Build an asset group

Note: As Google enhances the new user onboarding process, new Google Ads users may experience an updated workflow. The content below pertains to Google Ads users who have already created, and logged into, their Google Ads account. This page will be updated with more information in 2023.

An asset group is made of images, logos, headlines, descriptions, videos, sitelinks, assets and audience signals that you upload or that are automatically created by Google AI during your Performance Max campaign setup. These assets are automatically mixed and matched based on which Google Ads channel (YouTube, Gmail, Search and others) your ad is being served on.

Before you begin

If you keep automatically created assets selected, Performance Max campaigns may auto-generate assets if Google AI predicts that your campaign performance can be improved. It’s recommended that you keep this setting on to optimise campaign performance. Google AI may create descriptions, headlines, image and video assets based on your landing page, domain and existing ads and creative assets in your account and website. You can use Ad Preview to review possible image and text combinations across the various serving channels. You can pause or delete automatically created assets in the asset report.

While advertisers with a Merchant Center feed don't need to supply any additional creative assets to launch a Performance Max campaign, they may notice a Poor Ad Strength rating. We recommend that you provide creative assets to allow your campaign to serve maximally across surfaces and have optimal performance. Ads may be auto-generated on your behalf when possible. Note that automatically created assets aren’t available for Shopping ads.

Performance Max ads can serve on:

Google Discover feed
Gmail
Google Display Network
Google Search
Shorts feed on mobile devices
YouTube

An illustration of how to build an asset group in Google Ads.

Bear in mind

An asset provided in an asset group can be combined with any other asset from the same group to create ads that serve across Google Search, Google Maps, Display, YouTube, Gmail, Google Discover feed and Google partner websites. Advertisers can create multiple asset groups per campaign after their initial asset group is created and the campaign is launched.

Instructions

Start your asset group by adding headlines, descriptions, images and videos related to a single theme or audience. Performance Max will automatically assemble these assets into all applicable ad formats for your goal and show the most relevant creatives in each ad.

Add an asset group name to identify your asset group theme. Though you can only set up one asset group before publishing your campaign, you can add additional asset groups later.
Your ads will be directed to the Final URL and your URL expansion is activated. If the final URL expansion is turned on, additional URLs on your domain will serve when relevant.
Add text, images, videos and additional assets to your asset group. Learn about the specific asset requirements in the next section.

Asset types for Performance Max campaigns

Text assets

Text assets combine headlines, long headlines, a final URL, descriptions, display URLs, business names and a call to action in unique variations to help you reach your campaign goals. You can use text assets to share information about your product or service, direct people to your landing page, encourage a specific call-to-action and more.

Learn more About text assets for Performance Max campaigns.

Image assets

Note: Brand representation and controls, including business logos and business information, have been consolidated at the campaign level. To get the most out of your Google Ads experience, make sure that you aren’t running campaigns with logos and business information split across different asset groups. Learn more about business logo specifications and business information.

Upload quality, relevant images to complement your ads and help convey information about your business visually. Image assets include your logos and other images to help attract people to your business. You can even use the image assets you create on search campaigns with your Performance Max campaigns.

Learn more About image assets for Performance Max campaigns.

Video assets

Note: Performance Max campaigns that use auto-generated videos may show customers who visit your landing page a different product than the one featured in your video. This difference may be caused when the product linked in your final URL doesn’t match the product in your campaign videos. If you’d like to restrict the landing page and ensure that the product a customer clicks is the product that they viewed, limit the products shown in your asset groups to the most relevant landing page using product filters.

You can upload your own videos or use videos Google AI helps to create using your provided assets, if that feature is available in your account. You can also use the Google Ads video creation tool to create a video that you can use in your Performance Max campaign.

Learn more About video assets for Performance Max campaigns.

Custom labels from page feeds

Page feed custom labels allow you to specify which URLs from your page feed will be included in ads generated from each asset group. Follow the instructions below to use customs labels for your Performance Max campaign asset groups.

Learn more about How to use page feeds in Performance Max.

After you upload your assets, you can create asset groups. Learn more about Asset group best practices.

Audience signals

Audience signals allow you to add audience suggestions that help Google AI optimise for your selected goals. Although adding audience signals is optional, using audience signals can help you guide machine learning models on the ideal way to optimise your campaign.

Learn more About audience signals for Performance Max campaigns.

Ad creative best practices

Uploading assets is just the start. You’ll need to continue to keep in mind your weekend sales, replacing low-performing assets and other best practices to make the most of your assets. Learn more about Ad creative best practices.

Asset report

The asset report lists each asset used in a Performance Max campaign and allows you to compare performance across a variety of assets. You’ll need to set up a Performance Max campaign to view your asset report. Learn more About asset reporting in Performance Max.

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