Google Ads has changed how Performance Max and regular Shopping campaigns work within the same account. In short, Performance Max won’t take priority over Standard Shopping campaigns when they are both in the same ads account.

Mike Ryan posted about this on X and wrote, “Huge update to PMax: it no longer takes priority over Standard Shopping within an Ads account.” He added, “omfg. Google is making such healthy choices lately that I’m actually getting worried.”

The email reads, “Starting in October, we’re gradually launching an update that will change how Performance Max and Standard Shopping campaigns interact in auction when they are in the same account targeting the same products.”

For these overlapping campaigns, Google said “instead of Performance Max automatically being prioritized over Standard Shopping, normal auction dynamics will now apply and the campaign with the highest Ad Rank will serve.”

Why the change? Google said “this brings Performance Max and Standard Shopping campaigns into alignment with other campaign types, where ‘highest ad rank serves’ is the general behavior, enabling more flexibility on campaign management with less complexity for testing. We want to reassure you that we expect this change to have a neutral or positive impact on performance at the account level.”

Google said that no immediate action is required, “but if advertisers would like more control over the spend of each campaign type, we recommend adjusting budgets and targets as needed, and making sure Performance Max campaign is following all the main fundamental best practices (URL Expansion, asset group strength, creatives and video).”

Here is the email:

Thomas Eccel wrote on LinkedIn about what this means, he wrote:

• Theoretically, you could use Pmax Feed only now as “Fallbacks”.
• tROAS on Standard Shopping Hero products could be increased gradually, because the campaign does not need to wait for the equivalent Pmax to run out of budget.
• The same for Standard Shopping “All products” campaigns, increase gradually tROAS
• Prio “High” for your important Standard Shopping might not be so important anymore to push these campaigns. You can now check to change the Prio’s and align them with your whole Standard Shopping Setup
• As said in 2) and 3), limited by budget Pmax campaigns have suddenly no more impact on the performance (and spendings) of your Standard Shopping campaigns
• Yes, its a positive update but still, feels weird

Forum discussion at X and LinkedIn.