New to PPC? 7 tips to build skills and confidence fast

Understanding the ins and outs of paid media can seem like an overwhelming process when you’re first entering the field. As AI has rapidly changed ad platforms in recent years, keeping up can feel challenging.

Thankfully, you’re not alone. You’re part of a supportive industry with a wealth of content and knowledge to share. Here are seven tips to help you learn and become a more confident PPC manager.

1. Be curious

Curiosity is foundational to growth in PPC. You’ll learn best by taking initiative to understand ad platforms, how campaigns are structured, and what options are available on the backend. Of course, be careful about tweaking settings you’re not familiar with, but don’t be afraid to dig in on your own.

If you’re part of a team, ask your colleagues why they use a particular setup. If you’re not familiar with a platform and have a team member who frequently uses it, ask if they can walk you through it.

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2. Absorb content and find community

There are countless industry professionals producing content to teach PPC. Whether you learn best from reading, listening to podcasts, or watching videos, you’ll find options that fit your style. Looking up the authors of articles on this site is a great starting point to build a list to follow.

Block out time in your schedule for education. Even setting aside a couple of hours a week helps you gain perspective from others in the industry and keep up with constant platform updates.

The PPC industry has long been known for its welcoming, supportive community. Seek out individuals and organizations who are actively sharing, and don’t be afraid to engage with them on social media. Conferences are also a great way to network with other PPC professionals and sometimes discuss their approaches in a more informal setting.

A brief word of caution: Vet recommendations you see from others against your own experience in ad accounts. Just because a “best practice” worked for one account doesn’t mean it’ll work for every account. Depending on the tactic, you may want to test it as an experiment to measure impact, or compare results before and after.

Dig deeper: What 10 years of PPC testing reveals about breaking best practices

3. Take industry certifications with a grain of salt

While ad platform certifications can serve as a starting point for demonstrating basic functionality, be cautious about relying on them as the end-all proof of PPC expertise.

Certifications often lean heavily on platform-recommended best practices, which may conflict with tactics that align with a brand’s goals. Academic knowledge can’t match the insight gained from practical, hands-on experience in accounts.

4. Don’t chase what’s new and shiny

While I’d encourage staying aware of ad platform updates and current tactics, I’d discourage implementing a new campaign type or expanding into a new platform just because it’s new. Make sure you have sufficient budget and a clear reason to test.

Additionally, avoid making adjustments without a rationale. If campaigns are performing and driving qualified leads or sales, keeping the status quo may be best.

Basic marketing principles still apply, such as knowing your target audience, addressing their problem with a solution, and presenting a clear call to action. Focus on aligning your channel choices with these goals, and the rest will follow.

Dig deeper: 10 keys to a successful PPC career in the AI age

5. Translate jargon for stakeholders

As you become more embedded in PPC, you may naturally use industry terms and acronyms such as CTR, CPC, ROAS, and CPA. However, these metrics are often meaningless to stakeholders who aren’t immersed in your world. One of the most vital skills for a paid media professional is translating abstract metrics into language that connects with what stakeholders care about.

For instance, I often default to “conversions,” even though the term can be ambiguous in reports. Referencing the actual action being tracked (such as account open, form fill, or purchase) is more concrete and ties directly to what stakeholders are tasked with driving.

6. Use AI, but don’t neglect the human touch

AI is an inevitable part of a future-forward career, and ignoring it will be detrimental to career development. However, don’t lose the human oversight that sets a seasoned PPC practitioner apart.

When writing ad copy, LLMs can offer a strong starting point and help refine wording. But don’t rely on AI to produce all your copy, as it may pull irrelevant content from your site (or elsewhere), and may not reflect your brand’s voice and perspective. Also, learn where AI can save time on “busy work” tasks, such as reviewing search terms and placements for exclusions, while still reviewing the output for accuracy.

While most ad platforms default to automated campaign setups and encourage a hands-off approach, a standout PPC manager understands the levers they can pull to maintain control when needed. Examples include:

• Setting target bids or cost caps.
• Excluding irrelevant keywords, placements, and audiences.
• Pinning headlines and descriptions in responsive search ads.
• Restricting geographic targeting to avoid unwanted locations.
• Tailoring creative to specific demographics.

Dig deeper: The new PPC playbook: From media buyer to profit engineer

7. Don’t change things for the sake of showing activity

One common temptation for both new and seasoned paid media practitioners is to make changes just to appear busy. The motivation may be valid, as you want to prove to your client or boss that you’re attentive to PPC account management.

However, particularly with campaigns that rely heavily on data to drive automated bidding, too many changes in a short period are often detrimental. Be sure to allow for data significance and enough time before pausing ads and keywords or tweaking bid targets.

If you can show positive performance trends and provide readouts on which campaigns and channels are driving those results, you can validate your decisions to take or not take action when presenting to stakeholders.

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Keep learning, start sharing

Becoming a confident PPC manager requires mastering a blend of technical, interpersonal, and marketing skills. As you build your knowledge, look for opportunities to share what you’re learning with peers. It’s one of the fastest ways to reinforce what you know and keep improving.

Dig deeper: 7 power moves to accelerate your PPC career

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