Learn more about Smart Shopping and Local campaign upgrades to Performance Max

Last November, we announced that Smart Shopping and Local campaigns are upgrading to Performance Max campaigns in 2022. Performance Max campaigns use the best of Google’s automation to help you connect with the right customers at the right moment across all of Google’s ad inventory and formats.

You’ll get the same foundational features of Smart Shopping and Local campaigns while accessing brand new inventory and formats across YouTube, Search text ads and Discover.¹ From early testing, advertisers who upgrade Smart Shopping campaigns to Performance Max see an average increase of 12% in conversion value at the same or better return-on-ad-spend (ROAS).² See it for yourself by trying Performance Max with your new campaigns in Google Ads.

Here are upcoming milestones to help you get ready for the Smart Shopping and Local campaign upgrades to Performance Max:

• Upgrade with a one-click tool: Starting in April, a “one-click” upgrade tool will begin rolling out in Google Ads to upgrade your Smart Shopping campaigns. You’ll be able to upgrade your Local campaigns with the tool starting in June. The tool gives you options to upgrade specific campaigns or all of your campaigns at once. Learnings from your existing campaigns will be used in your new Performance Max campaigns to ensure consistent performance.
• Upgrade automatically: From July through September, your Smart Shopping campaigns will be automatically upgraded for you. Your Local campaigns will be automatically upgraded from August through September. You will no longer be able to create new Smart Shopping and Local campaigns once your existing campaigns are automatically upgraded.
• Conclude upgrades: The upgrade process will conclude by the end of September to give you time to use your Performance Max campaigns for the holiday season.

Read the Keyword blog to learn more and try Performance Max today by creating a new campaign in Google Ads. Check out these three quick tips for creating a Performance Max campaign with a product feed: 

1. Upload creative assets: We recommend that you provide additional creative assets to help your campaign appear on more eligible surfaces and perform better. 
2. Allow time for the campaign to ramp up: Give your new Performance Max campaign time to ramp up. For campaigns with online sales or omnichannel goals, allow for 2-3 days. For campaigns with offline-only goals, allow for 3-4 weeks. 
3. Avoid overlapping targeting: Performance Max campaigns will be prioritized over existing Smart Shopping campaigns, standard Shopping campaigns, and Display Dynamic Remarketing campaigns that target the same products. As a result, we recommend waiting to upgrade your existing Smart Shopping campaigns until the upgrade tool becomes available. If your new Performance Max campaign does target the same products, ensure that you set an equal budget to maintain volume. 

For more tips and best practices, check out our updated best practices guide with new recommendations for retailers and local marketers. 

Posted by Tal Akabas, Sr. Product Manager, Performance Max campaigns

1. New local ad formats and inventory will be available globally later this year for advertisers upgrading their Local campaigns to Performance Max or for advertisers creating a new Performance Max campaign with offline sales goals (e.g. optimizing to store visits and/or local actions like directions or calls). 
2. Google Data, Global, Ads, September - October 2021