Performance Max Search Themes: Everything You Need to Know

When running Performance Max campaigns, advertisers wanted to understand which search queries matched with their ad campaigns, and how they can provide more information to Google’s automation in order to reach high-intent customers.

To fix this, Google introduced PMax search themes (Performance Max Search Themes), a new optional feature that suggests extra words and phrases to guide Google AI, helping your PMax ads show in more relevant searches and placements.

This means search themes in Performance Max help you tell Google’s AI what the customers are looking for, which will help advertisers get conversions and align better with their Performance Max store goals.

Without further ado, let’s dive into the concept of search themes in Performance Max!

What are Performance Max Search Themes?

As explained earlier, PMax search themes are a feature that provides advertisers with a path to guide PMax campaigns to reach placements across the Google Display Network (including Search) that they might not be reaching yet.  

Keep in mind that search themes for PMax are somewhat similar to audience signals. Performance max audience signals and search themes are complementary to each other but have different functionalities.

Let’s understand their differences:

• Search themes’ purpose is to guide which search queries should PMax target while in the case of audience signals, PMax must evaluate who to target.
• Search themes focus on search intent while audience signals focus on demographics, user behavior, and their interests.
• While search themes depends on textual data that’s added, audience signals use data generated from website visitors, lists, etc.
  
  Now, we’ll explain PMax search themes with an example.

Performance Max Search Themes Example

Suppose you’re an ecommerce merchant who deals in eco-friendly apparel and is running PMax ad campaigns. Now, your goal is to find new customers, but Google isn’t sure who your buyers are and what kind of search queries they will use in order to find your ecommerce business.

In this situation, add specific queries to search themes. The queries must carry those terms that your ideal audience is looking for. This may look like adding the following terms:

• “Organic Cotton Shirts”
• “Sustainable tops”
• “Eco-friendly shirts”
• “Bamboo pants”
• “Vegan skirts”

Providing more context to the search query will give better signals to Google AI, which will help it narrow down and find high-intent buyers. Additionally, leveraging Pmax reporting can offer insights into how these search themes impact your campaign performance, enabling more informed optimization decisions.

How to get search query ideas for search themes?

There are a few ways where you can get ideas or actual search terms for search themes:

• Use Google keyword planner by entering the focus (main) keyword and find keywords relevant to the main one.
• Analyze competitors and what keywords they are using. Use SEO tools like Ahrefs, SEMRush, etc. to find keywords your competitors are ranking for.
• Rely on Google Search suggestions. Understand what terms are appearing in “Related Searches,” “People also ask,” and autocomplete suggestions in the search bar.
• Leverage search terms report. Use pre-existing data and analyze which search queries are driving conversions.

Also, if you wish to explore Performance Max Best Practices, visit this detailed guide.

So, when you add these terms to search themes, you are not providing keywords to target. Instead, you’re giving Google’s algorithm an idea to analyze and figure out what your ideal customers might be looking for. 

You’re basically guiding the AI to target potential customers across Google Display Network, which includes Search, Display, YouTube, Discover, Shopping, Gmail, and Maps.

Are Pmax Search Themes Compulsory? In short, no.  Google has clearly mentioned that this feature is optional when you access it in your Google ads account. Advertisers should see them as additions to the PMax campaign creation process.

While this feature is slowly gaining prominence, on the other hand, Google upgraded its custom segments. 

Upgrading Custom Segments To PMax Search Themes

According to Google, custom segments were upgraded into search themes in early 2024. The platform automatically upgraded existing custom segments (based on search activity) to search themes. Advertisers who are using PMax campaigns can no longer add or edit custom segments.

Keep in mind that custom segments based on interests, custom affinities, apps, and URLs can still be used as part of your Performance Max campaigns. You can find them under “Interests & detailed demographics.”

How Do Performance Max Search Themes Work?

With PMax Search Themes, Google lets you do the following: 

1. A merchant can only add up to 50 search themes per asset group.
   
2. You can exclude brands from appearing by using brand exclusions. Search themes respect brand exclusions. They are part of the brand settings required to manage branded traffic based on the merchant’s advertising requirements.
   
   In the case of brand exclusions, a campaign will not serve queries and search terms associated with a brand or business that the merchant wishes to exclude. This setting is available for both, Search and PMax campaigns.
   
3. Search Themes also respect account-level negative keywords in PMax campaigns. In addition to PMax ads, merchants can apply negative keywords to Search, Shopping, Smart, Local, and App campaigns.
   
   Account-level negative keywords help you opt out of content not aligning with your business goals. In the account settings, these keywords help create a single account-level list that applies negative keywords to Search and Shopping ads in your account.
   
   Google will automatically apply the keywords to all ad campaign types after the list is created.
   
4. Adding search themes can help improve your campaign by supplementing the automatic queries that Performance Max matches to your URLs, assets, and other elements.
   
5. With search themes, you get the same prioritization as phrase match and broad match in Search campaigns.  
   
6. Results from search themes will direct customers to the landing pages you’ve specified in your Final URL expansion.
   
   With the Final URL expansion, it’s easy to optimize the performance of PMax campaigns. How? The Final URL expansion automatically replaces the Final URL (your ad’s destination URL) with a more fitting and relevant landing page that is based on the potential customers’ search queries and intent.
   
   Along with that, it customizes the ad’s headline to match the content of the landing page, making the ad more personalized to the customer.
   
7. Indicating the page feeds with the right queries can also drive better results and help customers reach your landing page. Page feeds help in deciding when to display your Google ads and where to direct potential customers to your ecommerce store.
   
8. Using the “URL contains” setting also drives good results. Just like “Final URL expansion” and “page feeds,” even “URL contains” rules help decide which part of the landing page to send the customer.
   
   It works when automatically created assets are enabled and you have decided on the specific webpage category you want to target.
   
9. You can also easily remove themes from the asset group. 

Note: Using Pmax search themes doesn’t affect your ad budget. If anything, Google ads use your budget more effectively. Also, keep in mind that Search Themes helps Google know a searcher’s profile.

When To Use Pmax Search Themes?

As an advertiser, navigating who uses PMax search themes is subjective. Given though it is an optional feature, it’s important to understand its functioning and how it can impact the business.

In this section, we will deduce when should an advertiser use this feature: 

1. For advertisers aiming for target precision

Search themes have the potential to make your campaigns more precise with the added search queries you input. By training Google AI with these queries, advertisers can get improved ad results even for their future PMax campaigns.

2. To make new products and services discoverable

Entering the market as a new advertiser can be challenging, given that they are starting from scratch. Applying search themes in such a scenario can help tailor the algorithm to promote their ads, as there is no existing customer information.

For this, it is important for the advertiser to conduct market research in order to understand what their potential customers are typing in the search bar. 

3. Brand with no resources to build a proper website/landing page

Sometimes, when brands lack the resources to construct an online store or landing page, this feature can fill the gap to maintain ad relevance. Your ads stay afloat and reach potential customers.

This can also be utilized when the site is down, undergoing revamping, or has yet to be built. 

4. During promotional seasons, sales or for limited-time offers

Advertisers can use it during promotional seasons, a sale, or limited time offers to instantly boost visibility during those particular time frames. 

How To Set Up Performance Max Search Themes

After analyzing and understanding the concept, let’s dive into the creation process and learn to integrate Pmax search themes into the ad campaigns.
(You may notice beta in the examples below as the screenshots contain the older version. Some may still see it in their ad accounts. We want to assure our readers that this is normal, and the search themes are now officially launched for all users.)

1. Go to your Google ads account and locate Campaigns , on the left side. Then, click the other Campaigns drop-down and locate Asset Groups.
2. On the right side, click the pencil icon next to Signals:

3. You will reach this page. Under Signals, you will find search themes:

4. As mentioned earlier, advertisers can add up to 25 search themes. In order to add them, click the space that says ‘Add search themes (up to 25).’ You can individually enter 80 characters for each search theme. This means you can even add long-tail queries. 

5. After you enter the search theme, the term will go under review. To check that, hover the mouse pointer over the added theme: 

6. Once these query terms get approved, your PMax ads will appear across Google Network for those terms.
   
7. To track performance, Google now lets advertisers use search terms insights to see whether queries are coming from Performance Max’s keywordless targeting or from the search themes they’ve added.

Note: In the latest update release from Google, there are new insights and reporting tools. They are: A source column in Search Terms Insights will tell advertisers whether traffic is coming from keywordless targeting or from the manually added search themes. An indicator next to each search theme informs you about the usefulness of a particular search theme.

And that’s how you set up and run PMax ad campaigns! Simple, right?

Now, you must wonder if they have any impact on your other campaigns having different keywords. Let’s explore that in the next section.

Also read: Learn about Performance Max Assets and AI Max for Search campaigns in detail.

Understanding Keyword Prioritization Between PMax and Search Campaigns

When your Search campaign and Performance Max campaign have the same or similar keywords, there can be an overlap. Advertisers worry that this will jeopardize the customer’s ad experience.

To solve this issue, Google developed keyword prioritization, which helps advertisers understand how specific keywords can impact their campaigns. Here’s how it looks: 

Explanation: 

Priority 1 – When “exact match” gets preference: 

When the customer’s search term matches exactly with the keyword you have added in the Search Campaign, Google picks the exact match keyword in the Search campaign over Pmax campaigns (or over phrase or broad keyword). In this case, it is also important to note that match type and campaign priorities also play a role in prioritization.

Suppose a customer is looking for “fresh mandarins,” in the Search campaign and you have fetched “fresh mandarins,” then the exact match is chosen. 

Priority 2 – “Phrase & broad match vs search themes” which one gets preferred:

In this case, the one that is closer to the customer’s search query will get picked. Suppose the customer enters “blue nike air max” and the phrase match has “nike air max” and the search theme has “blue nike air max” added, then search theme one gets picked.

In certain cases, ad relevance and expected performance can still influence selection beyond just how closely the keyword matches the search.

Priority 3 – AI Relevance

Suppose you have two ad groups. The first ad group contains “mens sports shoes,” and the second ad group contains “lightweight running shoes.” The customer searches for “mens sports shoes near me,” in that case, the first ad group gets picked. 

Priority 4 – Ad Rank 

When a customer searches for “best running shoes for flat feet,” and both of your ad groups have relevant keywords and have equal priority, Google selects the ad with the higher Ad Rank.

Ad Rank is determined by factors like your bid amount, the quality of your ads and landing pages, and the expected impact of ad extensions and other ad formats.

Also read: Difference between Performance max vs Search Campaigns and performance max vs standard shopping.

Pros & Cons of Using Search Themes in PMax Campaigns

Let’s explore the pros and cons of PMax search themes in your PMax ad campaigns: 

Pros

Cons

Using search themes has the potential to boost conversions through the Google Network–Search, Display, Shopping, etc. Great way to provide signals to Google AI to enhance reach and also optimize ad campaigns with better search queries. Using it, you’re also enabling Google AI to get the right placement across the Network. It’s super easy to manage ad campaigns across multiple channels.

Exact match keywords are prioritized over Search Themes and other keyword types. However, in PMax, Search Themes are treated the same as phrase and broad match keywords in terms of auction eligibility and value (excluding AdRank). This is viewed as cannibalization. It’s important to view search themes as guidance signals, not a method for precise targeting. So, they shouldn’t be your sole strategy. This is because search themes can guide the AI to the right track, but cannot guarantee results.

Conclusion

To sum up, PMax search themes are the guiding light for your PMax campaigns. However, you must be aware of how and when to use them. The best strategy is to use a mix of different signals and strategies while aiming to make your ads visible to potential customers. 

With the right queries and keyword strategy, you can take your online business to new heights! 

FAQS

Are search themes direct targeting?
No, search themes are more like guiding signals—not direct targeting. They guide Google AI to find more relevant Performance Max placements, helping your ads appear in contexts that align with user intent.

Where do search themes apply?
They apply across Google Display Network. Which includes Search, YouTube, Display, Google Maps, and other Google properties.

Are search themes mandatory?
No, search themes are optional.

How many search themes can I add?
You can add up to 25 Search Themes per asset group in Performance Max campaigns.

When should I use search themes?
You can use them when launching new products, entering new markets, running seasonal promotions, or when landing pages lack detailed content.

What are some PMax ad examples using search themes?
Online ecommerce businesses running holiday sales or launching new collections often use Search Themes like Christmas gifts, latest fashion trends, or eco-friendly bags. More examples include–back to school offers, sustainable products, new product launch, Mother’s Day sale, etc.

Can branded terms be used as search themes?
Yes, branded terms can be used, but exact match keywords will still take priority in Search campaigns over PMax campaigns.

Does custom segment still exist?
Yes. From 2024, Google automatically upgraded existing custom segments (based on search activity) to search themes. Users can no longer add or edit custom segments but custom segments based on interest are still available. 

How do I create search themes in PMax campaigns?
You don’t use traditional keywords, but you can draw inspiration from them. Instead, you input broad, conversion-driving topics under Signals > Search Themes in your asset group.

Do search themes respect negative keywords?
Yes, they respect account-level negative keywords. Account-level negative keywords help you opt out of content not aligning with your business goals. In the account settings, these keywords help create a single account-level list that applies negative keywords to Search and Shopping ads in your account. 

Learn more about Google Ads:

• 15+ Google Ads Examples
• AI Max for Search campaigns
• How To Set Up Product Listing Ads (PLAs)?
• Search Ads 360 Vs. Google Ads: Pros, Cons & Key Differences
• Demand Gen vs. Performance Max