Microsoft Tests New Performance Max Experiment Types
▼ Summary
– Microsoft Ads is introducing two new experiment types for Performance Max campaigns: uplift experiments to measure incremental impact against a control group, and upgrade experiments to compare an existing campaign with an upgraded version.
– The new experiments are available under Campaigns > Experiments for eligible accounts, expanding testing capabilities that were previously limited to Search campaigns.
– The feature gives advertisers a safer way to validate changes, optimize performance, and make data-driven decisions before committing budget.
– Microsoft has renamed its existing experiment offering to “Search optimization experiments” to distinguish it from the new Performance Max testing capabilities.
– The move addresses a key gap in Microsoft’s Performance Max offering, providing advertisers with more confidence when testing upgrades and measuring true campaign impact.
Microsoft is rolling out new experimentation options for Performance Max campaigns, offering advertisers a structured way to test changes and measure real impact without risking live campaign performance.
Here is what is changing:
Uplift experiments allow advertisers to evaluate the incremental impact of a Performance Max campaign by comparing it against a control group. This helps determine whether the campaign is truly driving additional conversions beyond what would have happened organically.
Upgrade experiments let advertisers compare an existing campaign with a newer Performance Max version before fully committing to the change. This allows for side-by-side testing and validation before any full rollout.
Both new experiment types can be accessed under Campaigns > Experiments for eligible accounts.
Why this matters to advertisers. Previously, Microsoft Ads experiments were limited to Search campaigns. Extending these testing capabilities to Performance Max provides a safer environment to validate changes, fine-tune performance, and make data-driven decisions before allocating budget.
Context. As Microsoft expands its testing tools, it has also renamed its original experiment offering to Search optimization experiments to distinguish it from the new Performance Max options. This shift underscores Microsoft’s broader strategy of delivering more sophisticated optimization tools across its automated campaign formats.
The key takeaway. Microsoft is addressing a critical gap in its Performance Max offering by introducing dedicated experiment types. This gives advertisers greater confidence when testing upgrades and measuring the true incremental value of automated campaigns.
First spotted. The updated help documentation was first noticed by PPC News Feed founder, Hana Kobzová.
(Source: Search Engine Land)
