google performance ad campaigns

Layering Performance Max with Traditional Google Ad Campaigns

by Digital Marketing

Google has transformed the digital ads industry through their Performance Max (Pmax) campaigns. The campaign structure of Performance Max delivers automated optimization through artificial intelligence while providing multi-channel capabilities to achieve both efficiency and scalability.

Although PMax demonstrates strong automation and reach abilities its lack of transparency together with precision remains a major limitation. The system provides no ability to determine which advertising channels receive budget priority or to view specific search term data or separate effective marketing assets.

The successful advertisers today use PMax together with traditional Search, Display, Shopping and YouTube campaigns to achieve both automated performance and controlled management of intent and reach.

Understanding the Performance Max Campaigns

Performance Max operates as an AI-powered advertising solution which displays content across Search, Display, YouTube, Gmail and Maps platforms. The system applies machine learning algorithms to locate users with strong buying intent before delivering their best-performing assets from your asset group. It operates with efficiency but users must sacrifice both control and visibility.

Also, it does not show which keyword caused an ad to appear. The system fails to reveal which platform generated the conversion event. You cannot manage the budget distribution across specific channels. When you depend solely on Pmax, you surrender control of the advertising direction to Google while expecting positive results.

When you integrate PMax with traditional campaigns you gain access to both AI-based scaling capabilities and detailed data monitoring functions.

Combining PMax with Search Campaigns for High-Intent Control

Imagine you run a wellness brand that provides individual holistic health coaching services and distributes digital wellness journals and detox plans and guided meditation bundles.

The Strategy:

Imagine you run a wellness brand that provides individual holistic health coaching services and distributes digital wellness journals and detox plans and guided meditation bundles.

Your team discovered that the search terms “online wellness coach,” “nutritionist for stress relief” and “holistic health coaching near me” bring in qualified leads who intend to schedule consultations or purchase products instantly.

To capture this high-intent traffic with precision, you launch a Search campaign targeting these keywords using Exact Match. This gives you full control over ad copy, landing pages, ad extensions (like scheduling or reviews), and bid adjustments for specific demographics or devices.

pmax campaign

At the same time, you run a Performance Max campaign that includes a broader set of wellness-related creatives and signals. This campaign is designed to reach users who may not be searching for a wellness coach explicitly but are browsing YouTube videos about burnout, reading blog articles on gut health, or using mobile apps related to sleep tracking.

Performance Max might show them a Display ad about your “7-Day Wellness Reset” or a YouTube bumper ad introducing your brand. If they engage, the campaign may then follow up with tailored search ads, Google Discover cards, or Gmail promotions nudging them toward your digital store or booking page.

To avoid duplication or ad spend conflict, you work with your Google rep to exclude Exact Match branded and high-performing keywords from PMax, so that your Search campaign continues to dominate those terms without being cannibalized.

This layered approach ensures that your Search campaign captures demand from people actively seeking your services, while PMax intelligently expands reach, nurtures new audiences, and optimizes for conversions across multiple channels without stepping on each other’s toes.

 

Structuring PMax with Shopping and Display for E-commerce

Let’s say you run an e-commerce company selling fitness gear. Your top products- dumbbells and resistance bands delivers a consistent high ROAS on standard shopping campaigns.

The Strategy:

Instead of migrating everything to PMax, you keep these high-performers in a Standard Shopping campaign where you can control bidding, budget, and visibility. You use custom labels in your product feed (e.g., Top Performer) to isolate them.

Then, you run a Performance Max campaign for your broader catalog- say, yoga mats, foam rollers, or gym bags where you want to test reach and allow AI to find new audiences.

For upper-funnel traffic, you launch a Display campaign with custom intent targeting (e.g., “home workout routines”) to build brand awareness. The Display campaign feeds traffic into PMax’s remarketing loop, where PMax can then optimize toward conversions using video, dynamic product ads, and responsive search ads.

By keeping Shopping, Display, and PMax distinct but complementary, you get full-funnel coverage with both control and scalability.

Balancing YouTube Campaigns with PMax for Full-Funnel Impact

Now imagine you’re promoting a mobile app for meditation. You’ve developed a compelling 30-second YouTube video explaining the benefits of your app.

The Strategy:

You run this video in a dedicated YouTube campaign, using skippable in-stream ads targeted to audiences interested in wellness, productivity, or mental health. You’re paying specifically for video views and engagement, not conversions.

Simultaneously, PMax uses that same video asset within its own ad formats. After someone watches your YouTube ad, PMax may remarket to them later with a search ad when they Google “best meditation apps,” or show a responsive Display ad on a lifestyle blog.

Because the standalone YouTube campaign builds awareness and the PMax campaign captures downstream action, the combination becomes a synchronized funnel—from exposure to consideration to conversion.

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Budget Allocation: Let Performance Drive Decisions

The allocation of budget should prevent any campaign from stealing from other campaigns. Start with a balanced structure.

  • 30% of budget to Exact Match Search campaigns for proven high-converting terms
  • 40% to Performance Max for expansion and mid-funnel optimization
  • 20% to YouTube or Display for awareness and intent generation
  • 10% to Shopping for high-margin products or manual bidding control

When performance data becomes available you should adjust your approach. Use GA4 or Looker Studio dashboards to compare assisted conversions and audience behavior and asset group effectiveness across the campaigns.

Structure Is Your Strategy

Performance Max functions as a powerful tool which does not replace traditional advertising methods. The proper integration of PMax with your Search Display Shopping and YouTube campaigns enhances their reach and enables them to reach buyers at various stages of their journey.

Don’t leave your success entirely in the hands of automation. Build a multi-campaign architecture where Performance Max explores, and traditional campaigns execute. That’s the future of profitable Google Ads strategy.

Our team executes intricate Google Ads strategies through automated systems which provide exact control. We keep the platform updated while delivering measurable growth to our clients.

How to Maximize Your Marketing Strategy for the Holidays

How to Maximize Your Marketing Strategy for the Holidays

by Digital Marketing

If you want to increase your revenue and sales during the holiday season, you need to have a well-planned marketing strategy for the holidays. It’s true that people are more likely to spend money on themselves during the holidays. But it’s also true that you need the right tools and techniques in place if you want to capitalize on this higher spending trend.

This guide will walk you through some tips for maximizing your marketing strategy for Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Thanksgiving, Halloween, New Year, or whatever else is happening in December.

In 2022, US holiday retail sales are expected to reach $1.3 trillion, a 3.3% increase over 2021. Holiday ecommerce is expected to grow 15.5% to $236 billion!

 

Using Your Products/Services as Holiday Gifts

As a small business owner, it’s essential to think about ways you can use your products and services as holiday gifts. This is an excellent way to give back to loyal customers while also increasing brand awareness and loyalty among potential customers.

You should frame your ads and marketing strategy for the holidays by showing your customers what value your products and services bring to a holiday event. Whether that is something for a friend at a corporate party or a family member during Christmas, you want to make it seem like your offer is the best choice.

Offering Holiday Discounts

Another common tactic is to offer your customers a limited-time discount. This is easy to do because you can use tools like Google Shopping and Amazon to list your products at discounted prices while still charging full prices on your own website.

The downside of this strategy is that there is no guarantee people will buy during the sale period because they may have already made other plans for their purchases. However, it’s worth giving it a shot if you’ve got the inventory and staffing capacity to support the increased demand.

Design Ads with Holiday Nostalgia

The holidays are a time of nostalgia and tradition, so it’s important to use the familiar elements from past years in your marketing strategy. You can do this with images, colors, and music that remind people of their childhood holiday experiences.

Holiday ads will have an emotional impact on your customers by triggering memories of good times and cherished moments that they enjoyed during their childhood. The use of nostalgic symbols like Santa Claus or reindeer will also help create brand loyalty during the holiday season.

 

Stay on Top of Holiday Trends

It’s crucial to stay on top of seasonal trends for your marketing strategy for the holidays so that your brand stays relevant. You can do this by keeping an eye on the news, following social media, and even looking at what your competitors are doing.

As you probably noticed, Google Trends has become an excellent tool for marketers. It will show you what people are searching for around the world and in specific countries or cities, which is helpful if you want to see what kind of products consumers want this holiday season.

Don’t Forget the Email Campaign

Email marketing is still one of the most effective ways to reach customers, and it’s a great resource for marketing strategy for the holidays.

To ensure your emails get noticed and read by customers, start with a good subject line. This is what will entice your customer to open up the email in their inbox. Next, make sure you have an interesting offer that encourages them to click through on links within your email for more information about specific products or services. Finally—this may seem obvious but—don’t forget to customize each email according to each customer’s preferences!

Use Free Shipping

Free shipping is a great way to attract customers, and it’s also a good way to increase sales. It’s an effective marketing strategy for the holidays that will show your confidence in your products or services, which in turn will help you gain trust with potential buyers. This also helps you compete with major retail companies like Walmart, Best Buy, and Amazon.

holiday sales

Get an Early Start

You’re a smart business owner, and you know that the best way to succeed at marketing your business is to plan ahead. The holidays are no exception. You don’t want to wait until the last minute because then all your options are gone, and you may not have time for changes or additions. Start planning early so that you can get everything in place before the holiday rush hits.

We hope that you can use these tips to help grow your business this holiday season. It’s important to remember that the holidays are a great time for marketing, but there’s no reason why you can’t use them throughout the year as well. Our team at Griffon Webstudios is here to help you get a foothold with your ad campaign. Set up a consultation, and let’s get to work!