Allison has over 20 years of advertising agency and media relations experience. Being on the agency and client side she offers a unique perspective to client needs and what it takes to achieve them. As a seasoned marketing professional she has managed strategic planning and multi-media marketing for many healthcare clients, banks, schools, non-profits and universities, as well as the Kentucky Derby Festival. She prides herself on creating and maintaining great relationships. Her experience is a great match for leading and training teams and helping businesses grow
Performance Max is Google’s AI-powered, event-based campaign type that runs across all of Google’s inventory from one single campaign and one unified budget.
That includes:
Instead of paying only for clicks, PMAX focuses on events — meaningful actions people take, like:
In short: it’s built to drive outcomes, not just traffic.
Key Takeaways
The Simple Way to Understand PMAX:
Imagine you have a box of toys you want people to play with.
Performance Max is like giving Google a super-smart robot helper and saying:
“Here’s my toy box. Go find the people who will actually want to play.”
The robot:
And the best part?
It keeps learning and improving over time.
How PMAX Is Different From Traditional PPC:
Traditional PPC is keyword-driven.
You tell Google:
“When someone searches this phrase, show my ad.”
Performance Max is signal-driven.
You tell Google:
“When someone behaves like a person who usually converts, show my ad.”
Here’s the key difference:
PPC asks:
“What did the user type?”
PMAX asks:
“Who is this user, what are they doing, and how likely are they to take action?”
That’s a big shift — and a powerful one!
Why Performance Max Can Be So Effective
Performance Max shines because it:
Instead of guessing which channel will perform best, PMAX lets the data decide.
So… Is PPC Still Important?
Absolutely. 💯
PPC is not dead, and it’s still the right choice in many situations.
PPC is great for:
PPC offers visibility, control, and clarity — and for some advertisers, that’s exactly what they need.
When PMAX Makes More Sense Than PPC
Performance Max tends to be a better fit when:
PMAX is ideal for advertisers ready to move beyond “just search” and tap into the full Google ecosystem.
The Bottom Line
Performance Max and PPC aren’t competitors — they’re teammates.
PPC is like steering a car manually.
Performance Max is like turning on smart cruise control.
Both have their place.
The key is knowing which one fits the goal.
And when used correctly — sometimes even together — they can create a powerful, full-funnel digital strategy that meets customers wherever they are in their buying journey.
