By default, Performance Max is set to “ON,” meaning Google can replace your Final URL with any page on your domain that it deems more relevant to a user’s search. To gain full control and only send traffic to the URLs you specify in your asset groups, follow these steps:
Step-by-Step Instructions
Select the Campaign: Click on your Performance Max campaign from the main dashboard.
Open Settings: Click the Campaign Settings.
Locate Asset Optimisation: Scroll down to find the section labeled “Asset optimisation”
Expand the Section: Click to expand the menu. You will see two main checkboxes:
Text customisation: (Allows Google to write its own headlines).
Final URL: (This is the URL Expansion toggle).
Turn it Off: Uncheck the box labeled “Final URL”.
Note: A pop-up may appear warning you that this could “limit performance.” In your guide, explain that this is a standard AI-bias warning and can be ignored if the user has a specific landing page strategy.
Save: Scroll to the bottom and click Save.
The “Middle Ground”: URL Exclusions
If you want the benefit of AI but want to “protect” certain pages, you shouldn’t disable the whole feature. Instead, you should use Exclusions.
To exclude specific pages without turning the feature off:
Under the same Asset Optimisation menu, click “Exclude some URLs.”
You can paste specific links (e.g., website.com/blog) or use Rules (e.g., “Exclude all URLs containing the word ‘career'”).
Technical Detail
Asset Group Override: Even with URL Expansion ON, the “Final URL” you provide in the Asset Group is still treated as the primary signal. Google only expands if it finds a page with a significantly higher predicted conversion rate.
The “Pinned” Asset Conflict: In 2026, if you have Final URL Expansion ON, Google may ignore “Pinned” headlines in your Responsive Search Ads because the AI needs the flexibility to change the text to match the new landing page it chose. Disabling URL Expansion is the only way to guarantee your pinned assets always show.
Page Feeds: If you turn URL Expansion OFF, Google will only use the URLs provided in your Asset Groups and any Page Feeds you have attached to the campaign.
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