Advertisers react to Google’s Performance Max Channel, Asset & Search Insight update

Google’s latest update to Performance Max (PMax) campaigns—featuring Channel Reporting, Asset Reporting, and Search Term Reports—has triggered a wide range of responses from marketers. From cautious optimism to pointed critiques, advertisers are weighing in on how these long-awaited features may reshape their campaign strategies.

Deeper insight arrives – finally

Optmyzr Brand Evangelist Navah Hopkins celebrated the newfound visibility:

• “Google just announced some really important updates to PMax and I think it’s important we talk about just what they mean for us as we continue to market in the AI world. Google is FINALLY giving transparency into where budget is going (UI exclusive for now) and I have to say I love the interface.”

However, Hopkins also expressed a shared frustration many marketers feel:

• “I don’t love that we can’t do anything about this data. Imagine knowing that your child was getting into trouble and there was no way to get to them. That’s what this feels like: all the tension with none of the ability to react.”

Despite this limitation, she sees the potential for future enhancements:

• “This does seem to open the door for CPA/ROAS guidance on where budget goes (Google seems open to that as a V2 or V3 of this).”

Local and Lead Gen Advertisers Take Note

Local Ads Specialist, Harrison Jack Hepp sees the updates as a major advantage for local businesses:

• “Channel and asset level reporting is going to be a big deal for local businesses using PMax campaigns. Specifically, I’m excited to see a breakdown on maps performance vs. search for these campaigns.”

He cautions against misinterpreting the data too narrowly:

• “The knee jerk reaction is going to be worrying about poor performing display or YouTube placements. You have to remember that you’re using PMax because it places across channels. If you don’t want multichannel placements, then PMax shouldn’t be your go to campaign anyway.”

For Hepp, the true value lies in deeper strategic insight:

• “The focus should be on what can we learn about how the campaign is targeting our customers and how can we apply those learnings to our marketing strategy. Think strategically, not tactically.”

Hopkins echoed similar enthusiasm for lead gen marketers:

• “Lead Gen also got some amazing presents here in the diagnostic data so they can actually leverage the lead gen specific channels (think local).”

Helpful, But Still Limited?

Not everyone was as enthused. SaaS Marketing Consultant Chris Lloyd remarked:

• “Interface wrappers around existing scripts are useful and good. But probably only benefits lower-spend accounts that are less familiar with scripts. And lower-spend accounts probably shouldn’t be using PMax anyway, especially if they’re lead gen/B2B.”

Paid Search Specialist Matt Beswick was more blunt:

• “The biggest part of the update is accessible already by a script. And the real impactful part is still missing—the ability to do anything about it!”

Smarter Reporting, Smarter Strategy

Optmyzr founder, Frederick Vallaeys urged advertisers to use the new data wisely, offering a structured approach:

• Think Holistically: “Avoid analyzing channels or assets in isolation. Understand and respect the portfolio effect.”
• Think Marginally: “Focus on marginal ROI and incrementality when making budget decisions.”
• Think Scalability: “Don’t compare their efficiency without considering their scale.”
• Prune Cautiously: “Remove clearly irrelevant queries, but avoid overly aggressive negatives.”
• Optimize the Mix: “Enhance your creative portfolio, focusing on variety.”

A Step Toward What Advertisers Actually Need?

Founder of Savvy Revenue, Andrew Lolk captured the cautious optimism shared by many:

• “I’m (finally) optimistic about P-Max evolving into what we actually need: Smarter controls for smarter advertisers. Google try to optimize for everyone. You optimize for YOUR account.”

Lolk emphasized the significance of each individual feature:

• “Channel Reporting – My take: Massive step forward. But without channel-level ROAS goals, it’ll still focus your budget on Search / Shopping.
• Full Search Terms Reporting – One step closer to Standard.
• Expanded Asset Reporting – Sneaky huge. Finally real asset-level insights, even for Search assets. Most of you will gloss over this among all the news, but for me this is the biggest news.”

Conclusion

Google’s latest PMax update marks a pivotal moment: a long-overdue step toward transparency and better insights, yet still constrained by limited control. As advertisers adapt to these changes, one message comes through clearly—strategy must evolve with the tools, and understanding how campaigns work across channels is more important than ever.

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