In today’s digital-first environment, paid advertising plays a crucial role in how local businesses attract customers. If you’re working with an agency like Mirex Marketing, you’re likely already using Google Ads to bring leads to your business. But do you know the difference between two of Google’s most powerful ad formats, Performance Max and Search Ads?
This article will explore both options in depth: how they work, what they offer, and how each campaign type aligns with the goals of businesses in Gilbert. We’ll also look at how a top Gilbert PPC+ company can help you optimize for better ROI, stronger lead generation, and smarter resource allocation.
Understanding the Difference: Performance Max vs Search Ads
Both Performance Max (PMax) and Search Ads are powerful Google Ads formats, but they serve different purposes. Here are some basic descriptions to hel when to use each.
What is Performance Max?
Performance Max (PMax) is Google’s AI-powered campaign format that uses automation to distribute your ads across all Google properties: Search, Display, YouTube, Gmail, Maps, and Discover. It’s built to reach more customers using a single campaign and relies heavily on machine learning, audience signals, and rich media assets (like videos, images, and copy blocks).
Using Performance Max can help us target people in different stages of the buying journey. This is especially useful when your service applies to different demographics (e.g., eCommerce, home services, dental care) across various digital touch points.
What are Search Ads?
Search Ads are (mostly) text-based ads that appear at the top of Google Search results when users type in specific keywords. You define the keywords, write the copy, and control how much you spend per click. These ads focus on the intent of your ad when someone is actively looking for a service you offer.
For businesses focused on leads and conversions, Search Ads provide precision and quick results. A Gilbert SEO company offering services like “technical SEO audits” or “local citation optimization” can reach people who are already searching for these services organically, but sponsored ads appear at the top and get a significant number of clicks.
Building Campaign Assets that Convert
Strong campaign assets are the backbone of both Performance Max and Search Ads. Whether it’s ad copy, visuals, or keyword groups, the way you structure and present your assets directly impacts click-through rates (CTR), and lead quality.
Creating Performance Max Assets
Unlike Search Ads, where you create individual ads with a limited set of headlines and descriptions, PMax campaigns use asset groups. These groups include:
- Headlines
- Descriptions
- Logos and product images
- Videos (optional but recommended)
- Business info (location, call button, URLs)
Each asset is mixed and matched by Google’s algorithm to find the highest-performing combinations.
Creating Search Ads Assets
Search Ads focus on keyword relevance and intent. Here’s what you typically create:
- Keywords (e.g., “Gilbert SEO company,” “SEO experts in Gilbert,” “affordable SEO Gilbert AZ”)
- Responsive search ads with 15 headlines and 4 descriptions
- Ad groups grouped by topic or service (e.g., “SEO audit,” “link building,” “on-page SEO”)
- Ad extensions: callouts, site links, location extensions, and structured snippets
With Search Ads, you can tightly control the messaging that appears for each keyword group, which allows for more precise targeting and alignment with business goals.
Conversion Tracking: Defining and Measuring Success
Conversion tracking is the heartbeat of any paid advertising campaign. Without it, businesses are essentially “flying blind,” unable to see which campaigns, keywords, or audiences are truly delivering ROI. Ameteur campaign managers often skip this step. For Mirex Marketing, conversion tracking is not optional it’s what turns data into actionable insights.
Why Conversion Tracking Matters
Running Google Ads without conversion tracking is like driving blindfolded. You might be getting clicks, but you won’t know what’s actually working. For both Performance Max and Search Ads, defining clear conversion goals is essential.
These are some of the conversions we can track:
- Contact form submissions
- Phone calls (via Adwords or call tracking software)
- Button clicks on “Request a Quote” or “Schedule a Consultation”
- Downloads of case studies or whitepapers
- Ecommerce actions (add to cart, begin checkout, sales)
- Some website chat engagements (depends on your web chat tool)
- Page views
- Appointment bookings
- Newsletter sign ups
Setting Up Tracking
With tools like Google Tag Manager and Google Analytics 4, you can track user actions across your site. Here’s what you need:
- Global site tag (gtag.js) or GTM installed
- Custom events configured to track button clicks, scroll depth, or time on page
- Integration with call tracking platforms like CallRail for phone leads
For Performance Max, conversion tracking helps the AI learn which audiences convert. For Search Ads, it helps identify which keywords are generating actual business results.
Campaign Structure & Setup Best Practices
The way your campaigns are structured determines how efficiently your budget is spent and how easily you can optimize performance. A well-organized campaign ensures that ads are aligned with business goals, service categories, and audience intent.
Performance Max Setup
Setting up a Performance Max campaign involves the following steps:
- Select campaign goal (Leads, Sales, Local store visits)
- Input asset groups (grouped by service offering)
- Upload creatives: logos, images, videos, copy
- Add audience signals (e.g., people interested in SEO, local business owners in Gilbert)
- Set location targeting (Gilbert, AZ and nearby cities)
Once live, the campaign continuously tests and optimizes ad combinations and placements.
Search Ads Setup
With Search Ads, your campaign structure is more manual but also more customizable:
- Keyword research to select relevant keywords.
- Group similar keywords into tightly themed ad groups
- Write compelling ad copy focused on benefits
- Use smart bidding (Target CPA or Maximize Conversions) or manual CPC
- Add extensions for more ad visibility
This setup gives you direct control over which terms trigger your ads, and lets you quickly pause underperforming keywords or increase budget for winners.
Measuring Campaign Success, Performance Max Measurement and Search Ads Measurement
Running Google Ads is only half the battle knowing what’s working and why is where the real wins happen. For businesses and nonprofits in Gilbert and nationwide, measurement is about connecting ad spend to qualified leads, calls, and customers.
Every digital digital ad platform and every campaign type can have their own nuances, but there are some general metrics which are reported with all PPC+ campaigns that are managed by Mirex Marketing:
- Impressions: This is the number of times the ad is displayed on a screen. Some may say this is the same as Reach, but they are slightly different. Reach is the number of people that the ad reaches. For campaigns where Awareness is the goal, impressions is one of the more important metrics and it’s a good cross-platform metric to be used along with Cost Per Thousand Impressions (CPM).
- Clicks: This is the number of times a user clicks on the ad. Consequentially it is also the number of times a user sees the landing page. Sometimes a different metric is reported called Engagements, and this includes more interactions with the ad than simple clicks, since ads can have forms to fill out or a tracking number to call. So some engagements can be conversions.
- Click Through Rate: This is calculated as clicks divided by impressions. It the percentage of times the ad is displayed and a user clicks on it. A higher CTR is one indicator that the ad is targeted correctly.
- Conversions: These are the specific high-value actions that we want to track, usually after the user arrives on the landing page, but not always. These are the same conversions described above.
- CPM: Cost per thousand impressions. It’s not always an apples to apples comparison, but this metric can be used to compare campaigns across multiple channels. It’s not the only metric to consider, but if it costs less to reach 1,000 people on one platform over another, then it might be a more preferable channel to put more funds so we can reach more people.
- CPC: Cost Per Click. This is straightforward method of comparing multiple digital ad campaigns. It’s a standard metric that is included across most platforms, even the less sophisticated ones. Similar to CPM, if it costs less to get each user to visit the landing page then that platform or that campaign type might be more preferable, among other metrics to consider.
- Cost/conv: Cost Per Conversion. For lead-based conversions like calls and appointments, this is also the cost per lead. If the conversion is for another touch point in the customer journey, like a newsletter opt-in, then it’s still useful to calculate the cost per user when building your following. Then when you do your remarketing you can know that it takes X amount of people on the newsletter list to get Y amount of new customers after consistent newsletters.
- Total Cost: This metric helps ensure that we are staying within approved budgets.
These metrics are generally consistent across ad platforms and campaign types because they give us a good picture of then entire customer journey from the time they see the ad to the time they become a lead or perform a high-value action that we track as a conversion. It helps ensure that the ads are targeted correctly and running efficiently, they also help for multi-channel evaluation.
Each platform and campaign type can also evolve over time, yet these metrics remain consistent in their uses. For example, evaluating keyword performance did not used to be available for Performance Max Campaigns on Google Adwords, but now it is.
The Google Ad Grant for Nonprofit Organizations
Qualifying Nonprofit Organizations are eligible for the Google Ad Grant, which is a $10,000 per month monthly ad credit. Historically this ad grant only allowed us to run Search Campaigns, but Google also made Performance Max campaigns available on Google Ad Grant accounts in January 2025.
Crafting a Local Strategy for Gilbert Businesses
Running Google Ads effectively in Gilbert isn’t just about budget and keywords it’s about local relevance. Gilbert is one of Arizona’s fastest-growing communities, with a mix of established businesses, startups, and service providers competing for attention. To succeed, your ad campaigns must reflect both the search intent and the community identity of the Gilbert market.
Why Gilbert Matters
Gilbert is a fast-growing area with a tech-savvy audience and an increasing number of small businesses competing for digital space. That means SEO and PPC+ competition is heating up.
A Gilbert SEO company needs to use geo-specific targeting:
- Keywords (“Gilbert SEO consultants,” “top SEO services in Gilbert”)
- Ad Copy (“Helping Gilbert businesses rank higher”)
- Landing Pages (optimized for local relevance with NAP info, testimonials from Gilbert clients)
- Geotargeting (This feature limits the display of ads to a geographic area)
Using Both Campaigns Together
For the best results, use a hybrid approach:
- Start with Search Ads for immediate high-intent traffic
- Layer in Performance Max for branding, awareness, and retargeting
- Share insights across campaigns
Your Gilbert-focused strategy should align with how people in your area search and engage online.
Conclusion
Whether you choose Performance Max or Search Ads or both depends on your goals, budget, and level of control. For most businesses in Gilbert, Search Ads offer an immediate path to capturing local, high-intent leads. Performance Max, meanwhile, offers scale and brand exposure across multiple Google platforms.
Looking to boost your online reach and drive better results? Contact our digital marketing experts today for a tailored advertising strategy that works for your business.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What’s the main difference between Performance Max and Search Ads?
Performance Max distributes ads across all Google properties (YouTube, Gmail, etc.) using automation, while Search Ads appear only on search results and give you keyword-level control.
2. Can I run both campaigns at the same time?
Yes, and it’s often recommended. Search Ads provide high-intent traffic, and Performance Max extends your visibility across Google’s broader ecosystem.
3. Do I need video content for Performance Max?
Videos aren’t required but are highly recommended to increase engagement especially on YouTube and Display networks.
4. How long does it take to see results from these campaigns?
Search Ads can deliver results within days, while Performance Max may take 2–3 weeks to learn and optimize based on audience behavior. Yet, there is an initial optimization period so new advertisers should give the platform at least 3 months.
5. How can a Gilbert SEO company help me with PPC campaigns?
It’s actually important to understand the similarities and differences between SEO and PPC+. Both should understand the customer journey as it pertains to search because both paid and organic links appear in search results and the same user can potentially click both. A local SEO company understands how to get your business to rank organically. A PPC+ company will help your business appear in paid results, both on search engine results pages and any across Google’s display and video network. Mirex Marketing is both a Gilbert SEO company and a Gilbert PPC+ company serving clients nationwide.
6. Why do you call it PPC+ (Pay Per Click Plus) and not just PPC (Pay Per Click)?
Traditional digital advertising has been labeled “PPC” to stand for pay-per-click advertising, and while many platforms still have that payment model, there are now some platforms that allow you to pay for conversions, like calls, instead of just clicks, so we’ve coined the new term PPC+ to include other actions besides clicks.