How to find a balance between Search and Performance Max campaigns on Google Ads in 2025 ?

Finding the right balance between Search and Performance max campaigns on Google Ads in 2025 is crucial for maximizing your ROAS ( Return On Ads Spend). As the digital advertising landscape continues to evolve, advertisers must adapt their strategies to leverage the strengths of both campaign types effectively.

Understanding Search and Performance max Campaigns

Search campaigns have long been the backbone of Google Ads, allowing advertisers to target users based on specific keywords and search intent. On the other hand, Performance Max (P-Max) campaigns, introduced in recent years, use AI and machine learning to optimize ad placements across Google’s entire ecosystem, including Search, Display, YouTube, Gmail, Maps and Discover.

Striking the Right Balance

1. Leverage the Strengths of Each Campaign Type

Search campaigns excel at targeting specific user intent and offer more granular control over keywords and ad placements. P-Max campaigns, however, provide broader reach and utilize Google’s AI to optimize performance across multiple channels.

To find balance:

Use Search campaigns for high-intent, bottom-of-funnel keywords
Employ P-Max for broader awareness and top-of-funnel objectives

2. Allocate Budget Strategically

In 2025, budget allocation between Search and P-Max campaigns should be data-driven. Start by analyzing historical performance data and industry benchmarks.

Allocate a larger portion of your budget to the campaign type that consistently delivers better ROAS or CPA
Regularly review and adjust budget allocation based on performance metrics

3. Optimize for AI-Driven Insights

P-Max campaigns rely heavily on Google’s AI to optimize performance. To maximize their effectiveness:

Provide high-quality, diverse assets (headlines, descriptions, images, videos) to improve ad placements and performance
Utilize the “Insights” tab in Google Ads to identify top-performing asset combinations
Regularly refine audience signals based on performance data

4. Maintain Control with Search Campaigns

While P-Max offers automation benefits, Search campaigns provide more control. In 2025, maintaining this control remains crucial:

Implement campaign-level negative keywords to prevent unwanted traffic
Use demographic exclusions and device targeting to refine your audience
Leverage “URL contains” rules for campaigns with product feeds to ensure relevance

5. Embrace Holistic Optimization

In 2025, successful Google Ads strategies will require a holistic approach:

Consider the entire customer journey, from ad click to conversion
Optimize landing pages and test different approaches to improve conversion rates
Implement revenue-based attribution to gain a comprehensive view of campaign performance

6. Utilize Advanced Reporting Features

To effectively balance Search and P-Max campaigns, leverage Google’s advanced reporting features:

Use Search themes usefulness indicators to gauge keyword effectiveness
Analyze Search terms insights to understand user intent better
Segment and download asset group performance data for detailed analysis

Adapting to 2025 Trends

As we move through 2025, keep an eye on emerging trends that may impact the balance between Search and P-Max campaigns:

AI-generated product visualizations for enhanced shopping experiences
Increased focus on profit-focused bidding strategies
Growing importance of voice and conversational search optimization

By staying informed about these trends and continuously refining your approach, you can maintain an effective balance between Search and Performance campaigns on Google Ads in 2025. Remember, the key to success lies in leveraging data-driven insights, embracing AI-powered optimization, and maintaining strategic control over your campaigns.