Google Softens Stance on PMax Ad Controls

Google is quietly offering media buyers more control over its Performance Max campaigns, a shift that comes after years of frustration with the automated advertising product.

Google is testing a feature that lets advertisers exclude inventory from third-party search partners and the Google Display Network from Performance Max (PMax) campaigns. This update provides buyers with a greater degree of control over how ad dollars are spent than was previously possible. The feature appears in the PMax console as two checkbox options. While enabled by default, users can now deselect Search Partners, referring to search inventory that appears on third-party websites rather than mainline Google Search, as well as the Google Display Network.

Sam Clarke, managing director and head of search at Crossmedia, described the change as “fairly significant.” He noted that one of the biggest pain points with PMax since its launch was the perceived lack of control compared to standard campaigns. “The lack of strategic levers and visibility was quite a frustration,” Clarke said.

Google first debuted PMax in 2022. The product, designed to run ads across digital display, search, and YouTube, used a black-box automation system that often confounded marketers. Some agencies swore off the product entirely because they “could not trust it,” according to Kyle Rovinski, associate director of search at Duncan Channon.

The new checkboxes represent an unprecedented level of control for a product that has forced many brands to opt into remnant inventory. Search advertisers generally dislike the Display Network and do not want to opt in to it, Rovinski explained. “They’re both sources of remnant inventory that Google’s forced advertisers to opt into with PMax since it’s rolled out,” he said.

Google confirmed the feature is a limited pilot but declined to comment on why it was added or when it might be broadly available. “This is a pilot launched with a limited group of advertisers,” a spokesperson stated. “As our AI capabilities evolve, we remain dedicated to providing the tools needed to help drive real business outcomes.”

Media buyers have been asking for these features for months. Some users found the option added to their dashboard without any notice. “It’s not been something that’s been terribly easy to get ahold of,” James Viney, senior paid media account manager at Roast, said. He noted that buyers at several agencies had requested access but were denied by Google agency reps.

Following a series of updates since last year—including channel performance reporting, campaign-level negative keywords, and first-party audience exclusions—buyers have regained some confidence in PMax. Kaitlin McGrew, head of SEM at PMG, told Digiday that these reporting and control features had led to a lift in spending. Several of her clients shifted ad spend from Google Shopping into PMax, resulting in a 10% average increase in investments.

Agency leaders argue that the ability to cut out unwanted inventory channels is essential for steering clients away from junk ad placements. David Dweck, president at Go Fish Digital, explained that while the checkboxes are a small addition, they mark a major step toward giving buyers the reins back.

Google’s parent company, Alphabet, reported that search revenues rose 17% to $63.27 billion in the second quarter. While that is a substantial sum, it represents a mild cooling of growth compared to the 19% increase reported during the same period last year.

The feature updates come amid a competitive push from AI firms like ChatGPT, which launched ads in February. Google’s decision to quietly add these controls seems driven by the need to retain its lead in the search market. As AI competitors rapidly expand their ad products, the tech giant appears to be quietly cooperating with long-standing media buyer requests to ensure revenue growth doesn’t slow further.