Performance Max Campaign Checklist
Performance Max Campaign Checklist
Performance Max is a goal-based Google Ads campaign type that uses Google's automation to serve ads across eligible Google inventory and channels. Successful campaign management requires accurate conversion goals, suitable creative assets, relevant audience signals, quality product feeds where applicable, and ongoing performance reviews.
This Performance Max Campaign Checklist helps digital marketers, PPC specialists, agencies, and business owners prepare, launch, and review Performance Max campaigns systematically.
Use this checklist when creating a new Performance Max campaign, auditing an existing campaign, troubleshooting delivery issues, or reviewing campaign performance.
1. Define Campaign Goals and Objectives
Establish the intended business outcome before configuring the campaign.
Confirm whether the campaign is intended to generate leads, online sales, store-related outcomes, or another supported goal.
Define the primary business objective.
Identify the main products or services to promote.
Establish measurable performance targets.
Define the primary conversion actions.
Confirm whether conversion value should be measured.
Establish the campaign budget and expected timeframe.
Document stakeholder expectations and reporting requirements.
Verification: Ensure the campaign objective, conversion goals, and optimization targets support the same business outcome.
2. Verify Google Ads Account Readiness
Check that the account is ready to support the campaign.
Confirm access to the correct Google Ads account.
Review billing and payment status.
Check account notifications and policy restrictions.
Verify conversion tracking configuration.
Confirm that relevant Google Ads account settings are correct.
Review linked accounts and integrations where applicable.
Check whether Merchant Center is required for the intended retail campaign.
Confirm that the necessary permissions are available to the campaign manager.
Verification: Resolve account-level restrictions and measurement issues before investing in campaign setup.
3. Configure Campaign Settings
Review the main settings carefully before publishing.
Enter a clear campaign name.
Select the appropriate campaign goal.
Confirm that Performance Max is the intended campaign type.
Set the campaign budget.
Configure the bidding strategy.
Review target CPA or target ROAS settings if applicable.
Set the campaign start and end dates where required.
Configure location targeting.
Review language settings.
Check campaign URL options and tracking parameters.
Confirm any applicable brand or campaign-level restrictions.
Review final URL expansion settings and available URL exclusions where appropriate.
Verification: Compare the configuration with the approved campaign brief and confirm that no unintended settings remain.
4. Review Conversion Goals and Tracking
Performance Max relies on conversion goals and related signals to optimize delivery.
Review the conversion actions associated with the campaign.
Confirm that primary conversions reflect meaningful business outcomes.
Remove or correct irrelevant goals where appropriate.
Test form submissions, purchases, qualified leads, or other intended actions.
Check conversion values and currency settings where applicable.
Verify that duplicate conversions are not being counted unintentionally.
Review attribution settings.
Confirm that tracking tags or imported events are working.
Check consent requirements and relevant privacy settings.
Verify that conversion data is available to the bidding strategy.
Document any known tracking limitations.
Verification: Complete test actions and confirm that the expected conversions are recorded correctly before launch.
5. Set the Budget and Bidding Strategy
Budget and bidding settings should reflect campaign goals and available performance data.
Confirm the approved daily budget.
Select a suitable bidding strategy.
Evaluate Maximize Conversions when the objective is conversion volume.
Evaluate target CPA when a suitable acquisition-cost target has been established.
Evaluate Maximize Conversion Value when conversion values are meaningful and correctly configured.
Consider target ROAS when value-based measurement supports it.
Check whether the target is realistic for the available conversion history.
Review the budget against expected demand and business priorities.
Confirm that sufficient budget is available for the intended campaign scope.
Document the rationale for the selected bid strategy and targets.
Verification: Avoid setting restrictive targets based solely on desired outcomes without considering historical performance, conversion volume, and market conditions.
6. Prepare Creative Assets
Creative assets help Performance Max generate combinations suited to eligible placements and formats.
Prepare relevant headlines.
Write clear and useful descriptions.
Provide suitable landscape images.
Prepare square and portrait images where required or useful.
Add a logo in the required formats.
Prepare video assets where available and appropriate.
Check image quality, dimensions, and readability.
Ensure the messaging reflects the product or service.
Include clear calls to action where appropriate.
Review spelling, grammar, and factual accuracy.
Confirm that assets comply with Google Ads policies.
Obtain required client or stakeholder approvals.
Verification: Review all assets before uploading and confirm that they represent the business accurately across different formats.
7. Organize Asset Groups
Asset groups organize creative assets around a theme, product category, service, or audience need.
Define the purpose of each asset group.
Create logically grouped assets for distinct products or services where useful.
Add relevant headlines and descriptions to each group.
Match images and videos to the group's theme.
Check that landing pages correspond to the advertised offer.
Avoid mixing unrelated products or services unnecessarily.
Review asset coverage and any available quality indicators.
Confirm that the final URL is appropriate for the asset group.
Review URL expansion behavior if enabled.
Document the purpose of each asset group.
Verification: Ensure each asset group communicates a coherent offer and directs users to an appropriate destination.
8. Review Audience Signals
Audience signals can help guide automation toward potentially relevant users, but they are not necessarily strict targeting restrictions.
Identify relevant audience segments.
Review first-party audience data where available and appropriate.
Consider customer lists when eligibility and consent requirements are met.
Evaluate relevant website visitor audiences.
Add useful custom segments where supported.
Review relevant interests or purchase-intent signals where available.
Consider search themes where supported and appropriate.
Confirm that the signals align with the campaign objective.
Avoid adding irrelevant audience segments merely to increase the list size.
Review audience data quality and freshness where applicable.
Verification: Confirm that the signals provide useful information about potential customers. Do not assume that audience signals limit delivery exclusively to those audiences.
9. Review Search Themes and Customer Intent
Search themes can help provide additional context about relevant searches for Performance Max.
Identify important products, services, and customer needs.
List relevant search themes.
Include terms that reflect the language customers use.
Avoid unrelated or overly broad themes.
Review overlap with existing Search campaigns.
Confirm that landing pages support the selected themes.
Check whether search themes reflect different product or service categories.
Document why each major theme is relevant.
Verification: Use search themes to provide helpful context rather than treating them as a guarantee of specific search queries or exclusive targeting.
10. Check Merchant Center and Product Feed Settings
This section applies when Performance Max is used for eligible retail advertising with product data.
Confirm that the correct Merchant Center account is linked.
Check product feed processing status.
Review product approval and disapproval status.
Confirm that product titles and descriptions are accurate.
Check product images and landing page URLs.
Verify price and availability information.
Review product identifiers and required attributes.
Confirm that shipping and tax settings are configured where applicable.
Check that products intended for advertising are eligible.
Review listing groups and product selection settings.
Investigate feed errors and warnings.
Verify that advertised products match their landing pages.
Verification: Resolve material feed errors and confirm that the intended products are eligible and accurately represented.
11. Configure Brand and URL Controls
Review the controls that help ensure users reach appropriate destinations.
Confirm the business domain and intended landing pages.
Review final URL expansion settings.
Check URL exclusions where available and needed.
Identify pages that should not receive advertising traffic.
Review brand exclusions or related controls where relevant and supported.
Confirm that campaign messaging is consistent with the destination.
Check tracking parameters and redirects.
Verify that landing pages work on mobile and desktop.
Test important conversion paths.
Confirm that the selected settings match the campaign's intended reach.
Verification: Test the destination experience and ensure that automation does not send visitors to irrelevant or unsuitable pages.
12. Review Policy Compliance
Performance Max assets and destinations must comply with applicable Google Ads policies.
Review the policies relevant to the product or service.
Check account verification requirements where applicable.
Verify that ad claims are accurate and supportable.
Review text, images, logos, and video assets.
Confirm that required disclosures are included.
Check landing page accessibility and functionality.
Review restricted-content requirements for the target market.
Verify appropriate permissions for creative materials.
Check asset approval and disapproval status.
Resolve policy issues before expecting normal delivery.
Verification: Confirm that unresolved policy restrictions are documented and addressed.
13. Complete Pre-Launch Quality Assurance
Run a final review before activating the campaign.
Verify campaign name and objective.
Check budget and bidding settings.
Confirm conversion goals and tracking.
Review location and language settings.
Check asset group organization.
Verify headlines, descriptions, images, logos, and videos.
Confirm audience signals and search themes.
Check Merchant Center and product eligibility if applicable.
Review final URLs and URL expansion settings.
Check policy status and asset approvals.
Verify the campaign start date.
Obtain approval from the relevant stakeholder.
Verification: Use the approved campaign brief as the source of truth and correct critical discrepancies before launch.
14. Monitor Performance After Launch
Performance Max uses automation, so monitoring should focus on outcomes, data quality, and available diagnostic information.
Confirm that the campaign is eligible to serve.
Monitor impressions, clicks, spend, and conversions.
Review conversion value and ROAS where applicable.
Check whether the campaign is spending within expected budget parameters.
Review asset performance indicators where available.
Monitor asset disapprovals and policy notifications.
Check product eligibility and feed health where relevant.
Review available search term insights and other campaign insights.
Investigate unexpected changes in delivery or conversion performance.
Verify that conversion tracking continues to work.
Document meaningful changes and optimization decisions.
Schedule the next performance review.
Verification: Allow for normal reporting delays and the time needed for automated bidding to respond. Avoid frequent major changes without a clear reason.
Common Performance Max Setup Mistakes to Avoid
Incorrect conversion goals: Verify that the campaign optimizes toward meaningful outcomes.
Poor asset quality: Provide relevant, clear, and suitable creative assets.
Unstructured asset groups: Organize assets around coherent products, services, or themes.
Unrealistic bidding targets: Base targets on business economics and available performance data.
Ignoring product feed errors: Resolve material Merchant Center issues for retail campaigns.
Misunderstanding audience signals: Remember that signals guide automation and are not necessarily strict targeting restrictions.
Overlooking URL expansion: Review the destinations automation may select.
Launching without tracking tests: Validate conversion measurement before activation.
Making changes without evidence: Use available reporting and diagnostic data to guide decisions.
Final Performance Max Campaign Sign-Off
Before launching or completing a major review, confirm:
Objectives and conversion goals are documented.
Account and billing readiness are verified.
Campaign settings, budget, and bidding are correct.
Conversion tracking has been tested.
Creative assets and asset groups are complete.
Audience signals and search themes are relevant.
Product feed settings are checked where applicable.
Landing pages and URL controls are reviewed.
Policy compliance and asset approval status are checked.
Pre-launch QA is complete.
Post-launch monitoring is scheduled.
Conclusion
A well-prepared Performance Max campaign combines clear objectives, reliable conversion tracking, relevant assets, appropriate campaign settings, and ongoing review. Use this checklist to prepare campaigns systematically and make informed improvements as performance data becomes available.
Learn. Prepare. Grow. — GoBizly
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