August 2025 Google Ads Update – Unlock more visibility and control in Performance Max

Granular analysis and first look

Performance Max continues to evolveand for advertisers looking to fine-tune performance and maximize reach, the August 2025 update delivers big wins. If you’re managing omnichannel campaigns and want more granular control, Granular’s Google Ads services are built to help you leverage these features effectively. Here’s what’s new and why it matters.

Expanded Controls for Audience Targeting

Google is offering more ways to refine who sees your ads and where they show up:

1. Campaign-Level Negative Keyword Lists
   • Advertisers can now apply shared negative keyword lists across multiple Performance Max campaigns—no need to duplicate efforts manually. This makes it easier to maintain brand suitability at scale. You can still apply campaign-specific negatives when needed.
   • Use Case: A luxury brand can exclude “cheap” or “discount” across campaigns using one list.

2. Increased Search Theme Limits
   • Search theme limits have doubled—from 25 to 50 per asset group. This allows broader reach without compromising relevancy, especially useful for large catalogs or multi-service advertisers.

3. Demographic & Device Targeting
   • Age and device targeting are now fully rolled out, letting advertisers tailor ads to audience segments that align with campaign goals.
   • Gender targeting is also launching in beta.

Better New Customer Acquisition Reporting

Accurate measurement of customer types is key for budgeting and bidding. Google has removed the “Unknown” customer category by improving its ability to classify users as new or returning. This improves reporting clarity and enhances Smart Bidding’s ability to prioritize high-value acquisition.

Key Enhancements:

• No more “Unknown” status in lifecycle segmentation.
• Enhanced tagging with new customer parameters is recommended for even more precise data.

Goal Diagnostics and Conversion Setup Insights

To help resolve conversion tracking issues faster, Google has introduced diagnostics and actionable recommendations for goal-related problems. Whether it’s a missing tag or a misaligned conversion action, these tools now proactively flag and explain what needs fixing.

New Creative Reporting and Recommendations

1. Final URL Expansion Asset Reporting
   • Advertisers now have visibility into all assets created by final URL expansion—including performance metrics. Plus, these assets can be removed if they don’t align with brand guidelines or goals.

2. AI-Powered Creative Recommendations
   • Google is rolling out recommendations for improving image quality across channels. These include suggestions on:
     • What types of images to upload
     • How to edit existing ones for better performance
   • Changes can be made directly via the AI-powered image editor in Google Ads.

Key Takeaways

• Negative keyword lists now support cross-campaign management in Performance Max.
• Search theme limit doubled to 50 for broader reach.
• Demographic targeting now includes age, device, and gender (beta).
• New customer reporting is clearer and supports better bidding.
• Diagnostics tools flag conversion and goal setup issues.
• Creative reporting now includes Final URL expansion assets.
• Image recommendations offer actionable feedback via Google’s AI tools.

With greater targeting precision, deeper customer insights, and more actionable creative data, Performance Max is becoming a more transparent and flexible platform for PPC advertisers. These updates reflect Google’s continued effort to close the visibility gap while keeping automation at the forefront. For advertisers serious about Performance Max, now is the time to reevaluate your setup and take advantage of these new tools.