EixoAdsENGoogle Ads & Performance Digital PTENES
Home › Guides

Performance Max vs Search campaigns: which to use

A Search campaign shows text ads to people searching the keywords you chose, with plenty of control. Performance Max uses Google automation to show ads across every channel (Search, Maps, YouTube, Gmail, Discover and partner sites) and decides on its own where to spend. For most service businesses, Search is the best place to start.

EixoAds · Updated on November 1, 2026

Search campaigns

  • How it works: you choose the keywords, write the ads and set where and when they show.
  • Advantage: control and transparency. You see exactly which searches triggered clicks and can exclude what does not fit.
  • Best for: local services, legal, health, B2B and any business where customers search before hiring.

Performance Max

  • How it works: you provide text, images, videos, the goal (sales, leads) and the budget. Google decides which channels and people to show the ads to.
  • Advantage: wide reach and good optimization when there are enough conversions for the algorithm to learn, especially with a product catalog.
  • Risk: less control and less visibility into where the money went. Without well-tracked conversions, it can spend on low-quality audiences.
  • Best for: online stores with a Merchant Center catalog and accounts with conversion history.

Which to choose

SituationRecommendation
Local service business, small budgetSearch
New account with no conversion historySearch
Online store with a catalogPerformance Max (or Shopping)
Account with many conversions per monthSearch + Performance Max

Before turning on Performance Max

  • Track the right conversions (a real lead or a sale), or the algorithm will optimize for the wrong thing. See how to track WhatsApp conversions.
  • Exclude your own brand if you do not want to pay for people already searching for you by name.
  • Upload good assets: real images, a short video and clear copy.
  • Give it time: the first weeks are a learning period.

At EixoAds, management includes choosing the right campaign type for where your business is now.

Frequently asked questions

Does Performance Max replace Search campaigns?

No. Both can run together. When a search exactly matches a keyword in your Search campaign, Google tends to prioritize the Search campaign.

Is Performance Max cheaper?

Not necessarily. It can bring more volume, but cost per lead depends on how well conversions are tracked and on the quality of your assets.

Can I see the searches from Performance Max?

Partially. Google shows search categories and some terms, but with less detail than a Search campaign.

Want to know how much to invest?

Talk to Lucas on WhatsApp: we review your industry and city before you invest.

Chat on WhatsApp See plans and pricing

Read next