If you’re in PPC right now, it feels like the ground is shifting under your feet every other week. New tools, new AI features, new betas, and platform “recommendations” that seem to pop up faster than you can clear them. It’s exciting, but also exhausting if you try to chase everything. The reality? You don’t need to keep up with every shiny update. You need a system that keeps you learning, testing, and building on a strong foundation.

Here’s the real talk: testing is still king, but if your basics are shaky, you’re just testing noise. Account structure, keywords, negatives, match types, audiences—those aren’t going anywhere. If you ignore the foundation, all AI is going to do is help you scale the wrong thing faster. I’ve always believed in learning by doing, and honestly that’s how I’ve picked up most of what I know in this space.

Early in my career, I’d spend hours digging through campaigns, running tests, and sometimes breaking things just to understand how it all worked. That mindset of curiosity is what keeps me from getting overwhelmed now. AI isn’t something to fear—it’s another tool to experiment with.

And let’s talk about staying up to date. The platforms don’t always make it easy, but the information is out there. Follow the people who share what’s actually working, not just what Google or Microsoft want you to hear. LinkedIn, podcasts, newsletters, even YouTube—it doesn’t all cost money, most of it is free. You just need to build the habit of checking in and making space for learning. I block out time on my calendar for it, because otherwise client work and team work will fill every second.

Then there’s the cross-platform view. If you’re only looking at Google Ads in isolation, you’re missing out. The best insights come when you compare data across channels. Trends you see on Meta or LinkedIn can inform what you test on Google, and vice versa. AI is optimizing within its own walls, but you as the marketer have the bigger picture. That’s where your edge is.

The truth is, none of us are going to master AI overnight. But if you keep learning, keep testing, and stay rooted in the fundamentals, you’ll do more than just keep up—you’ll stay ahead. This industry will never stop changing, but the curiosity to figure it out, the discipline to keep testing, and the wisdom to lean on the basics will make sure you’re not just surviving, but actually thriving in this AI era.