Performance Max vs Shopping campaigns – why we’re testing a hybrid approach
If you’re running Google Ads for your ecommerce business, you’ve likely come across Performance Max campaigns or PMax, as they’re commonly referred to. Google has positioned them as the future of advertising, offering a single campaign that can run across Shopping, Search, Display, YouTube and more. While that sounds efficient, it doesn’t always give you the level of control or visibility needed to get the best return on your investment.
Over the past few months, our Paid Media Specialists have been closely watching how Performance Max is performing across a range of accounts, and we’ve started to see some clear patterns. While these campaigns can deliver results, they aren’t always prioritising Shopping in the way many businesses expect, which can have a direct impact on product visibility – and that’s where things start to matter for your bottom line.
Here’s what you need to know…
What we’ve been seeing with Performance Max
Across a number of accounts, we’ve started to see a drop in impression share in Shopping when Performance Max is handling everything. In layman’s terms, that means your products aren’t showing as often as they could be when people are actively searching for them.
A large part of that comes down to how Performance Max uses budget. It doesn’t just focus on Shopping, it spreads spend across Display, YouTube, Gmail and other placements. That can be useful for reach, but it also means less budget is going toward the searches most likely to convert.
At the same time, the way Google runs its auctions has also shifted. Performance Max doesn’t dominate Shopping results in the way it used to, which means relying on that alone doesn’t guarantee visibility anymore.
Why this matters for your business
For ecommerce businesses, Shopping remains one of the most valuable channels, as it captures users who are already searching for specific products and are much closer to making a purchase. When visibility in this space drops, it limits how often your products are shown to people who are ready to buy, which can have a direct impact on both traffic and revenue.
What can make this difficult to spot is how Performance Max reports results. You may still see conversions coming through, but these can often come from other channels that don’t carry the same level of intent. This can give the impression that everything is performing as it should, when visibility in Shopping may be slipping.
Relying entirely on automation can also limit how much control you have. Budget allocation and visibility are driven by Google’s signals, which don’t always reflect your priorities as a business. That makes it harder to push key products, manage margins effectively, or stay competitive in the areas that matter most.
What we’re doing differently at 21Digital
Instead of relying solely on Performance Max, we’ve been testing a more structured and controlled approach across our client accounts. This involves running dedicated Shopping campaigns alongside Performance Max, allowing us to separate priorities and place greater focus on core products.
This setup gives clearer control over how budget is allocated, helping to ensure enough spend is directed towards high-intent searches rather than being spread too thin across multiple channels. It also allows for more informed optimisation, as performance can be adjusted across different campaign types rather than being limited to a single automated setup.
What we’re seeing so far
The difference has been clear across accounts where this approach has been applied, with a noticeable improvement in how products appear and perform in search. Impression share within Shopping has increased, meaning products are showing more consistently when users are actively searching.
This also gives us greater control over performance, allowing us to make more precise adjustments based on what is actually delivering results, which creates more flexibility when refining campaigns and helps maintain consistent visibility in the areas that drive the most value to your business.
The takeaway
Using Performance Max isn’t bad, but it isn’t a complete solution on its own. What we’re seeing is that a more balanced approach performs better. Keeping Performance Max in place for broader coverage, alongside more focused Shopping campaigns, gets you that stronger visibility where it matters most, without losing the benefits of automation.
“Performance Max still has a role to play, but relying on it alone can limit what you’re able to achieve. By combining it with more focused Shopping campaigns, we’re able to take back control and get better visibility where it matters most.”
– Sam, Managing Director at 21Digital
If you’re currently running Performance Max and aren’t sure whether it’s delivering what it should be, we’re here to help!
At 21Digital, we’re always testing and refining how campaigns are built to make sure our clients are getting the most out of their spend. We specialise in lead generation and e-commerce, delivering results-driven services like web design and web development to SEO, Google Ads, digital consultancy, social media marketing, and email marketing, and more.
If you’d like us to review your account and identify where improvements can be made, get in touch with our team on 01254 660 560 or fill out our contact form today.
