PMAX Channel Reporting: About Time, Google
Ah, PMAX. The mysterious black box of Google Ads that has made media buyers scratch their heads, yell into the void, and develop a borderline unhealthy relationship with Google Support.
But stop right here, there’s light at the end of the algorithmic tunnel. Google has officially started rolling out channel performance reporting for Performance Max campaigns. In human speak? You can now finally see how PMAX is performing across Search, Shopping, YouTube, Display, Discover, Gmail, and Maps, instead of just guessing based on vibes.
So, What Exactly Is PMAX Channel Reporting?
Google’s Performance Max (PMAX) campaigns have been around since 2021. They promise "automation nirvana" by letting Google decide where your ads show and how your budget is allocated across its network. The catch? Until recently, you had zero visibility into which channel was doing the heavy lifting.
That changes with the new channel performance reporting feature. It gives you a breakdown of impressions, clicks, conversions, and conversion value per channel, all within a PMAX campaign (Google Ads Blog).
It’s not just a graph, either. It’s available at the campaign and customer level, with filters for conversion types and custom date ranges. In short, it’s the transparency we've all been asking for (Search Engine Land).
Mike Rhodes and the OG PMAX Hackers
Before Google gave us official reporting, Aussie legend Mike Rhodes and the crew at AgencySavvy were already slicing and dicing PMAX data like sushi chefs. Mike developed a PMAX script that approximated channel performance using clever attribution models, placement exclusions, and a bit of marketing wizardry (AgencySavvy GitHub).
To be honest, that script has been a lifesaver. But even Mike himself probably cracked a smile when Google finally decided to join the party.
Should You Use It? Spoiler: Yes
Marketers across the board are already singing its praises. Why?
Better insights: You can now tell if YouTube is burning your budget or if Shopping is doing the heavy lifting (Smarter Ecommerce).
Creative strategy: You might find out that your Display ads are converting better than Search. Yes, seriously. This lets you tailor creative and messaging more strategically (ZATO Marketing).
Accountability: You’re no longer justifying spend to clients or your CFO with hand-wavy performance summaries. You’ve got the numbers (JumpFly).
So, What’s the Catch?
Of course, this is Google. There’s always a "but."
No control: You can see what’s happening, but you can’t do much about it. Want to turn off YouTube or cap Display spend? Tough luck. It's still all-or-nothing (Jyll).
No channel-specific ROAS targeting: You still can’t optimise bids per channel. Which means if Gmail’s chewing your budget with no returns, all you can do is watch it happen in real time (Search Engine Journal).
At Dadek Digital, we’ve been working in the trenches with PMAX since day one. We know the limitations, the hacks, and now, how to make the most of this new reporting power. If you want to make sense of your data and actually do something with it (even if Google makes that harder than it should be), we’re here for it.