Welcome to Cultivative’s weekly roundup for all things PPC from around the web—everything you need to know right now about PPC!
At Cultivative, we’re all about making your life easier. We’ve gathered the top PPC news and innovations from around the web and getting it into your hands. Check out what we found this past week.
The 6 Most Common Google Ads Mistakes (and the Blueprint To Fix Them)
By Gianluca Binelli | Oct 6, 2020

“Even the most sophisticated marketers can make some Google ads mistakes,” writes Gianluca Binelli. He argues that most companies are using the wrong metrics and need a new approach that can drive better decision-making. Those companies that will embrace it will have the edge over the competition and move faster in the market. Binelli highlights these six areas as common Google Ads mistakes, and covers how to fix them:
- Rely on ROAS
- Luddism
- Rely on Google’s Algorithms only
- Forget About Audiences
- Blindly Trust Data
PPC Town Hall 23: 5 Tips from Top PPC Experts on Bid Management
By Frederick Vallaeys | Oct 6, 2020

On episode 23 of PPC Town Hall, Navah Hopkins, Director of Paid Media, Hennessey Digital, and Optmyzr’s Frederick Vallaeys and
Geetanjali Tyagi, discuss bid management strategies. Not only do marketers need to be aware of bid management, but they also need to be conscious of Google’s take on limiting search query reports and pushing new limits on data access. Five tips for managing bids for leads and e-commerce.from that episode include:
1. The changing face of Search Terms Reports
2. SKAGs vs STAGs
3. Let’s talk bidding
4. The problem with AI and Maximize Conversions
5. Quality of leads
21 Essential Tips & Tools for Running International Google Ads
By Christopher Jankun | Oct 6, 2020

If you are running International Google Ads, Christopher Jankun explains you should pay extra attention to specific details and strategies to see success in your campaigns. In this article, Jankun provides 21 strategies to help you ensure success with your international online advertising campaigns, including:
- Tips and tools to properly target international locations and languages.
- Guidelines for keyword research and winning ad copy for international campaigns.
- Important considerations for time zones and ad scheduling.
- Effective strategies for building brand awareness in a new/international market.
When Ad Platforms Control the Auction, Return, Data… & Now the Cookie
By Kirk Williams | Oct 6, 2020

Kirk Williams offers an opinion piece on the current state of where paid search is today regarding various aspects of control and what that means for PPC advertisers. He discusses Google’s power through global popularity, setting their own prices, and their ability to obfuscate and control data.
What Is a Conversion in Paid Media?
By Susan Wenograd | Oct 6, 2020

A ‘conversion’ in PPC was a simple concept, but as marketing grew more sophisticated and measurement capabilities have evolved, ‘conversions’ have gotten more complex and nuanced. Instead of focusing on one conversion, marketers track on many ‘micro-conversions’ that can be defined by a goal of lead generation or purchase conversion. Conversions also have a value and attribution that need to be considered.
6 Critical KPIs to Improve Your Agency’s Profitability
By Marcel Petitpas | Oct 7, 2020

Many agencies struggle with cash flow and profitability. Marcel Petitpas outlines six critical KPIs agencies can use to improve profitability and hone their strategy along the way, including:
- Utilization
- Revenue earning efficiency
- Gross margin
- Average billable rate
- Accuracy of scope
- Overhead spending
Common PPC Reporting Pitfalls
By Rachael Law | Oct 7, 2020

Rachael Law offers some useful insight for avoiding common PPC reporting pitfalls from her experience over the years. First and foremost, you need to determine the purpose of the report to dictate what needs to be included. A report should: Help the account manager make strategic, informed decisions, show the “what” and the “why” behind performance, and provide critical information to the client. While your reports should be easy to read, they need to show the client’s important details and be easily communicated. Some tools can automate the process and save you time.
The Kenshoo 5: Five Reasons to Boost Your Apple Search Ads for the Holidays
By Joshua Dreller | Oct 8, 2020

App marketers may want to consider increasing their investment with Apple Search Ads this Holiday season. Almost every category is seeing gains right now in terms of time spent, total users, and total downloads. Joshua Drellelr reviews some of these trends and explains why it might be the perfect time to leverage this mobile paid search channel for the holidays, including:
#1: Apps are having their moment in 2020
#2: App usage spikes during the holidays
#3: It’s going to be the biggest ecommerce shopping season ever
#4: Stores closing on Thanksgiving will drive shoppers to apps
#5: Because they work
We hope you learned something new you can apply to your PPC business strategy. Let us know in the comments below what you want to start implementing. As always, we are happy to be a resource for your paid advertising needs. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.