Google PMax Ads Now Available on Waze
▼ Summary
– Google is adding Waze ad inventory for Performance Max store goal campaigns, enabling U.S. advertisers to reach drivers via “Promoted Places in Navigation” pins without extra setup.
– The Waze integration automatically optimizes existing assets for store visits or sales, with a global rollout planned for 2026, just in time for holiday travel.
– Performance Max campaigns are receiving enhanced channel performance reporting to show where ads appear across Google’s network, including upcoming Search partner data.
– These updates address advertiser demands for more transparency in PMax performance data, making the campaign type more accountable, especially for brands using MCC.
– The changes build on recent September improvements and position Performance Max as a full-funnel, omnichannel solution blending automation with insights for online and offline results.
Google has introduced two significant enhancements to its Performance Max advertising platform, expanding its reach and improving data transparency for marketers. The first major update integrates Waze advertising inventory directly into PMax campaigns focused on driving physical store traffic. The second improvement introduces more detailed channel performance reporting, giving advertisers a clearer picture of where their ads appear across Google’s extensive network.
Advertisers running PMax campaigns with store visit objectives in the United States can now automatically reach potential customers through Waze’s navigation platform. This integration places “Promoted Places in Navigation” pins directly on drivers’ maps without requiring any additional campaign configuration. The system intelligently optimizes existing creative assets to drive either store visits or sales conversions. This timing proves particularly strategic as it coincides with the upcoming holiday travel period, with plans to expand this capability globally by 2026.
The enhanced reporting features represent another critical development for Performance Max users. Channel performance reporting now provides visibility into where advertisements appear across Google’s entire ecosystem, including the soon-to-be-added Search partners network. This expanded reporting includes comprehensive visualizations that help advertisers understand their campaign distribution patterns.
These reporting improvements address long-standing advertiser concerns about Performance Max’s traditionally limited transparency. Many marketing professionals have expressed frustration with the platform’s opaque performance data, particularly those managing multiple client accounts through Google’s My Client Center. The enhanced reporting capabilities demonstrate Google’s commitment to making PMax campaigns more accountable and easier to evaluate.
These latest updates build upon several September improvements to the Performance Max platform, which included bulk reporting functionality, advanced segmentation options, and enhanced download capabilities. Collectively, these features make it significantly easier for advertisers to analyze campaign performance at scale and make data-driven optimization decisions.
Looking at the broader strategic implications, Google appears to be positioning Performance Max as a comprehensive omnichannel advertising solution. By combining Waze’s navigation-based advertising with enhanced performance reporting, Google creates a full-funnel approach that blends sophisticated automation with improved insights. This dual approach helps advertisers connect their digital advertising efforts to tangible business outcomes, whether those occur online through digital conversions or offline through physical store visits.
(Source: Search Engine Land)
