I get it—PMax for lead generation has been a struggle for a lot of marketers. It feels like we’ve lost control, and the automation doesn’t always work in our favor. But here’s the thing: PMax isn’t going anywhere, so instead of resisting, let’s figure out how to make it work for us, not against us.
If you’ve been burned by PMax, I hear you. But with the right structure, audience signals, and a firm grip on Google’s automation, you can actually make it work and generate high-quality leads. Let’s get into it.
New PMax Updates You Need to Know
Google has finally rolled out some much-needed updates that help give us a little more control. Here’s what you need to be aware of:
- Account-Level Negatives: You can add negative keywords at the account level to keep out irrelevant searches. This forces PMax to listen.
- Exclude Your Own Brand: If you’re running separate branded campaigns, you’ll want to add your brand as a negative so PMax doesn’t poach those conversions.
- Auto-Apply and Auto-Generated Stuff? Nope. Turn off anything that lets Google make decisions for you—especially auto-generated assets and auto-applied recommendations.
- Location Targeting is Annoying: You have to launch a PMax campaign first before you can edit the location settings (why, Google?). Don’t forget to go back and fix it.
How to Structure PMax for Lead Gen (Instead of Letting It Run Wild)
How you set up your PMax campaigns makes all the difference. Here’s how to keep things structured and prevent chaos:
1. Stop Throwing Everything Into One Campaign
- Break campaigns down strategically based on service type, audience, or funnel stage.
- Use separate asset groups to test different messaging and creative.
- The more granular, the better—this is how you actually get insights from PMax.
2. Give Google Strong Audience Signals (Or It’ll Go Rogue)
Google’s automation is only as good as the signals you provide.
- Upload your own data—customer lists, past converters, high-value site visitors.
- Build custom intent audiences based on high-intent keywords.
- Exclude bad audiences to keep Google from wasting your budget.
3. Take Control of Your Ad Copy & Assets
- Write your own headlines and descriptions—don’t let Google auto-generate them.
- Test different messaging for different audience segments.
- Use strong CTAs that make it crystal clear what you want users to do.
4. Post-Launch Fixes You Can’t Skip
PMax needs babysitting. Once your campaign is live, here’s what to check:
- Review search term insights and add negatives ASAP.
- Fix your location targeting (because Google makes you do it after launch).
- Turn off auto-apply recommendations—do your own optimizations.
- Check lead quality—more conversions don’t always mean good conversions.
Final Thoughts: Work Smarter, Not Harder
PMax isn’t going to magically replace well-structured search campaigns, but it can be a valuable tool—if you set it up right. The key is giving it structure, feeding it the right signals, and staying on top of optimizations.
In the next post, we’ll cover conversion tracking, bidding strategies, and how to fix PMax when it’s tanking. Stay tuned!
