URL Exclusions (PMax)

URL Exclusions are settings within Performance Max campaigns that prevent Google’s Final URL Expansion from sending paid traffic to specific URLs or URL patterns on your website. They allow advertisers to block irrelevant pages like blog posts, career listings, or login pages from receiving Performance Max traffic.

Key Takeaways

• Block specific URLs or URL patterns from receiving Performance Max traffic
• Only relevant when Final URL Expansion is enabled
• Supports individual URL exclusions and pattern-based rules
• Essential for preventing wasted spend on non-converting pages
• Managed at the campaign level under campaign settings

What Are URL Exclusions

URL Exclusions are the counterbalance to Final URL Expansion in Performance Max campaigns. When Final URL Expansion is enabled, Google can replace your chosen landing page with any indexed page on your site. URL Exclusions let you define pages that should never receive this traffic.

Exclusion Method	Format	Example
Exact URL	Full page URL	www.example.com/careers
URL contains	Partial URL pattern	Contains /blog/
URL prefix	URL starts with	www.example.com/support/

How It Works

URL Exclusions are configured in the Performance Max campaign settings:

1. Navigate to Campaign settings > Final URL expansion
2. Ensure Final URL Expansion is enabled (exclusions have no effect when expansion is off)
3. Click Exclude URLs or URL exclusion rules
4. Add individual URLs or define pattern-based rules
5. Save — exclusions take effect within hours

Google checks each potential landing page against your exclusion list before serving an ad. If a page matches an exclusion rule, Google selects the next best URL that is not excluded.

Common pages to exclude:

• Careers/jobs pages — No commercial intent, zero conversion potential
• Blog/content pages — Low conversion rates, informational intent
• Login/account pages — Only relevant to existing customers
• Terms of service/privacy policy — Legal pages with no conversion path
• Out-of-stock product pages — Active exclusion until inventory returns
• International pages — Pages in languages not matching target market

Practical Example

A SaaS company enables Final URL Expansion and monitors the landing pages report after 30 days:

Landing Page	Clicks	Cost	Conversions	CPA
/product (intended)	800	$2,400	40	$60
/pricing	500	$1,500	35	$43
/blog/industry-trends	300	$900	2	$450
/careers	150	$450	0	—
/about-us	100	$300	0	—
/login	50	$150	0	—

Wasted spend on non-converting pages: $1,800/month (30% of budget)

URL Exclusions added:

• Contains /blog/
• Contains /careers
• Exact: /about-us
• Exact: /login

After exclusions: the $1,800/month previously wasted is redistributed to /product and /pricing pages, projecting an additional 35-40 conversions at existing CPAs.

Why It Matters

URL Exclusions are a required complement to Final URL Expansion. Without them, a significant portion of Performance Max budget can flow to pages with no conversion path. The landing pages report should be reviewed within the first two weeks of any Performance Max campaign with Final URL Expansion enabled, and exclusions should be updated monthly as new pages are published. For asset groups targeting specific products or services, tight URL exclusion rules ensure that traffic reaches pages designed to convert, not informational or administrative pages that dilute campaign performance.