Why Your Performance Max Campaign Isn't Getting Clicks

Are you struggling to get clicks on your Google Ads Performance Max campaign? You're not alone. Many advertisers face this challenge when first starting out in Google Ads, especially with campaigns like Performance Max. But don't worry, there are several reasons why this might be happening, and with a few tweaks, you can start to see the results your business needs. In this article, we'll explore a few reasons why your Performance Max campaign may be slow to get clicks and what you can do to fix it.

Performance Max Timeline

Once you've launched your campaign, it's important to understand what happens next.

First, it will take 24-48 hours for any new assets you've added to be reviewed and ensure they meet Google's policies. Then, it can take up to 1-2 weeks for your campaign to ramp up and start performing toward your set goal. This is because Google’s systems need time to analyze your campaign and find the optimal placements and audiences for your ads. It's worth noting that if any changes are made to your campaign settings, it may take Google Ads some time to adjust serving accordingly so don’t make any big changes during this learning period!

If it has been a couple of weeks, and your Performance Max campaign is still slow to start, here are a few reasons why that may be happening:

Disapproved Assets

One of the most common reasons why Performance Max campaigns struggle to get clicks is due to disapproved assets. Google has strict policies on what you can and cannot advertise, and your assets go through an automated review process. Headlines, images, and other assets must comply with Google's policies, or else your assets won't get approved. If you have too many disapproved assets, it will limit the formats the ad can be displayed in (limiting the number of clicks you could see as a result). If this is the case, spot the trend for why your assets are being disapproved and upload new assets.

Low budget / Strict Target ROAS or CPA

Google Performance Max campaigns use machine learning to optimize your ads, but they need a significant amount of data to do so. If your budget is too low, Google will not have enough data to optimize your ads effectively, and you may not see many clicks. Also, if your performance targets are too strict, Google may not be able to find enough opportunities to show your ads, and you may not see many clicks.

Faulty Conversion Tracking

Having strong conversion tracking is important for any Google Ads account, but it is extremely important for Performance Max. Without it, your ad may not receive the clicks and conversions that it needs to succeed. With the help of automated bidding, Performance Max campaigns optimize towards conversions, but if your tracking isn't working correctly or you're not collecting enough data, your ad's potential may be limited. Make sure to double-check your conversion tracking setup to ensure that you're getting the most out of your Performance Max campaign. Don't let a small mistake hold you back from achieving your advertising goals!

I hope those explanations were helpful! Watch the video listed above for a few more reasons why your PMax campaign may be slow to start.