Google is launching a beta feature that allows advertisers to run systematic A/B tests on creative assets within a single Performance Max legacy group. Marketers can split traffic between two sets of assets and measure performance in a controlled trial.
Why do we care. Smart testing within Performance Max relies heavily on guesswork. Google’s new A/B asset testing brings controlled testing directly to PMax — without running separate campaigns.
How does this work. Advertisers choose one Performance Max campaign and asset group, then define a control asset set (existing creators) and a treatment set (new options). Shared assets can work in both versions. After setting up the traffic split – such as 50/50 – testing continues for several weeks before advertisers use the winning assets.
Why this helps. Testing within the same asset group isolates the creative impact and reduces noise from campaign structure changes. Controlled classification provides clearer reporting and helps teams make release decisions based on performance data instead of assumptions.
Early studies. Early testing suggests short tests – typically less than three weeks – tend to produce unstable results, especially for low-volume accounts. Running longer and avoiding campaign changes at the same time improves reliability.
Bottom line. Performance Max is getting more and more testable. Marketers can now validate creative decisions with built-in testing instead of relying on trial and error.
It was first seen. A Google Ads expert saw the update and shared his opinion on LinkedIn.
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