Host Julie F Bacchini discusses the theme “Diversification in PPC” during this week’s PPCChat session. The discussion includes exploring advertising across various platforms and expanding skill sets as PPC professionals.
Q1: Do you work across multiple ad platforms? If so, which ones?
I am doing most of my work in Google Ads these days. I would be happy to do work on pretty much any platform but Meta though (and I have worked on everyone except Pinterest, Snapchat or TikTok). @NeptuneMoon
I manage Meta for a client & was recently asked about LinkedIn & Pinterest. I prefer working only in Google ads but I think to grow you need to include at least Meta too because clients prefer these services to be provided by the same person/agency. @JawadZaheerKhan
I used to do Meta, but have not in a few years and I’m not anxious to get back into that mess. @NeptuneMoon
I do work across multiple ad platforms, specifically Google, Microsoft, Facebook, LinkedIn. I’ve also been experimenting with TikTok while Instagram sneaks in. I don’t actively do much on Instagram and I consider YouTube as part of Google. Amazon has been getting more and more attention as well, specifically the non-endemic. @navahf
I think one of the hardest parts about working across the different ad platforms are the close but not quite mechanics. For example, the fact that Microsoft doesn’t have a broad match, negative keyword or the different ad networks have different conversions. Windows can impact reporting and setup @navahf
I dread Meta’s UI and the fact that they have a separate platform for suite, ad manager, billing, pixel manager and what else. @JawadZaheerKhan
I work across multiple platforms. Google is the big one right now, but Bing, and Meta are also in the mix. A few years ago I had much larger budgets and I managed everything under the sun. Billboards on AdQuick, TV on MNTN, every social network, native through Nativo. @BryceLiggins
Yes! to keep it simple, we work across all of them. paid search, SEO, social, Pinterest, snap, local publication partnerships, TV, radio, Spotify, yt, truly just ask me anything. @JuliaVyse
I’m more interested in who’s not working across multiple ad platforms because I am so jealous. I want to live your life and be. I’m really interested in how the brand keeps up across different persona needs. @navahf
Google mainly, I partner with social advice specialist, about to start looking at Bing. @KimRoutley
@navahf I agree, but I’m very concerned about being replaceable! @JuliaVyse
I wanted to do this topic today because with Google talking about the IP changes in Chrome and other changes we keep seeing in platforms, staying the course in our strategies and skill sets does not seem like a viable long (or even medium) term plan…@NeptuneMoon
Do we get to panic now is this where we get to post all of our panic thoughts and then remind ourselves that no add platform whatever compromise to themselves and revenue that much. @navahf
Definitely work across multiple platforms: Google, Microsoft, Meta, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Amazon, Walmart, Reddit. It’s a lot. @robert_brady
Here is the SE Landwrite up on the IP stuff: https://searchengineland.com/google-chrome-ip-masking-439820 @NeptuneMoon
Hi to all. Meta (Facebook, Instagram), Google Ads, LinkedIn – soon we’ll start with Viber, WhatsApp and SMS automatization with Ads via chatbot for engagement and leads and soon I’ll test Apple Ads. @Daniel
@NeptuneMoon adapt or die. Diversifying across channels at least helps you to be more rounded and resistant to changes introduced by individual channels. Even if other channels aren’t as efficient, it’s important to keep a diversified approach for security reasons. @BryceLiggins
@BryceLiggins agreed and we need to think about our skills and offerings too. @NeptuneMoon
Yep. Pretty much all of it. I prefer Google ads, but having clients in vastly different verticals means I’m also having to do LinkedIn, Meta, Pinterest, Snapchat, Microsoft Ads, Reddit, Quora, TikTok and Stackadapt. It’s definitely a lot. @arnolditdepends
Mostly Google and Meta, but sometimes run small tests for clients including LinkedIn, Nextdoor, Yelp, Apple Search Ads, Reddit, etc. @Austin_Dillman
In fairness, I am more concerned about this. If it actually is rolled out the way that they’re detailing the GitHub post then I was about the iOS updates that took away conversion, tracking the clids and open rates and emails. If it’s rolled out the way it’s intended, the only way you’ll be able to Target is in cohorts of a million cookies across a two week. Cohorts and if you don’t have enough people in your area to qualify for a cohort, you’re going to get merged with someone else. Additionally, click fraud protection is going to go away. Joe, I really don’t think it’s going to get rolled out exactly as it’s outlined, but we’ll see. @navahf
@Daniel Beware. Apple ads are great, but rudimentary! they are way behind other platforms in terms of media. @JuliaVyse
We work across Google, Microsoft, Meta, Amazon and TikTok. Can not put all your eggs in one basket. @duanebrown
Google is probably 80% of our spend… now I’m curious to find out the actual number. We have some spend across Bing, LinkedIn, FB/IG, Taboola, Reddit, Quora, X, Rumble, Criteo, AdRoll, StackAdapt, Paved, etc. @AlexMakarski
Q2: Will you be expanding the platforms where you are managing advertising in 2024? If so, why and if not, why not?
Not as a primary offering but I’ll probably help a client run a TikTok test, although I despise that company. lol @Austin_Dillman
For ecomm clients, TikTok shops are working crazy well and I feel like a lot of people are sleeping on it. Of course, if the bill to ban TikTok in the U.S. is passed, then it won’t be a concern anymore. @arnolditdepends
I am definitely pushing clients to diversify. @NeptuneMoon
Amazon is the big one to explore with their audiences and the ad Tech investments they’re making. I would be really surprised if Amazon doesn’t become synonymous with the Google, Facebook, Microsoft default ad platform media by that said, there was a point made earlier about SMS and email marketing. With how much privacy is a concern. I would be super surprised if brands aren’t leaning much more into those platforms and those channels simply because the consent has already been worked out. @navahf
I sure hope so! We’ve had budgets trimmed as a result of the economy/inflation impacting our business. Channel expansion for me would come from a result in increased budget, which would come from a more positive economic outlook. @BryceLiggins
I forced myself to finally join tiktok last week and I have fully fallen to the dark side. It is hilarious how quickly the algorithm learns your behaviors and I can 100% see why it would get banned if all of the privacy regulation that’s floating around goes into effect. @navahf
@navahf If you’d held out just a bit longer it’s possible you could have skipped learning TikTok all together. @BryceLiggins
We’re certainly pushing our clients to expand, particularly in favour of local media. You should see some of our research on internet coverage across Canada. There are places where if you need to reach that particular town in that particular area, you had BETTER buy some rink boards along with your search. @JuliaVyse
Unless a client requests something, we already cover the 5 main one’s for clients. @duanebrown
@navahf I’m pretty sure Apple will hop onto SMS very early and leapfrog over other platforms for it. @JuliaVyse
I’ll do what’s best for my clients. Learning is the name of the game in digital marketing. @robert_brady
Yes, we are expanding. Mainly because Google’s traffic is getting more and more suspect and lower quality. @MarkSubel
We’ve been spending clients’ money across maybe a dozen channels. TikTok is the least interesting to me because it seems to be overhyped and not priced correctly, to say nothing of platform risks in the US of A. Bullish on email ads, Reddit, Rumble, CTV. Hope X get their shit together eventually. Coming across some under-loved 1P data/lists that we may be able to run some ads against, typically as a direct IO. @AlexMakarski
Q3: Are you doing anything to diversify your skills and/or offerings in PPC in 2024?If so, what are you doing and why? And if not, why not?
I’ve been intentionally playing with new platforms and taking on test clients where I’m up front with them to learn strategies and the mechanics of new platforms. @navahf
I read a lot of blogs, make sure to get to a couple conferences each year, and participate in conversations like #ppcchat here. That has always served me well as a continuing education plan. @robert_brady
Yes, tracking lead quality with lead tracking systems more and more since traffic on Google and Facebook can be very suspect. “Conversions” aren’t all they’re cracked up to be if they aren’t driving real leads. @MarkSubel
I am leaning into my web design background to bring more landing page/CRO type skills into the mix more directly. @NeptuneMoon
We already do omni, so this year is about highlighting local media as part of the mix with intentionality, rather than just the big players. @JuliaVyse
Podcasts for inspiration! I’m currently really enjoying how actionable Marketing Against the Grain is. I play it on one screen and try to replicate what they are doing on another. I also try to reserve Fridays for “future building” as much as possible. Build something that will benefit my company in the future. That could be a new campaign in search, it could be a new top-of-funnel lead magnet, anything. But I often have to learn something to successfully build. @BryceLiggins
I’ve worked with several PE firms over last 5 years of freelance consulting. In addition to advising some of their portfolio companies, I’ve also done a few due diligence audits for Google/Meta recently to help them forecast revenue and new client growth opportunities.I end up reading through hundreds of pages of due diligence docs, consolidating some of that info as it pertains to paid media strategy, and then audit the ad channels as well. @Austin_Dillman
I plan on leaning more into Data Analytics and perhaps eventually switching to that completely. Thinking of starting with using BigQuery with GA4 for a client or two and see if it’s worth the effort. @JawadZaheerKhan
@BryceLiggins I love that idea of one day a week for building using focus time. it’s so easy to get bogged down in campaigns and sometimes admin work. @JuliaVyse
I am also leaning into positioning and competitiveness, as I think this is going to be even more important as automation increases and attribution as we have known it goes away. @NeptuneMoon
@NeptuneMoon 100% agree. Genuine, strong marketing principles starting with messaging/positioning will be one of the hardest things to excel with if you’re only focused on automation. It’s one of the biggest values a human can add. @BryceLiggins
@NeptuneMoon do you have April Dunford’s book on positioning? it’s EXCELLENT. @JuliaVyse
@JuliaVyse I do! I met her at a Seer event years ago. She is the best. @NeptuneMoon
Here is the link to her book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Obviously-Awesome-Product-Positioning-Customers ebook/dp/B07P[…]e&qid=1713890341&sprefix=obviously+awesome%2Caps%2C153&sr=8-3 @NeptuneMoon
We spun off our analytics/data integration group as a separate company a couple of years ago, and that’s going strong. Within our media buying team, we find ourselves being dragged by clients more and more into creative work and strategy in addition to jockeying ad campaigns. @AlexMakarski
Q4: What are your biggest concerns as you look forward when it comes to how we will work in PPC in the rest of 2024 and beyond?
This IP masking does not sound great. The plan is go with the flow as we don’t know what is going to change or come our. React as best we can. We have Enhanced Conversions set up across clients on Google. Plus whatever the equivalent on other platforms. Looking at Service Side Tracking next across clients. Most clients don’t seem to care about Google Analytics UA data. So glad we set up GA4 back in 2021 for brands. @duanebrown
Fewer manual controls in the ad platforms/ increase in forced use of AI, less access to real data, poor attribution, elimination of match types in Google. In a nutshell, the ad platforms becoming a total black box. @Austin_Dillman
I honestly don’t think PPC is going to look the same within 2 years. And that is wild to me, as I have been working in it for 20 years. But the changes with automation/AI/machine learning coupled with privacy and data loss is going to push the platforms to be less transparent, have fewer inputs from advertisers and reporting on less non-modelled data. Put all that together and they way we have done things will simply not be able to the way we will do things. So, we will need to have skills and be able to sell them, that only a human mind can do. @NeptuneMoon
My biggest concern is client expectations. I’m still dealing with clients who want to shape traffic using methods from when exact match was exact. The breadth of this change is not well-understood and we, unfortunately, need to communicate this rather than platforms who are giving us a lot of ‘happy talk’ @JuliaVyse
I feel that @JuliaVyse We have sold the idea of absolutely trackable advertising with very high levels of control so well that unwinding all that is a huge undertaking. @NeptuneMoon
Q5: Where do you think the best opportunities lie for PPC practitioners in 2024 and beyond?
As I said in an earlier answer, post-click (landing pages and website experience) in tandem with positioning and competitive analysis. @NeptuneMoon
Landing page optimization/CRO. Getting better at what happens after the click. @Austin_Dillman
Hmm. CRO def, Content Strategy – too many channels, not enough media budget. I think consulting. Govs, Universities, Hospitals, and growing businesses need their questions answered. They need folks like us who can bill outside media budgets and just talk, evaluate, and recommend. then implement. basically the Deloitte approach. @JuliaVyse
For my lead gen clients I see a lot of value in setting up their post-click data pipelines so uploading offline conversions, automating the sales process, especially smaller clients who do not have proper CRMs this can get quite tedious & difficult to set up. @JawadZaheerKhan
I will say this, if you are not looking forward and at least thinking about what you will do when everything is automated in the platforms, you will be in for a very rude awakening sometime in the not-too-distant future.GML is next month and should give us insights into where Google plans to go in the next 12-18 months. The promo for GML highlight AI and a new age for ads. @NeptuneMoon
Heavy-duty data work, kick-ass creative, and unit economics/offer engineering. I can see everything else as getting rapidly automated and our control of it eroding. @AlexMakarski
PPCChat Participants
- Julie F Bacchini @NeptuneMoon
- Jawad Zaheer Khan @JawadZaheerKhan
- Navah Hopkins @navahf
- Julia Vyse @JuliaVyse
- Kim Routley @KimRoutley
- Robert Brady @robert_brady
- Daniel @Daniel
- Bryce Liggins @BryceLiggins
- Arnold Bertasius @arnolditdepends
- Austin Dillman @Austin_Dillman
- Alex Makarski @AlexMakarski
- Duane Brown @duanebrown
- Mark Subel @MarkSubel
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