Microsoft adds new customer acquisition goals and deeper visibility to PMax
Microsoft’s latest updates give advertisers more control over PMax, from acquiring new customers to improving visibility and measurement
Microsoft Advertising is starting 2026 with a broad set of updates aimed squarely at search-first marketers, with a focus on better controls, clearer insights, and easier campaign management across the platform.
Driving the news. In its latest product roundup, Microsoft is rolling out new Performance Max capabilities, expanding audience targeting options, improving imports from Google, and automating more creative elements in search ads.
The big picture. Performance Max continues to be the centerpiece. Microsoft is introducing a new customer acquisition goal in open beta, allowing advertisers to either prioritize net-new customers or exclusively target them within PMax campaigns tied to purchase goals. Advertisers can also assign higher conversion values to new customers, helping the system optimize toward long-term growth rather than short-term revenue.
At the same time, Microsoft is expanding transparency and controls inside PMax. Share of voice metrics — including impression share and losses due to budget or rank — are now available, offering a clearer view into competitiveness across Search and Shopping placements. Asset group–level URL options and tracking templates also give advertisers more granular measurement without restructuring campaigns.
What’s changing under the hood. Imports from Google are getting smoother. PMax campaigns now support up to 50 search themes, and asset group imports are more forgiving — meaning ineligible images or auto-generated logos won’t block the rest of an asset group from importing.
Beyond PMax, Content Targeting for Audience ads is now generally available. Advertisers can target specific Microsoft-owned placements like MSN and Outlook, or align ads with content categories such as Finance or Travel. A new reporting view shows where ads actually appear, helping advertisers refine contextual strategies.
Why we care. These updates give them more control over how automation drives growth, especially when it comes to acquiring net-new customers. New customer acquisition goals and added Performance Max visibility make it easier to optimize for long-term value, not just immediate conversions. Combined with smoother imports and smarter creative automation, these changes help advertisers scale performance without sacrificing visibility or control.
On creative automation. Autogenerated assets are now being rolled out as a default setting for newly created Responsive Search Ads, globally excluding China and South Korea. Microsoft says advertisers using autogenerated assets are seeing roughly a 5% lift in CTR, as the system dynamically creates and tests additional headlines and descriptions based on website content. Sensitive verticals remain opt-in only, and existing RSAs are unaffected.
The bottom line. Microsoft Advertising’s January updates aim to make automation more usable, measurable, and advertiser-friendly — especially for marketers managing Performance Max across multiple platforms.
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