Don’t know about you, but I am still struggling to get _consistently_ good results from PMax that actually _increase_ performance beyond what I am getting with more traditional campaign types.
Yes, I do believe AI algorithms should be able to come up with the right targeting and right bids (in theory).
No, I don’t trust Google to configure the AI in ways that create the most value for each and every advertiser.
Anyway, here’s a short list of my (current) favorite PMax audience signals:
1. Highest value customer list
Upload the top X% customers that made up over 80% of revenue last 12 months. If the list is too small, include more customers with less value.
Careful: PMax may take first-party data too seriously and refuse to expand beyond remarketing to existing customers.
2. Custom segment with your top 50 search terms sorted on total conversion value.
Remove near duplicates to increase the signal quality.
3. (Granular) In-Market Audiences
TIP: go search for ‘In-market: other’ audiences that really match your target customer.
4. Currently testing: high commercial intent keywords custom segment
Add every synonym for “buy”, “purchase”, “sale” etc in combination with your best-selling product names.
h/t to longtime friend-of-the-list Cory Lindholm for introducing me to this idea.