google-ads-pmax-audit-checklist

PMax Audit Checklist

Structured audit framework for Performance Max campaigns with scoring (100 points). Uses all available GAQL recipes for maximum data coverage.

Audit Overview

PMAX AUDIT SCORECARD (100 POINTS)
===================================

1. Account Structure         /15 points
2. Budget & Bidding          /15 points
3. Asset Quality             /20 points
4. Search Term Quality       /15 points
5. Channel Performance       /15 points
6. Shopping/Feed Health      /10 points
7. Audience Signals          /10 points

TOTAL:                       /100 points

SCORE INTERPRETATION:
+-- 80-100: Excellent -- fine-tuning and scaling
+-- 60-79:  Good -- specific improvement areas
+-- 40-59:  Fair -- significant optimization needed
+-- <40:    Poor -- consider restructuring

1. Account Structure Audit (15 points)

Data Retrieval

-- All PMax campaigns with status and budget
SELECT campaign.id, campaign.name, campaign.status,
    campaign.advertising_channel_type,
    campaign_budget.amount_micros,
    campaign.bidding_strategy_type,
    metrics.impressions, metrics.clicks, metrics.cost_micros,
    metrics.conversions, metrics.conversions_value
FROM campaign
WHERE campaign.advertising_channel_type = 'PERFORMANCE_MAX'
AND segments.date DURING LAST_30_DAYS

-- Asset groups per campaign
SELECT campaign.name, asset_group.id, asset_group.name,
    asset_group.status, metrics.impressions, metrics.clicks,
    metrics.cost_micros, metrics.conversions
FROM asset_group
WHERE segments.date DURING LAST_30_DAYS
ORDER BY metrics.cost_micros DESC

Scoring Criteria

ACCOUNT STRUCTURE SCORING
==========================

[ ] Number of PMax campaigns (5 points)
+-- 1-3 campaigns with clear segmentation -> 5/5
+-- 4-6 campaigns, logical distribution -> 4/5
+-- 7+ campaigns OR no logical structure -> 2/5
+-- 1 campaign for everything -> 3/5 (ok for small account)

[ ] Asset groups per campaign (5 points)
+-- 2-7 asset groups with product/theme segmentation -> 5/5
+-- 1 asset group per campaign -> 3/5 (underutilized)
+-- 8-15 asset groups -> 3/5 (too fragmented)
+-- >15 asset groups -> 1/5 (too many, consolidate)

[ ] Asset group delivery distribution (5 points)
+-- All asset groups >10% spend share -> 5/5
+-- 1-2 asset groups <10% spend -> 3/5
+-- >50% asset groups <10% spend -> 1/5
+-- Asset groups with 0 impressions -> 0/5

Decision Matrix: Number of Asset Groups

Number of Products	Recommended Asset Groups	Segmentation
1-10	1-2	Per product line
11-50	2-5	Per category
51-200	3-7	Per category + bestsellers
200+	5-10	Category + margin tier + bestsellers

2. Budget & Bidding Audit (15 points)

Data Retrieval

-- Budget utilization and bidding details
SELECT campaign.name, campaign.status,
    campaign_budget.amount_micros, campaign_budget.has_recommended_budget,
    campaign_budget.recommended_budget_amount_micros,
    campaign.bidding_strategy_type,
    campaign.maximize_conversions.target_cpa_micros,
    campaign.maximize_conversion_value.target_roas,
    metrics.cost_micros, metrics.impressions,
    metrics.conversions, metrics.conversions_value
FROM campaign
WHERE campaign.advertising_channel_type = 'PERFORMANCE_MAX'
AND campaign.status = 'ENABLED'
AND segments.date DURING LAST_30_DAYS

Scoring Criteria

BUDGET & BIDDING SCORING
=========================

[ ] Budget sufficiency (5 points)
+-- Budget >10x target CPA -> 5/5 (enough learning data)
+-- Budget 5-10x target CPA -> 3/5 (tight but workable)
+-- Budget <5x target CPA -> 1/5 (too little for PMax)
+-- Google recommends higher budget -> -1 point

[ ] Bid strategy alignment (5 points)
+-- Target ROAS with sufficient conversion data (>30/mo) -> 5/5
+-- Maximize Conversions with sufficient data -> 4/5
+-- Target CPA with sufficient data -> 4/5
+-- Maximize Conv Value (no target) -> 3/5
+-- Less than 15 conversions/month with tROAS/tCPA -> 1/5

[ ] Budget distribution across campaigns (5 points)
+-- Logical distribution (high margin = more budget) -> 5/5
+-- Equal distribution -> 3/5
+-- All budget in 1 campaign -> 2/5
+-- Low performers get most budget -> 1/5

Minimum Budget per Strategy

Bid Strategy	Min. Conversions/Month	Min. Budget Guideline
Maximize Conversions	0 (no minimum)	$500/mo
Target CPA	15+ (ideally 30+)	10x target CPA/day
Maximize Conv Value	0 (no minimum)	$750/mo
Target ROAS	15+ (ideally 30+)	10x target CPA/day

3. Asset Quality Audit (20 points)

Data Retrieval

-- Asset list per asset group (performance_label NOT available for PMax since v22)
SELECT asset_group.name, asset_group_asset.field_type,
    asset.name, asset.type, asset.text_asset.text
FROM asset_group_asset

-- Ad Strength per asset group (still available for PMax)
SELECT asset_group.name, asset_group.ad_strength,
    asset_group.status
FROM asset_group

Scoring Criteria

ASSET QUALITY SCORING
=========================

⚠️ NOTE: asset_group_asset.performance_label was REMOVED for Performance Max
   campaigns in API v22 (2025). Ad Strength (asset_group.ad_strength) remains
   available and is now the primary asset quality signal for PMax.

[ ] Ad Strength (14 points — replaces Performance Labels for PMax)
+-- All asset groups "Excellent" -> 14/14
+-- Mix of "Excellent" and "Good" -> 10/14
+-- All "Good" -> 8/14
+-- Mix with "Average" -> 5/14
+-- Any "Poor" -> 2/14
+-- All "Poor" or "Incomplete" -> 0/14

[ ] Asset Completeness (6 points)
+-- All asset types at maximum -> 6/6
|   +-- Headlines: 15 (max)
|   +-- Long Headlines: 5 (max)
|   +-- Descriptions: 5 (max)
|   +-- Images: 20 (max)
|   +-- Logos: 5 (max)
|   +-- Videos: 5 (max)
+-- All minimums + 50% extras -> 4/6
+-- Only minimums filled -> 2/6
+-- Below minimums -> 0/6

Asset Quality Decision Matrix

Ad Strength	Campaign Age	Action
Excellent	Any	Keep structure, add more asset variety
Good	<30 days	Let it run, monitor trends
Good	>30 days	Add new headline/image angles
Average	Any	Review and add more diverse assets
Poor	Any	Immediate asset overhaul needed
Incomplete	Any	Add missing required asset types

4. Search Term Quality Audit (15 points)

Data Retrieval

-- PMax search terms (use campaign_search_term_view, NOT search_term_view — v21+)
SELECT campaign.name, campaign_search_term_view.search_term,
    metrics.impressions, metrics.clicks,
    metrics.cost_micros, metrics.conversions
FROM campaign_search_term_view
WHERE campaign.advertising_channel_type = 'PERFORMANCE_MAX'
AND segments.date DURING LAST_30_DAYS
ORDER BY metrics.cost_micros DESC
LIMIT 200

Scoring Criteria

SEARCH TERM QUALITY SCORING
===============================

[ ] Relevance (5 points)
+-- >80% search terms relevant for business -> 5/5
+-- 60-80% relevant -> 3/5
+-- 40-60% relevant -> 2/5
+-- <40% relevant -> 0/5

[ ] Brand vs Non-Brand mix (5 points)
+-- <20% branded terms -> 5/5 (PMax finds new traffic)
+-- 20-40% branded -> 3/5
+-- 40-60% branded -> 1/5
+-- >60% branded -> 0/5 (see cannibalization detector)
+-- No Brand Search campaign active -> -2 points

[ ] Negative keyword hygiene (5 points)
+-- Campaign-level negatives active on PMax (v20+ feature) -> 3/5
+-- Regularly updated (last 30 days) -> +2/5
+-- No negatives set -> 0/5
+-- Irrelevant terms in report without negatives -> 0/5
+-- Note: Campaign-level negatives for PMax added in API v20 (2024)
+--       Account-level negative keyword lists also apply to PMax

Check Existing Negatives

-- Campaign-level negative keywords on PMax
SELECT campaign.name, campaign_criterion.keyword.text,
    campaign_criterion.keyword.match_type
FROM campaign_criterion
WHERE campaign_criterion.negative = true
AND campaign_criterion.type = 'KEYWORD'
AND campaign.advertising_channel_type = 'PERFORMANCE_MAX'

5. Channel Performance Audit (15 points)

Data Retrieval

PMax distributes budget across Search, Shopping, Display, YouTube, Discover, Gmail. Use segments.ad_network_type for direct channel breakdown (v22+):

-- PMax performance by network/channel (v22+ ad_network_type breakdown)
SELECT campaign.name, segments.ad_network_type,
    metrics.impressions, metrics.clicks, metrics.cost_micros,
    metrics.conversions, metrics.conversions_value,
    metrics.view_through_conversions
FROM campaign
WHERE campaign.advertising_channel_type = 'PERFORMANCE_MAX'
AND segments.date DURING LAST_30_DAYS
ORDER BY metrics.cost_micros DESC

-- PMax campaign-level metrics (including conv action breakdown)
SELECT campaign.name, segments.conversion_action_category,
    metrics.impressions, metrics.clicks, metrics.cost_micros,
    metrics.conversions, metrics.all_conversions,
    metrics.view_through_conversions
FROM campaign
WHERE campaign.advertising_channel_type = 'PERFORMANCE_MAX'
AND segments.date DURING LAST_30_DAYS

-- Asset group performance (proxy for channel mix)
SELECT asset_group.name, asset_group.status,
    metrics.impressions, metrics.clicks,
    metrics.cost_micros, metrics.conversions,
    metrics.conversions_value
FROM asset_group
WHERE segments.date DURING LAST_30_DAYS
ORDER BY metrics.cost_micros DESC

Scoring Criteria

CHANNEL PERFORMANCE SCORING
=============================

[ ] Conversion distribution (5 points)
+-- Conversions from multiple channels -> 5/5
+-- >80% conversions from 1 channel -> 3/5
+-- Only view-through conversions -> 1/5
+-- No conversions -> 0/5

[ ] View-through vs Click-through ratio (5 points)
+-- VTC <20% of total conversions -> 5/5
+-- VTC 20-40% -> 3/5
+-- VTC 40-60% -> 1/5
+-- VTC >60% -> 0/5 (Display/YouTube claiming incorrectly)

[ ] Spend efficiency (5 points)
+-- Cost per conversion <= target CPA -> 5/5
+-- Cost per conversion 1-1.5x target -> 3/5
+-- Cost per conversion 1.5-2x target -> 1/5
+-- Cost per conversion >2x target -> 0/5

Red Flags per Channel

Signal	Possible Cause	Action
Many impressions, few clicks	Display/YouTube dominant	Check view-through attribution
High VTC ratio	Display claiming incorrectly	Compare with Search-only
High CPM, low CTR	YouTube/Discover spend	Check video asset quality
Many conversions, low value	Low-intent channels	Check conversion value rules

6. Shopping/Feed Health Audit (10 points)

Only relevant for PMax Retail (with product feed)

Data Retrieval

-- Shopping performance per product
SELECT segments.product_title, segments.product_brand,
    segments.product_type_l1, metrics.impressions, metrics.clicks,
    metrics.cost_micros, metrics.conversions
FROM shopping_performance_view
WHERE segments.date DURING LAST_30_DAYS
ORDER BY metrics.cost_micros DESC LIMIT 50

-- Merchant Center link check
SELECT product_link.merchant_center.merchant_center_id,
    product_link.product_link_id
FROM product_link WHERE product_link.type = 'MERCHANT_CENTER'

-- Listing group filters per asset group
SELECT asset_group.name, asset_group_listing_group_filter.type,
    asset_group_listing_group_filter.listing_source
FROM asset_group_listing_group_filter

Scoring Criteria

SHOPPING/FEED HEALTH SCORING
==============================

[ ] Product coverage (5 points)
+-- >80% products have impressions (30d) -> 5/5
+-- 50-80% have impressions -> 3/5
+-- 20-50% have impressions -> 1/5
+-- <20% have impressions (zombie inventory) -> 0/5

[ ] Listing group strategy (5 points)
+-- Logical subdivisions per asset group -> 5/5
+-- UNIT_INCLUDED per asset group (all products) -> 3/5
+-- Overlapping asset groups without filters -> 1/5
+-- No listing group filters -> 0/5

NON-RETAIL PMAX:
+-- Skip this section, score 10/10

Zombie Product Detection

IDENTIFYING ZOMBIE PRODUCTS
==============================

Definition: Product with 0 impressions in last 30 days

Causes:
+-- Low bids vs competition
+-- Poor feed quality (disapprovals)
+-- Price too high vs market
+-- Product not in active listing group
+-- Low search volume for this product

Solutions:
+-- <10% zombie rate -> Normal, no action
+-- 10-30% -> Check feed quality, consider separate asset group
+-- 30-50% -> Feed audit needed, restructure listing groups
+-- >50% -> Serious problem, full feed review

7. Audience Signals Audit (10 points)

Data Retrieval

-- Audience signals per asset group
SELECT asset_group.name, asset_group_signal.audience.audience
FROM asset_group_signal

Scoring Criteria

AUDIENCE SIGNALS SCORING
=========================

[ ] Signal presence (5 points)
+-- All asset groups have signals -> 5/5
+-- >50% asset groups with signals -> 3/5
+-- <50% with signals -> 1/5
+-- No signals set -> 0/5

[ ] Signal quality (5 points)
+-- Mix of first-party + Google audiences -> 5/5
|   +-- Customer Match lists
|   +-- Website visitors
|   +-- In-Market segments
|   +-- Custom segments (search-based)
+-- Only Google audiences -> 3/5
+-- Only 1 type of signal -> 1/5
+-- Irrelevant or too broad signals -> 0/5

Audit Output Template

=============================================
      PMAX AUDIT SCORECARD
      Account: [Account Name]
      Period: Last 30 days
      Date:   [Today]
=============================================

SCORES:
1. Account Structure:     __/15
2. Budget & Bidding:      __/15
3. Asset Quality:         __/20
4. Search Term Quality:   __/15
5. Channel Performance:   __/15
6. Shopping/Feed Health:  __/10
7. Audience Signals:      __/10
                         ------
TOTAL:                    __/100

TOP 3 QUICK WINS:
1. [...]
2. [...]
3. [...]

MEDIUM TERM ACTIONS (2-4 weeks):
1. [...]
2. [...]

STRATEGIC RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. [...]

Tools Reference

Action	Tool	Recipe/Query
Get PMax campaigns	google_ads_run_gaql	campaign + PERFORMANCE_MAX filter
Asset group performance	google_ads_run_gaql	PMax asset group performance recipe
Asset labels	google_ads_run_gaql	PMax asset group assets recipe
Search terms	google_ads_run_gaql	search_term_view
Shopping metrics	google_ads_run_gaql	Shopping performance recipe
Listing groups	google_ads_run_gaql	Listing groups recipe
Add negatives	google_ads_mutate	Recipe #7
Pause campaign	google_ads_mutate	Recipe #2
Change budget	google_ads_mutate	Recipe #3
Look up accounts	google_ads_list_accounts	--