Audience signals in Performance Max don’t act as strict targeting—they’re just suggestions. If your signals are being ignored, it’s likely because Google’s algorithm is expanding beyond them to meet conversion goals. Learn how audience signals really work in PMax and how to improve their impact.
You carefully added audience signals in your Performance Max (PMax) campaign—remarketing lists, custom segments, even detailed demographics.
But when you check your reports, it feels like they’ve had no impact. Maybe you’re getting irrelevant impressions or conversions outside your intended audience. It seems like Google is ignoring your inputs altogether.
So what’s really going on?
In this guide, we’ll break down:
- What audience signals actually do in PMax
- Why they’re often misunderstood
- Why they seem to be ignored
- How to optimize them correctly for better performance
Let’s clear the confusion, simply and thoroughly.
What Are Audience Signals in Performance Max?
Audience signals are starting points or hints that you give Google’s algorithm when setting up a PMax campaign. They help guide initial learning and bidding decisions.
You can provide:
- Custom segments (like people who searched for competitor names)
- Remarketing lists
- Website visitors
- In-market audiences
- Customer match lists
- Detailed demographics (age, gender, etc.)
But unlike standard Display or Search campaigns, PMax does not limit targeting to these audiences.
Instead, it uses them to:
- Speed up the learning phase
- Inform the machine learning model about high-potential users
- Build lookalikes and expand automatically
That’s why audience signals are called signals, not targets.
Why Google Expands Beyond Audience Signals
Here’s the key point:
Performance Max is goal-based, not audience-based.
Google’s main objective is to hit your conversion goal (like sales or leads) at the lowest possible cost.
So if the system finds that:
- People outside your signals are converting well
- Or your signal list is too narrow
- Or audience signals have limited volume
…it will automatically expand targeting far beyond your signal to achieve your goal.
This is by design—not a flaw.
Signs Your Audience Signals Are Being Ignored
You might suspect that Google is ignoring your audience signals if:
- You’re getting conversions from users you never included in your signal list
- You see demographics or locations in reports that weren’t in your custom segments
- Google Ads reporting doesn’t show segmentation by your signal lists
- Asset group performance doesn’t seem to correlate with signal intent
And that’s because, technically, Google is expanding far beyond your signals—and it always will.
How Performance Max Uses Audience Signals (Behind the Scenes)
Phase 1: Learning
Google uses your signals to:
- Train its model faster
- Find users similar to those in your signals
- Understand intent based on behavior or site visits
Phase 2: Expansion
Once enough data is collected, PMax:
- Expands beyond the list to find new converting users
- Prioritizes conversion signals, not audience definitions
- Optimizes bids across channels based on predicted value
This means even if your signal audience has a low volume, PMax may reach tens of thousands of lookalikes or related users.
Common Misconceptions About Audience Signals in PMax
| Misconception | Reality |
|---|---|
| Google targets only people in my audience signal | ❌ It doesn’t. Signals are suggestions, not hard limits. |
| I can restrict targeting to my customer list only | ❌ You can’t. There’s no way to restrict PMax to only Customer Match. |
| My ads will only show to people in my remarketing list | ❌ Nope. PMax always expands beyond remarketing. |
| Adding more audiences = more control | ❌ Not necessarily. It can confuse the model without proper segmentation. |
How to Use Audience Signals Effectively in Performance Max
Even though they don’t act like direct targeting, audience signals still matter. Here’s how to make the most of them.
1. Use One Signal Per Asset Group When Possible
Mixing 4–5 audience types in one asset group makes it harder to test and evaluate their impact.
Better approach:
- Create separate asset groups with unique signals (e.g., one for past purchasers, one for searchers of competitors)
- Tailor ad copy and creatives to that specific audience intent
2. Add High-Intent Custom Segments
These are the most valuable signals. Focus on:
- Users who searched for competitor brand names
- Users who searched for your product or service keywords
- URLs of competitor sites
Example:
textCopyEditCustom Segment: People who searched for "Socinova alternatives", "best social media agency", "affordable marketing services"
This signals Google to prioritize users with commercial intent.
3. Use Remarketing Lists (But Understand Their Limits)
Adding remarketing audiences like:
- Website visitors
- Cart abandoners
- Past customers
…helps Google prioritize warm leads. But again, it will not restrict the ads to these users. The algorithm still expands targeting.
Use remarketing more as a signal for value modeling than direct targeting.
4. Use Customer Match Lists for Faster Learning
Upload your CRM/email list into Google Ads, especially if:
- You have a high-value customer base
- You’re targeting high-ticket services
This helps Google understand what types of users bring real ROI—and expands based on that profile.
But don’t expect only your list to be targeted.
5. Keep Ad Copy Relevant to Signal Type
If your signal audience is:
- “People who searched for X competitor”
…your creatives should speak directly to that pain point or comparison.
Matching messaging to intent helps the system connect the right users to the right asset group, even when expanding.
6. Use Audience Segmentation in Reporting Tools
While PMax won’t give full audience-level reporting, you can still monitor indirectly using:
- Google Analytics 4 (for user traits, behaviors)
- Google Ads Insights tab > Audience Segments
- Looker Studio dashboards using audience data
These help you understand who’s converting and refine signal strategy over time.
Can I Restrict Performance Max to Only My Signals?
Short answer: No.
There is no setting to limit reach in Performance Max to only your signals.
If you need strict audience targeting, consider:
- Running Display or YouTube campaigns instead
- Using Customer Match in Search campaigns
- Layering audiences with “Targeting” (not “Observation”) in non-PMax campaigns
PMax will always expand targeting automatically.
What If You Want More Control?
If PMax is too broad for your needs, consider breaking up your strategy:
- Use PMax for acquisition and cold traffic
- Run Search or Display campaigns for remarketing only
- Turn off audience signals if they seem to add noise (though this reduces learning efficiency)
Keep your strategy goal-specific.
Additional Resources
- Google Ads Help: Audience Signals in PMax
- Search Engine Journal: Audience Targeting Tips
- Socinova: Performance Max Campaign Discussions
Final Thoughts
If your audience signals feel like they’re being ignored, you’re not wrong—but it’s also not a bug. It’s just how Performance Max works.
The algorithm is built to expand automatically, optimize for goals, and prioritize conversions—not targeting precision.
Understanding that audience signals act more like guidance, not filters, will help you use them more effectively.
When set up with intent-based segmentation, custom creatives, and consistent goals, they can significantly improve campaign performance—even if they’re not hard constraints.
Need Help With PMax Campaign Setup or Refinement?
At Socinova, we specialize in strategic campaign structuring, audience segmentation, and Smart Bidding optimization.
Whether your campaigns are over-expanding or failing to perform, we can step in with actionable, data-driven fixes.
Talk to us here — let’s make your audience signals work smarter, not harder.
