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

Anu Adegbola

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)

  1. EP367 - The Cost of Doing Everything Yourself ft. Teo Yordanov

    1d ago

    EP367 - The Cost of Doing Everything Yourself ft. Teo Yordanov

    Summary In this engaging interview, Teo Yordanov shares personal stories, industry insights, and practical advice on avoiding burnout, effective team management, and leveraging AI in performance marketing. Discover how to balance work and life, prevent common mistakes, and stay proactive in your marketing career. Key topics Burnout signs and preventionTeam delegation and leadershipUsing AI effectively in marketing Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Background 05:03 The Importance of Learning from Mistakes 12:34 Recognizing and Addressing Burnout 15:25 Building a Supportive Team Culture 17:23 Advice for Freelancers and Consultants 18:51 Balancing Work and Life 21:24 Proactive Client Management 22:55 Common Agency Mistakes 24:55 The Role of AI in Marketing 28:32 The Importance of Domain Authority 32:15 Final Thoughts and Future Events 45:09 Outro.mp3 Resources LinkedIn Profile of Teo Yordanov Performance MCR Event SEM Stories Conference BYLT Media PPC Live The Podcast features weekly conversations with paid search experts sharing their experiences, challenges, and triumphs in the ever-changing digital marketing landscape. 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

    45 min
  2. EP365 - The Toggles That Cost Thousands ft Menachem Ani

    May 20

    EP365 - The Toggles That Cost Thousands ft Menachem Ani

    Don’t Launch on a Friday What happens when a Google Ads campaign burns through its budget in hours? Or when AI starts making optimisation decisions you don’t fully trust? In this candid episode of PPC Live The Podcast, Anu Adegbola sits down with Menachem Ani — founder of JXT Group and long-standing Google Premier Partner — to unpack the real mistakes PPC professionals make, the lessons that come from them, and why honesty matters more than perfection in paid media. With over 20 years of experience in digital marketing, Menachem shares stories from the early days of Google Ads, campaign mishaps that still haunt him, and why modern PPC has become both more powerful and more dangerous in the age of automation and AI. Together, they discuss: Overspending budgets from simple bid mistakes Why you should never launch campaigns before a weekend The dangers of “set it and forget it” automation PMAX misconceptions agencies still get wrong AI Max, Claude, and the future of autonomous PPC Why strong client relationships matter when mistakes happen How managers should handle team errors with accountability and grace The growing pressure of keeping up with AI-driven advertising This episode is a refreshing reminder that even experienced PPC professionals make mistakes — and that learning from them is what truly matters. Menachem Ani is the founder of JXT Group, a Google Premier Partner agency specialising in paid media strategy, Google Ads automation, and performance marketing innovation. He is a respected industry speaker and contributor to publications including Search Engine Land, SMX, brightonSEO, and PPC Live. Slow down to go faster Always double check budgets and bids Never launch major changes on a Friday AI tools still require human oversight Strong client relationships can survive honest mistakes Great PPC managers create learning cultures, not fear cultures LinkedIn X / Twitter JXT Group Follow PPC Live The Podcast for honest conversations about PPC, paid media, AI, automation, and the realities of working in digital marketing today.

    36 min
  3. EP362 - From Keyword Chaos to PPC Comeback ft Cathryn Stormont

    Apr 29

    EP362 - From Keyword Chaos to PPC Comeback ft Cathryn Stormont

    Join us as we explore the journey of Cathryn Stormont, a seasoned paid media and SEO expert, who shares her insights, mistakes, and lessons learned from over 16 years in the industry. Discover practical tips on campaign structuring, AI integration, and how to turn setbacks into success stories. Key topics Campaign restructuring mistakes and lessonsImportance of account history and data stabilityUsing AI responsibly in PPC campaignsManaging client expectations and transparencyStrategies for effective campaign monitoring and optimization Quotes: "Losing campaign history unsettles everything" "Turn mistakes into opportunities for growth" "Bid on your brand to maximize visibility" Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Catherine Stormont 03:42 Catherine's Skydiving Adventure 06:35 Learning from Early Mistakes in PPC 09:22 The Importance of Keyword History 12:11 Turning Mistakes into Opportunities 15:16 Monitoring Campaign Changes 18:02 Applying Common Sense in PPC Strategies 18:26 Navigating Account Management Challenges 20:01 Learning from Mistakes in Performance Management 21:13 Strategies for Recovering from Keyword Performance Issues 23:05 The Importance of Honesty in Mistake Management 23:28 Common Mistakes in Account Auditing 26:27 The Debate on Bidding for Brand Keywords 28:26 Leveraging AI Tools Effectively 29:47 The Role of Creativity in Digital Marketing 31:04 The Value of Discussing Mistakes in the Industry 36:55 Outro.mp3 Resources Cathryn Stormont's Website - LinkedIn Profile of Cathryn Stormont 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 us for PPC Live event Join us on ⁠Slack⁠ Subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠⁠

    37 min
  4. EP361 - Why Great Campaigns Fail Behind the Scenes ft Peter Bowen

    Apr 22

    EP361 - Why Great Campaigns Fail Behind the Scenes ft Peter Bowen

    In this episode, Peter Bowen shares valuable insights from nearly 20 years in PPC advertising, highlighting common pitfalls and how to avoid them. Whether you're managing Google Ads for local businesses or complex lead gen campaigns, his stories provide practical lessons to refine your approach. Main topics covered: The importance of currency settings in international campaignsInfrastructure decay and system leakages affecting ad performanceThe delicate balance of bid strategies and data trackingPractical tips for systematic auditing and troubleshootingThe impact of automation and AI in modern PPC campaigns Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction to Peter Bowen and his PPC expertise 00:20 - The significance of currency settings in campaign management 02:45 - Handling system decay: infrastructure leaks and tracking failures 05:30 - Real-world case: poor performance due to broken conversion tracking 09:00 - How to implement systematic checks for campaign health 12:45 - The role of bid strategies: target CPA vs. maximized conversions 16:00 - Challenges and opportunities with AI Max and automation tools 20:30 - Common mistakes when applying automation without strategic planning 24:15 - The importance of guarding against system leaks and data loss 27:00 - Practical steps: checklists, logs, and monitoring tools 30:00 - Why understanding the whole system matters in PPC success 33:00 - The industry’s shift from traditional to AI-powered campaigns 37:00 - The myth of “statistically significant” results in PPC testing 40:15 - Closing advice: learn from mistakes and build resilient systems Remember: Making mistakes is part of growing as a PPC professional, but it’s what you learn and implement afterward that truly defines your success. Resources: ⁠Peter Bowen’s Website⁠ Go to PPC Live for ⁠⁠⁠event tickets Join us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Slack⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    50 min
  5. EP360 - Clean Doesn't Always Mean Better ft Charlotte Osborne

    Apr 15

    EP360 - Clean Doesn't Always Mean Better ft Charlotte Osborne

    In this episode, Charlotte Osborne shares her journey through the PPC industry, including a pivotal mistake with account restructuring, and the lessons learned along the way. Whether you're a newbie or a seasoned pro, her insights on account management, AI usage, and industry collaboration are invaluable. Key Topics Charlotte’s background in PPC and her transition from agency owner to independent consultantThe story of a significant account restructuring mistake early in her careerThe importance of a step-by-step approach and planning when restructuring accountsHow small agencies often lack formal training and frameworks, leading to errorsThe value of mentorship, peer review, and internal checks in PPC managementThe role of automation and AI in PPC: potential benefits and pitfallsRisks of giving AI too much control without human oversight ("Claudit" concept)Practical advice for handling account failures: breathe, analyze, phase changes, and experimental approachesThe industry evolution: accessibility of information, the rise of women in PPC, and the importance of sharing knowledgeTips for new PPC professionals to grow, learn, and avoid common mistakes Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction and episode overview 01:00 - Charlotte’s background in paid search and her focus on standing out 05:18 - The story of Charlotte’s account restructuring mistake 06:18 - The consequences of re-writing campaigns over existing ones 07:42 - The importance of backup and careful planning during restructures 08:44 - Internal checks, mentorship, and learning from mistakes 10:09 - Industry training gaps in small agencies 11:36 - The importance of foundational PPC training and continuous learning 13:01 - Industry evolution and access to PPC knowledge 14:27 - Making changes slowly: phased approach and experimentation 16:38 - The immediate impact of restructuring mistakes 18:07 - Process improvements for account restructuring going forward 20:07 - The significance of testing and pausing, not removing, campaign elements 22:15 - Handling client and manager reactions to mistakes 27:04 - Industry collaboration, sharing knowledge 28:08 - Advice for PPC practitioners facing account crises 34:38 - Common audit pitfalls: tracking and negative keywords 36:32 - The importance of conversion tracking and data integrity 38:15 - AI in PPC: current limitations and risks of automation 43:00 - The concept of “Claudit” and responsible AI use 45:17 - Final thoughts on human oversight and industry collaboration 46:41 - Charlotte’s fun "movie title" for her career: "Fast and Furious in PPC" 48:00 - Industry outlook: the future of PPC and community building ⁠Charlotte Osborne - LinkedIn⁠⁠Smart Click Media⁠⁠PPC Live Event Schedule⁠⁠ Join us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Slack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    52 min
5
out of 5
10 Ratings

About

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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