{"id":27658,"date":"2026-04-29T23:59:27","date_gmt":"2026-04-29T18:29:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.karooya.com\/blog\/?p=27658"},"modified":"2026-04-29T23:59:31","modified_gmt":"2026-04-29T18:29:31","slug":"ppcchat-finding-the-right-career-path-in-ppc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.karooya.com\/blog\/ppcchat-finding-the-right-career-path-in-ppc\/","title":{"rendered":"PPCChat | Finding the Right Career Path in PPC | 28th April 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In this week\u2019s PPCChat discussion, Julie F. Bacchini<\/a> explored experts\u2019 educational backgrounds, how they began their careers in PPC, and the best advice they would give to someone just starting out in the industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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Q1: What is your educational background – or work experience if you did not attend college or university?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Dual in marketing and information systems, minor in finance at Villanova, 6-month co-op where i worked full-time for a semester to get DuPont’s analytics and Google Ads programs off the ground. I liked that a fortune 500 CMO cared about the interns work so\u2026. here I am! @Aaronlevy<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have a degree in International Politics and French from Penn State @NeptuneMoon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Award-winning writer, Art school grad, then BA in Religions. In other words, creativity, language understanding, and deep thinking about What we believe, and How we treat one another. Kind of perfect for advertising it turns out. @JuliaVyse<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fun fact about me\u2026 I worked for the Atlanta Olympic Committee right out of college @NeptuneMoon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have a BBA and also an Associates in Marketing. Definitely didn\u2019t take a \u201cdigital marketing\u201d route in school. I first got into PPC at an agency and then went into freelance. @JulianPhillip<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have a degree in Civil and Structural Engineering. @Pete_Bowen<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I started in marketing before the internet\u2026 then to graphic design and marketing and PR for health system before getting laid off and starting my own thing. Then websites, SEO and finally landed in PPC. @NeptuneMoon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There was a time when I thought I wanted to study Civil engineering haha. @JulianPhillip<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have a B. Arch degree. They had web design classes the semester after I graduated. @IamNextSTEPH<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

BS in Marketing, Minor in Psychology. Went from software implementation, to agency life (acct mgmt, digital media management, now solo specializing in Google Ads + SEO @teabeeshell<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Science student -> Bachelors in Management, Masters in International Business & Commerce -> Exec Program in Sales & Marketing. Got my first job at an ad network in 2012, straight out of college. And here we are today\u2026..@alimehdimukadam<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

BA in Strategic Communications (was Ohio State’s fancy way of saying Public Relations) with a design minor. Got my first internship in PPC about a year after graduating college, then first full-time agency gig about half a year after that. @AnthonyMcDaniel<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Marketing and another BSBA in Innovation Leadership & Entrepreneurship. Started off doing some graphic design, then web design, then PPC @williamhboggs<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

BS in Business Administration with an emphasis in Marketing from Brigham Young University. Took the first internet marketing class they offered and was hooked right away. @robert_brady<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Major in Journalism and minor in Cultural Anthropology at California State University, Northridge. Went into PR. Didn’t like it. Went into non-profit direct mail fundraising for many years. Worked for both agencies and brands. Took contract gig at Overture, where I learned about PPC. Been doing PPC since 2004. @JeffreyHain<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

BS in PR. @Chriskostecki<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Q2: How did you get started in PPC? What was your first job?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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So I started Neptune Moon when I got laid off from my health system job. Had been thinking about going out on my own and had a few side clients, but got that big push from the layoff. There was no PPC then. Websites were just becoming a thing\u2026 it was 1999. So I went full in on websites, then SEO came along, and I did that and then when I started doing PPC and analytics, I thought I found my place! Creative and analytical – magic for me. @NeptuneMoon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mentioned above, but I did it at DuPont while in college, and my role was basically to build dashboards in GA + present them to business unit owners and use that to convince them to invest in SEM. None of really knew what we were doing, so a lot of it was at the advice of (gasp) really good Google account reps. After that got a role at my first agency where I primarily worked for stores of TV networks (HBO, Nickelodeon, PBS). dating myself as well, but I “got to” watch True Blood on HBO for work. Did SEM, Affiliate, Email and a little display\/seo. tbh I think starting with all channels was more beneficial for my career as an SEM-er, as I was trained to look whole picture. @Aaronlevy<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

First agency job, filled a void in the media department when the Digital Media Manager took another position. I was responsible for managing all clients’ online advertising, spanning search, social, audio, display, video, and analytics. I was attracted to the direct feedback loop and data within Google Ads, even though this predated the concept of “conversions” within the platform! @teabeeshell<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

@Aaronlevy<\/a> I agree on having a background in other digital areas is super helpful in PPC. My pre internet marketing work is a lot too. @NeptuneMoon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was working at a college as a website traffic analyst, which included updating the website. PPC found me there. @IamNextSTEPH<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not technically PPC, because it was SEO! I did old-school SEO writing for a small affiliate firm. I was so pumped when my T4 (tax doc) said Writer on it. Then I moved up to an agency as a copywriter and started helping the paid search lead with keyword strategy. I turned out to be good at it and was soon asked if they were hiring a search person so I could be a copywriter, or a hiring a copywriter so I could do search. I chose search, and here I am! @JuliaVyse<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I started with Affinity Global Inc. – it was an ad network with different units for Programmatic, XML Feeds, Direct Advertisers, Mobile. Started as account specialist – setting up campaigns similar to Google\u2019s interface for direct advertisers. We would generate a pixel and share it with the advertising team. Tag Manager was the first revolution I saw. @alimehdimukadam<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I started as an Analyst at an agency. I went in knowing nothing about PPC, so it very much like drinking from the firehose. Lot\u2019s of tough days, but was blessed to have had that experience. @JulianPhillip<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I think we are all pretty much self taught on most PPC things too @NeptuneMoon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

First paid internship was for an “agency” that was more like a 1 man operation, helping him run some of his PPC strategy. That’s where I first got “Google certified”, which was primarily how I learned Google Ads management. But then I got a full-time agency job a few months later and learned a TON. Before PPC, I mostly did some social media & pretty general content\/design stuff here and there. @AnthonyMcDaniel<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oh yeah! the certs did not exist at all! @JuliaVyse<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oh yeah. I almost forgot I had a summer Internship doing organic social before I went into agency life. That was a pretty awkward time for me lol @JulianPhillip<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nobody would hire me even with my BSBA in Marketing, so I started freelancing for small businesses. Eventually built up a track record of good results and landed an in-house job, then an agency, now another agency. Still have my own clients on the side. @williamhboggs<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Got an internship while in college helping a software company sell a package of letter-writing templates for Word. Turned into a full-time offer at graduation. @robert_brady<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Working for a YP directory site, then traffic stopped coming, started selling Google “click packages” @Chriskostecki<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Worked for a major mortgage lender (no longer around) doing email, PPC, and affiliates. My offline direct mail skills in copy, offer, targeting and testing translated to everything I did online. Company was growing, and I was asked to pick one and choose PPC. @JeffreyHain<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Q3: How has your career progressed in PPC?  Have you had hiccups or obstacles in your path? Have you changed directions? What lead you to those decisions?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

For me, once I started doing PPC work, I realized how much I liked it more than the other stuff I was doing. I kept doing websites for a number of years as PPC became a solid line of business and then transitioned to doing it exclusively over another few-year period. @NeptuneMoon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I haven\u2019t had major hiccups as I have worked for myself coming up on 26 years. But that path has its own challenges. And advantages. One big advantage for me has been being able to scale my work up and down as life required. I am so grateful to be in a career and setup where that is possible. @NeptuneMoon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A few hiccups, but it’s honestly been a firehose. There is so much demand for good search talent that I’ve found my obstacles came from life changes like moving to Vancouver, Covid, and now ai-blamed layoffs. @JuliaVyse<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026call me a survivor, I’m a corporate girlie who has made it through many layoff years. @JuliaVyse<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oh man, yeah. Was abruptly let go from my first full-time job for incredibly unclear reasons (turns out to be an entire story for another day), and then took a few years before I could find another agency to give me a chance. Finally found a spot to continue my PPC career about 3 years later, but still fight through a lot of imposter syndrome because of that early career situation. @AnthonyMcDaniel<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

huge do everything agency –> small search only agency that grew to large agency –> large search heavy agency that became huge everything agency –> did nothing for a year –> now tech side focused on influence and operations. for a while, I wanted to get as big as possible and have as many team members as possible working for as big of clients as possible – think my team was 120 and spending ~$1b\/yr at Tinuiti. learned after not too long that at those sizes\/budgets, it becomes less “ppc work” and more politics with a tiny touch of strategy, both internal and at client. Now, outside of optmyzr (and I guess inside too?), I’m trying to help foster a culture of curiosity, friendliness and humanity across a slop-ified industry\/world. Frankly, PPC got boring for a while as it was more or less a math problem. I’m encouraged by all the automation which, while a “loss of control,” is making us ppc lifers become better real honest-to-goodness marketers. @Aaronlevy<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve had many challenges doing this work. Being let go from my first job in PPC at an agency, similar to Anthony, for unclear reasons, running into so many dishonest people, and just not knowing who to trust. If I didn\u2019t love the work, I would\u2019ve stopped a long time ago. It\u2019s sad to say that I\u2019m thinking of dipping my toe into something else, but I still want to do PPC at some level. @JulianPhillip<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Affinity: Moved from Account Specialist to Business Development to Manager of Strategic Growth & Ops – worked with product, tech teams, platforms. Then joined brand side – built their marketing team & direct media buying. Then started my own ppc agency scaled it, and was offering white-label to other agencies as well. Burned out & had health issues. Sunsetted it and moved to growth consultations @alimehdimukadam<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, I would be remiss in not highlighting taking over PPC Chat in 2017 as part of my career path. I love this community so much. And helping everyone I possibly can find their way in this industry and cheering them on. @NeptuneMoon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We’re so glad you did @Aaronlevy<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

That sounds awesome Ali! Except the burn out. That\u2019s never fun. @JulianPhillip<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ppc chat was huge in building out my “external” brand, in turn my speaking propensity and “influence” and taught me a TON about networking. @Aaronlevy<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

@NeptuneMoon<\/a> Finding this community is one the great rewards (and they\u2019re a few) of my PPC experience. It was hard finding a solid community, so I\u2019m super grateful everything you\u2019ve done to build and keep this going @JulianPhillip<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I found PPC Chat when I was pregnant and it was a lifeline in those early \u201cI have a baby – how does this all work now\u201d days. @NeptuneMoon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I figured out that PPC had a faster pace than web design or SEO. I’ve worked on my own and for a few outfits, some white-label, some on-staff. @IamNextSTEPH<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I hit a point when I was freelancing full-time. Then moved, and a lot of my clients included photo\/video production; lost most of them in the move and started over. Worked for an agency for a few years, they ended up pulling some shady shit. That was a big obstacle for me but I won’t get into it here\u2026I changed courses a lot on my freelancing journey \u2013 really just trying to get whatever work I could. It’s been cool to see it all pay off though, because now I have experience in several different areas (SEO, web design & dev, programming, graphic design, photo, video, ppc\u2026) that all ties together and gives me more big picture insight to pull projects together. @williamhboggs<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

My biggest “challenge” was a realization about waste in the industry. I got hired in 2017 to manage all of Target’s North America search efforts in Minneapolis. It felt like an accomplishment until I learned how poorly they held their search spend accountable. Knowing that it IS<\/em> possible to track dollars in to revenue (or at least store visits), I was floored that neither were pinnacles of importance for that media division. I ultimately turned down the job and moved on to start my own thing. I like being able to (largely) guarantee that ad dollars I manage are directly, provably moving forward businesses that I believe in and that move humanity forward. @teabeeshell<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

@williamhboggs<\/a> Being a big picture thinker is such an asset in PPC. @NeptuneMoon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Went from in-house > agency > freelance > founded an agency > freelance > agency > freelance. I learned that I’m much more comfortable managing accounts than managing employees. And PPC has been the perfect combination of art\/science for me. @robert_brady<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

@NeptuneMoon<\/a> PPC was also a lifeline for me from the other side while caregiving. @IamNextSTEPH<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

@IamNextSTEPH<\/a> Went through that too (and am now) @NeptuneMoon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I went from delivering snake oil in the yp industry to delivering value-based services for ecomm ppc, then went inhouse to a couple of CPGs built teams there, paid social came about, when I got more into project management, I jump back into agency world to stay close to the action, when I had my third kid I went on my own. During covid an agency client pulled me in full time, though always maintained my own clients, now I am on my own again and pretty much at capacity until I take on more resources. @Chriskostecki<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I shifted agency side after 5 years in-house and have been agency ever since. Worked at small and large agencies. Started doing exclusively B2B in 2012. @beyondthepaid<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Q4: Is there anything you wish you could \u201cdo over\u201d in your career path?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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I want to state here, as PPC Mom, that I want you all to know that there is no \u201cone right path\u201d when it comes to PPC careers. There is only the path that is right for YOU. And that path might change over time and that does not mean that the choices you made before were wrong. Just that the ones you need to make now are different. There are so many ways to have a successful and happy career in this industry! @NeptuneMoon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Big question – i wish i stretched myself more. my back is sore. Someone else alluded to it as well, but I think i trusted too much, too often and too early (applies to companies, clients and vendors). nobody wants to be a full time cynic but i learned over the years to look at peoples motivations in addition to just listening to the words coming out of their mouths or screens. @Aaronlevy<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I would probably push harder to build processes at scale. Yes, they constantly (should) evolve, but a system that allows me (now) to spend more time with my family would have been huge. I’m still in the process of trying to do this, and the current method has been serving as a consultant to agencies. If I take my built expertise to that top level, I can have a one-to-many approach that’s A) more lucrative, and B) less of a time investment on an average weekly basis. @teabeeshell<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

seeing that skepticism (or lack thereof) rear its ugly head as we enter a new era of ai snake oil. companies need to keep looking under the hood rather than falling for “OOOH NEW BEST SHINY THING” @Aaronlevy<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oh man, every pitch I’ve ever lost, I wish I’d done that one thing differently or better. @JuliaVyse<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

@JuliaVyse<\/a> there are more than a few pitches i wish i didn’t win – things that felt wrong at the time but we got them to yes just to have a terrible experience for a year or more. @Aaronlevy<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

@Aaronlevy<\/a> my brother in skepticism – the world needs us now more than ever! @NeptuneMoon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I would say “yes” less. It’s gotten me taken advantage of a lot in my career. @williamhboggs<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I wished I\u2019d learned systems thinking and workplace politics faster in my early days. Finding a mentor or community early on would\u2019ve been super helpful for my confidence and for over coming imposter syndrome as well. @JulianPhillip<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Say no more often to shiny objects\u2026.@alimehdimukadam<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I wish I would have leaned farther into the technical side of paid search and social. API’s, Python, Dataops chops, understanding and being able to execute on all things “data architecture”. @timmhalloran<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For everyone struggling with impostor syndrome, I hope we can help cure that for you here. There are so many smarties here and you do things differently and I love that. @NeptuneMoon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, if cauliflower can be pizza, you can be anything! @NeptuneMoon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I didn’t know that where you go to college matters more than the degree you get. I would have gone to a more reputable university, though I loved the experience where I went. Or skipped university altogether and started freelancing sooner. In hindsight, since I did go to a university, I wish I’d have gone for something more specific like Graphic Design or Business Intelligence, instead of just Marketing. Marketing turned out to be very broad. I ended up really enjoying doing Graphic Design \u2013 I like the science behind it, so I think it would have been really interesting to study. @williamhboggs<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Same… @teabeeshell<\/a> I\u2019m also looking at building a consulting business. I\u2019m not sure where to start, but as a new dad, I do know that I\u2019d like to be able to be more present for my family. @JulianPhillip<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

@JulianPhillip<\/a> Congrats on your baby and becoming a dad! Just had my first myself, 6 weeks old girl now..@williamhboggs<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

PPC Babies! Yay! Mine is 13… @NeptuneMoon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

@JulianPhillip<\/a> Congrats! Happy to share my experiences if you’d ever like to chat. Hit me up! @teabeeshell<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trust my intuition more when prospects showed red flags. @robert_brady<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

So many affiliate sites. @Chriskostecki<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Honestly, I wouldn’t trade any of it. I have learned from every experience in my career. @beyondthepaid<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’m loving all the new parents in this thread! I have a 1-year-old (which is partially why I’ve been so MIA on this thread for a while), and the flexibility is great. I think I would have tried to put myself out there and meet people in the industry a little more – it’s been a somewhat lonely pursuit from me, as I mostly work from home. I’m definitely at the point where I’m ready to level up in some way, but am not totally sure how to go about that, and I think having a slightly stronger network\/mentor support would have helped me a lot there. I love my clients, but at the end of the day, they aren’t my coworkers or supporters — I definitely took this for granted in the corporate world. @MicheleJaeger1<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We got you! @NeptuneMoon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

@JulianPhillip<\/a> Yes! Same here! As someone neurodivergent, I wish I understood corporate politics & industry politics sooner. I also wish I had a mentor earlier in my career. I had one much later in my career, but only for a short amount of time, and it came at a cost. It did wonders for my career, but I imagine it would\u2019ve been more impactful years earlier. @DiiPooler<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Q5: What do you wish you knew when you got started in PPC relative to it as a career? What is your best career advice to someone starting in PPC or considering PPC as a career?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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So if you want to do your own thing, one of the best pieces of advice I got was \u201cif you can\u2019t be comfortable always being 6 weeks away from having no work, having your own freelance\/agency might not be for you.\u201d And the horizon might not be 6 weeks, but the point remains. Although back then being an employee was a much more stable proposition than it is today\u2026 But I think flexibility is one of the most important traits to have if you want to thrive in PPC. @NeptuneMoon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nothing is static. Spend less time mastering a step-by-step. Spend more time seeing the forest, not the trees. This more macro perspective is so much more valuable than knowing where a setting lives or the fastest way to do X. @teabeeshell<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1: Read classical marketing case studies (Harvard Business Review type stuff) to learn where PPC fits. 2: Up until two years ago, advice would’ve been get good at excel and scripting. Now advice is get good at AI, learn what it’s good at and what’s it not and use it to apply YOUR ideas (not to be a cheat sheet). 3: Learn money math and what CFO\/CRO’s care about. They’re holding the purse strings, not your day-to-day contact. 4: figure out who you REALLY want to be when you grow up @Aaronlevy<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

@Aaronlevy<\/a> #2 and #3 are so immensely critical, great call outs. @teabeeshell<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have also found that being able to explain technical things in plain language is a hugely valuable skill @NeptuneMoon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn ad copywriting. Yes, even to brief AI. @JuliaVyse<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

@NeptuneMoon<\/a> I would say my information systems major was a waste, but it’s been immensely helpful in talking to developers and\/or translate what they’re saying to execspeak  @Aaronlevy<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Connect with people in the industry early on. They’ll be very generous. Then pay it forward later. @robert_brady<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

@Aaronlevy<\/a> Speaking dev is a whole entire discipline in and of itself @NeptuneMoon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn. Earn. Return. @JuliaVyse<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n