What is Performance Max?
Performance Max is one of Google Ads’ most powerful campaign types, designed to help advertisers access all of Google’s inventory — including YouTube, Display, Search, Discover, Gmail, and Maps — using a single campaign. Unlike traditional campaigns that are segmented by channel or format, Performance Max uses Google’s automation and machine learning to deliver results across all platforms based on your goals.
For restaurant owners in Las Vegas, this is a game changer. With the right Performance Max campaigns setup in Google Ads, you can promote your menu, special events, or seasonal offers to the exact audience searching for dining options in your area — across every Google platform.
Setup Steps
Setting up a Performance Max campaign in Google Ads is straightforward if you follow the right process. Below, we’ll walk through how to properly create, organize, and optimize your campaign to maximize results.
Objectives
Before diving into the technical setup, you’ll need to define your marketing goals. Google’s automation is goal-driven, so clear objectives will lead to better performance.
Common objectives for restaurant campaigns include:
- Increasing reservations or foot traffic
- Promoting seasonal menus or new openings
- Driving orders through delivery platforms
- Growing brand awareness in your local area
When setting up your Performance Max campaign, choose the goal that aligns with your business needs. For example, selecting “Leads” or “Website traffic” will prompt Google to optimize for those specific outcomes.
Assets
Assets are the core components that power your campaign. In Performance Max setup, you’ll be prompted to upload creative and content for different placements. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Final URL: Typically your restaurant website or a landing page for promotions
- Images: High-quality photos of your food, interior, and happy customers
- Videos: A short video showcasing your restaurant (Google may auto-generate one if you don’t upload)
- Logos: Horizontal and square logos for brand recognition
- Headlines and Descriptions: Compelling ad copy (short and long versions)
- Call-to-Actions: Choose prompts like “Order Now,” “Book a Table,” or “Learn More”
The quality and variety of assets can significantly impact performance. Google’s AI will mix and match these to find the best-performing combinations across all networks.
Monitoring
Once your campaign is live, ongoing monitoring is essential to ensure it stays optimized and delivers results.
Key metrics to watch include:
- Conversions: Are users completing your desired action?
- Click-through Rate (CTR): Measures engagement with your ads
- Cost Per Conversion: Helps determine your return on ad spend
- Search Term Insights: Discover what people are searching before clicking your ad
Unlike standard campaigns, Performance Max doesn’t give you full control over where your ads appear. However, you can still gain valuable insights through Google’s reporting tools and make strategic adjustments.
If certain asset groups aren’t performing, swap them out with new images or rewrite headlines. Google will prioritize top-performing combinations.
Conclusion
Implementing a Performance Max campaigns setup in Google Ads can drive serious results for restaurants, especially in competitive markets like Las Vegas. By consolidating your ad efforts into one intelligent campaign, you can reach the right customers, on the right platform, at the right time — all while saving time and ad spend.
Whether you’re launching a new restaurant or looking to fill more tables during the week, Performance Max setup offers unmatched potential when done correctly.
Need help setting up your campaign? Strattz specializes in Performance Max Google Ads strategies for local restaurants. Let us handle the setup, optimization, and ongoing management so you can focus on what you do best — serving great food.
