Held in Washington, D.C. in May 2025, the Google Align Conference brought together leaders from government, nonprofit, and healthcare sectors to explore the transformative role of technology. A key highlight of the Government Sector panel was a presentation by Maria Neathery, Paid Search Specialist at LMO Advertising, who shared insights from a highly successful digital campaign executed for the United States Coast Guard (USCG).

In July 2024, the USCG launched its first lead generation and Google Maps Performance Max campaigns with a dual objective: to expand reach among younger audiences through cross-channel advertising and to drive foot traffic to recruiting offices nationwide via Google Maps.

Within weeks, the lead-focused Performance Max campaign delivered outstanding results, generating a surge in brand awareness and website traffic. It quickly became the USCG’s top-performing paid media channel, surpassing traditional platforms in efficiency and reach.

The impact of Performance Max extended beyond its own results:

• Existing search campaigns improved by 25% in performance.

• Cost per lead form submission decreased by 4%

These improvements were driven by Performance Max’s use of audience segments and search theme targeting, which helped the USCG connect with previously under-engaged users across platforms like YouTube, Demand Gen, and other Google properties.

Thanks to the strategic integration of Performance Max, Search, and other paid media initiatives, the USCG successfully met its 2024 recruitment target—the first time it has done so since 2017. This achievement underscores the power of modern digital advertising in supporting mission-critical government objectives.