Category: PPC Strategy & Optimization

  • How to Figure Out Your Starting Budget for Paid Search

    Told Through a Thanksgiving Story Every Thanksgiving, there are two types of people:The ones who show up with a color-coded plan for the menu……and the ones who say, “Let’s just wing it,” then burn the rolls, under-season the turkey, and somehow forget the mashed potatoes entirely. Paid search budgets?Same energy. When you first launch a…

  • Why Your Equipment Company May Be Wasting Thousands on Paid Search (And How to Fix It)

    If you’re running paid search campaigns for your equipment company—Kubota, Bobcat, or any other heavy machinery brand—you know it’s not as simple as throwing money at Google or Bing and hoping for leads. Yet, too many equipment companies end up spending far more than they should, often with disappointing results. Here’s the hard truth: your…

  • The Boring Stuff in PPC? That’s Where the Magic Actually Happens

    We marketers love the shiny stuff — new betas, fresh features, and the thrill of testing what might work. But have you ever inherited an account so messy that it gave you secondhand stress?Let me paint a picture: Here’s the truth:The “boring stuff” is what makes good PPC actually work. The not-so-sexy best practices that…

  • The future of PPC is shifting — fast. Are you ready for it?

    Looking back at PPC, thinking about how far we’ve come is wild. We used to have four match types: exact, phrase, modified broad, and broad. Ad copy? Started with basic text ads, moved to expanded text ads, then responsive ads, and now — boom — PMax (because apparently, Google said, “You know what? Let’s just…

  • What’s a Lead in Digital Marketing?

    In the world of digital marketing—especially in PPC—a lead is anyone who shows interest in your business. This could be someone filling out a form, clicking on “Get a Quote,” calling your dealership, or even messaging you via chat. But not all leads are created equal, and how you manage each one can make or…

  • PPC Hiring Wars: In-House vs. Agency—Which One Won’t Waste Your Budget?

    So, you need someone to manage your PPC. Great! But now you’re stuck on the big question—do you hire in-house or go with an agency? I’ve worked both sides—agency and in-house—so let’s break it down and help you figure out what actually makes sense for your business. Because trust me, these are two very different…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • Hidden Default Settings

    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…