Google has kicked off 2025 with some updates to Performance Max campaigns, and as someone who loves diving into the details of PPC (yes, even the nerdy ones), I couldn’t wait to break these down for you. These updates are all about giving advertisers more control, better insights, and tools to connect with the right people at the right time. Here’s a look at what’s new and how you can make the most of it!
More Control Over Your Campaigns
Campaign-Level Negative Keywords
Google’s finally rolling this out to all advertisers. You’ll be able to exclude specific search terms and keep your ads laser-focused on the right audience. This means less waste and more efficiency. However, you can only add 100 negatives - So you may not want to ditch your account-level negative lists just yet! 🙌
High-Value Customer Acquisition You can now optimise for new, high-value customers. Google’s AI will identify users likely to stick around (and spend more!), so you can focus your budget where it really counts. If you’re already using Customer Match data, this one’s a no-brainer.
Brand Exclusions for Retail Campaigns Retailers, this one’s for you and I'm very excited to start testing out! If you’ve struggled to manage branded search terms in campaigns that include product feeds, Google’s added more flexibility. You can now exclude branded terms from your text ads but still keep that traffic for your Shopping ads.
“URL Contains” Rules This update is a game-changer if you want to zero in on specific product categories or campaigns. For example, if you’re a sportswear retailer, you can focus on URLs containing “shoes” to make sure your ads only show up for that category. Clever, right?
Demographic and Device Targeting Google is testing new ways to exclude demographics or focus on specific devices. If you’ve been wanting more precision in who sees your ads, this beta could be your new best friend.
Insights That Actually Make Sense
Understanding what’s working (and what’s not) is the key to running great campaigns. Google’s added a couple of nifty tools here:
Search Themes Usefulness Indicator Ever wonder which search themes are driving results? This new feature gives you a clear picture of what’s working so you can tweak your strategy accordingly.
Search Terms Source Insights This one’s all about clarity! Now you’ll know exactly where a search term originated, whether it’s from a specific audience or a keyword. It’s like having a map to navigate your campaign performance.
Better Asset Group Reporting
Data nerds, rejoice! (You know I’m one of you. 😊) You can now segment and download performance data for your asset groups, giving you more ways to analyse and optimise. This makes it so much easier to see which assets are pulling their weight and where you might need to switch things up.
What Does This All Mean for You?
At its core, these updates are about giving you more control and insight without losing the magic of Google’s AI.
Whether you’re a seasoned pro or still finding your feet with Performance Max, these tools can help you make smarter decisions and get better results.
If you’re already running PMax campaigns, these updates are definitely worth exploring. And if you’re not, 2025 might just be the year to give them a shot!
Need help making sense of it all or figuring out how to apply these updates to your campaigns? You know where to find me. 😉
4M Digital is a paid media consultancy specialising in Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, and Paid Social campaigns. With over 13 years of expertise, we help businesses unlock the full potential of their digital advertising strategies through tailored management, audits, and training.
Comments