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Moving from DSA to Performance Max

Posted: Tue Jan 28, 2025 10:01 am
by tanjimajuha20
Leading search giant Google, which has many tools for advertisers, is constantly introducing new features and updates to its platforms. For many years, the main tool for running advertising campaigns has been Dynamic Search Ads, better known as DSA. Now, Google is encouraging advertisers to consider switching to Performance Max campaigns.

You may have heard about them many times: campaignsPerformance Maxsimplified in settings, and also allow you to reach audiences across search, display, YouTube and Discover. The Performance Max campaign was launched in November 2021 as the most simplified campaign type that uses machine learning.

Should you ditch your trusted DSA ads in favor of Performance Max campaigns? What are the benefits and drawbacks of doing so? Find the answers to these questions and more in this article!


Photo: Optily

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DSA and Performance Max: What's the Difference, Advantages and Disadvantages
Dynamic Search Ads (DSA) are a powerful tool for advertisers to expand their search reach and attract more visitors to their site.

How it works : Headlines and landing pages are automatically generated based on the website content. When a user searches for terms related to the website content, Google matches the query with the most relevant landing page and dynamically creates ads. This is what appears in the search results.

Best for : Automotive; Travel & Tourism; Real Estate; E-Commerce. DSA ads are popular with companies whose websites have multiple landing pages describing their products/services.

Pros : DSA allows you to quickly fill gaps in keyword coverage, as ads are shown for low-volume queries; the campaign is easy to set up, as headlines and landing pages are dynamically generated based on the actual product that matches the search query.

Disadvantages : Showing ads for low-frequency search queries often wastes budget. In addition, advertisers have noticed a decrease in the effectiveness of dynamic ads on the search network.

Performance Max campaigns use machine learning technology to optimize delivery and target ads to the right audience segments. The automated approach focuses on driving as many conversions as possible at the lowest cost.

How it works: Performance Max campaigns use a smart bidding model. AI technologies study data in real time to optimize the campaign as much as possible. For example, Performance Max is focused on getting as many conversions as possible from the set budget. Campaigns are optimized for devices, locations, search queries, and more.

Who it's for : Advertisers looking for a quick and easy way to set up their campaigns. If you have limited time or resources, want automation, or don't have advanced Google Ads skills, Performance Max is a great choice.

Benefits : Highly automated (save time on keyword and audience research), conversion-focused optimization (use data to predict which ads are most likely to attract visitors). Check outWebpromo caseHow to increase conversions by 80% using Performance Max campaigns.

Disadvantages : Advertisers cannot add negative keywords. Advertisers also have difficulty analyzing campaign performance. For example, if Google does not have enough traffic to separate clicks from a particular audience, then this data will fall into the general category "Other".

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Why You Should Upgrade From DSA to Performance Max
There's a debate raging among marketers and PPC professionals: should we switch to Performance Max campaigns in the near future? The answer is yes, as it's a great opportunity to experiment with a new format. It will also help future-proof your Google Ads campaigns.

With Google recommending that advertisers make the switch, it's a sign that the search giant will be moving away from DSA in the near future (painfully remembering the move away from Universal Analytics andtransition to GA4). Note: At this time, there have been no official statements from Google regarding the gradual abandonment of DSA.

At the same time, it is necessary to adhere to a balanced and clearly planned approach. To do this, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the advantages and disadvantages of such a step.

What You Get From Upgrading From DSA to Performance Max
Better control over ad inventory . Performance Max campaigns give advertisers control over all assets used, not just descriptions. This ensures that the ad is relevant to the search query or selected audience segment.
Opportunity to reach new audiences : Instead of focusing solely on the search network, Performance Max offers a wide range of channels and ad placements. This allows you to reach more target audiences that you may have missed due to your focus on visual creative.
Additional benefits from automation : Performance Max campaigns use automation to find potential audiences across all Google channels. This saves time on manual campaign optimization and delivers better ad performance.
What You'll Lose by Switching from DSA to Performance Max
Cannot exclude website pages for targeting . Unlike DSA, Performance Max does not allow you to exclude specific website pages. This means you are missing out on the opportunity to target specific content.
Loss of control over where your ads appear . Advertisers will have to rely on Google's algorithms and capabilities to drive conversions.
It is also likely that the transition to Performance Max will result in instability in your campaigns and overall account. Since Performance Max requires a large amount of data to work successfully, you will need to allow at least 4 weeks for the algorithms to learn and adapt.

How to move to Performance Max campaigns and make them as effective as possible?
If you decide to try Performance Max campaigns, there are several options available:

If you use DSA, see Google's recommendations sectionwill offerCreate a Performance Max campaign. Click the Get Started button and follow the instructions.
The second way is to create a new campaign in the Campaigns section and select Performance Max. Follow the instructions.
Moving from DSA to Performance Max