How AI is changing the game for PPC account managers

AI is helping PPC managers focus more on strategic initiatives, such as campaign inputs and back-end management, rather than manual operations.

Increased efficiency and effectiveness? This evolution is exciting!

AI will play an increasingly important role in daily operations as PPC evolves.

Here’s a closer look at how AI will impact the daily activities of PPC account managers.

Less manual operation and managing algorithms

Automation has been transforming the world of PPC for a while.

This trend will only continue. We expect significant changes in how PPC managers work over the next few years.

As automation and AI become more prevalent, PPC managers will spend less time on tasks like monitoring search queries and implementing negative keywords.

Worried? Don’t be. This positive development will free up time for managers to focus on other important tasks.

Despite what some people may say, automation will not eliminate jobs in PPC. Instead, it will lead to a shift in roles and responsibilities.

PPC managers will be responsible for managing algorithms rather than individual keywords. There will be plenty to do! 

In fact, with less manual work to do, PPC managers may find themselves busier than ever before – and more valuable to their companies as a result.

Data team collaboration 

As PPC campaigns become more first-party data-driven, the partnership between PPC managers and data teams is becoming increasingly important. This collaboration often involves joint efforts toward:

• Implementing tagging infrastructure.
• Website analytics.
• CRM access.
• Utilizing scaled automation and data reporting. 

The connection between the data/analytics and PPC teams may have been limited in the past. This was particularly true when PPC relied heavily on only a handful of tracking pixels. Once those were in place, there may have been a less pressing need for more extensive collaboration.

However, it’s essential to establish a robust and ongoing relationship with your data/analytics team to ensure PPC success. While some PPC managers may not have had this kind of partnership in the past, it’s crucial to work toward building one for optimal results.

Want to stay ahead of the game? Leverage first-party data to optimize your campaigns.

This means building strong relationships with your organization’s team in charge of these data projects. Doing so ensures you have the resources and support to stay competitive and drive results. 

Don’t wait until it’s too late – start building those bridges today!

Attribution measurement and incrementality testing 

Proving the value of paid search to an overall marketing program is familiar to PPC managers. Most PPC programs are measured on sales, revenue, ROAS, LTV and other value-based metrics. 

Incrementality analysis may already be part of your PPC program. Great! However, I know of PPC programs building these processes, and now is the time! 

Media Mix Modeling (MMM) and incrementality testing are essential to gain valuable insights into marketing campaigns’ effectiveness and efficiency:

• MMM provides a holistic view of how different channels interact and influence customer behavior, enabling managers to allocate budgets optimally. PPC managers need to be part of this conversation! 
• Incrementality testing is gaining importance due to the rise of data-driven decision-making. It helps PPC managers measure the true causal impact of a specific marketing tactic or channel and quantify the incremental value generated by your PPC campaigns. It also provides insights into optimal bidding strategies, helps validate the results of A/B tests, and enhances accountability by offering a straightforward way to measure and communicate the impact of marketing efforts to stakeholders.

In today’s complex and data-rich marketing landscape, PPC managers need to make informed decisions considering their campaigns’ broader impact. 

Hopefully, you are already involved in these projects within your company. If not, get started!

Audience building and management

Audience targeting has been a tried and true method for PPC managers for quite some time now.

While the advancements in AI and automation won’t necessarily change this approach, the rise of privacy regulations will require new tactics and strategies for audience creation, development, sculpting and management.

To effectively manage your PPC campaigns, you must make the most of your CRM data. If your PPC program has already integrated this, you’re ahead of the game! However, many PPC programs still need to build out their first-party audience processes.

Audience lists may not be as precise for automated campaigns like Performance Max and Demand Gen. Still, they help to shape impression delivery through look-a-like audiences and algorithmic signals.

PPC managers will need to play an active role in crafting audiences that will deliver results in their paid media campaigns. 

While some PPC managers may not be affected by this shift in operations due to their robust audience strategy, many others will need to consider new directions and factors.

Ad creative development and testing 

Over time, creative assets in PPC have come a long way. The text ad has been the go-to unit for PPC, and for good reason. However, things are changing and will continue to evolve. 

PPC is no longer just about search, as image ads have been in the game for a while with Google Display Ads and Microsoft Ad Network. PPC managers have also worked with video ad delivery through YouTube for years. With Performance Max, these ad units are only going to diversify further.

While PPC managers may have saved time in the past by managing search queries and manual bid changes, they will need to focus more on creative assets.

As many other optimization levers are automated, creative messaging will become even more critical. PPC managers must work closely with their creative teams to develop custom ad variations for images, videos, texts, and more. 

Also, while we’re talking about creative, PPC managers will hopefully have more time for strategic planning on their landing page/website experience. CRO has been a cornerstone of digital marketing for almost as long as this industry has existed. However, with more automated optimization and AI-driven tactics, advertisers need to find whys to make their company and products stand out. Ad creative and website experience is mission-critical. 

Building stronger relationships with creative teams will be crucial for PPC managers in the future.

SEO collaboration 

As more time is saved with automation, PPC managers will dive deeper into their collaboration with their SEO team.

Teams should not operate in silos. There should be a shared vision for a holistic SERP optimization strategy.

With the changing SERPs and the emergence of SGE and AI-driven content, paid and organic teams need to work together to optimize the SERP effectively. 

Moreover, it is essential to clearly understand the different roles and responsibilities of the PPC and SEO teams. PPC managers should be aware of the latest trends and techniques in paid advertising, while SEO experts should focus on technical optimization and content creation. 

By working together, the teams can complement each other’s strengths and weaknesses, resulting in a more comprehensive and effective optimization strategy. Regular communication and collaboration are essential to ensure everyone is on the same page and working towards the same goals.

Dig deeper. SEO vs. PPC: Differences, pros, cons & an integrated approach

Conclusion

Experienced PPC managers are likely familiar with all these tactics.

However, prioritizing algorithm management and user experience optimization will be essential as the landscape shifts and your day-to-day responsibilities evolve.

This pivot may be challenging – but it’s critical for staying ahead in the game.