{"id":651308,"date":"2025-01-29T00:35:14","date_gmt":"2025-01-28T21:35:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/google-reverses-stance-on-performance-max-campaign-controls\/"},"modified":"2025-01-29T00:35:14","modified_gmt":"2025-01-28T21:35:14","slug":"google-reverses-stance-on-performance-max-campaign-controls","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/google-reverses-stance-on-performance-max-campaign-controls\/","title":{"rendered":"#Google reverses stance on Performance Max campaign controls"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_84 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a26bb4135931\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a26bb4135931\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/google-reverses-stance-on-performance-max-campaign-controls\/#PMax_campaigns_can_now_be_controlled_through_API_placement_exclusions_contradicting_months_of_Googles_documentation_that_claimed_otherwise\" >PMax campaigns can now be controlled through API placement exclusions, contradicting months of Google&#8217;s documentation that claimed otherwise.<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"subhead\" itemprop=\"alternativeHeadline\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"PMax_campaigns_can_now_be_controlled_through_API_placement_exclusions_contradicting_months_of_Googles_documentation_that_claimed_otherwise\"><\/span>PMax campaigns can now be controlled through API placement exclusions, contradicting months of Google&#8217;s documentation that claimed otherwise.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><\/p>\n<div class=\"bialty-container\">\n<p>Google acknowledged that Performance Max (PMax) campaigns can be controlled through API placement exclusions \u2014 contradicting months of its own documentation and support guidance, according to new research from ad tech firm Optmyzr.<\/p>\n<p>This revelation gives advertisers more programmatic control over their PMax campaigns than previously thought possible, potentially saving significant time and resources in campaign management.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The big picture<\/strong>. Performance Max campaigns, Google\u2019s AI-driven ad format, have been a source of frustration for advertisers seeking more granular control over where their ads <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>ear.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Lead up.<\/strong> Earlier this year we saw that despite Navah Hopkins, Brand Evangelist of Optmyzr, reporting that Google said that API based placements exclusions don\u2019t work for PMax campaigns, multiple advertisers were reporting the opposite. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1001\" height=\"366\" alt=\"Google Ads Api Support Response\" class=\"wp-image-451272\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2025\/01\/google-ads-api-support-response.png.webp 1001w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2025\/01\/google-ads-api-support-response-600x219.png.webp 600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2025\/01\/google-ads-api-support-response-800x293.png.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2025\/01\/google-ads-api-support-response-200x73.png.webp 200w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2025\/01\/google-ads-api-support-response-768x281.png.webp 768w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 1001px) 100vw, 1001px\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2025\/01\/google-ads-api-support-response.png.webp\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1001\" height=\"366\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2025\/01\/google-ads-api-support-response.png.webp\" alt=\"Google Ads Api Support Response\" class=\"wp-image-451272\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2025\/01\/google-ads-api-support-response.png.webp 1001w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2025\/01\/google-ads-api-support-response-600x219.png.webp 600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2025\/01\/google-ads-api-support-response-800x293.png.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2025\/01\/google-ads-api-support-response-200x73.png.webp 200w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2025\/01\/google-ads-api-support-response-768x281.png.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1001px) 100vw, 1001px\"><\/figure>\n<p><strong>By the numbers.<\/strong> Optmyzr ran an experiment, running from Dec. 30 to Jan. 21. It showed:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Zero ad spend on excluded placements after implementing API controls.<\/li>\n<li>Complete effectiveness of API-based exclusions, despite Google\u2019s previous claims.<\/li>\n<li>Faster implementation compared to manual UI controls.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Behind the scenes<\/strong>. Google\u2019s documentation and AI help center had explicitly stated that placement exclusions would only work through their user interface, not via API.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Multiple support channels reinforced this incorrect guidance.<\/li>\n<li>This misinformation was shared for months.<\/li>\n<li>Google has since updated its stance after <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.optmyzr.com\/blog\/proving-pmax-api-exclusions-work\/\">Optmyzr\u2019s findings<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>What they\u2019re saying.<\/strong> Following the experiment, Google admitted that placement exclusions work through both the API and UI as we see in this response from Ginny Marvin, Google Ads Liaison:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1418\" height=\"650\" alt=\"Screenshot 2025 01 28 At 17.35.28\" class=\"wp-image-451273\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2025\/01\/Screenshot-2025-01-28-at-17.35.28.png.webp 1418w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2025\/01\/Screenshot-2025-01-28-at-17.35.28-600x275.png.webp 600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2025\/01\/Screenshot-2025-01-28-at-17.35.28-800x367.png.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2025\/01\/Screenshot-2025-01-28-at-17.35.28-200x92.png.webp 200w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2025\/01\/Screenshot-2025-01-28-at-17.35.28-768x352.png.webp 768w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 1418px) 100vw, 1418px\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2025\/01\/Screenshot-2025-01-28-at-17.35.28.png.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1418\" height=\"650\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2025\/01\/Screenshot-2025-01-28-at-17.35.28.png.webp\" alt=\"Screenshot 2025 01 28 At 17.35.28\" class=\"wp-image-451273\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2025\/01\/Screenshot-2025-01-28-at-17.35.28.png.webp 1418w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2025\/01\/Screenshot-2025-01-28-at-17.35.28-600x275.png.webp 600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2025\/01\/Screenshot-2025-01-28-at-17.35.28-800x367.png.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2025\/01\/Screenshot-2025-01-28-at-17.35.28-200x92.png.webp 200w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2025\/01\/Screenshot-2025-01-28-at-17.35.28-768x352.png.webp 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1418px) 100vw, 1418px\"><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Why we care.<\/strong> Performance Max campaigns represent a significant portion of many advertisers\u2019 Google Ads spend, but the lack of control over where ads appear has been a major pain point. This situation also highlights a broader point: you shouldn\u2019t take platform limitations as gospel, even when they come directly from Google. Testing and verification could reveal hidden capabilities that provide competitive advantages.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Bottom line.<\/strong> This discovery highlights a broader issue in ad tech: platform documentation doesn\u2019t always reflect actual capabilities, requiring advertisers to actively test and verify functionality.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What\u2019s next.<\/strong> As advertisers, you should:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Review your PMax campaign controls.<\/li>\n<li>Consider implementing API-based exclusions for more efficient management.<\/li>\n<li>Maintain active oversight despite automated controls.<\/li>\n<li>Confidently question capabilities they may have strong reason to believe isn\u2019t true.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Between the lines.<\/strong> The finding suggests other undocumented capabilities might exist across Google\u2019s ad platforms, encouraging advertisers to question and test official limitations.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div class=\"about-author\">\n<p>About the author<\/p>\n<div class=\"information\">\n<div class=\"author-module\">\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col-12 col-lg-3 text-center\">\n<div class=\"avatar\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid rounded-circle avatar-border\" alt=\"Anu Adegbola\" width=\"140\" height=\"140\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/anu-adegbola-2\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid rounded-circle avatar-border\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/anu-adegbola-2\" alt=\"Anu Adegbola\" width=\"140\" height=\"140\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"col-12 col-lg-9\">\n<div class=\"about\">\n<div class=\"name\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<strong>Anu Adegbola<\/strong>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"row g-2 pt-2\">\n<div class=\"col-auto twitter\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/follow?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fsearchengineland.com%2F&amp;region=follow_link&amp;screen_name=TheMarketingAnu&amp;tw_p=followbutton&amp;variant=2.0\" rel=\"me\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"opens in a new tab\"><i class=\"fab fa-x-twitter\"><\/i><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-auto\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/themarketinganu\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"opens in a new tab\"><i class=\"fab fa-linkedin\"><\/i><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<span style=\"color: #212529; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', 'Noto Sans', 'Liberation Sans', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; font-size: 16px;\">Anu Adegbola has been Paid <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Media<\/a> Editor of Search Engine Land<\/span><span style=\"color: #212529; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', 'Noto Sans', 'Liberation Sans', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; font-size: 16px;\"> since 2024. She covers<\/span><span style=\"color: #212529; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', 'Noto Sans', 'Liberation Sans', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; font-size: 16px;\"> paid search, paid social, retail media, video and more.<\/p>\n<p>In 2008, Anu&#8217;s career started with<\/span><span style=\"color: #212529; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Noto Sans, Liberation Sans, Arial, sans-serif, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">\u00a0delivering digital marketing campaigns (mostly but not exclusively Paid Search) by building strategies, maximising ROI, automating repetitive processes and bringing efficiency from every part of marketing departments through inspiring leadership both on agency, client and marketing tech side.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div><span style=\"color: #212529; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Noto Sans, Liberation Sans, Arial, sans-serif, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"color: #212529; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Noto Sans, Liberation Sans, Arial, sans-serif, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">Outside editing Search Engine Land article she is the founder of PPC networking event &#8211; PPC Live and host of <\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #212529; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Noto Sans, Liberation Sans, Arial, sans-serif, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">weekly podcast PPCChat Roundup.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"color: #212529; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Noto Sans, Liberation Sans, Arial, sans-serif, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"color: #212529; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Noto Sans, Liberation Sans, Arial, sans-serif, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">She is also an international speaker with some of the stages she has presented on being SMX (US), SMX (Munich), Friends of Search (Amsterdam), brightonSEO, The Marketing Meetup, HeroConf (PPC Hero), SearchLove, BiddableWorld, SESLondon, PPC Chat Live, AdWorld Experience (Bologna) and more.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMN63nwsw68G3Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/category\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" >Technology<\/a><\/span> category.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/google-reverses-stance-performance-max-campaign-controls-451271\" target=\"_blank\" >Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>PMax campaigns can now be controlled through API placement exclusions, contradicting months of Google&#8217;s documentation that claimed otherwise. Google acknowledged that Performance Max (PMax) campaigns can be controlled through API placement exclusions \u2014 contradicting months of its own documentation and support guidance, according to new research from ad tech firm Optmyzr. This revelation gives advertisers&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":651309,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/09\/How-to-create-and-optimize-Google-Ads-custom-segment-audiences.png","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[142591,107942],"class_list":["post-651308","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology","tag-google-ads","tag-ppc"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/651308","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=651308"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/651308\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/651309"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=651308"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=651308"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=651308"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}