Why Performance Max looks different for B2B in 2026

Google doesn’t build products with B2B marketers in mind. 

Its largest budgets and transaction volume come from DTC and B2C brands, so that’s where product development naturally starts.

That’s why new Google products rarely work for B2B out of the gate. 

Over my 15+ years in advertising, I’ve seen this pattern repeat: initial release, poor B2B fit, then gradual improvement after about two years. 

We saw it with responsive search ads, broad match (yes, I thought it was the end of times, too), and dynamic search ads.

Performance Max follows the same trajectory.

Three years ago, I would have said “absolutely not” for B2B organizations. In 2026, that answer looks very different.

Does Performance Max work for every B2B advertiser? 

No, and it shouldn’t. 

This article focuses on who is a good fit and who should still stay away. Because if you’re not testing new tactics, you aren’t meaningfully changing the results you’re getting today.

PMax 101 for B2Bs

If you’re reading this article, I’m assuming one of three things: 

• Performance Max isn’t working for you.
• You haven’t dared to try it yet.
• Or you’re simply curious about what you could improve.

Let’s start with a quick refresher. 

Performance Max is a goal-based campaign type that allows advertisers to access all Google Ads inventory from a single campaign.

Today, that inventory includes YouTube, Display, Search, Discover, Gmail, and Maps. 

We’re also starting to see ads in AI Overviews powered by Performance Max. 

If AI Overviews are already showing up in your industry, this alone should put Performance Max on your radar.

Dig deeper: Top Performance Max optimization tips for 2026

Seeing ads run across all Google networks can feel intimidating, especially for lead generation organizations without a shopping feed. That’s fine – you don’t need one.

One of the biggest benefits we’ve seen is the ability to reach people within the buying group who wouldn’t normally engage through traditional search alone. 

Performance Max expands visibility beyond the small set of high-intent users who actively raise their hand.

It has also proven effective for nurturing prospects across long, complex sales cycles. 

For B2B advertisers, where decisions can take months and involve multiple stakeholders, that sustained presence can make a meaningful difference.

What needs to be in place before testing Performance Max

There are a few requirements you can’t avoid. 

With Performance Max, you’re not targeting keywords. You’re targeting signals. That distinction matters.

These are the signals I need to see before even starting a conversation about Performance Max readiness.

First, you need to import your source of truth by connecting to Salesforce or your CRM of choice. 

Optimization should be tied to a meaningful online event, such as a qualified lead submission or an appointment booked. 

If the conversion action isn’t meaningful, Performance Max won’t be either.

Your bid strategy must be set to maximize conversions or target CPA. Performance Max is built to learn and optimize around outcomes, not traffic.

You should also import a customer list of existing customers so the system can identify and model similar characteristics. 

While website remarketing audiences can be used, they don’t deliver the same level of performance as first-party customer data.

As noted earlier, what makes Performance Max work is its ability to nurture leads over time. 

Providing truly down-funnel signals is the foundation of a successful test – and ultimately, a successful campaign.

Dig deeper: Why B2B brands are shifting from keywords to Performance Max

When PMax is not the right fit

Performance Max is not a universal solution, and that’s important to say out loud. 

If your B2B motion relies on a small, highly controlled target list, this is likely not the right tool. 

Account-based marketing with a few hundred named accounts still performs better with more manual control.

Market fit matters. You need a reasonably sized total addressable market. 

If you’re only targeting private equity firms, for example, Performance Max is unlikely to be effective. 

The same applies when the audience is extremely restricted. In those cases, Performance Max simply doesn’t have enough room to learn and scale.

The same is true if your conversion actions are too high level or disconnected from revenue. 

If the only signal you can provide is a form fill with no qualification behind it, Performance Max will struggle to understand what success actually looks like.

Lastly, Performance Max can be frustrating if your organization isn’t ready to let automation run without constant intervention. 

It rewards patience and clean inputs. If every fluctuation triggers a reset or rebuild, results will never stabilize.

Dig deeper: How to optimize B2B PPC spend when budgets and confidence are low

What Performance Max can and can’t do for B2B

Performance Max is not a silver bullet for B2B advertising, and it never was. 

But it’s also no longer the immediate no it once was for many B2B organizations.

When the fundamentals are in place – meaningful conversion signals, a sufficiently large addressable market, and the patience to let automation do its job – Performance Max can play a valuable role in supporting long, complex buying journeys, especially when the goal isn’t just capturing demand, but helping create and nurture it.

The key is honesty. Be honest about your data, your audience, and your internal tolerance for automation. 

If those pieces aren’t ready, Performance Max will likely disappoint. 

If they are, it can become a strong complement to existing search and demand generation efforts.

As with most things in B2B advertising, success doesn’t come from chasing the newest feature. 

It comes from testing intentionally, measuring what actually matters, and knowing when a tool fits your business and when it doesn’t.