Google Lightens up on advertisers - Performance Max will no longer take automatic priority
This just in, Google will no longer let Performance Max dominate by default giving advertisers a little more room to flex standard campaigns which are less of a black box and offer more control.
This was a step in the right direction but this whole Performance Max thing was launched with brute force forcing advertisers to upgrade into it. To be transparent I never bothered with Smart Shopping and have run standard campaigns so I wasn’t close to these happenings. Standard shopping was just fine and now more advertisers are changing course.
Personally I don’t get what all the fuss was about. It’s a bit like Stockholm syndrome. The industry simultaneously tends to loathe google for taking away controls, but that the same time people jump over themselves to be first to break the news when Google drops advertisers a crumb. This is a good example.
Here's what all the fuss is about...
Yes, this is helpful and a move in the right direction.
In some accounts using both campaigns I’ve observed nothing so far in October, it’s the 18th at time of writing and if the change has already been live, then my experience is very much in line with what the article says…
No immediate action is needed, we expect this change to be neutral or positive.
Based on Google’s history, do we really expect them to revert things like the expansion of exact match?
No. Especially not during Q4 when there would be too much revenue risk (for Google)
They threw everyone a crumb here, nothing to jump out of your seat about.
Google, FINALLY, gave advertisers Search Impression share for Performance max, and the long overdue ability to have campaign level negatives is still being drawn out.
Google is highly likely to drop that feature when peak Holiday advertising is over, say December 15th or so which is when a lot of advertisers pull back on spend because items can’t be delivered in time for Christmas.
Look at what I wrote in bold which echoes Google’s update. Basically, this isn’t a huge deal – unless your a Linkedin Lunatic.
I understand agencies will hype the latest change, but it’s getting silly, this is NOT a game changer, but that won’t stop some PPC people on LinkedIn.
Even Search Engine Land overshot it a bit alluding that it “could significantly affect campaign strategies and performance during one of the most crucial sales periods of the year.”
When ever I see the worlds “could, may, or might” I know it’s probably more bark than actual bite.