Can You Use Bid Adjustments on Devices in Performance Max?

Performance Max campaigns are highly automated via Google Ads and don’t often allow for much in terms of manual changes or optimizations. However, when it comes to devices, is there any way you can set bid adjustments to provide a push towards one device over the other? Unfortunately, the answer is no. We spoke with Google and they let us know since Performance Max is highly automated, the option to tell Google to show Performance Max campaign ads only on mobile over desktop or vice versa isn’t an option.

What can you control when it comes to Performance Max campaigns?

You may be curious if you can include negative keywords on your Performance Max campaign, you will also see this option isn’t available for you to implement in the platform. It isn’t even available via the Google Ads Editor.

So can you add negative keywords to Performance Max?

Yes! You certainly can and if you need a step by step guide on how to add those negative keywords or even a negative keywords list, we have you covered.

What about locations?

You may think you can set bid adjustments on locations and this can be a good idea. However, Google doesn’t allow you to make any adjustments on any targeted locations whether it’s a zip code, city, state, or country.

Don’t let this fool you!

If you try to click the pencil to edit, and add in a bid adjustment, this is what happens.

Location bid adjustment for performance max campaign in Google Ads

It may look like you can bid adjust based on ad scheduling but it is once again a trick.

All it does is give you another error message when trying to set a new bid adjustment.

Google is truly betting on Performance Max and automations to work their magic for advertisers. The bag is mixed so far as to the result. Many who were running straight shopping campaigns are seeing reduced results when it comes to the forced transition into Performance Max. Not to mention, Performance Max campaigns are seeing a good amount of invalid clicks in comparison to other campaign types.

The good point on all this is Performance Max campaigns are new to Google and still definitely trying to build up their name in the Google Ads space. We shall see which levers they start allowing advertisers to pull.

Can You Add Negative Keywords to Performance Max Campaigns?

What is Clickup and Who Uses It?

How to Setup UTM Tracking on Google Ads

Can You Use Bid Adjustments on Devices in Performance Max Campaigns?

What can you control when it comes to Performance Max campaigns?

So can you add negative keywords to Performance Max?

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