Google Performance Max updates: More transparency & control for advertisers 

Google Performance Max updates: More transparency & control for advertisers 

Performance Max is evolving – and this time, it’s good news for advertisers 

Google is upgrading Performance Max campaigns with features that address critical challenges and solve longstanding advertiser pain points. The new features offer additional levels of control and visibility, and retain the AI-driven optimisation benefits that make this campaign type powerful.  

Here, we walk you through what you need to know about the campaign. 

Enhanced search terms  

The most notable update is the addition of search terms visibility within Performance Max campaigns. Advertisers can now see which search queries are triggering their ads through the standard Search Terms report – a feature previously unavailable that had contributed to advertiser frustrations around Performance Max’s lack of transparency. The increased visibility allows for better campaign management and more informed optimisation decisions.  

Complementing this visibility improvement, Google has dramatically increased the negative keyword limit for Performance Max campaigns from 100 to 10,000 per campaign, matching the capacity of standard Search campaigns.  

With expanded negative keyword options, advertisers will have improved tools to refine their targeting and eliminate ineffective search queries, as well as more control over ad placements.   

Additionally, advertisers can now add negative keywords directly from the Search Terms report, streamlining the optimisation process.   

But why does this matter? 

For iGaming advertisers, these updates offer critical targeting refinements in a highly regulated landscape.  

The ability to precisely identify gambling-related search terms allows for more strategic ad placements, ensuring strict compliance with regional advertising regulations, and opening up more opportunity for reaching a broader audience.  

The expanded negative keyword capacity enables iGaming marketers to meticulously exclude terms that might trigger ads in restricted jurisdictions or potentially reach underage audiences – a crucial consideration in maintaining responsible advertising practices within the iGaming sector.  

These updates show that Google recognises the need for greater transparency and control to drive wider Performance Max adoption.  

Smarter targeting, better compliance 

These updates show that Google is listening. The added transparency and control address longstanding frustrations and make Performance Max more accessible, effective, and advertiser-friendly. 

For iGaming marketers and beyond, the benefits are clear: 

• More precise targeting 

• Improved compliance management 

• Greater control over spend 

• Easier, faster optimisation 

At Receptional, we’re ahead of the curve with the latest Google campaign formats and updates. Our team of specialist marketers and iGaming industry journalists dig deep into the data, reporting ahead of time to help you stand out in a competitive space. 

We’ve developed a suite of proprietary PPC tools that deliver better results, faster – and it’s one of the reasons Google ranks us among the UK’s top 30 agencies. 

If you’re looking to unlock the full potential of Performance Max, get in touch – we’d love to show you what’s possible. 

___________________________________

Be sure to read our other blogs here. Alternatively, fill out the form below to sign up for our newsletter to get our trends and updates delivered straight to your inbox every month.