The Complaint Everyone Had
Since Performance Max launched, the biggest complaint from advertisers has been the same: you can't control where the money goes.
PMax spreads budget across Search, YouTube, Display, Discover, Gmail and Maps as it sees fit. For some businesses that works. For many lead generation accounts, a large chunk of spend ends up on Display placements and Search partner sites that rarely produce a real enquiry.
Google is now starting to address that.
What's New
Rolling out gradually from 15 October 2026, Performance Max has two new controls.
Channel prioritisation
You can set channels as High or Low priority:
High priority channels are where PMax focuses. Low priority channels still run, but get less attention.
Budget allocation for low priority channels
For any channel marked Low, you can cap how much it spends as a percentage of your average daily budget.
For example, on a £100 average daily budget:
There are a few important details:
Why This Matters for Lead Generation
In lead generation accounts, Display and Search partner traffic is where we see the most junk. Accidental clicks in mobile apps, bot form fills, and people who had no intention of getting in touch.
We covered this in detail in our guide to stopping spam leads in Google Ads. Until now, the only way to limit it in PMax was indirect, using brand exclusions, placement exclusions at account level and hoping for the best.
Now you can set a hard-ish ceiling.
How We're Setting It Up
Step 1: Look at your channel report first
Before changing anything, open the Channel performance report in your PMax campaign. Compare spend, conversions and conversion value by channel over the last 60 to 90 days.
Step 2: Check lead quality, not just volume
Display might show plenty of conversions. Cross-check them against your CRM. If Display leads rarely turn into customers, that tells you more than the conversion count.
Step 3: Start cautiously
Our starting point for most lead generation accounts:
We avoid going straight to 0%. Some Display spend supports remarketing, which can help conversions that later appear in Search.
Step 4: Give it time
Smart Bidding needs time to adjust. Leave settings alone for at least two to three weeks before judging results.
Step 5: Compare cost per qualified lead
Measure cost per qualified lead or cost per sale, not cost per conversion. Cutting Display often lowers conversion volume slightly while improving quality.
When Not to Restrict Channels
These controls aren't right for everyone:
The Bottom Line
This is the most useful Performance Max update in a long time. It won't suit every account, but for UK lead generation businesses frustrated with Display waste, it finally gives you a lever to pull.
New to PMax or not sure it suits your business? Our Performance Max guide covers the basics, or ask us for a free audit and we'll show you where your PMax budget is really going.