June 2022: Smart Shopping campaigns begin their move to Performance Max
Covers June 2022. Part of our search timeline: a month-by-month look at the changes that shaped SEO, AI search, paid ads and social media, written in November 2026 for local businesses with the benefit of hindsight.
Quick answer: From the middle of 2022 Google started moving Smart Shopping and Local campaigns over into Performance Max, one automated campaign that places ads on YouTube, Search, Display, Shopping, Maps and Gmail. Advertisers reached more people but could see less about where their money was being spent.
This mostly hit retailers, but it also touched local businesses that sell products online or used Local campaigns to drive visits, such as a tyre and exhaust centre selling tyres through its website, or a bathroom showroom listing products in Shopping.
What changed in June 2022?
Google gave advertisers a self-upgrade tool first, then moved any Smart Shopping campaigns still left over to Performance Max automatically in the latter half of 2022. Performance Max works from conversion goals, asset groups and audience signals.
Why was this a big shift for UK businesses?
UK advertisers selling products had to get to grips with a new type of campaign that offered less detailed reporting. Correct conversion values, a well-kept product feed and good creative became the main things you could control to drive results.
How to keep control of Performance Max today
- Give Performance Max accurate conversion values, ideally ones that reflect your profit margins.
- Keep your Merchant Center product feed tidy and complete.
- Apply brand exclusions and negative keywords where they’re available, and check the search term and placement insights regularly.
Frequently asked questions
What exactly is Performance Max?
An automated campaign type in Google Ads that serves ads on every Google channel from one campaign.
Should every product go into Performance Max?
Not necessarily. Some businesses separate products by margin, or hold on to Standard Shopping where they want tighter control.
Sources and further reading
Want help with this? We run and audit Performance Max and Shopping campaigns through our Google Ads service. Get in touch.
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