{"id":725160,"date":"2026-05-02T14:25:19","date_gmt":"2026-05-02T11:25:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/performance-max-for-b2b-5-best-practices\/"},"modified":"2026-05-02T14:25:19","modified_gmt":"2026-05-02T11:25:19","slug":"performance-max-for-b2b-5-best-practices","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/performance-max-for-b2b-5-best-practices\/","title":{"rendered":"Performance Max for B2B: 5 best practices"},"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-6a2e1c4ed2acb\" 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-6a2e1c4ed2acb\" 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\/performance-max-for-b2b-5-best-practices\/#Learn_how_to_guide_AI_improve_lead_quality_and_use_signals_creative_and_reporting_to_get_better_results_from_Performance_Max_for_B2B\" >Learn how to guide AI, improve lead quality, and use signals, creative, and reporting to get better results from Performance Max for B2B.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/performance-max-for-b2b-5-best-practices\/#1_Guide_AI_with_the_right_inputs\" >1. Guide AI with the right inputs<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/performance-max-for-b2b-5-best-practices\/#2_Address_persistent_lead_quality_issues\" >2. Address persistent lead quality issues<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/performance-max-for-b2b-5-best-practices\/#3_Build_stronger_audience_signals\" >3. Build stronger audience signals<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/performance-max-for-b2b-5-best-practices\/#4_Make_creative_a_performance_lever\" >4. Make creative a performance lever<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/performance-max-for-b2b-5-best-practices\/#5_Use_reporting_to_drive_decisions\" >5. Use reporting to drive decisions<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/performance-max-for-b2b-5-best-practices\/#Make_Performance_Max_work_for_you\" >Make Performance Max work for you<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-5' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-5'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-5' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-5'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-5' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-5'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/performance-max-for-b2b-5-best-practices\/#Topics_on_this_page\" >Topics on this page<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"subhead\" itemprop=\"alternativeHeadline\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Learn_how_to_guide_AI_improve_lead_quality_and_use_signals_creative_and_reporting_to_get_better_results_from_Performance_Max_for_B2B\"><\/span>Learn how to guide AI, improve lead quality, and use signals, creative, and reporting to get better results from Performance Max for B2B.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><\/p>\n<div class=\"bialty-container\">\n<p>Over the past few years, Performance Max has gone from an opaque experiment to a more capable \u2014 though still imperfect \u2014 campaign type for B2B marketers.<\/p>\n<p>The fundamentals haven\u2019t changed: skepticism still matters, first-party data is critical, experimentation is non-negotiable, and actionable reporting drives optimization. What has changed is how much better Google has gotten at operationalizing those inputs.<\/p>\n<p>That means your Performance Max strategy needs to adapt. Here are five best practices for running more effective PMax campaigns for B2B today.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"guide-ai-with-the-right-inputs\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Guide_AI_with_the_right_inputs\"><\/span>1. Guide AI with the right inputs<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>In 2022, given the automated nature of PMax campaigns and the aggressive way Google reps were pushing them, I predicted we\u2019d see an accelerated move toward AI integration. That\u2019s certainly played out, probably in part because of competitive pressures introduced by ChatGPT and the like.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>AI Max for Search (launched in 2025) and PMax are both being prioritized by Google, and that\u2019s not necessarily a bad thing since Google hasn\u2019t deprecated standard Search campaign for B2B and has provided a slew of helpful updates that make PMax more viable for B2B.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Three updates worth using include:\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Search <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\">theme<\/a>s, which are useful for more precise targeting.<\/li>\n<li>Brand exclusions, which help minimize CPC inflation and over-investment on less-incremental queries.<\/li>\n<li>Account-level channel reporting, which gives you a single dashboard look at performance across campaigns. For this feature, segment by conversion metrics to drill down on ROI by channel. You\u2019ll quickly see overperformers where you can increase investment and underperformers that cry out for further optimization or reduced budget.\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div style=\"background: radial-gradient(circle at 30% 40%, rgba(184, 111, 255, 0.15), rgba(0, 169, 255, 0.15) 40%, #CDE8FD 70%); padding: 30px; width: 100%; max-width: 802px; color: #000000 !important; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; margin: 25px 0 30px 0; border-radius: 8px; box-shadow: 0 2px 4px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); position: relative; box-sizing: border-box;\">\n<div style=\"width: 100%; max-width: 100%; margin-bottom: 20px; text-align: left; padding-right: 20px; box-sizing: border-box;\">\n<div id=\"semrush-one-headline\" class=\"headline-responsive\" style=\"font-family: Oswald, sans-serif; font-size: 30px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0; color: #000000 !important; line-height: 1.2;\">\n        Your customers search everywhere. Make sure your brand <span style=\"background: linear-gradient(90deg, #D56EFE 0%, #068EF8 51%); -webkit-background-clip: text; -webkit-text-fill-color: transparent; background-clip: text;\">shows up<\/span>.\n      <\/div>\n<p id=\"semrush-one-subhead\" style=\"font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-weight: 300; line-height: 25px; margin: 12px 0 0 0; color: #000000 !important;\">\n        The SEO toolkit you know, plus the AI visibility data you need.\n      <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-bottom: 15px;\">\n      <span id=\"semrush-one-cta\" style=\"display: inline-block; background-color: #FF642D; color: white; height: 44px; border: none; border-radius: 5px; cursor: pointer; font-size: 16px; padding: 0 24px; font-weight: bold; white-space: nowrap; box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none; line-height: 44px;\">Start Free Trial<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px;\">\n<div style=\"font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-weight: 300; color: #000000; margin-bottom: 4px;\">Get started with<\/div>\n<p>      <img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"400\" height=\"52\" decoding=\"async\" http: alt=\"Semrush One Logo\" style=\"height: 16px; width: auto; display: block;\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2025\/11\/semrush-one.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"400\" height=\"52\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2025\/11\/semrush-one.webp\" alt=\"Semrush One Logo\" style=\"height: 16px; width: auto; display: block;\">\n    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<style>\n  @media (max-width: 768px) {\n    .headline-responsive {\n      font-size: 30px !important;\n      line-height: 1.3 !important;\n    }\n  }\n<\/style>\n<h2 id=\"address-persistent-lead-quality-issues\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Address_persistent_lead_quality_issues\"><\/span>2. Address persistent lead quality issues<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>B2B lead quality in search campaigns has always been a challenge, and PMax\u2019s relative lack of advertiser control makes that challenge tougher. I\u2019ve pushed offline conversion tracking (OCT) since we\u2019ve had that capability, but it\u2019s an absolute non-negotiable for B2B campaigns.<\/p>\n<p>Along with OCT, leverage a relatively new functionality, <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/google-ads\/answer\/15713840?hl=en\">enhanced conversions for leads<\/a>, and work around the edges by incorporating reCAPTCHA and testing other mechanisms to reduce PMax spam leads.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Dig deeper: <\/em><\/strong><strong><em>The parts of Performance Max you can actually control<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"build-stronger-audience-signals\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Build_stronger_audience_signals\"><\/span>3. Build stronger audience signals<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Citing the phase-out of third-party cookies that still hasn\u2019t happened (!), Google officially sunsetted Similar Audiences in 2023, which \u2014 well, it was a big loss for advertisers.<\/p>\n<p>To compensate, understand and adapt according to the nature of PMax targeting, which is based on audience signals. Feed the AI high-quality first-party data (CRM lists) and let the algorithm find \u201clookalikes\u201d through its own internal signals.<\/p>\n<p>CRM lists for B2B are obviously critical, and this should give you even more incentive to clean up and segment CRM data, with audience lists closest to the point of revenue (e.g., SQLs or revenue if you don\u2019t have enough closed-won data to send strong signals), especially valuable for finding high-value new users.<\/p>\n<p><!-- START INLINE FORM --><\/p>\n<p><!-- END INLINE FORM --><\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-cyan-bluish-gray-color has-css-opacity has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-background\">\n<h2 id=\"make-creative-a-performance-lever\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Make_creative_a_performance_lever\"><\/span>4. Make creative a performance lever<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Creative is an important part of the puzzle for PMax. Good creative can prompt the right audience to engage, and great creative can deter the wrong audience from engaging.<\/p>\n<p>Because <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">YouTube<\/a> is now a massive part of PMax campaigns, video \u2014 which has never been a B2B strength \u2014 should be prioritized more than ever for performance marketing.<\/p>\n<p>Google has made this easier by adding the ability to <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/google-ads\/answer\/16430641?hl=en#:~:text=Powered%20by%20Google%20AI%2C%20auto,without%20effort%20or%20production%20cost.\">build AI-generated assets right in the Google Ads interface<\/a>. Just recently, they launched an important complementary feature in beta: PMax A\/B creative testing to help advertisers understand which creatives are actually driving performance, and to use test-and-control structures to surface winning (and losing) elements.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Dig deeper: <\/em><\/strong><strong><em>Is Google Ads Asset Studio a <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/game\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"7\" title=\"Game\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">game<\/a> changer? Not so fast<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"use-reporting-to-drive-decisions\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_Use_reporting_to_drive_decisions\"><\/span>5. Use reporting to drive decisions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>A major source of frustration with PMax has been a lack of transparency into results. Over the last few years, Google has introduced reporting updates to address some of those concerns.<\/p>\n<p>Search term insights and auction insights in the <em>Insights<\/em> tab provide more visibility into performance. Search term insights show how your ads perform for the queries users actually type, including how those ads are being matched and served. This added nuance makes optimization more precise.<\/p>\n<p>Auction insights add competitive context, showing how your campaigns perform against others in the same auctions through metrics like impression share and outranking share.<\/p>\n<p>Finally, asset-level reporting brings visibility to creative performance, with data on impressions, clicks, cost, and conversions for each asset.<\/p>\n<p>Together, these updates give you a clearer view into what\u2019s driving performance \u2014 and where to focus optimization efforts.<\/p>\n<div style=\"background: radial-gradient(circle at 30% 40%, rgba(184, 111, 255, 0.15), rgba(0, 169, 255, 0.15) 40%, #CDE8FD 70%); padding: 30px; width: 100%; max-width: 802px; color: #000000 !important; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; margin: 25px 0 30px 0; border-radius: 8px; box-shadow: 0 2px 4px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); position: relative; box-sizing: border-box;\">\n<div style=\"width: 100%; max-width: 100%; margin-bottom: 20px; text-align: left; padding-right: 20px; box-sizing: border-box;\">\n<div id=\"semrush-one-headline-bottom\" class=\"headline-responsive\" style=\"font-family: Oswald, sans-serif; font-size: 30px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0; color: #000000 !important; line-height: 1.2;\">\n        See the <span style=\"background: linear-gradient(90deg, #D56EFE 0%, #068EF8 51%); -webkit-background-clip: text; -webkit-text-fill-color: transparent; background-clip: text;\">complete picture<\/span> of your search visibility.\n      <\/div>\n<p id=\"semrush-one-subhead-bottom\" style=\"font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-weight: 300; line-height: 25px; margin: 12px 0 0 0; color: #000000 !important;\">\n        Track, optimize, and win in Google and AI search from one platform.\n      <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-bottom: 15px;\">\n      <span id=\"semrush-one-cta-bottom\" style=\"display: inline-block; background-color: #FF642D; color: white; height: 44px; border: none; border-radius: 5px; cursor: pointer; font-size: 16px; padding: 0 24px; font-weight: bold; white-space: nowrap; box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none; line-height: 44px;\">Start Free Trial<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px;\">\n<div style=\"font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-weight: 300; color: #000000; margin-bottom: 4px;\">Get started with<\/div>\n<p>      <img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"400\" height=\"52\" decoding=\"async\" http: alt=\"Semrush One Logo\" style=\"height: 16px; width: auto; display: block;\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2025\/11\/semrush-one.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"400\" height=\"52\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2025\/11\/semrush-one.webp\" alt=\"Semrush One Logo\" style=\"height: 16px; width: auto; display: block;\">\n    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<style>\n  @media (max-width: 768px) {\n    .headline-responsive {\n      font-size: 30px !important;\n      line-height: 1.3 !important;\n    }\n  }\n<\/style>\n<h2 id=\"make-performance-max-work-for-you\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Make_Performance_Max_work_for_you\"><\/span>Make Performance Max work for you<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Taken together, recent updates make PMax more viable for B2B marketers than it used to be, especially for those with strong first-party data to train bidding algorithms and a need to find new customer pockets.<\/p>\n<p>After more than 10 years in marketing, I still prefer having controllable levers \u2014 and I\u2019m not willing to fully trust Google to act more in my (or my clients\u2019) best interests than its own. Use everything at your disposal to make PMax campaigns work for you, and keep an eye out for new features Google releases that can give you more visibility and control over your account performance.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Dig deeper: <\/em><\/strong><strong><em>Auditing and optimizing Google Ads in an age of limited data<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"ttd-topics-display\">\n<div class=\"ttd-topics-content\">\n<h5><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Topics_on_this_page\"><\/span>Topics on this page<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h5>\n<div class=\"ttd-topics-links\">Business-to-businessCustomer relationship managementGmailGoogleMachine learningOnline advertisingSearch engine marketingYouTube<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ttd-topics-show-extra-button\">+3 more<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\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:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/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\/performance-max-b2b-best-practices-392158\" target=\"_blank\" >Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Learn how to guide AI, improve lead quality, and use signals, creative, and reporting to get better results from Performance Max for B2B. Over the past few years, Performance Max has gone from an opaque experiment to a more capable \u2014 though still imperfect \u2014 campaign type for B2B marketers. The fundamentals haven\u2019t changed: skepticism&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-725160","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/725160","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=725160"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/725160\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=725160"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=725160"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=725160"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}