PPCChat | What is on Your Mind in PPC This Week?

Posted November 12th, 2025 by Amita & filed under PPCChat.

There’s a lot going on in the PPC world right now! With just 17 days left until BFCM, in this week’s PPCChat session, host Julie F. Bacchini gathered insights from industry experts to discuss how their ecommerce campaigns are performing this year — what’s working, what’s changing, and whether they’re experimenting with any new platforms as we head into the year’s final stretch.

Q1: Let’s start with what is on your mind this week in PPC?

I don’t work in e-commerce, but I did post earlier about how this year’s BFCM advertising and emailing feels really quiet. @NeptuneMoon

Just talking to someone about our wishes that the platforms could better accommodate conversion funnels > 30 days / 3 months. @revaminkoff

Google is up to its regular BS this week too, with changes to LSA (local service ads) and video ads in Gmail placements. @NeptuneMoon

Thinking about the overall landscape of PPC: Are business even seeing success? If so, which ones?
Business running into hardships, are they moving on to other agencies or just scaling back temporarily? Or are they just writing all of digital marketing off because of tricky economic timing?
and what it looks like to grow a client base well, without stretching resources too thin, or spinning your wheels on red-flag prospects who are likely to churn. @AnthonyMcDaniel

@revaminkoff, it really is wild that platforms just continue to act like all sales happen within days and not weeks or months. @NeptuneMoon

It amazes me that so many barely try to do anything out side Meta and Google… particularly in the DTC/Ecommerce space. @BryantGarvin

I have been thinking about what if CPC as a model will go away once agents start clicking. @alimehdimukadam

@alimehdimukadam I saw your post on that @NeptuneMoon

BFCM Discussion Thread

I would love to hear from folks running ecommerce campaigns how their strategies are going this year. I am now very curious if we will be getting bigger offers, but just closer to the traditional BFCM dates this year? Or will it be smaller offers? @NeptuneMoon

It took me far too long to realize what the “CM” stood for in BFCM, haha @AnthonyMcDaniel

I think it is hilarious it is still called cyber monday too. @NeptuneMoon

I mean, the whole thing lasts 3+ weeks anymore. everything has lost meaning and we now live in a commerce void @AnthonyMcDaniel

I’m seeing everything being similar to last year… I do see many more brands starting discounting significantly earlier than other times I’ve seen over the year. @BryantGarvin

@BryantGarvin Are they actively promoting those discounts? @NeptuneMoon

Well, today I seem to be getting Singles Day ads in my email. Which is not a US thing? So that’s interesting. It is also Veterans Day here in the US today. @NeptuneMoon

Google Ads Discussion Thread

I posted about the LSA changes earlier: https://ppcchatgroup.slack.com/archives/C0XM9UTL0/p1762872837764269. Google is making some big changes to the way LSA (local service ads). I did not get the email from Google Ads about this, but several people shared its contents on Twitter, so I will share here. @NeptuneMoon

As for video ads in Gmail placements, from a post on PPC News Feed: “When users open a Gmail video ad on mobile, it now auto-plays the video and opens the advertiser’s website within the Gmail app. This shift means “clicks’ may now include users who never intended to visit the site, potentially inflating website traffic and remarketing lists. https://ppcnewsfeed.com/ppc-news/2025-11/gmail-video-ads-now-auto-open-advertiser-websites/ @NeptuneMoon

Case Studies With No Relevance to Advertisers Who Are Not Massive Brands: I am also sick of seeing these case studies for major household brands that all miraculously show that AI is so amazing! They saw brand lift! Show me how AI is helping non household name brands and service companies and then you will have my attention. @NeptuneMoon

Regarding LSA updates: I discussed this with a client briefly today, we are active in the space and he was comparing it to how yelp and thumbtack have evolved – i have avoided those platforms so far, but it seems to make sense to expand the lead opportunity. @Chriskostecki

Business of PPC Thread

Just saw this video from Kat Sale this morning. Really making me consider the overall sales process for smaller agencies, and what it looks like to qualify sales on a deeper level, and the waterfall of how an agency would have to be set up to be able to essentially turn down prospects that aren’t “green flags” only: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/kat-sale_ppcagency-paidsocialagency-paidmedia-ugcPost-[…]mber_desktop_web&rcm=ACoAABNcekwBxYlQOa7O24u5JgraLiFr_GaNpKE @AnthonyMcDaniel

I agree with that.. @revaminkoff

One of the absolute best things you can do for yourself and your business is to have strong criteria about who you agree to work with and stick to it! I say this as someone who has been doing my own thing for 26 years. You will almost always regret talking yourself into taking a project or client that you have reservations about. Sometimes, we just need the revenue, so we do it, but to the extent that you can, being picky is so much better all the way around. @NeptuneMoon

Formal RFP processes also just don’t work super well for small agencies/boutiques / etc. @revaminkoff

100%, but then this requires an agency that doesn’t over-extend itself to the point where growth is a “necessity” to continue doing business. And most agencies don’t seem to operate this way. @AnthonyMcDaniel

@revaminkoff Agreed. But even beyond formal RFPs, it’s really easy to pour a ton of time/resources into normal every day leads that seem like they’re not a great fit. I’ve had a few clients in my career that I know within minutes of my kickoff call that they’re likely to churn within a month or two (or less). @AnthonyMcDaniel

I do think having an intake process is important where you can weed folks out and/or they can weed themselves out is a good idea too. @NeptuneMoon

@AnthonyMcDaniel 100% – it’s definitely important to weed and be picky — I agree about those calls where you know a minute in that it’s not going to go well. @revaminkoff

And don’t be shy about having monthly minimums. You don’t need to waste your time talking with someone who wants to pay 1/5 what you would charge to do the work they want. I think we are also at an inflection point where we have to define what we offer and why it has value again, with all of the AI hype happening. @NeptuneMoon

I would say for SME/Mid Segment clients, they would start looking for consolidating different vendors or try going the way of In-House + AI = External Agencies. Been thinking of creating like an internal referral network of sorts where we not only share clients based on strengths, capacity and criteria but also collaborate if there are adjacent capabilities. Something like a ppc chat collective. @alimehdimukadam

I am struggling with this big time, half my clients right now are not a fit, but they pay their bills (mostly). Hard to turn down an opportunity when you know you can provide value even if it is not aligned with scaling and ends up blocking growth. @Chriskostecki

Q2: Are you testing any new platforms as we roll into the end of the year?

Not so much a test as it is seeing more clients showing interest in Reddit. I’ve been running a few there for over a year, and I’m recommending it to more of my clients, especially those with really tricky/unique audiences or niche industry verticals. @AnthonyMcDaniel

Reddit is definitely interesting, especially with results from it being more prominent in search results. Someone said years ago that if you advertise on Reddit you have to be really careful how you do it because the people who use Reddit will jump all over anything that does not feel authentic and I think was was/is good advice. @NeptuneMoon

And its influence on AI results. I think Reddit ads will be a major part of a lot of marketing teams’ playbooks in a year or two, along with an organic content strategy on Reddit. Using ads to promote organic content/presence to increase presence in those LLM results seems like a great way to get into that space, even before ChatGPT ads roll out (whenever that will be) @AnthonyMcDaniel

@NeptuneMoon Great insight about authenticity, although that should probably be applied to all advertising/marketing as a whole. On that note though, Reddit’s probably a decent testing ground for new marketing messaging to ensure quality before rolling out across all platforms. @AnthonyMcDaniel

I would agree that you should be authentic in your advertising, for sure. I think you can get away with different levels of authenticity on different platforms. @NeptuneMoon

Utilizing Microsoft’s spend 250 and get 500 in ad credit for a few accounts. @alimehdimukadam

I’ve also been seeing some good results from Reddit — good leadgen play for B2B/SaaS the last two clients I’ve used it with. If you hone in your targeting well, it does a good job. IME not as tricky as it used to be – back when I was using it in 2020 we had to be really careful with context but now it feels a bit more like early FB. Users tend to be less context-resistance, more feed-specific. Like the expect the algo to show them things based on how they’re using it now vs. before it was a bit too “meta” – like you had to be the audience, to target the audience well. @timmhalloran

Q3: How are you feeling heading into the end of 2025?

I am kind of tired. It has been a volatile year. @NeptuneMoon

Mixed Bag – mostly positive. Knowing that things are going to be challenging and changing more often than we would want them to somehow motivates more. The only downside to this is having the right kind of feedback loops, which in our case would be clients. And if, after all this, they don’t understand or aren’t happy or ask ChatGPT – then it’s going to be an issue. @alimehdimukadam

Challenging economic times for everyone. So client volatility is always stressful… @Galliguez

Economic volatility and uncertainty always impacts us pretty quickly too. Between clients/stakeholders getting more uptight about performance to fewer opportunities being out there, it can be a lot. AI is complicating it all too @NeptuneMoon

Feeling the same – economic uncertainty, stakeholders watching performance like hawks, needing more communication etc @timmhalloran

If you are here in this chat you probably don’t need the reminder, but when things get stressful, this is a great place for a sanity check! And to get some moral support if you’re going through it as the kids say…My daughter is going to be in a middle school production of HS Musical, so let’s just say I have heard a whole lot of “We’re All In This Together” over the past few weeks, and we really are here! @NeptuneMoon

Mixed. Long-standing clients are still doing well and even show signs of growth, since trust is built in. But also had a new client cancel after only 1 month. They’re in a tricky, expensive, competitive vertical, and our strategy did not deliver like I thought it would. Although their overall leads were down across their entire business, not just PPC, so I don’t think the problem was inherently a PPC strategy issue. It’s still a bummer, as I was hoping to help them succeed. @AnthonyMcDaniel

@NeptuneMoon HSM is the best. Glad that it’s still getting through to younger generations, haha @AnthonyMcDaniel

Would recommend everyone read the last shareholder letter sent by Mr. Buffet yesterday. @alimehdimukadam

@AnthonyMcDaniel It is hard when we can’t get the results we want or the client wants. I feel like all the platforms just take longer now and some clients get that and some need it yesterday. @NeptuneMoon

Mixed bag- there are good things brewing but alsojust soooo much uncertainty politically and economically here in America on top of the usual business challenges and uncertainties that come every year. @revaminkoff

Heading out of 2025 with a lot of concern for the future. I am still not sold on AI and concerned it may all come crashing down at some point and hoping to avoid the damage. If it doesn’t I worry for my children. On the bright side, I see the networks getting more aggressive in trying to take control from advertisers, which is good for us, as we prioritize the advertisers needs (and budgets) over the network’s quarterly whims. @Chriskostecki

This has been a crazy first year in this new role as a digital strategist. Lots of learning and falling in love with this role and the constant change and numbers are wonderful. Learning what people like and don’t like and just trying to help people. It’s cool and crazy all at once @Joshuastillwaugh

PPCChat Participants