4 Steps to Optimize Performance Max for Lead Generation

Performance Max (PMax) is a goal-based campaign type that allows you to access your entire Google Ads inventory from a single campaign. It utilizes machine learning models to drive more conversions by optimizing bids and placements in real time.

As dynamic as it is, generating leads with PMax can be a challenge.

Unless, of course, you know what optimizations to make. (Spoiler Alert: We do!)

Here are four key steps to optimizing your Performance Max campaigns for lead generation.

1. Ditch Static Landing Pages

It is time to lay your static landing pages to rest. Paid media strategists have been eulogizing static landing pages for a while now and PMax is the final nail in the coffin. If you’re trying to leverage PMax for lead generation with static landing pages, your campaigns are doomed to fail.

To allow the PMax algorithm to breathe, opt into Google’s automatic text assets and final URL expansion. By doing so, you’re allowing the algorithm to dive deeper into the user’s search behavior and develop custom creatives that fit the search intent.

Once you’ve enabled Final URL expansion, just remember to monitor landing page traffic and add exclusions as needed. For instance, our paid media strategists will usually create rules excluding blog and undesirable service URLs.

2. Check the SEO Foundation of Your Website

PMax is a campaign that relies on custom audience signals. But there is another important ingredient: Crawls of your website. Google will crawl your website structure for PMax, similar to how it will crawl your site for organic search rankings. The PMax algorithm uses the information collected from crawling your website to help identify keyword themes for targeting, copy for ad creative, pull dynamic images, and more.

Layering your website with strong SEO content, an intuitive website taxonomy, and structured data will all help guide the robots in understanding what your website sells, the type of user you are trying to attract, and the keywords for which to bid.

3. No Campaign is Complete Without a CAPTCHA

Your PMax campaign is only as good as the data you feed it. Whatever data you feed it, it is going to take that data and run with it. And when it finds a signal to drive leads, it digs in. As your lead generation grows, a form CAPTCHA can be critical to weeding out lower quality leads.

Having a CAPTCHA in place on your lead form can help ensure that only true leads are pushing through as conversions, weeding out spam leads. This simple step makes your campaigns smarter and saves you the headache of sifting through a pile of poor leads to find a good one. 

4. Import Offline Conversion Data

Last but definitely not least: If you want your PMax campaigns to be successful, you need to feed them as much data as you can. Data is what PMax needs to learn and grow. And if you want it to drive qualified leads, you have to push qualified leads back into the platform.

If you can, push various lead stages into the platform (Sales Qualified Lead (SQL), Quote Given, Closed/Won, etc). Assign a value to each stage of those leads based on what that lead stage is worth to your business in terms of revenue. Once you have values imported into PMax, you can utilize a Target Return on Ad Spend (tROAS) bid strategy that will teach the algorithm to go after the higher-value Closed/Won sales.  

Think of Your PMax Campaign Like a Race Car

Who do you want behind the wheel?

If the answer is a paid media strategist with experience in building successful lead generation campaigns for PMax, let’s chat.