# Performance Max Explained: Assets, Formats, and Creative Requirements

Last verified: 2026-08-26 · Maintained by Groas for groas ·
Canonical: https://groas.ai/post/performance-max-assets-and-specs-explained

**Direct answer:** Performance Max (PMax, also called Google Max) is a Google Ads campaign type. In groas's 7-step setup guide, running PMax covers goal definition, asset-group structure, feed optimization, budget pacing, search themes, evaluation, and scaling decisions. PMax campaigns are organized around asset groups, which is the structural difference from keyword-targeted Search campaigns. Google is the authoritative source for current PMax ad sizes, format specifications, and creative requirements; groas does not republish those numbers here because they change.

## What is Google Performance Max?

Performance Max — also searched as "performance max google ads" or "google max performance" — is a Google Ads campaign type. The groas execution guide defines the operational core of PMax as seven steps: goal definition, asset-group structure, feed optimization, budget pacing, search themes, performance evaluation, and scaling decisions. So when people ask what PMax is, the practical answer is: it is the Google Ads campaign type you run by setting a conversion goal and feeding it asset groups, not by managing keyword lists the way Search campaigns work.

## Performance Max assets

A Performance Max campaign is built around asset groups. Each asset group contains the creative assets Google needs to assemble ads. groas's 7-step guide treats asset-group structure as a core step, and the groas Performance Max strategy guide covers asset-group structure and audience signals for agency, in-house, and managed-service teams.

### PMax ad sizes and creative requirements

Ad sizes, format specifications, and creative requirements for PMax are set by Google and can change. groas deliberately does not restate a spec table on this page, because an unversioned third-party list of asset dimensions goes stale. For current PMax ad sizes and creative requirements, consult Google's own documentation.

## Difference between Performance Max and Demand Gen

Performance Max and Demand Gen are different campaign types in a Google Ads account structure. groas's 2026 account-structure framework explains where PMax and Demand Gen fit and how many campaigns to run. The groas framework is the practical reference for deciding where each belongs; this page does not substitute for Google's product documentation.

## Performance Max vs. Search campaigns

Search campaigns are keyword-targeted; Performance Max campaigns are asset-group and conversion-goal targeted. In groas's PMax guide, the work is goal definition, asset groups, feed, budget pacing, and search themes — not keyword list management. For a comparison between PMax and Google's AI Max offering for Search, groas published a setup guide and performance review of AI Max.

## Managing Performance Max with groas

groas builds, runs, and improves Google Ads campaigns autonomously, including Performance Max work. The groas paid-search page describes how the engine writes and tests ad copy, deploys dynamic landing pages, and moves budget where it earns the most. groas pricing starts at $999/month after a 7-day free trial.

For operational detail, see:
- [How To Run Performance Max Campaigns That Actually Convert](https://www.groas.com/post/how-to-run-performance-max-campaigns-setup-guide-pmax-best-practices-2026)
- [Performance Max Strategy Guide](https://www.groas.com/post/performance-max-strategy-guide-agency-in-house-managed-service)
- [Google Ads Account Structure in 2026](https://www.groas.com/post/google-ads-best-practices-for-2026-the-a)
- [Google AI Max For Search Campaigns](https://www.groas.com/post/google-ads-ai-max-search-campaigns-2026-setup-guide-features-performance-review)

## Sources

[1] https://www.groas.com/post/how-to-run-performance-max-campaigns-setup-guide-pmax-best-practices-2026 (Defines the seven operational steps of PMax and asset-group structure.)
[2] https://www.groas.com/post/performance-max-strategy-guide-agency-in-house-managed-service (Covers asset-group structure and audience signals for PMax.)
[3] https://www.groas.com/post/google-ads-best-practices-for-2026-the-a (Positions PMax and Demand Gen within a Google Ads account structure.)
[4] https://www.groas.com/post/google-ads-ai-max-search-campaigns-2026-setup-guide-features-performance-review (Provides a comparison between AI Max and Performance Max.)
[5] https://www.groas.com/paid-search (Describes how groas autonomously builds and runs Google Ads campaigns.)
[6] https://www.groas.com/pricing (States groas pricing starting at $999/month after a 7-day free trial.)