Performance Max Campaigns for Therapy Practices
Google’s Performance Max (PMax) campaigns use machine learning to serve your ads across every Google channel — Search, Display, YouTube, Gmail, Maps, and Discover — from a single campaign. For therapy practices already running Google Ads, PMax offers a way to expand reach and potentially lower cost per acquisition. But this AI-driven campaign type requires a different approach than traditional search campaigns.
How Performance Max Differs from Search Campaigns
Traditional search campaigns let you choose specific keywords and write ads that appear when people search those terms. You control exactly which queries trigger your ads. Performance Max works differently. You provide Google with creative assets (headlines, descriptions, images, videos), audience signals (who your ideal clients are), and conversion goals (consultation requests, phone calls). Google’s AI then determines the optimal combination of assets, channels, and audiences to maximize your defined conversions. You get broader reach and automated optimization, but you sacrifice the granular control that search campaigns provide. For therapy practices, this trade-off can be beneficial when managed correctly.
Setting Up PMax for Mental Health Services
Start with strong audience signals. Tell Google who your ideal clients are by creating custom segments based on search terms like “therapist near me,” “couples counseling,” or “anxiety treatment.” Upload your existing client email list (anonymized and properly consented) as a Customer Match audience. Add demographic signals — age ranges, income levels, and geographic targeting that match your ideal client profile. These signals give Google’s AI a starting point, and it will expand beyond them as it learns what works. Set your conversion goals to track meaningful actions: form submissions, phone calls over 60 seconds, and appointment bookings. Avoid optimizing for low-value conversions like page views or time on site.
Creative Asset Best Practices
PMax campaigns need a robust library of creative assets because Google mixes and matches them across channels. Provide at least five headlines (including your practice name, specialties, and location), five descriptions (emphasizing different value propositions), high-quality images of your practice and team, and ideally a short video. Use images that convey warmth and professionalism — your office space, a welcoming reception area, or professional headshots. Avoid stock photos that feel generic. Google will test different combinations and surface the top performers. Upload your logo and set your brand colors to maintain visual consistency across placements. Review asset performance reports monthly and replace underperforming assets with new variations.
Budget Allocation Between PMax and Search
Do not abandon traditional search campaigns when launching PMax. The recommended approach for therapy practices is to maintain your existing Google Ads search campaigns for high-intent keywords like “therapist near me” and “couples counseling [city]” while running PMax as a complementary campaign. Allocate 60–70% of your budget to proven search campaigns and 30–40% to PMax. This lets you capture known high-intent searches through search campaigns while using PMax to discover new audiences and placements you would not have found otherwise. As PMax demonstrates consistent performance over two to three months, you can gradually shift budget allocation.
Common PMax Pitfalls for Therapy Practices
Several issues frequently arise when therapy practices run PMax campaigns. First, PMax may cannibalize your search campaigns by serving ads on queries your search campaigns already handle well. Monitor for this by checking if search campaign impressions drop after PMax launches. Second, PMax’s Display and YouTube placements may generate low-quality clicks from people not actively seeking therapy. Set placement exclusions and review where your ads appear regularly. Third, PMax requires sufficient conversion data to optimize effectively — practices with fewer than fifteen conversions per month may find the AI struggles to learn. In low-volume scenarios, consider broader conversion actions temporarily to give the system enough data to optimize.
Measuring PMax Performance Accurately
PMax reporting is less transparent than search campaign reporting, which can make evaluation challenging. Focus on cost per conversion and conversion volume rather than impressions or clicks. Compare your overall account performance before and after adding PMax — are you getting more total conversions at an acceptable cost? Use Google’s Insights tab to understand which audience segments and search themes drive results. For more guidance on measuring your advertising effectiveness, review our paid advertising guide. Remember that PMax needs at least six to eight weeks of learning time before you can evaluate its effectiveness fairly. Making significant changes during the learning period resets the optimization process and delays meaningful results.
