Performance Max in Practice: How Google and Microsoft Take Automation in Different Directions

Performance Max (PMax) has quickly become an essential part of modern paid search strategies, particularly as AI continues to reshape the digital advertising landscape.

Both Google and Microsoft offer their own version of PMax – a goal-based campaign type that uses automation and artificial intelligence to run ads across multiple channels, including Search, Shopping, Display, Email, and more.

PMax campaigns across both platforms offer similar features, but there is some disparity in their offerings. We have broken down the similarities and differences between the campaigns in this blog:

PMax: What Google & Microsoft Have in Common…

Despite some key differences across both platforms, the fundamental features of PMax can be found across Google and Microsoft.

Asset Groups

Both platforms’ PMax campaigns use asset groups instead of ad groups.
Each asset group contains a mix of creatives and audience signals.
Budget allocation is at the campaign level, meaning asset group-level budget splits are automated.

Automation

PMax is designed for the new era of automation: both platforms require use of Maximise Conversions or Maximise Conversion Value bidding strategies.

Search Term Visibility

Both Google and Microsoft are on the same page here…kind of.
While both platforms technically provide search term insights, Microsoft PMax’s negative keyword support is still in Pilot as of Q4 2025.

Ad Rank & AI Placements

PMax campaigns are similar to search in that they still compete based on ad rank.
Both platforms also now offer AI-driven placements.

Google PMax: Unique Benefits

Particular strengths: transparency, AI creative, great for visual storytelling.

Channel-Level Reporting

Google PMax offers full channel reporting. This allows you to see how budget is allocated across each channel.
Such transparency is a major strength of the Google platform, enabling marketers to make the most informed decisions about where their money is going.

Video Creative

Google PMax supports video assets. This enables placements on Youtube & Display – a game-changer for marketers focused on visual storytelling.

Brand Controls & Acquisition Goals

Brand inclusions/exclusions and new customer acquisition goals are offered as fully available features, while new customer acquisition is only available on Microsoft in Pilot.

Creative Automation

Google has introduced AI-generated assets and video enhancements which can be made to align with your brand.

Lower CPCs

Google PMax often allocates more spent to Youtube and Display, leading to lower CPCs compared to Microsoft PMax, which allocates more budget to search.

Microsoft PMax: Unique Benefits

Particular strengths: great for B2B and leveraging Microsoft’s ecosystem.

Higher Campaign Limits

Microsoft allows up to 300 PMax campaigns per account (Google allows up to 100).
This flexibility is great for high-spend accounts with complex structures or diverse product lines.

Impression-Based Remarketing

This feature is exclusive to Microsoft, allowing you to build remarketing audiences based on ad views rather than just clicks – accelerating learning, but also increasing the likelihood of less qualified consumers being shown your ads.

LinkedIn Targeting Signals

Microsoft PMax also offers LinkedIn Profile data integration, inclusing industry, job function, and company size – making it the perfect campaign choice for B2B advertisers.
This function is currently in Beta and should be rolling out to all Microsoft Ads accounts in the coming months.

Google and Microsoft PMax: Best Used Together (Alongside Search)

Performance Max is a great tool for reaching new audiences, leveraging keywordless technologies that extend beyond traditional match types – but it always works best when used alongside traditional search.

Both Google and Microsoft PMax have distinctive strengths – Google excels in creative automation and transparent reporting, while Microsoft’s power lies in B2B targeting and remarketing.

It is clear, then, that Google and Microsoft PMax campaigns are best used together.

When both of these platforms’ PMax offerings are harnessed in one overarching strategy, they can support each other in helping you reach new audiences that lead to high-quality conversions.