PPC Live The Podcast - The F*ck ups that led to Triumphs

Hosted by Anu Adegbola

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371

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Aug 2026

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EN-GB

About the show

The only podcast that has PPC experts sharing their biggest f*ck ups that led to triumphs. Learn from guests like Ginny Marvin, Jyll Saskin Gales, Anthony Higman, Amy Hebdon, Boris Beceric and more. New releases every Wednesday. Please take a few moments to rate/review the show (a few seconds on Spotify)

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60 recent

September 2, 202645 min

We Wasted 4 Months Optimizing for the Wrong Leads ft. Saif Al-Jabbar Khan

Saif Al-Jabbar Khan shares his journey from a DevOps engineer to a successful paid search marketer, highlighting key lessons from his experiences with client management, conversion tracking, and AI integration in digital marketing. Key topics Saif's career transition from DevOps to marketing Importance of defining qualified leads early Common mistakes in conversion tracking Using AI for nuanced account analysis The role of WhatsApp in Middle Eastern marketing Strategies for managing client expectations The impact of landing pages on campaign success Lessons learned from account audits Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Guest Background 03:58 The Importance of Qualified Lead Definition 11:52 Improving Lead Qualification Rates 15:49 The Role of Landing Pages and Client Communication 20:04 Adapting Strategies Based on Data Insights 22:09 The Impact of Data and System Changes 24:00 Advice for Paid Search Marketers Facing Crises 26:00 Reviewing and Refining Lead Criteria 30:03 Common Mistakes in Account Management 33:56 Using AI for Nuanced Account Analysis 36:02 WhatsApp as a Key Channel in Dubai 38:08 AI and Privacy Considerations 42:09 The Role of Journey Aware Bidding 43:47 Final Tips for Paid Search Success 45:02 Fun Question: PPC Movie Title 45:57 Upcoming Events and Networking Opportunities Find Saif on LinkedIn Join us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Slack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

August 26, 202651 min

Conversion Tracking, AI & the PPC Fundamentals We Keep Forgetting ft Lisandro Franky IV

In this episode, Lisandro Franky shares insights on conversion tracking mistakes, industry responses to AI, and best practices for digital marketing success. Key topics Conversion tracking mistakes and solutions Impact of AI on marketing industry Best practices for campaign optimization Data analytics and anomaly detection Client communication and transparency Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Frankie and his background 02:10 Frankie’s experience with digital marketing and AI 05:39 Common mistakes in conversion tracking 09:09 Detecting and fixing tracking issues 14:07 Human vs system errors in data feed 20:22 Building anomaly detection platforms 27:09 Fixing data feed issues in bidding platforms 36:30 Importance of data granularity and account management 44:28 Privacy and ethical considerations in AI use 45:05 Frankie’s advice for marketers facing tracking issues Find Franky on LinkedIn and Mochee Join us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Slack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

August 19, 202651 min

Why Optimizing Google Ads Wasn’t Fixing Revenue ft Craig Graham

In this episode, Craig shares insights from managing over 100 million dollars in ad spend, discusses the complexities of attribution in marketing, and reveals common mistakes in paid media management. Learn how to connect the dots across channels and avoid costly errors. key topics The complexity of attribution systems Connecting marketing channels for better insights Common mistakes in conversion tracking The importance of holistic marketing systems The role of AI in marketing attribution Lessons from managing over 100 million in ad spend The impact of Google updates on marketing strategies Strategies for effective cross-channel marketing Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Craig and his expertise in paid media 02:00 Creating effective attribution systems in healthcare 04:05 Understanding different attribution models for channels 05:05 The role of AI in marketing attribution 07:01 Balancing work and family life as a remote worker 08:58 Adapting to pandemic conditions and remote work 11:04 Early career challenges with marketing and attribution 13:04 The importance of understanding business-level metrics 15:55 Connecting financial data with marketing efforts 18:55 The system approach to marketing and business success 22:00 Common mistakes in marketing accounts and how to avoid them 35:03 The impact of Google updates and how to adapt 45:04 The importance of continuous learning and adaptation Find Craig on Linkedin Join us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Slack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

August 12, 202652 min

Ginny Marvin on PPC Mistakes, Leadership & Trust

In this episode, Ginny Marvin shares her extensive experience in digital marketing, insights on Google Ads updates, and practical advice on managing mistakes and international client relationships. Key Topics: Ginny Marvin's career journey and experience in digital marketingInsights on Google Ads updates and best practices Strategies for managing mistakes and rebuilding client trustTips for working with international clients across time zones The importance of fundamentals and continuous learning in PPCChapters 00:00 Introduction to Ginny Marvin and her career in digital marketing 02:01 Ginny's experience at Google and her industry insights 04:01 The importance of learning and staying updated in PPC 07:00 A memorable mistake and lessons learned in campaign management 10:01 Handling international clients and managing time zone differences 14:59 Supporting team members through mistakes and fostering growth 19:59 The role of fundamentals and continuous education in PPC 24:58 Preparing for upcoming Google Ads (August 17) updates and industry changes 30:07 Key takeaways on learning from mistakes and process improvement 39:49 The evolving landscape of AI and automation in advertising 44:46 Final thoughts and upcoming industry events Follow Ginny: LinkedIn Twitter/X How to Prepare for Google Ads’ August 17 Smart Bidding Update: Advice From PPC Experts -

August 5, 202643 min

The £10,000 Google Ads Mistake ft Scott Carruthers

In this episode, Scott shares his extensive experience in paid search, discusses common mistakes in Google Ads management, and offers practical advice on avoiding costly errors. Tune in to learn how to optimize your campaigns and leverage AI responsibly. Key Topics: Common Google Ads mistakes and how to avoid them The importance of proper conversion tracking and setup Using AI and automation responsibly in PPC campaigns Lessons learned from campaign budget overspending The role of testing and monitoring in campaign success Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Scott and his background 01:00 Scott's experience with public speaking and industry involvement 03:39 Scott's personal fun fact: walking 100,000 steps in a day 06:13 Scott's first major mistake: booking his stag do on the same weekend as a speaking engagement 08:06 The costly mistake of overspending with Smart Bidding 12:42 Rebuilding trust after a campaign budget error 17:33 Impact of new tools and updates in PPC 20:44 Key takeaway: monitor significant changes in campaigns 24:17 Misconceptions about Performance Max audiences 26:24 Using audience targeting effectively in Performance Max 28:12 The debate over broad match versus phrase and exact match 29:21 Common AI mistakes in PPC and how to use it responsibly 32:24 Communicating AI insights to clients 34:13 Scott's movie title: The Problem Is The Job Find Scott on LinkedIn Join us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Slack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

July 29, 202649 min

Why "Best Practice" Cost My Client 40% of Their Revenue ft Ana Kostic

In this episode, Ana Kostic shares her journey in PPC, a major mistake involving account restructuring, and lessons learned about business stability and AI in advertising. key topics Account restructuring and its impact on performance The importance of understanding business metrics in PPC Effective communication with clients during crises Using AI responsibly in digital marketing Lessons learned from a significant PPC mistake Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Ana Kostic and her background 01:14 Ana's journey in PPC and her experience in Spain 02:48 Ana's fun fact: Traveling as a digital nomad 05:51 The major mistake: Account restructuring and traffic drop 09:37 The emotional and business impact of restructuring 14:20 Support from management and learning from mistakes 19:42 Signs to watch for before restructuring an account 22:45 Stability vs. growth in PPC strategies 24:07 Handling client communication during performance drops 26:40 Lessons learned: Business understanding and account management 34:38 Common PPC mistakes in 2026 and how to avoid them 36:48 AI in Google Ads: Best practices and pitfalls 41:15 Using AI creatively and responsibly in campaigns 43:14 Ana's movie: Big with Tom Hanks 44:12 Upcoming events and where to find Ana guest links Ana Kostic on LinkedIn - es.linkedin.com/in/anakostic/en PPC Live - https://www.ppc.live

July 15, 202636 min

The £50 Ad That Cost £1,000 ft. Heather Robinson

In this episode, Heather Robinson, a seasoned Google Ads specialist, shares her journey into freelancing, the importance of community, and valuable lessons from her biggest F ups in PPC. Discover practical advice on avoiding common mistakes, the role of honesty with clients, and how testing and transparency can build trust and success. Key Topics: Heather Robinson's freelancing journey since 2012 The importance of community for freelancers A costly PPC F up involving overspending The significance of honesty with clients The role of testing and checklists in PPC management Impact of AI tools and their current limitations Strategies for managing client expectations and mistakes The long-term perspective in PPC careers Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Heather Robinson 02:54 The Journey to Freelancing 05:56 The Importance of Community for Freelancers 08:59 Learning from Mistakes: The F-Up Story 12:03 Client Communication and Honesty 15:09 Mistakes in PPC: Common Pitfalls 17:54 AI in PPC: Opportunities and Challenges 20:58 The Long Game in PPC 24:09 Final Thoughts and Advice for Freelancers Resources Heather Robinson on LinkedIn The Freelance Life on Substack Join us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Slack⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Come to the next PPC Live

July 1, 202651 min

The Annoying Cost of Ignoring Meta’s Default Settings ft. Boluwa Olojo

summary In this episode, Boluwa Olojo shares valuable lessons from her experiences in paid media, including a recent Meta ad mishap, and discusses how to effectively use AI in marketing. She emphasizes the importance of accountability, continuous checking, and the need for expertise in leveraging AI tools. key topics Meta ad mistakes and how to fix them Using AI responsibly in marketing Importance of SOPs and default settings awareness Lessons from campaign mishaps and recovery strategies The role of cross-department communication in campaign success Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Event Recap 03:30 Boluwa Olojo: Background and Expertise 06:11 Creative Pursuits: Painting and Inspiration 08:14 PPC Mistakes: Learning from Experience 10:08 Meta Ads: A Case Study in Mistakes 13:13 Handling Mistakes: Communication and Responsibility 16:15 Emotional Impact of Mistakes 19:10 Lessons Learned and Future Strategies 22:15 Advice for PPC Professionals 25:20 Conclusion and Final Thoughts 28:00 Taking Accountability in Marketing Mistakes 29:12 The Importance of Campaign Checks 31:52 Identifying Common Mistakes in New Accounts 33:06 The Dangers of Mismatched URLs 36:57 Breaking Down Silos in Marketing Teams 38:45 AI in Marketing: Common Missteps 42:18 The Role of Experts in Utilizing AI 45:17 Final Thoughts and Future Events 49:15 Introduction and Importance of Transparency 50:12 Upcoming PPC Live Event Details 51:01 Client Services and Personal Development 51:32 Outro.mp3 resources Follow Bolu on LinkedIn and Instagram Listen to her on State of Markketing? PPC Live The Podcast features weekly conversations with paid search experts sharing their experiences, challenges, and triumphs in the ever-changing digital marketing landscape. PPC Live is sponsored by ⁠AdSquire⁠ , the first law firm paid media agency to get their clients on ChatGPT Join the next ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠PPC Live ⁠⁠⁠⁠ event Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Slack Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠⁠

June 24, 202643 min

The Leads Were There… So What Went Wrong? ft Danny Gavin

In this engaging interview, digital marketing expert Danny Gavin shares valuable insights on PPC, lead generation, handling mistakes, and the evolving role of AI in marketing. Discover practical lessons from real-world experiences, including how honesty, communication, and technology checks can save campaigns and client relationships. Takeaways Honesty and transparency are crucial when addressing mistakes. Regular communication and reporting can prevent misunderstandings. Implementing backup systems like lead data spreadsheets enhances visibility. AI can assist in analyzing phone call quality and lead qualification. Always double-check inputs and outputs when using AI tools. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Danny Gavin and His Background 06:32 The Importance of Communication in Client Relationships 11:34 Learning from Mistakes: A Case Study in PPC 16:14 Implementing Solutions and Preventing Future Issues 19:40 The Importance of Communication in Client Relationships 21:12 Navigating Client Relationships After Challenges 25:33 Key Mistakes in Lead Generation Strategies 29:32 Leveraging AI in Lead Generation 32:01 Cautions and Best Practices for Using AI 35:56 Final Thoughts and Reflections on the Journey 41:27 Outro.mp3 Danny Gavin on LinkedIn PPC Live The Podcast features weekly conversations with paid search experts sharing their experiences, challenges, and triumphs in the ever-changing digital marketing landscape. Join the next ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠PPC Live ⁠⁠⁠ event Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Slack Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠

June 17, 202640 min

The Client That Made Me Quit Google Ads (For Years) ft Laura I. Abreu

In this episode, Laura Abreu shares her journey through the challenges of digital marketing, including a costly client mistake, and offers valuable lessons on client selection, honesty, and leveraging AI in marketing. Key topics The importance of market testing before launching campaigns Lessons learned from a failed e-commerce client The significance of honesty and transparency with clients How to handle bad campaign performance and reputation management The role of AI and automation in modern marketing The impact of foundational research on campaign success The importance of self-awareness and confidence in marketing Strategies for client selection and relationship management Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Laura's Journey 05:28 Lessons from a Challenging Client 08:31 The Importance of Market Research 11:37 Emotional Impact of Client Relationships 14:33 Building Confidence Through Experience 17:27 Reflections and Future Strategies 19:31 The Journey to Confidence in Google Ads 20:58 Reputation Management and Client Relationships 23:20 Learning from Mistakes: The Importance of Honesty 25:51 Setting Boundaries: Friends, Family, and Business 28:39 Common Mistakes in PPC Campaigns 31:38 Navigating AI in Advertising 36:49 Understanding Customer Needs in Advertising 37:49 Preparing for the Future of PPC and AI 39:59 Outro.mp3 LinkedIn Profile of Laura Abreu - Follow PPC Live The Podcast for honest conversations about PPC, paid media, AI, automation, and the realities of working in digital marketing today. Thanks to our sponsor ⁠⁠Adsquire,⁠⁠ a small team of passionate and focused legal marketers that do what it takes to get law firms spectacular results! With the landscape always changing they stay on top of the trends and are first to find and use new strategies to accomplish this for our clients - for example they are the FIRST to serve a lawyer ad on ChatGPT. Join the next ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠PPC Live ⁠⁠⁠⁠ event Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Slack Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠