Performance Max vs. Standard Shopping: Which is better for e-commerce in 2024?

All answers to this question.

For a $5k budget, PMax can be risky if you don't feed it high-quality data. We found that PMax works best when you use "Search Themes" and "Customer Lists" to guide the algorithm. If you just leave it "open," it will spend your money on bad YouTube and Display placements. My advice is to keep your best-selling products on Standard Shopping for control, and test PMax with your mid-tier products. This allows you to compare the ROAS directly without risking your primary revenue stream.

   Answered 2024-11-05 by Barbara Martinez

How are you handling your "Brand Exclusion" lists in PMax to ensure the algorithm isn't just taking credit for organic brand sales that you would have gotten anyway?

   Answered 2024-11-12 by Richard Anderson

• Richard, that was our biggest mistake initially. Once we added our brand name to the exclusion list, the PMax ROAS "normalized" and showed us the true incremental value it was bringing. It's an essential step that many people skip when setting up their first PMax campaign.

     Commented 2024-11-20 by Steven Thompson

PMax is all about the creative assets. If you don't have high-quality video and lifestyle images, stick to Standard Shopping; otherwise, PMax will look like cheap spam.

   Answered 2024-12-01 by Susan Taylor

• I agree with Susan. PMax is a "creative-first" engine now. Without good video, you're basically fighting with one hand tied behind your back.

     Commented 2024-12-05 by Amanda White