Google Ads Editor 2.11 adds Performance Max search term reports

Google released version 2.11 of Google Ads Editor this month. The desktop application update introduces several features targeting automated campaign transparency, including search term reporting for Performance Max campaigns and expanded negative keyword management capabilities.

The release addresses long-standing advertiser requests for greater visibility into Performance Max campaign performance. Search term reports now provide specific insights into which queries trigger Performance Max advertisements, enabling marketers to identify irrelevant searches and optimize targeting strategies. This functionality arrives after months of industry discussion about automated campaign transparency limitations.

Campaign-level negative keyword lists represent another significant addition to Performance Max controls within Editor. Advertisers can now prevent ads from showing for irrelevant search queries by adding lists of negative keywords directly at the campaign level. The feature provides control mechanisms comparable to those available in Search and Shopping campaigns, addressing a capability gap that has existed since Performance Max campaigns gained campaign-level negative keywords support through the API in June 2025.

According to the documentation, campaign-level negative keyword list functionality "gives you greater control over where your ads appear." By excluding specific search terms, advertisers can ensure budget allocation focuses on relevant customer acquisition rather than wasteful impression delivery across poorly matched queries.

The search term report feature complements Google's broader Performance Max transparency initiatives that concluded in August 2025. Those updates included channel-level reporting, demographic targeting enhancements, and increased negative keyword limits to 10,000 per campaign. The Editor implementation extends these controls to the offline campaign management environment.

Scheduled link checks introduce automated validation for campaign URLs. The feature addresses challenges of manually reviewing links across large account structures by providing systematic broken link detection. According to the documentation, scheduled link checks offer "a simple, efficient, and automated way to find and fix broken links within your campaigns." The functionality builds upon existing link checking capabilities by delivering faster scanning and deeper integration with the Editor workflow.

Account-level placement and IP exclusions consolidate brand safety controls across entire accounts. Advertisers can now exclude content based on themes, keywords, and placements at the account level rather than configuring individual campaign adjustments. The centralized approach reduces implementation time while ensuring consistent brand suitability preferences apply across all campaigns predictably.

Smart Bidding Exploration debuts as an opt-in feature for Search campaigns. The functionality uses artificial intelligence to bid on potentially high-performing search queries beyond traditional keyword targeting parameters. According to the documentation, "Google AI and flexible ROAS targets work hand-in-hand to fuel an advanced algorithm that captures new searches and secures additional conversions from the traffic you're already eligible for."

The feature aims to deliver scaled performance and traffic diversity by driving impressions, clicks, and conversions through more unique search term categories. However, industry testing of similar AI-powered search expansions revealed mixed results, with analysis in August 2025 showing 99% of impressions generating zero conversions across approximately 30,000 search terms in some accounts.

Enhanced CSV import and export functionality targets users managing multiple accounts. The improvements enable CSV operations across larger account volumes directly within the account management interface. Advertisers can view import results and configure account selection using manager account views of affected accounts. The update also simplifies export configuration into a single unified dialog.

Campaign selection enhancements in the download dialog streamline workflow for large account structures. The improved interface allows advertisers to select and sync only required campaigns, accelerating the syncing process. This addresses efficiency concerns for agencies and enterprise advertisers managing dozens or hundreds of campaigns across multiple accounts.

Video generation enhancement enables automatic on-brand video creation from existing assets. The system combines images and text with brand colors and fonts to produce videos across all aspect ratios. According to the documentation, "this can be easily enabled or disabled with a toggle in your ad group's 'Asset optimization' settings." The feature activates by default, helping advertisers expand YouTube advertising reach without manual video production requirements.

Similar video generation capabilities appeared in Google Ads API v22 released in October 2025, which introduced Asset Generation Service for automated creative development across Demand Gen campaigns. The Editor implementation brings these AI-powered creative tools to the offline campaign management environment.

Editable lead forms provide greater flexibility for campaign asset management. Advertisers can now modify existing lead form assets directly rather than creating entirely new forms for each update. The functionality saves significant time when implementing corrections or strategic adjustments to lead generation campaigns.

URL settings for asset groups deliver granular tracking control at the asset group level. Advertisers can set tracking URL templates, final URL suffixes, and custom parameters for asset groups, ensuring consistent measurement for automated campaigns. The functionality addresses measurement accuracy requirements for Performance Max and other asset-based campaign types.

The streamlined campaign construction flow for Search campaigns expands the simplified creation process introduced for other campaign types. Advertisers can build optimized campaigns through step-by-step processes with integrated generative AI tools. The experience becomes accessible directly from the "Add Campaign" menu by selecting "Add Search campaign."

Several features receive recommendations and nudges to improve campaign configuration. A new recommendation prompts advertisers to attach Google Merchant Center feeds to Demand Gen campaigns during setup, supporting optimal performance configuration. The system proactively suggests best practices based on campaign type and advertiser objectives.

Ad previews now support additional ad types including Demand Gen and responsive video ads. The expanded preview capabilities provide clearer visualization of how creatives will appear to users before campaign launch. Advertisers can verify presentation quality and creative effectiveness across multiple formats before committing budget to untested assets.

NCA high LTV (New Customer Acquisition High Lifetime Value) functionality extends to Search campaigns after previously being available exclusively for Performance Max campaigns. The feature enables advertisers to optimize bidding strategies around high-value customer acquisition rather than treating all new customers equally.

The "Agency/Provider list" user list type enables third-party PII user lists from data partners for targeting on Google's owned and operated surfaces. According to the documentation, advertisers can "reach highly specific and relevant audiences, potentially leading to more effective campaigns and a better return on investment" by leveraging curated user lists from trusted data partners.

Certain reporting metrics received terminology updates for consistency. "TrueView Views" and "TrueView View Rate" replace previous "View" and "View Rate" labels in some reports, aligning with updated video campaign terminology. The changes clarify distinctions between different video engagement metrics across YouTube advertising formats.

Version 2.11 deprecates several legacy features. App install ads, image app install ads, and display ads face removal, though existing ads of these types remain visible in Editor for status updates, pausing, and deletion. Advertisers cannot create new ads of these types or make changes beyond status and label updates.

Manual CPV campaigns no longer receive support for new campaign creation. The replacement for manual CPV campaigns are Video View Campaigns with Target CPV bidding, which leverage AI and multi-format ads to drive more cost-efficient views and higher engagement. Google's shift toward automated bidding strategies accelerated throughout 2025 as the platform marked its 25th anniversary with comprehensive AI integration across campaign types.

Google Ads Editor includes a conversion tool guiding advertisers through upgrading existing manual CPV campaigns to the Video View Campaign format. The transition tool simplifies the migration process for advertisers managing legacy campaign structures.

The Editor 2.11 release continues Google's pattern of systematically bringing API and web interface features to the offline campaign management environment. Previous Editor updates included AI Max support in version 2.10 released in July 2025, which introduced desktop OS targeting, Performance Max platform opt-outs, and Customer Retention Goals.

The timing of Editor 2.11's release aligns with Google's comprehensive AI advertising suite expansion announced at Think Week 2025 in September. That initiative introduced Asset Studio for centralized creative development, text guidelines for brand control in automated campaigns, and Journey Aware Bidding for full-funnel optimization.

For the marketing community, version 2.11's significance centers on closing the gap between web-based campaign management and offline bulk editing capabilities. PPC Land has extensively covered Editor's evolution as a critical tool for advertisers managing large account structures requiring systematic modifications across hundreds of campaigns simultaneously.

The Performance Max search term reporting addition addresses a persistent tension between automation efficiency and advertiser control. Marketing professionals have consistently requested greater visibility into automated campaign mechanics to validate performance claims and identify optimization opportunities. The Editor implementation provides this transparency within the bulk editing workflow that agencies and enterprise advertisers rely upon for systematic account management.

Timeline

• March 2019: Google launches Google Ads Editor, replacing AdWords Editor with cross-account management capabilities
• March 2022: Google introduces Performance Max campaign support in Editor 2.0
• March 2025: Google raises Performance Max negative keywords limit to 10,000
• June 2025: Google Ads API v20 brings Performance Max campaign-level negative keywords
• July 2025: Google Ads Editor 2.10 introduces AI Max features and enhanced targeting
• August 2025: Google wraps up Performance Max feature rollouts including negative keyword lists
• September 2025: Google unveils comprehensive AI advertising suite at Think Week
• October 2025: Google Ads API v22 adds targetless bidding and generative AI capabilities
• 2025: Google releases Ads Editor version 2.11 with Performance Max search term reports and campaign-level negative keyword lists

Summary

Who: Google released the update for advertising professionals, agencies, and enterprise advertisers managing large-scale Google Ads accounts through the desktop Editor application.

What: Google Ads Editor version 2.11 introduces search term reporting for Performance Max campaigns, campaign-level negative keyword lists, Smart Bidding Exploration for Search campaigns, automated video generation from existing assets, scheduled link checks, account-level placement and IP exclusions, editable lead forms, and enhanced CSV import/export functionality. The release also deprecates manual CPV campaigns and several legacy ad types.

When: The update was released in 2025, following Google Ads Editor 2.10's release in July 2025 and aligning with broader Performance Max transparency improvements completed in August 2025.

Where: The desktop application serves advertisers globally managing Google Ads campaigns, with particular benefits for large account structures requiring offline editing and bulk modification capabilities across Search, Shopping, Performance Max, and Demand Gen campaign types.

Why: The update addresses advertiser demands for precision targeting controls within automated campaigns, campaign transparency through search term visibility, AI-powered optimization tools, and enhanced creative format support. The changes reflect Google's strategy of balancing automation efficiency with advertiser control requirements while maintaining the systematic bulk editing capabilities that distinguish Editor from web-based campaign management.