{"id":28126,"date":"2026-07-22T16:15:52","date_gmt":"2026-07-22T10:45:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.karooya.com\/blog\/?p=28126"},"modified":"2026-07-22T16:15:53","modified_gmt":"2026-07-22T10:45:53","slug":"ppcchat-what-are-we-actually-optimizing-for-now-in-ppc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.karooya.com\/blog\/ppcchat-what-are-we-actually-optimizing-for-now-in-ppc\/","title":{"rendered":"PPCChat | What Are We Actually Optimizing For Now in PPC? | 21st July 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This week’s PPCChat discussion focused on what experts are optimising in PPC. Does optimization vary by platforms or clients? Have their targeting strategies changed in the last year? Is AI playing a role in your optimizing or targeting strategy? Host Julie F Bacchini<\/a> sought answers to these questions and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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Q1: What are you primarily optimizing for in your campaigns these days? Does it vary at all by platform or client\/brand?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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So obviously, I am still optimizing for conversions (in my case leads). @NeptuneMoon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Has always varied by the client’s goals. @revaminkoff<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I do find the AI of it all is impacting a lot though @NeptuneMoon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It does vary, but ultimately it’s conversions or engagement. @JuliaVyse<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Subsequent questions will dive into how we are thinking about optimizations etc. @NeptuneMoon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I only run Google Ads, and only for lead generation. For most of my clients I’m optimising for a qualified lead conversion. Either hand-marked, or using a proxy like booking an appointment or scheduling a visit by an estimator @Pete_Bowen<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

conversions, generally sales and form leads.  I occasionally do other types for demand gen-like campaigns, but when it comes down to it- I’m trying to optimize for cost per conversion, value\/conv, and ROAS @ynotweb<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And to clarify, it is usually a cost per lead\/acquisition that is the primary metric the client is interested in @NeptuneMoon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We do a lot of ecom, purchase is what we optimize towards. We also look at conversion rate on site when doing UX\/UI\/Mobile audits to make the site better before spending more on ads. @duanebrown<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

My engagement clients are interested in deep interest, like video plays and view through rates @JuliaVyse<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Q2: Has your thought process on what you are trying to optimize for in your PPC strategy and management changed in the last year? If so, how and if not, why not?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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The closer to the actual goal\/revenue we can get for the client, the better. @revaminkoff<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This question is really interesting to me, because while I feel that what we are truly optimizing for (conversions at a particular cost) hasn\u2019t changed, the whole ecosystem around how things works on ad platforms has. @NeptuneMoon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

no, though I anticipate it will in the NEXT year. @ynotweb<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

@revaminkoff<\/a> you’ll have to wait till August 17th @Priteshpatel<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We’ve been dealing with a lot of concern over zero click, so a lot more on ad copy and connecting youtube and search ads @JuliaVyse<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

One big example is how much the system chooses \u201cwinners\u201d in campaigns now vs. how that used to work. It is so much harder to test ideas or approaches than it once was. @NeptuneMoon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’ve been trying to optimise on search discovery recently but my Ai algo gives up too easily and quickly. @Priteshpatel<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We had to launch two new creatives at the exact same time to get a read on which was better. When we ran it against the old creative, it barely served. @revaminkoff<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And, the system chooses its \u201cwinner\u201d really fast @NeptuneMoon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Algo is like a little kid. Throw a sweet and chases that sweet instead of searching for the bag of sweets. @Priteshpatel<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

My theory on this is that once the system finds something that works relative to the bidding parameters, it wants to ride that horse for as long is it possibly can before it explores other options or avenues @NeptuneMoon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Talk more about profit and looking at things beyond the ad account. We don\u2019t sell items with paid ads if the client would lose money because margins are too small. @duanebrown<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

@duanebrown<\/a> even tho loss leaders “can” fuel the “Ai algo”?  @Priteshpatel<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once you train the AI to chase easy things (loss leaders) it has a hard time shifting away from that. It ALWAYS wants the easy win\/low hanging fruit first. @NeptuneMoon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On tricky B2B accounts (with $200 clicks), I find myself turning more and more to my broader marketing background. Instead of search, demand gen to drive newsletter signups, that sort of thinking. @InquisitiveMarketer<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

That is why you have to be careful with micro or stepped conversion actions. You must include values that have a strong relative meaning to the value of the actions! @NeptuneMoon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not sure if the change has been in the last year, but I’ve definitely started thinking a lot more in terms of optimsing for qualified leads rather than just raw leads. Put a lot of work into getting my clients into a position where we can do that @Pete_Bowen<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I also think that we have to think about optimizing for the way the platforms work now too, way more than we used to. @NeptuneMoon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

@Priteshpatel<\/a> Our goal is to make money and doing profitable. AI algo can go to hell @duanebrown<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

@NeptuneMoon<\/a> for sure. @duanebrown<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Previously, the platform was kind of a static tool we used to put together ads, choose detailed targeting and show ads to potential customers @NeptuneMoon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now? It is making all kinds of decisions and judgements on both targeting and the content of ads shown. Which is very, very different. You have to plan for how Google thinks in addition to what the client\/brand wants and how you think you should go about presenting it and to whom. Ad schedules don\u2019t even function like they used to with regard to budgets @NeptuneMoon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And Google is trained on general behaviours. god help the niche offers out there @JuliaVyse<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

@JuliaVyse<\/a> B2B is getting more and more difficult because of this @Pete_Bowen<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ll take that one step further @JuliaVyse<\/a> Google is trained primarily on ecommerce. And it thinks like everything is ecommerce. Which is great if you are selling ecommerce things, but if you\u2019re not it\u2019s levels harder. @NeptuneMoon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

@NeptuneMoon<\/a> I don’t think you need a Q3 – this one is a bonanza @Priteshpatel<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

@JuliaVyse<\/a> right. @ynotweb<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yes! Even auto is having a tricky time, which is neither niche, nor small @JuliaVyse<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can attest. Even clients that are SELLING but not selling things Google considers PRODUCTS (i.e. can’t go in Merchant Center) is at least 3 times harder @ynotweb<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We have to remember too that today\u2019s AI does not think, it pattern matches. And you have to choose those patterns to match to as a platform. Which serves some advertisers much better than others. This is true across all platforms too @NeptuneMoon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Julie, this reminds me of when credit card companies would freeze my card once a year because my usage “did not fit a pattern”, but it was literally something I did EVERY year. Just only one month out of the year. Every company, every year. They only considered 6 months at a time. I am currently seeing conversion events thrown to “unverified” if it hasn’t happened in a week or two. @ynotweb<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Google’s upped the fear factor in the notifications. Even stuff that’s normal eg a day without a conversion on a small account now gets flagged as an error. This has added a bunch of unecessary work and explaning @Pete_Bowen<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Q3: Is AI playing a role in your optimizing or targeting strategy or priorities? If so, how?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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My feelings on AI in general are well documented, but\u2026 You can\u2019t just ignore how AI is being used within platforms now. I shared the tweet that got me thinking about this topic up channel and it is true that we have to think about how people will potentially react\/interact with our ads and landing pages but not also very much how platforms\u2019 AI will too. And does that create any kind of disconnect or disjointedness in what we need to input to get the output we want? @NeptuneMoon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I think the fact that disabling auto generated stuff is a common practice says it all. I’ve seen all Google Ai generated headlines perform the worst against my own headlines using my brain. @Priteshpatel<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The only way it plays a role is the ways that I cannot control. I choose an audience, that audience is built by their AI. @ynotweb<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And we have not even gotten into the whole concept of agentic anything. How will we and platforms optimize for that if it actually catches on? Will platforms know it is an agent interacting and make different choices in what it does or will everything be muddy and people and agents end up seeing the same thing despite being very different? @NeptuneMoon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

SO MANY QUESTIONS REMAIN @NeptuneMoon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have thoughts on agentic, but will return this pm @JuliaVyse<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Does automated bidding count as AI? If so then yes. Automated copy, not yet. @Pete_Bowen<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Q4: Have your targeting strategies changed in the last year? What are you targeting\/how are you targeting your campaigns to try to reach your best audiences? Does this vary by platform?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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I feel like I have to target more broadly than I did in the past year to get a fraction of the results. @IamNextSTEPH<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well all of the platforms clearly want us to just target broadly and let them decide who should see the ads @NeptuneMoon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have gotten way more into creating my own audiences in Meta and GA4 in the last two years. Even if I then add a layer of Lookalike, I want it based on something tangible like buying, visiting a specific page, etc. @ynotweb<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are you using exclusions differently? Platforms also really, really want your first party data too @NeptuneMoon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am using exclusions more as well.  Remarketing feels like an entirely different game now than before. @ynotweb<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Broad targeting is great when it works. Launched a campaign and immediately got $30 clicks that converted. What does the AI do? Start sending me nothing but $100 clicks that bounce after hitting the landing page. @InquisitiveMarketer<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

@InquisitiveMarketer<\/a> this is why I have added expirations on many campaigns, regardless of early performance. @ynotweb<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

People I came with complaints today. What does it mean when you upload a 5000 person list, google says they’re over 80% matched, then creates an audience with like 400 people in it and keeps telling you “your audience is too small” @InquisitiveMarketer<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I think getting experienced advertising brands to really understand that learning periods and the AI taking expensive swings is just part of how things work is a big piece of what I have to talk about lately too. Having conversations about the time periods we look at and sort of ignoring a super high priced click like it is the Russian figure skating judge, is par for the course now. @NeptuneMoon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

@ynotweb<\/a> do you mean shortening the attribution window, or disavowing the data for a certain period, or \u2026? @InquisitiveMarketer<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Google Ads I’ve changed to mostly using broad keywords because exact match hardly seem to serve unless there is a broad match in the ad group. I’ve been reasonably happy with the results. @Pete_Bowen<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

@InquisitiveMarketer<\/a> I mean making a duplicate and scrapping the original. This is more prevalent in Meta, but Google definitely has a timeframe as well- dependent on whether its an ecom, lead gen or other type of business that is advertising. @ynotweb<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Q5: Do clients or stakeholders want you to optimize toward different things or manage optimization or targeting differently lately? If so, how?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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No. I find most small business clients are at least 2-3 years behind trends in their knowledge. I’d more likely have someone come to me with something that was important in 2024 than someone who wants to make changes based on AI. @ynotweb<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I think it is more generally along the lines of \u201cwhy doesn\u2019t this work anymore\u201d or \u201ccan\u2019t we just (something that used to work great and now does not).\u201d @NeptuneMoon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

My clients are aware that they’re not getting organic clicks anymore because of AI overviews etc., even for page 1 results, and that they’re getting corralled by the system into spending more ad money. @InquisitiveMarketer<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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PPCChat Participants<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n