PMax: Google tests Partners network controls
Google is currently testing a new setting in Performance Max that gives advertisers more control over where their ads appear. The feature is called Partners (Alpha) and allows teams to opt in or out of Search Partners and the Google Display Network (GDN). Until now, both networks were automatically included in Performance Max campaigns with no option to exclude them separately. For many PPC teams, this is one of the most long-requested enhancements because the lack of control often distorted campaign results and made optimization harder.
The discovery was shared on LinkedIn by Saquib Syed, PPC Growth Strategist, confirming that Google is gradually bringing control back into the automated campaign type. Although Performance Max was designed as an all-in-one solution for Google Ads, advertisers have regularly criticized limited transparency around inventory distribution since launch. With Partners (Alpha), Google is moving away from pure black-box logic for the first time and giving teams the ability to steer networks deliberately.
What the Partners (Alpha) setting changes
In previous Performance Max campaigns, ads ran automatically across multiple Google inventory sources: Google Search, YouTube, Gmail, Discover, plus Search Partners and the Display Network. Advertisers could define assets, audiences, and bidding strategies, but had no direct switch to exclude Search Partners or GDN. In practice, part of the budget often flowed into environments that did not always match campaign objectives.
The new Alpha setting changes exactly this mechanism. Advertisers with access see an option within their Performance Max campaign to decide whether Search Partners and the Google Display Network should be included. This creates granular control over two inventory sources that have caused fluctuating conversion rates and unclear attribution in many accounts. Teams can now test whether a leaner network selection improves efficiency.
Search Partners and GDN in the Performance Max context
Search Partners include websites and apps that cooperate with Google and serve search ads there. Inventory ranges from established partner portals to niche sites with varying traffic quality. The Google Display Network, meanwhile, covers millions of websites, apps, and YouTube placements outside classic search results. Both networks expand reach but also bring heterogeneous user intent that does not always fit conversion-oriented goals.
Typical challenges before the update
- Budget flowed automatically into partner inventory without a way to exclude it deliberately.
- ROAS and CPA fluctuated because conversions from different networks were reported together.
- Brand safety and quality concerns around Search Partners could only be addressed indirectly.
- Comparison tests between pure Google Search inventory and extended networks were difficult to run.
E-commerce advertisers and lead generation teams have reported for years that a meaningful share of Performance Max spend lands in networks that deliver weaker conversion signals. Without an exclusion option, the workaround was often to tighten the entire campaign or run alternative campaign types in parallel. Both increase complexity and make clean incrementality measurement harder.
Impact on ROAS, CPA, and campaign goals
The Partners (Alpha) setting primarily addresses advertisers focused on efficiency metrics such as return on ad spend or cost per acquisition. Those who suspected Search Partners or GDN were dragging down average ROAS can now run structured tests: one variant with both networks, one without Search Partners, one without GDN, or one with both excluded. Such split tests were practically impossible in Performance Max before because Google fully automated network composition.
| Network | Typical inventory | Control relevance |
|---|---|---|
| Search Partners | Partner search sites and apps | Conversion quality and intent control |
| Google Display Network | Websites, apps, display placements | Reach vs. efficiency trade-off |
| Google Search (core) | Google search results | Highest intent proximity, still active automatically |
For brand advertisers focused on visibility, excluding GDN may be counterproductive, while performance-oriented accounts often want to reduce exactly that inventory. The new setting allows network selection to align more closely with business goals instead of relying entirely on Google's automation. This is especially relevant for accounts with limited budgets where every inefficient euro affects margin noticeably.
Alpha status, availability, and rollout
Google explicitly labels the feature as Alpha. That means only a limited group of advertisers currently has access and the interface may still change. Google has not announced when or if Partners will roll out more broadly. Agencies and in-house teams should therefore check accounts regularly for new settings and document screenshots as soon as the option appears.
Practical test recommendations for advertisers
- Check Performance Max campaigns for the Partners (Alpha) option as soon as it appears in the interface.
- Record baseline KPIs for ROAS, CPA, and conversion rate before changing networks.
- Test Search Partners and GDN separately instead of excluding both at once.
- Use segmented reporting in Google Ads to make network effects traceable.
- Choose test periods long enough for Smart Bidding to respond stably.
The Partners (Alpha) setting marks a turning point in Performance Max control. Advertisers can actively steer two central inventory sources for the first time instead of carrying them along by default. For PPC professionals, that means more control over budget allocation, clearer tests, and potentially better efficiency metrics – provided Google rolls the feature out broadly.
