How to expand from paid social into Google Ads

The Google Ads API added a trio of new targeting tools for Performance Max campaigns, giving advertisers sharper control over where – and to whom – their ads appear.

What’s new. From Aug. 4, all supported versions of the Google Ads API now support:

  • Device targeting: You can now choose which devices your Performance Max campaigns target – mobile, desktop, tablet, and more. Optimizing for specific platforms can boost performance and reduce waste.
  • Negative keyword lists: You can now apply negative keyword lists at the campaign level. This long-requested feature helps prevent ads from showing on irrelevant or low-quality queries, improving audience precision.
  • Age range exclusions: You can now exclude specific age groups from their PMax campaigns. This is helpful for both regulatory compliance and audience refinement, especially in industries with age-sensitive products.

Why we care. Performance Max has been a key product for advertisers looking to reach audiences across all of Google’s channels. But until now, it lacked some of the granular targeting options available in other campaign types. These new updates aim to close that gap.

How it works. These features are enabled via the Google Ads API using new criteria objects:

  • DeviceInfo for devices
  • NegativeKeywordListInfo for exclusions
  • AgeRangeInfo for age-based targeting

What’s next. Advertisers and developers can start implementing the changes immediately. Full implementation guidance is available in Google’s developer documentation.