GA4, Wrangling Google Ads Performance Max, PPC Live UK - change of date!

PPC Live UK happens on the 31st of March!

Hello and welcome to our twenty-third edition of the #PPCChat Roundup Newsletter - your fortnightly update on the latest of the #PPCChat Roundup podcast, interesting reads concerning the episodes, London’s only locally run and organized PPC-focused networking event (PPC Live UK), and more on what’s going on in my (Anu) world of Paid Search.

And while you are here - if you want to support me financially, why don't you buy me a coffee? I promise - it WILL go far. :)

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#PPCChat Roundup Podcast🎙

In the last couple of weeks, we had another two great PPC-related chats on very relevant to our community topics. A couple of weeks ago, we decided to get into a chat about a tool we are still not ready for - GA4. We talked not just about figuring it out but, even in a worst-case scenario - about what alternatives we should probably be looking for. It is safe to say that a lot of us are so not ready for it. We are researching, looking for agencies, and freelancers who specialise in it (thankfully, there are a few who do), amazed by the courses that are already out about it and much more.

Here are just a few of our frustrations:

Diana is frustrated with the data provided:

Diana-Alina Aldea @DianaAlinaAldea

@NeptuneMoon A2.1. Why I don't do this at a higher level is because I find it not so user friendly, and it misses some capabilities Universal Analytics had. Also, data is not so reliable. #PPCChat

Shaun finds it to be a sucker of time:

Shaun Elley @selley2134

A2: I really try to but it just takes so much more time (b/c of the suckiness) to pull data that you can find easily in UA - I do have time scheduled in March to work to build out templates which should help 🤞 #PPCChat

Gil needs more flexibility for the visualisation:

Gil Gildner @gilgildner

@NeptuneMoon A5. Please give me more than three (3) graph visualization options when making a custom report. A pile of toothpicks is not going to cut it. Also some more integrations with popular ecommerce platforms would be useful as well. #ppcchat

This week we talked about another Google tool that is still quite new despite a lot of people now having gotten involved with it - Wrangling Google Ads Performance Max. Seriously - the way that title was posed, I thought - I can’t wait to see when Bing comes out with their Performance Max campaign. Anyways, let’s panic about the present, not the future eh? Although - saying that, it does looks like a lot of people in our community are finding positive ways of using it.

Kirk advises that it does need data:

Kirk Williams @PPCKirk

@NeptuneMoon @MenachemAni A2 When it has enough conversion data/traffic, etc... PMax often does what is supposed to do: get sales at your target ROAS within your budget parameters. That being said, measuring incrementality & impact on other channels is more tricky. #ppcchat

Boris likes the way it is set up:

Boris Beceric @BorisBeceric

A4: I think the set up is actually fairly easy and dictated by the product / targets. The hard part is optimizing with less buttons to push and that's where you can separate yourself from the competition. #PPCChat

Menachem (and Gil) advises that you should focus on volume, not time when deciding the success of a Performance Max campaign:

Menachem Ani @MenachemAni

Exactly this. Less about budget/time, more about traffic and conversion volume with Performance Max. #PPCChat

Gil Gildner @gilgildner

@NeptuneMoon @MenachemAni A5. It’s more about data/volume than time. Folks used to say “wait 6 weeks or so” but that’s outdated. It’s sort of changed to a goal/sheer volume approach for us. Hard to explain in a tweet but lately we’ve had PMax campaigns absolutely slay within 1 week or so. #ppcchat

And those are our latest episodes. Please do go check out those episodes - there is a lot to learn from them. If you have listened to more than 30 seconds of them, why don’t you take 5 seconds of your time to leave a rating/review?

Relevant Articles/Links📑

Why Facebook Advertisers should test Performance Max

Why Performance Max for lead gen often fails and how to make it work

How to avoid 7 mistakes that tank retail Performance Max campaigns

PPC Live UK - End the year with a bang

PPC Live is celebrating Women's History Month on Thursday 31st March from 5.30pm. 

“It was brilliant! I loved it.”

Those are the words of someone who came to PPC Live recently. 

It absolutely warms my heart to read feedback like that! 

I set up PPC Live not just to be a chance to learn from other PPC professionals (although definitely that - seriously, where are all the PPC events?), but a chance to really connect with them too.

Here comes another quote!

“Amazing, loved the networking aspect!”

So great to read 😍

The next event is coming up at Accelerator (part of London Metropolitan University) at 35 Kingsland Road London E2 8AA from 5pm on Thursday 30 March! 

Buy a ticket and immerse yourself in the same feeling the people who gave such lovely feedback had. 

https://www.ppcliveuk.com/

Please also be aware that the date has changed! There are going to be train strikes on our original date. We want you to enjoy our PPC party without worrying about how long it will take you to get home.

 

Finally, here is some great content from PPC Live UK relating to the topics of our most recent event:

How does PPC fit in the marketing funnel?

6 Essential Tips for Successful Stakeholder Engagement and Management in PPC

How to Create a Great PPC Ad

Rock Stars in our Field - Charlotte Cox

Top Tips to better use GA4

Conclusion

That brings us to the end of the fun happenings in my PPC world and beyond over the past few weeks. If you have any feedback, please send it to mindswanppc@gmail.com with “Newsletter Feedback” in the subject line. I really do want to ensure you are getting news that you enjoy. And if you really did like it, please tell your colleagues, family, friends, and pets too. 😉

If you don’t feel you are benefitting from this newsletter as well, click the unsubscribe link below. No hard feelings - I promise.

Feel free to connect with me on Twitter or on LinkedIn and, more especially, follow & subscribe to the PPC Live UK Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube profiles, where you will also get up-to-date info on future events especially.

Hope to speak to you in a couple of weeks.

Anu Adegbola aka TheMarketingAnu.