-wide negatives
    • ask Google rep to add a negative keyword list to the campaign
    • choose bidding strategy
    • determine target for bidding strategy
    • apply seasonality adjustment for short sales promotions
    • make sure no assets or extensions get disapproved
    • make sure no top-selling products are disapproved
    • make sure no top-selling products are out of stock
    • make sure prices remain competitive
    • make sure shipping cost and delivery times remain competitive
    • prevent extremely negative reviews
    • for lead gen: prevent lead fraud by implementing lead fraud prevention tactics in your forms
    • monitor campaign insights like a hawk
    • monitor PMax networks’ performance via Mike Rhodes script
    • monitor user location report
    • monitor ‘new vs returning vistors’ segement
    • monitor new customers reporting column
    • add negative keywords
    • exclude placements
    • exclude low-performing products
    • exclude low-performing user locations
    • replace zero-click products to new campaigns
    • create new campaign for the product that spends >50% of budget
    • monitor audience insights
    • create new asset groups for best-performing audiences
    • monitor ‘suggested trends’
    • create new asset groups for relevant trends
    • check for cannibalization in GA4
    • gradually increase/decrease bidding targets
    • gradually increase/decrease budgets
    • improve poor assets
    • spend at least 3 times your avg CPA and over $100 per day
    • wait & pray

NEED HELP IMPROVING PMAX PERFORMANCE? 

Want to beat your current Pmax Performance?

👉👉 LET ME SHOW YOU HOW TO BEAT PERFORMANCE MAX! (click here)