{"id":151,"date":"2026-07-01T12:46:11","date_gmt":"2026-07-01T12:46:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/adfure.com\/search-vs-performance-max\/"},"modified":"2026-07-01T12:46:11","modified_gmt":"2026-07-01T12:46:11","slug":"%d1%82%d1%8a%d1%80%d1%81%d0%b5%d0%bd%d0%b5-%d1%81%d1%80%d0%b5%d1%89%d1%83-performance-max","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adfure.com\/bg\/search-vs-performance-max\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201e\u0422\u044a\u0440\u0441\u0435\u043d\u0435\u201c \u0441\u0440\u0435\u0449\u0443 \u201ePerformance Max\u201c: \u043a\u043e\u0439 \u0442\u0438\u043f \u043a\u0430\u043c\u043f\u0430\u043d\u0438\u044f \u0432 Google \u0434\u0430 \u0438\u0437\u043f\u043e\u043b\u0437\u0432\u0430\u0442\u0435"},"content":{"rendered":"

Search campaigns give you tight, keyword-level control over high-intent demand; Performance Max trades that control for automated reach across all of Google\u2019s inventory.<\/strong> Search shows text ads only on the results page for terms you choose. Performance Max (PMax) uses your assets and Google\u2019s AI to run across Search, Shopping, YouTube, Display, Gmail and Maps at once. Neither is “better” \u2014 they solve different problems, and most strong accounts run both. Here is how to choose, and how to stop PMax from quietly stealing credit for sales you would have won anyway.<\/p>\n

What is a Search campaign?<\/h2>\n

A Search campaign serves text ads on Google\u2019s results page when someone searches a keyword you are bidding on. You control the keywords, the match types, the negatives, the ad copy and much of the targeting. That control is its superpower: you meet people at the exact moment of intent and you can see precisely which query drove each result. The trade-off is that you only reach demand people actively type into search.<\/p>\n

What is Performance Max?<\/h2>\n

Performance Max is a single automated campaign that runs across every Google channel using an asset group (headlines, images, video, logos) and, for e-commerce, a product feed.<\/strong> You set a goal and budget; Google\u2019s AI decides where, when and to whom your ads show. It can uncover demand keywords never would and is powerful for Shopping. The cost is transparency and control \u2014 PMax reports far less detail about where spend and conversions actually came from. For a deeper look, see Performance Max explained<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Search vs Performance Max at a glance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/th>\nSearch<\/th>\nPerformance Max<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Where ads show<\/td>\nGoogle search results<\/td>\nSearch, Shopping, YouTube, Display, Gmail, Maps<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Control<\/td>\nHigh (keywords, negatives, copy)<\/td>\nLow (Google automates)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Transparency<\/td>\nFull query-level data<\/td>\nLimited reporting<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Best for<\/td>\nHigh-intent, keyword demand<\/td>\nScaling e-commerce, new demand<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Main risk<\/td>\nCapped by search volume<\/td>\nCannibalising branded\/existing demand<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

When to use Search<\/h2>\n