The right campaign is selected by where the customer is in the journey. Search captures existing intent, Performance Max looks for conversions across Google channels, Demand Gen creates demand on visual surfaces, Video supports reach, views and action, and Shopping uses product data to sell catalog items.
Google Ads settings vary by objective, ad format, device and placement. Classify the format before changing the campaign.
Search campaigns directly answer keyword intent.
Performance Max uses conversion data to find opportunities across Google inventory.
Demand Gen can create interest with visual and video creative.
Shopping or feed-based Performance Max can use Merchant Center product data.
Do not force one size or campaign type onto every objective. Evaluate intent, creative and measurement together.
Smart bidding optimizes toward missing or incorrect signals.
Intent, cost and reporting become difficult to interpret.
PMax can access Search, YouTube, Display, Discover, Gmail and Maps inventory.
Demand Gen creates demand while Search captures existing intent, so success metrics should differ.
Validate the objective, assets, conversion action and serving status at every stage. Optimize only after enough data is available.
Prioritize calls, forms, sales, store visits, app installs or views.
Decide whether the customer is searching, exploring alternatives or ready to buy.
Validate conversion tags, first-party data, product feeds, images, logos and videos.
Use Search for intent capture, Demand Gen for demand creation, PMax for cross-channel scale, Shopping for product sales and Video for reach or action.
Do not merge brand, non-brand, remarketing and prospecting into one undifferentiated budget.
Review search terms, channel results, asset performance, conversion value and new customer metrics.
Adapt these values to your campaign, brand and conversion goal.
Primary: Search Support: Performance Max Goals: Calls + forms Location: Service area Negative keywords: Required
Primary: Shopping or PMax feed Support: Non-brand Search Discovery: Demand Gen Goal: Purchase value Feed quality: High
Primary: Demand Gen + Video Support: Brand Search Creative: 9:16 + 1:1 + 16:9 Goal: Qualified traffic and conversions Measurement: Include view contribution
Primary: Search Support: Demand Gen remarketing Goal: Qualified form Offline conversion: Recommended Keywords: Narrow and high intent
Google Ads interfaces, campaign names, features and enforcement can change. Check current account notices and official Google documentation before launch.
Search provides query and keyword control. Performance Max finds conversion opportunities across Google channels. They are often complementary rather than direct substitutes.
A campaign type that uses video and images across YouTube, Shorts, Discover, Gmail and other visual Google surfaces to create and convert demand.
Google announced a 2026 transition for eligible Display campaigns into Demand Gen. Check the options currently available in your account.
Start with the highest-intent measurable area. Narrow Search is often suitable for local services, while Shopping or feed-based PMax can be practical for e-commerce with a clean catalog.
Formats available in Search, Display, Performance Max, Shopping, Video and other campaign types.
Channels, objectives, bidding and the Display migration.
Core roles of Search, Performance Max and Demand Gen.
Use cases for Search, Performance Max and Demand Gen in lead generation.
Campaign type, creative, landing page and conversion measurement need to work together for useful performance.