Performance Max has a super-smart upgrade! Now it can help you create eye-catching headlines, descriptions, and even images for your ads — all powered by AI. This means you can bring your ad ideas to life faster and easier than ever before.
In a new era of machine-powered creativity, ads that automatically adapt and thrive across Search, Display, YouTube, Gmail, and Maps are perfect to build powerful connections with your ideal customers.
Performance Max isn’t just automation – it’s an intelligent evolution. As consumer behaviour continues to evolve, Performance Max empowers you to anticipate the needs of your consumers, all fueled by AI that learns and optimises in real-time.
Performance Max’s Creative Power: The Future of Ads is Here
Performance Max is opening doors to a massive audience across Google’s entire ad network. It puts you in the driver’s seat, giving you both powerful automation and the ability to personalise your message.
Not only does it unlock opportunities to drive more conversions from Google’s full range of ad inventory but also gives you one of the best competitive advantages in the performance space while also helping you experiment and learn more about how best to convert different audiences.
Here’s why creative is your ultimate conversion superpower:
- Unlocking Extensive Reach: Google boasts a massive network of ad placements across Search, Display, YouTube, Gmail, and beyond. However, simply accessing this vast network isn’t enough. To truly maximise your reach and attract potential customers, captivating creative assets are essential.
- Right Message, Right Place, Right Time: Remember the golden rule of marketing? Delivering the perfect message to the ideal customer at the precise moment. Performance Max, powered by your optimised creatives, empowers you to do exactly that. The AI engine meticulously tailors your ads to resonate with each audience on the most relevant platform.
- Optimising Creatives for Conversion Success: Good creatives help you experiment and learn what resonates best with different audience segments. This data-driven approach allows you to refine your creative strategy for even greater conversion success.
Think of it like this: Imagine Google Ads as a giant toolbox with different tools to reach diverse customers: Search, YouTube, Gmail, and more. Each tool works best for specific audiences, just like different keys fit different doors.
The right creative acts like a key. A great ad grabs attention and grants you access to Google’s vast ad inventory. You can learn what resonates with different audiences, constantly refining your message for maximum impact.
With optimised creatives, you can unlock them all, ensuring your message reaches the right person, at the right time.
Start Converting: The Power of Automated Creatives
Forget endless ad variations. Performance Max thrives on your core creative assets – images, logos, videos, headlines, and descriptions. You provide the fuel, Google's AI does the magic.
Here’s how it works:
- Provide a library of high-quality creative components — images, videos, headlines, and descriptions.
- Google’s machine learning engine seamlessly combines these assets to create dynamic and high-performing ads.
- These custom-built ads automatically adapt to every corner of Google’s vast ad inventory - Search, Display, YouTube, and more.
- You provide the raw materials, Google’s AI does the heavy lifting, and the result? Ads that convert across the entire digital landscape.
- Quality matters. Share a diverse library of high-performing creative components based on best practices.
- Data drives insights. Utilise campaign data to identify top-performing themes and messages to feed back into your content strategy.
- The future is here! Performance Max shows you potential ad combinations in the preview tool, giving you a glimpse into the AI's decision-making process.
Plus, you can see the future! The Google Ads preview tool on Performance Max lets you see potential ad combinations, giving you a glimpse into the AI’s decision-making process.
Imagine an ad campaign that constantly learns and adapts, showing the right message to the right person at the right time. That’s the power of Performance Max. The AI might surprise you with winning combinations, sometimes revealing the most effective messages are not always the most obvious ones.
This is data-driven creativity at its finest. Relax, let the AI do the work, and witness Performance Max unlock the secret formula to skyrocket your conversions.
How To Unlock Your Campaign’s Potential?
Performance Max inventory comes in all shapes and sizes – YouTube Shorts run vertical videos, Discover uses a combination of square and landscape images and Image / Video aspect ratios and text character lengths make sure you can turn up everywhere in Google looking and sounding your best.
Your Performance Max creative is made of five components:
- Images
- Logos
- Videos
- Headlines
- Descriptions
How To Craft A Creative That Converts
We’ve talked about the magic of Performance Max, but what makes the creative magic happen? Here’s the secret:
- Let the quality shine: Use high-resolution images, captivating videos, and clear, concise headlines and descriptions.
- Diversity is essential: Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Share a variety of creative assets to give the AI more options to test and optimise.
- Focus on benefits, not features: People care about what your product or service does for them, not just the technical details. Highlight the benefits that resonate with your target audience.
Good Creative = Good Business
Think of your creative assets as the salespeople on your ad team. The better they are at connecting with potential customers, the more conversions you’ll see.
Here’s why:
- Attention Grabbing: Compelling visuals and headlines stop the scroll and grab attention in a crowded digital world.
- Emotional Connection: The best creatives evoke emotions and create a lasting impression.
- Clear Call to Action: Don’t leave customers guessing what to do next. Tell them exactly how your product or service can help them, and provide a clear call to action.
The ROI X-Factor
Across all marketing channels, a good creative is often the single biggest driver of ROI. Here’s why:
- Engaged Audiences Convert: High-quality creative captures attention, builds trust, and ultimately leads to conversions.
- Lower Costs: Effective creatives can improve your click-through rates and conversion rates, leading to lower overall campaign costs.
- Long-Term Impact: A strong creative foundation can be used across different marketing channels, maximising your return on investment.
Remember, your creative assets are the foundation of your Performance Max campaign. By focusing on quality, diversity, and clear messaging, you can unlock the full potential of this powerful advertising tool.
Complete Guide to Performance Max’s Creative Components
This guide provides a comprehensive overview of the creative components needed for a successful Performance Max campaign, including images, logos, videos, and text.
Visual Assets: Images, Logos & Videos
- Variety is Key: Utilise a range of images and logos in different aspect ratios and sizes (landscape, square, portrait) to cater to various ad placements on the Google Ads network.
- Embrace Video: Videos are a powerful tool to showcase your product or service in action. Leverage Google Ads' production options if you don't have existing videos.
Detailed Specifications:
Compelling Text Components
Text plays a crucial role in conveying your message and driving user action. Ensure your text is clear, concise, and adheres to character limits.
Boost Engagement with Extensions
Extensions enrich your ads by providing users with additional details and ways to interact with your business. Consider incorporating extensions like:
- Site Links: Direct users to specific pages on your website.
- Callouts: Highlight key features or benefits of your product/service.
- Structured Snippets: Showcase specific attributes (e.g., price, brand).
- Lead Forms: Allow users to submit leads directly from your ad.
Optimising Your Performance Max Campaign
- Design for Performance: Craft creative assets specifically tailored for the Performance Max campaign landscape. Use the power of Google’s automated bidding and targeting systems.
- Strategic Asset Variety: Maintain a diverse set of creative assets to resonate with different audiences and keep your messaging fresh, preventing ad fatigue.
By following these guidelines and strategically utilising creative components, you can significantly enhance the effectiveness of your Performance Max campaigns.
High-Performing Combinations: A Performance Max Creative Optimisation Masterclass
This comprehensive guide empowers you to identify the winning creative combinations within your Performance Max campaigns, propelling them to new heights.
Step-by-Step to Creative Campaigns
- The Asset Combinations Report
- Delve into the Google Ads asset combinations report to discover the most impactful creative pairings:some text
- Top video combinations
- Top image combinations
- Top text-only combinations
- Utilise the “Preview Ads” feature to visualise the winning combinations in action.
- Elevate Your Creatives: Optimisation Techniques
- Maximise Upload Limits: Continuously add new creative assets without discarding existing ones (even “poor” performers can shine in specific situations).
- Refresh & Rejuvenate: Regularly assess your creative mix and swap out outdated or “low” performing assets every quarter.
- Unlocking Creative Potential: Exploring New Horizons
- Refine Top Performers: Develop variations of high-performing components, test new use cases, and tailor assets for key audiences.
- Experimentation is Key: Explore diverse messaging, visuals, and CTAs to resonate with your target audience.
- Building a Thriving Creative Library: Long-Term Strategies
- Asset Diversity is King: Create a vibrant mix of images, videos, and text to cater to various preferences and ad formats.
- Data-Driven Optimisation: Use insights from creative performance data to inform future creative development.
- Stay Fresh: Regularly update your assets to maintain relevance and audience engagement.
Advanced Insights for Creatives
- Audience Insights: Identify high-converting audience segments and tailor messaging accordingly.
- Audience + Asset Insights: Discover which creative assets resonate best with specific audience segments.
- Search Topic Insights: Refine headlines and descriptions based on where your ads appear.
Optimising Images, Text & Styles
Images
- Clean Backgrounds: White or single-coloured backgrounds elevate products and text.
- People Power: Only include people if showcasing the product directly benefits the ad.
- Concise & Clear Communication: Use a single message and CTA while maintaining product focus.
- Brand Recognition: Include your logo subtly (without detracting from the product).
- Embrace Brand Identity: Infuse your visuals with distinctive brand elements.
Texts
General Best Practices:
- Spotlight New Products: Highlight ‘new’ products in headlines without mentioning specific years.
- Offer Enticement: Frame offers as opportunities using percentages, discounts, or instalments.
In-Feed Placements:
- Subtle CTAs: Encourage exploration with CTAs like “experience,” “try,” or “discover.”
- Avoid Hype: Shun superlatives, comparative claims, and time pressure tactics.
- Realistic Language: Steer clear of extreme or metaphorical wording.
Standard Placements:
- Superlative Powerhouse: Utilise terms like “best” or “latest.”
- Direct CTAs: Stand out with clear calls to action.
- Create Urgency: Use phrases like “limited time” or “hurry” strategically.
Style Synergy:
- Mix it Up: Create a diverse set of assets adhering to general image/text guidelines.
- Tailor for Placement: Adjust the nuances of your assets based on in-feed or standard placement best practices.
Videos
Vertical Videos:
- Match the Medium: Ads under 60 seconds, especially 15+ seconds, perform better in vertical formats like Shorts.
- Embrace the Vibe: Align your ad with the Shorts platform using dynamic visuals, unique editing, or popular audio.
- Hook 'Em Fast: Jump right into the action to capture attention.
- Emotional Connection: Elicit joy, drama, or laughter to resonate with viewers.
Optimal Viewable Areas for Graphics/Text:
- Utilise a mix of video orientations (horizontal, square, portrait) for maximum performance.
- Use Google Ads’ text-to-speech tool to enhance video assets across languages.
General Image Best Practices:
- Sharp focus on the subject
- Bright, bold visuals
- High-quality image definition
Your Performance Max campaigns require ongoing maintenance for long-term success.
How to keep your creatives in top shape?
Performance evaluation. Utilise the asset overview to gauge the performance of individual assets within an asset group. Look for ratings like ‘Best’, ‘Good’, ‘Low’, and ‘Pending’. Take action to replace or refresh underperforming assets.
By following these guidelines, you can craft Performance Max assets that consistently deliver optimal performance and help boost your ROI.
Need a fresh perspective? Let’s talk.
At 360 OM, we specialise in helping businesses take their marketing efforts to the next level. Our team stays on top of industry trends, uses data-informed decisions to maximise your ROI, and provides full transparency through comprehensive reports.
