How Performance Max (PMAX) and Search Work Together

Digital Marketing / August 27, 2025

Performance Max (PMAX) campaigns often spark questions: Do they compete with my Search campaigns? Will they take over my keywords? The short answer: PMAX complements Search campaigns, it doesn’t replace them. But knowing how the two interact is key to making them work together instead of against each other.

How PMAX and Search Campaigns Interact

Google ensures that Search campaigns keep priority when certain conditions are met. Here’s how it works:

• Query Match Comes First
  If a user’s query is identical to an eligible Search keyword (any match type), your Search campaign wins.
  
• When Search Doesn’t Apply
  If no exact keyword match is found, Google decides based on Ad Rank, factoring in creative relevance, expected performance, and eligibility.
  
• Why Search Sometimes Loses Out
  Sometimes your keywords are in the account but still don’t trigger Search. That happens when:
  • The campaign is budget-limited.
  • The keyword has a “low search volume” status.
  • Creatives or landing pages are disapproved.
  • Targeting rules block eligibility.

When Search is blocked by these factors, PMAX steps in to fill the gap.

Keyword Prioritization: Who Wins?

Think of keyword prioritization like a hierarchy. Here’s the breakdown:

1. Exact Match Keywords → Always top priority.
   
2. Broad/Phrase Match or Search Themes → Next in line, if they match the query identically.
   
3. AI-Based Relevance → If no exact match exists, Google’s AI chooses the most relevant eligible keyword.
   
4. Ad Rank → If there’s still a tie, the ad with the highest Ad Rank wins the auction.
   

This is why PMAX thrives when there’s a gap, whether from missing coverage, ineligible keywords, or weaker bids.

How to Make Search and PMAX Complement Each Other

Instead of thinking of PMAX as competition, use it as a scalable complement to Search:

• Search = Control
  Use Search campaigns for the keywords you must own, like branded terms and high-intent queries. Protect these with exact match.
  
• PMAX = Scale
  Let PMAX cast a wider net:
  • Broader, mid- and upper-funnel queries.
  • Discovering new terms via search themes and AI.
  • Leveraging Shopping inventory across channels.
    

Practical Tips for Managing Overlap

• Turn Off Auto-Apply Recommendations

Google may suggest removing “redundant” keywords. Don’t do it. These so-called “redundant” keywords are often the ones that protect your Search campaigns from being overtaken by PMAX.

It’s also important to know that auto-apply recommendations work at the account level, not just at the campaign level. That means if a keyword is considered “redundant” both in your Search campaigns and in PMAX, Google may automatically remove it across the account. This is where the real risk creeps in: you lose control, and PMAX can start cannibalizing the traffic that should belong to your Search campaigns.

• Use Search Terms Insights
  

This helps identify where PMAX and Search overlap, so you can adjust strategies.

• Protect High-Value Exact Match Keywords
  

Keep exact match for branded and intent-heavy queries, and don’t forget to add misspellings as exact match keywords, too.

• Let PMAX Handle Incremental Reach
  

Instead of fighting overlap, use PMAX to go after new opportunities while Search holds the ground on strategic queries.

Key Takeaway

Think of your campaigns as a team:

• Search campaigns are the star players; they control the ball on the high-value plays you can’t afford to lose.
  
• PMAX is the versatile substitute; filling gaps, covering missed opportunities, and extending your reach.
  

When used together, they give you both control and scale, the best of both worlds. That said, remember there’s no such thing as zero risk—some overlap is inevitable. The key is maintaining a well-kept account with regular keyword clean-ups. As long as you don’t “let it go,” you can keep PMAX and Search working in harmony.

Questions? Let’s talk.