Let’s be real…

If you’re a small business and a very confident Google rep told you to “just switch to Performance Max”…
and now your budget disappeared while your phone stayed silent?

You’re not crazy.
You got played by the “easy button.”

Welcome to Balancing the Scales — the episode for entrepreneurs, agency owners, and brands who are done letting platforms gamble their ad spend and ready to understand what’s actually happening behind the curtain.

In this episode, Bridget Brooks cracks open the Performance Max black box — because if you don’t understand it, it will absolutely eat your budget for dessert.

Here’s the hard truth:
Performance Max wasn’t built for small businesses.
It was built for massive e-commerce brands with huge data and endless creative.

Inside this episode, Bridget breaks down:
• Where your ads actually show up (Search, YouTube, Gmail, Discover, Maps + Display)
• Why PMax chases cheap clicks instead of quality leads on small budgets
• How Google’s auto-generated “Frankenstein ads” can lower trust fast
• How PMax steals credit by bidding on your own brand name
• Who should use Performance Max… and who should turn it off immediately

How to Stop Performance Max from Bidding on Your Own Brand

Performance Max loves to “win” by bidding on your business name and taking credit for customers who were already coming. To stop that, you need to apply a Brand Exclusion List.

Step 1: Create your Brand List

1. Log into Google Ads
2. Click Tools & Settings (wrench icon)
3. Under Shared Library, click Brand lists
4. Click the + button to create a new list
5. Name it (example: “My Brand Name”)
6. Add your business name / website URL
7. Click Save

Step 2: Apply it to your Performance Max campaign

1. Go to your Performance Max campaign
2. Click Settings
3. Scroll to Additional settings
4. Find Brand exclusions
5. Select the Brand List you created
6. Click Save

✅ Now Google is blocked from running Performance Max ads when someone searches your brand name — which forces it to go find new customers, not charge you for people already looking for you.

🎧 Listen in, protect your budget, and stop letting AI babysit your marketing.

🔗 Connect with Bridget & Search Everywhere Marketing

🌐 Website
https://www.searcheverywheremarketing.com 

📸 Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/search_everywhere_1/

📘 Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61584129814599

🚨 FREE Paid Ads Audit Resource
👉 Stop Losing Leads Now
https://www.searcheverywheremarketing.com/stop-losing-leads/

 (Because wasting ad spend in 2026 is a choice — and we don’t make those here.)

⚠️ Disclaimer
This podcast episode is for educational and informational purposes only. Strategies discussed are not guarantees of results and should not be considered financial, legal, or business advice. Marketing performance varies based on industry, execution, budget, and market conditions. Always test responsibly and consult qualified professionals before making business decisions.

Now go balance the scales — and stop gambling with your ad budget. 💅📊

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