Check whether PMax cannibalises Search campaigns
The PMax-vs-Search overlap read: search terms both sides, cost per conversion compared where they collide.
IntentWhether PMax buys queries Search already wins, and at what cost difference.
- 3
- Steps
- 3
- Tools
- 2
- Rules
- 1
- Failure modes
When to use it
Use it when
- PMax and Search coexist at meaningful spend.
Do not use it when
- No specific contraindication beyond the preconditions below.
What it needs first
Required
Preconditions
- The account is ticked in the dashboard, confirmed via list_accounts.
Inputs
window- Analysis window.Default: last 30 days.
Procedure
In order. Every tool named is one the gateway ships, and links to its reference.
Pull Search campaign terms.
Pull PMax search-like activity via GAQL where exposed.
Compare efficiency on colliding query families.
Decision rules
The observable condition, what it lets you conclude, and what takes the conclusion back.
When
PMax converts colliding queries cheaper
Conclude
Let it: cannibalisation with better economics is routing, not waste.
When
Search wins the collision on cost
Conclude
Negative or restructure so intent flows to the winner: quantify the arbitrage.
Evidence every conclusion must carry
- Every figure carries its account, metric and window.
- Anything below a readable sample size is reported as unjudged, not as zero.
Where the agent stops
- The readout changes nothing. Any change it motivates goes through Safe Writes: preview, human confirmation, then apply.
How it goes wrong quietly
The cases where the analysis is wrong and still looks right. Read them before trusting a number.
- PMax query visibility is partial: overlap findings are floors, and must say so.
What the answer contains
- 01Readout
- The figures, with windows and accounts named.
- 02Flags
- What deserves a deeper skill or a human decision.