Maximizing ROI in PPC: Strategies That Work (Even When the Algorithm Doesn’t)

Running a successful PPC campaign isn’t just about setting things up and hoping for the best (spoiler: that’s a terrible strategy). If you want real results, you need a solid foundation built on clear goals, a deep understanding of your audience, and—most importantly—a willingness to actually do the work.

Because here’s the truth: algorithms are great, but they are not mind readers. They don’t know your business goals unless you define them. And they certainly won’t do all the heavy lifting while you sit back and sip your coffee.

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Making PMax Work for Lead Gen: How to Take Back Control

I get it—PMax for lead generation has been a struggle for a lot of marketers. It feels like we’ve lost control, and the automation doesn’t always work in our favor. But here’s the thing: PMax isn’t going anywhere, so instead of resisting, let’s figure out how to make it work for us, not against us.

If you’ve been burned by PMax, I hear you. But with the right structure, audience signals, and a firm grip on Google’s automation, you can actually make it work and generate high-quality leads. Let’s get into it.

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Your Marketing Isn’t Broken—Your Strategy Is

Why Most Businesses Struggle with Marketing (And How to Fix It)

Marketing is no longer just one thing. It’s not just running an ad, posting on social media, or launching a website. It’s a complex, multi-channel effort that requires research, planning, and most importantly—a strategy.

Yet, too many businesses dive into marketing without a plan. They expect immediate results, bounce from one tactic to the next, and ultimately, end up frustrated when they don’t see the ROI they were hoping for.

But here’s the truth: Marketing isn’t your problem. Your lack of strategy is.

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PPC for Every Budget

How Small Businesses Can Compete with Big Brands

Picture this: You own a small bakery in town, making the best croissants anyone has ever tasted. You know people would love them—if only they could find you. But every time you search for “fresh croissants near me,” there it is—an ad from a big chain with an endless budget. Sound familiar? It’s easy to feel like you’re in a David vs. Goliath battle when running PPC against big brands. But here’s the truth: PPC isn’t just for companies with deep pockets. With the right strategy, small businesses can absolutely compete—and win.

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Why Clients Quit PPC (And When They Shouldn’t)

PPC isn’t cheap. Let’s just start there.

It’s not a magic button that spits out endless leads or sales overnight. It takes time, strategy, testing, and yes—money. But too often, businesses pull the plug on PPC for the wrong reasons, leaving potential revenue on the table and starting from scratch later when they realize organic and social alone won’t cut it.

So why do clients quit PPC? Some reasons are preventable. Others, not so much.

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Hidden Default Settings

Discover a world of possibilities

Let’s be real—default settings in Google Ads and Bing Ads aren’t always set up with your best interests in mind. They’re designed to maximize reach (and often spend), not necessarily performance. If you’re not careful, you could be bleeding budget on irrelevant placements, unnecessary bid adjustments, or even audiences you never intended to target.

Checking these settings is the difference between wasting money on low-quality traffic versus investing in the right audience and placements. If you’re serious about saving your clients’ money and driving quality results, this is where you start.

So let’s break it down: here are the sneaky default settings in Google Ads and Bing Ads that you need to fix ASAP.

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Conversion Tracking: Why It Matters & How to Set It Up

  1. Know what’s working (and what’s not). Without tracking, you’re flying blind. With it, you can see which campaigns, keywords, and ads are driving actual results.

Let’s talk about something that should be non-negotiable in your PPC campaigns: conversion tracking. If you’re running ads without it, you’re basically throwing money into the void and hoping for the best. And hope is not a strategy.

What Is Conversion Tracking?

Conversion tracking is how you measure what happens after someone clicks on your ad. Did they fill out a form? Make a purchase? Call your business? Download your whitepaper? Without tracking, you have no clue whether your campaigns are actually working or just draining your budget.

Why Is Conversion Tracking So Important?

  1. Know what’s working (and what’s not). Without tracking, you’re flying blind. With it, you can see which campaigns, keywords, and ads are driving actual results.
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PPC Best Practices: Setting Up Google & Bing Ads Like a Pro

Welcome to the PPC Jungle

Setting up a PPC account is like packing for a trip. If you throw everything into a bag without checking the weather, setting a budget, or knowing your destination, you’re setting yourself up for disaster. But don’t worry—I’m here to help you avoid PPC chaos and set you on the path to success. Whether you’re new to PPC or have been running ads since the Stone Age (aka pre-automation), this guide will break things down in a way that makes sense, saves money, and delivers results.

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Duolingo’s Marketing Playbook Is Genius

How to Join the Conversation and Make It Your Own

If you’ve been following Duolingo, you know they’re not your average brand. When it comes to marketing, they’ve completely broken the mold. Instead of just talking at their audience, they engage in a way that feels authentic, timely, and fun—no matter the platform.

Take Duolingo’s ability to show up in real-time. When TikTok was banned for 24 hours, they didn’t miss a beat. Instead of sitting back and waiting for things to settle, Duolingo jumped in and created content that had the internet buzzing. Not only did they listen, but they joined the conversation with humor, speed, and relevance.

But it doesn’t stop there. Let’s talk about the Super Bowl. I know you all were watching (who wasn’t?), and sure enough, Duolingo was right there with content that felt like it was made just for that moment. It’s not about just showing up; it’s about engaging in a way that feels natural, fresh, and just a little cheeky.

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Relevancy is Queen: Stop Wasting Budget on Ads No One Cares About

A breakdown of why relevancy is everything in PPC, with real talk on keywords, audience signals, and how to stop showing up in useless auctions

Let’s be real—just because your ad is showing up doesn’t mean it’s doing its job. You can have the best ad copy in the world, but if it’s showing up in the wrong place, to the wrong people, at the wrong time, it’s about as useful as a sunroof on a submarine.

Relevancy is EVERYTHING in PPC. Your keywords, audience signals, ad copy, and landing pages all need to align like a well-oiled machine. Otherwise, you’re just setting money on fire. So, let’s break down how to ensure your campaigns are as relevant as possible (and stop wasting your budget on clicks that won’t convert).

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