Should we optimze performance by product or by variant?
Topic summary
The discussion addresses whether to optimize Performance Max (Pmax) or Shopping campaigns by individual product or by variant.
Key Recommendation:
- Optimize product data for all variants, not just top performers
- While typically only a few variants receive most traffic, consumers sometimes search for specific variants
- Comprehensive optimization across all variants yields better overall results
Campaign Structure Strategies:
- For small catalogs (~12 products): Can create separate asset groups per product
- For large catalogs (hundreds+ products): Managing individual products becomes impractical
- Alternative approaches include:
- One Pmax campaign with different asset groups per product type
- Segmenting top performers vs. low performers
- Testing standard Shopping campaigns with advanced strategies
Important Note:
No universal strategy works for all accounts—optimization approaches should be tailored to each client’s specific situation.
The response references Google’s merchant requirements and recommendations as foundational guidelines for proper setup.
Hello Gobor, thank you for your question and welcome to the Shopify AMA, I’m your host, Emmanuel from FeedArmy.
Considering it is recommended to submit all variants, improving product data should be done on all products, so that means every variant.
But most of the time only a few variants will get traffic where 1 will get most of the traffic, but that doesn’t mean you should improve or focus on just 1 product.
Considering in some cases consumers search for specific variants. So when optimized and you have submitted all requirements and recommendations: https://support.google.com/merchants/answer/7052112?hl=en
You will get a much better result.
If you are talking about campaigns, then there are many strategies to employ.
For example you could setup 1 pmax campaign, and have each product type in a different asset group.
Or you could test out top performing products vs non or low. In all honesty every account I manage will be different. Sometimes one strategy works only for 1 client, while not for another.
You could even test out standard shopping campaigns with an advanced strategy, explained here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiRIDzRrHno
But optimizing by product or variant, if you have just 12 products, sure you can setup an asset group per product, but if you have hundreds of products or more, that is a bit too much to manage.