I Burnt $800 on PMax So You Don’t Have To

I let Google cook.
Spoiler: They burned the kitchen down.

The Setup

• Performance Max campaign
• No audience signals
• No asset groups
• Just vibes and Google's default settings

Google whispered:

“Trust the AI.”
I whispered back:
“Sure.”
3 days later:

• $800 gone
• 0 conversions
• 0 leads
• 0 learning

What Went Wrong

PMax with no signals = Google guessing your customer is… everyone.
So they showed my ads to:

• Gaming channels
• Dating sim walkthroughs
• Cat video compilations

Basically, the cheapest CPMs on Earth with zero buying intent.

What I Learned (So You Don’t Have To)

Never launch PMax blind. Give it some direction (audiences, asset groups, conversion history).

Check placements. You’ll cry.

Start with manual or search before PMax. Let Google learn from your data, not your wallet.

PMax is a multiplier, not a miracle. If your funnel sucks, it’ll suck faster.

TL;DR

I paid $800 to teach Google who my customers aren’t.
Next time, I’ll send them a memo instead.