Since its introduction in 2021, Performance Max has gained traction for its ability to streamline performance marketing, especially for businesses looking to scale efficiently.
However, as the PPC platform’s AI capabilities evolved, so did the demand for more transparency, control, and customization.
In 2024, Google responded with significant updates to improve brand safety, creative asset management, and audience targeting – giving advertisers greater insight into how their campaigns perform.
With upcoming enhancements in 2025, including the introduction of brand guidelines, negative keywords, and deeper integration with Google Analytics 4, PMax is expected to be adopted by even more advertisers.
These developments aim to give advertisers greater control and improve campaign performance.
This article discusses strategies for making the most of all the new capabilities.
Looking ahead: Performance Max in 2025
Google is set to roll out several key updates for Performance Max in 2025.
Here’s a breakdown of what’s changing, how it differs from current practices, and how advertisers can best leverage these new features.
Brand guidelines
What was announced
Starting this month, all new PMax campaigns will require business name and logo assets. This update aims to improve brand consistency across Google’s various ad placements.
How is it different from before?
Previously, advertisers could launch PMax campaigns without branding assets, sometimes leading to generic, less recognizable ads.
The new requirement ensures that campaigns reflect a cohesive brand identity across search, display, video, and other Google properties.
How can an advertiser best use this?
Advertisers should prepare by uploading high-quality logo assets and consistent business names in their Google Ads accounts.
Consider refreshing brand creatives to align with the campaign messaging for maximum impact.
Additionally, this update opens up opportunities for brand storytelling, especially in video and display formats.
Negative keywords
What was announced
Google will add negative keywords directly to PMax campaigns, giving advertisers more control over where their ads appear.
How is it different from before?
Until now, advertisers had limited options to control where PMax ads were shown, often resulting in irrelevant placements.
Negative keyword lists were only available at the account level, which limited campaign-level precision.
How can an advertiser best use this?
Use negative keywords to exclude low-performing queries or irrelevant audiences.
For example, a luxury brand can exclude terms like “cheap” or “free” to avoid wasting budget on unqualified clicks.
Regularly review search query reports and refine negative keyword lists to improve campaign performance over time.
Demand Gen campaigns
What was announced
In mid-2025, Video Action campaigns will transition to Demand Gen campaigns, a new campaign type designed to simplify management and enhance cross-channel optimizations.
Demand Gen will allow advertisers to serve personalized, visually engaging ads across YouTube, Discovery, and Gmail, with a stronger focus on driving conversions through immersive, audience-driven experiences.
How is it different from before?
Previously, Video Action campaigns were focused solely on YouTube and prioritized direct-response conversions.
Demand Gen campaigns take this further by integrating Discovery and Gmail placements, making it easier for advertisers to create unified campaigns that reach users across multiple Google properties.
This shift emphasizes nurturing users throughout the funnel, from awareness to action.
Unlike Performance Max, which automatically distributes ads across all available Google inventory, Demand Gen campaigns give advertisers more control over creative and audience targeting for these specific placements.
In a way, Demand Gen fills the gap between traditional display and automated campaign types like PMax, offering a middle ground for advertisers who want more control over creative and targeting within Google’s ecosystem.
How should advertisers think about using Demand Gen alongside PMax?
Advertisers should view Demand Gen and PMax as complementary campaign types that serve different roles in a cross-channel strategy:
Performance Max is ideal for broad, automated reach across all Google channels, including Search, Display, YouTube, and Shopping. It works best for advertisers focused on maximizing conversions through automation, where Google’s AI determines the optimal placements and audiences.
Demand Gen campaigns provide more creative control for visually rich formats, especially for upper-funnel and mid-funnel audiences. These campaigns are better suited for building brand awareness and engagement through immersive storytelling on channels like YouTube, Discovery, and Gmail.
To maximize the impact of both campaign types, advertisers should use PMax for scalable conversion-focused efforts and Demand Gen for more targeted audience engagement in visually driven channels. For instance:
PMax can drive conversions across multiple channels, leveraging Google’s AI to target users who are ready to act.
Demand Gen can focus on high-impact, creative storytelling, especially for new product launches, brand campaigns, or retargeting efforts on YouTube and Discovery.
What’s the strategy for using both together?
Use PMax to capture demand: Focus on conversions across Search, Shopping, and other intent-driven placements.
Use Demand Gen to create demand: Leverage visually engaging formats to build brand affinity and nurture users through the funnel.
Practical example
Imagine a fitness brand launching a new line of workout equipment.
They could use Demand Gen campaigns to create visually engaging video ads on YouTube and Discovery, telling the brand story and showcasing product features.
Meanwhile, PMax campaigns can run in parallel, capturing search intent and transactional traffic to drive sales.
Google Analytics 4 (GA4) integration
What was announced
PMax will be fully integrated with Google Analytics 4, offering advertisers full-funnel measurement capabilities.
How is it different from before?
Previously, PMax reporting was limited to Google Ads metrics, making it difficult to track user behavior across the entire customer journey.