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

Susan Richards-Benson, a 20-year PPC veteran and independent contractor, shares her experience with a devastating account suspension that cost her client tens of thousands in revenue during their busiest season—all due to client dishonesty. The Setup: Client: Indoor children's playground in Florida Timing: Christmas period (peak season) Problem: Google Ads account suspended for "circumventing systems" The 2-Month Investigation: Google support only provided generic responses Team checked for malware, IP issues, site problems Developer unavailable during holidays Client increasingly frustrated as traffic plummeted Key Takeaways 1. Client Transparency Works Both Ways Agencies aren't the only ones who can lack transparency Dishonest clients can create major problems for agencies Always verify client claims rather than taking their word 2. Enhanced Onboarding Process Red flags to watch: Clients being "cagey" about previous data, refusing analytics access, claiming previous agencies won't release data New process: Screen share with clients to check existing accounts at ads.google.com Due diligence: Don't just ask—verify what accounts already exist 3. Crisis Management Best Practices Document everything in writing File support cases immediately Don't try to solve complex issues alone Stay accessible and communicate regularly with clients Be transparent about what you're seeing on your end 4. Industry Evolution Insights Then: Keyword stuffing, siloed thinking worked Now: Requires holistic approach across SEO, social, PPC Key mindset: Don't resist change—embrace it or leave the industry 5. Healthy Approach to PPC Mistakes Mistakes are inevitable for everyone in PPC Own up immediately and explain implications Don't let mistakes rattle your confidence Share failures, not just successes, to help the community learn The industry will humble big egos 6. AI & Automation Cautions Example: P-Max with store visits has 5-7 day reporting lag Be careful with click-based conversions like "Get Directions" Don't blindly trust algorithm optimization Professional Impact This experience taught Susan to completely revamp her onboarding process and be more selective about clients who show transparency red flags. The relationship ultimately soured and ended, highlighting how client dishonesty can damage professional relationships beyond just the immediate technical problems. Bottom Line The biggest lesson: Trust but verify. Even experienced PPC professionals can be blindsided by client dishonesty. Implementing thorough onboarding processes and maintaining detailed documentation can prevent similar disasters. 00:00 Introduction to PPC Live Podcast 00:49 Guest Introduction: Susan Richards-Benson 02:19 Susan's Journey from Journalism to Paid Search 03:48 The Evolution of Digital Marketing 06:00 Fun Facts and Personal Interests 06:58 The Big F-Up: A Client's Google Ads Suspension 16:27 Lessons Learned and Advice for Marketers 21:53 The Role of AI in PPC 25:00 Conclusion and Upcoming Events Find Susan on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-richards-benson-32581914b/] Book a coaching call with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Anu⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.themarketinganu.com] PPC Live The Podcast features weekly conversations with paid search experts sharing their experiences, challenges, and triumphs in the ever-changing digital marketing landscape. The next ⁠⁠PPC Live⁠⁠ [https://bit.ly/ppclivejul25] event is on July 31st Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/ppcliveuk/] Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.twitter.com/ppcliveuk] Join our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠WhatsApp Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [ ⁠https://bit.ly/pluwhatsapp] Subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠ [ ⁠https://ppc.live/newsletter-sign-up⁠]

In this candid episode of PPC Live The Podcast, host Anu sits down with Peter Guba, a Google Ads expert and founder of Profit Mill, to explore the raw reality of PPC failures and how they can become powerful learning experiences. Peter shares two memorable mistakes from his career - one hilarious, one costly - that shaped him into the marketer he is today. The main story centres on a perfect storm of PPC disasters: while managing a multi-million dollar enterprise event management client, Peter's Dynamic Search Ads began targeting Christmas trivia content from the client's blog during the holiday season. This led to massive irrelevant traffic, zero qualified leads for over a month, and ultimately the loss of the client - despite Peter successfully fixing the issue using Google's data exclusion functionality. Key takeaways: 1. Own Your Mistakes Immediately * Transparency and accountability are crucial when things go wrong * Clients respect honesty more than excuses or blame-shifting * The person who made the mistake is often best positioned to prevent it from happening again 2. Smart Bidding Requires Smart Monitoring * Automation isn't "set it and forget it" - it needs consistent oversight * Google's algorithm needs substantial data to learn, which can be expensive with broad, irrelevant keywords * Third-party monitoring tools can help catch issues before clients do 3. The Perfect Storm Elements to Watch For * Dynamic Search Ads + Smart Bidding + Broad SEO content = potential disaster * Seasonality can amplify existing targeting issues * Enterprise clients with razor-thin margins have zero tolerance for extended poor performance 4. Industry Reality Checks * PPC isn't a magic bullet for fundamental business problems * Understand your client's organic conversion rates before diving into paid search * Some industries are simply too competitive for paid search to be profitable 5. Authenticity in Professional Communication * Real failure stories are more valuable than polished success narratives * In an AI-driven world, genuine vulnerability becomes increasingly rare and valuable * "Showing up" consistently matters more than being perfect Bonus Lesson: Always double-check your presentation slides for competitor logos before sending - it might accidentally help your pitch! 0:00 Introduction to PPC Live The Podcast 00:53 Meet Peter Guba: Google Ads Expert 05:09 Funny F-Up Story: The Logo Mix-Up 08:48 Serious F-Up Story: The Christmas Trivia Disaster 18:39 The Importance of Smart Bidding 19:18 Learning from Mistakes 20:21 Client Communication and Accountability 22:02 Challenges with PPC and Demand Generation 26:50 The Role of Automation in PPC 28:59 The Value of Discussing Failures 32:59 Final Thoughts and Resources Find Peter on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterguba/] and Profit Mill [https://profitmill.io/] Book a coaching call with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Anu⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.themarketinganu.com] PPC Live The Podcast (formerly PPCChat Roundup) features weekly conversations with paid search experts sharing their experiences, challenges, and triumphs in the ever-changing digital marketing landscape. The next ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠PPC Live event⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://bit.ly/ppclivejun25] is on June 26th in Leeds, UK The next ⁠PPC Live London⁠ [https://bit.ly/ppclivejul25] event is on July 31st Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/ppcliveuk/] Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.twitter.com/ppcliveuk] Join our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠WhatsApp Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [ ⁠https://bit.ly/pluwhatsapp] Subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠ [ ⁠https://ppc.live/newsletter-sign-up⁠]

In this episode of PPC Live: The Podcast, host Anu chats with Greg Finn, co-founder of Cypress North, about the biggest mistakes he's witnessed in PPC and how they became learning opportunities. Greg shares two major f-ups: a Halloween costume company that accidentally set their monthly budget as a daily budget (spending $300K instead of $30K), and his own team's Microsoft Ads import error that sent one client's ads to a completely different advertiser's account. More importantly, Greg reveals how these disasters shaped his management philosophy and company culture, emphasizing transparency, open communication, and treating mistakes as growth opportunities rather than failures. On Mistake Management: * Intent matters more than outcome - if someone is trying to do the right thing, the mistake is secondary * Transparency builds trust - own mistakes immediately, provide full documentation, and offer immediate refunds * Create processes after mistakes to prevent repetition, not punishment On Company Culture: * Foster an environment where employees feel safe reporting mistakes immediately * Focus on education and growth rather than perfection * Treat team members as teammates, not competitors On AI Usage: * AI works best as an assistant, not a replacement for human creativity * Avoid AI-generated content that looks obviously artificial * Maintain authentic brand voice rather than relying on AI for everything On Conversions: * "All conversions are not created equal" - optimize for sales-qualified leads, not just any conversion * Sync CRM systems with ad platforms to focus on actual business outcomes * Quality over quantity when it comes to lead generation The episode emphasizes that mistakes are inevitable in PPC, but how you handle them defines your success as both a marketer and a leader 00:00 Introduction to PPC Live The Podcast 00:50 Guest Introduction: Greg Finn of Cypress North 03:01 Greg's Background and Expertise 05:33 Discussing $300,000 worth and uploading to the wront account PPC Mistakes 19:53 Owning Your Mistakes 20:14 The Illusion of Perfection on Social Media 21:42 Encouraging Open Communication in the Workplace 25:44 The Importance of Team Mentality 27:29 Mismanagement of Talent 30:32 The Role of AI in Marketing 35:03 Conclusion and Final Thoughts Find Greg on Marketing O'clock [https://marketingoclock.com/] and LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregfinn/] Book a coaching call with ⁠⁠⁠⁠Anu⁠⁠ [https://www.themarketinganu.com] PPC Live The Podcast (formerly PPCChat Roundup) features weekly conversations with paid search experts sharing their experiences, challenges, and triumphs in the ever-changing digital marketing landscape. The next ⁠⁠⁠⁠PPC Live event⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://bit.ly/ppclivejun25] is on June 26th in Leeds, UK The next PPC Live London [https://bit.ly/ppclivejul25] event is on July 31st Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/ppcliveuk/] Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.twitter.com/ppcliveuk] Join our ⁠⁠⁠⁠WhatsApp Group⁠⁠⁠⁠ [ ⁠https://bit.ly/pluwhatsapp] Subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter [ ⁠https://ppc.live/newsletter-sign-up⁠]

In this episode of PPC Live The Podcast, host Anu interviews Kat Sale, co-founder of House of Performance, about a catastrophic client experience that serves as a cautionary tale for agency professionals. Kat shares how a gifting company client spent £40,000 in just three days with zero sales, despite her team's explicit warnings against their aggressive launch strategy. The situation escalated when the client refused to pay £12,500 in consultancy fees, forcing Kat to write off the loss and end the relationship. Key takeaway discussed: Key Takeaways * "Eat the dog food" - Always test and understand your client's products before marketing them * Red flags to avoid: Clients who speak poorly about their own team, have churned through multiple agencies quickly, or consistently ignore expert advice * Don't launch on Fridays unless you'll monitor campaigns over the weekend * Start conservative: Begin with exact match keywords and modest budgets, then scale based on performance * Cut losses quickly - Don't waste time chasing bad debts or difficult clients; focus energy on good relationships * Document everything - Keep clear records of advice given when clients ignore recommendations * Don't take failures personally - Sometimes clients aren't ready to listen, and that's not your fault * Be transparent with mistakes - Clients appreciate honesty; cover-ups destroy trust * Use AI as a tool, not a crutch - Maintain strategic thinking and creativity rather than relying completely on AI * Create psychological safety - Leaders should share their own failures to normalise learning from mistakes * Know when to walk away - Some clients aren't worth the stress and damage to your business * Maintain perspective - "We're not heart surgeons, it's just advertising" - don't let work stress destroy your mental health 00:00 Introduction 01:31 Kat Sale's Background 02:48 The Concept of 'Eating the Dog Food' 04:43 Major Business Failure and Learnings 22:43 Discussion on AI in Digital Marketing 28:03 Conclusion and Where to Find Kat Sale Follow Kat on ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kat-sale/] Book a coaching call with ⁠⁠⁠Anu⁠ [https://www.themarketinganu.com] PPC Live The Podcast (formerly PPCChat Roundup) features weekly conversations with paid search experts sharing their experiences, challenges, and triumphs in the ever-changing digital marketing landscape. The next ⁠⁠⁠PPC Live event⁠⁠⁠ [https://bit.ly/ppclivejun25] is on June 26th in Leeds, UK Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/ppcliveuk/] Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.twitter.com/ppcliveuk] Join our ⁠⁠⁠WhatsApp Group⁠⁠⁠ [ ⁠https://bit.ly/pluwhatsapp] Subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠Newsletter [ ⁠https://ppc.live/newsletter-sign-up⁠]

In this episode of PPC Live, host Anu interviews Chris Nightingale, founder of Can-Do Digital Marketing, about a significant mistake early in his PPC career and how he turned it around. Chris shares the story of accidentally increasing bids by £50 instead of 50p, causing massive overspending for a client. He discusses his immediate panic response, how he addressed the situation professionally, and the surprising support he received from his manager. Key takeaways discussed: * Good management matters - Supportive leadership during crises can turn failures into learning experiences * Ask for forgiveness, not permission - Testing and trying new approaches drives innovation, even with occasional failures * Create safeguards - Use tools and automation to prevent common mistakes and implement double-checks for high-risk actions * Start testing with smaller budgets - When possible, experiment with lower-budget accounts to minimize financial impact * Use AI strategically - AI works best for backend tasks rather than customer-facing content like ad copy * Failures aren't discussed enough - The industry focuses on successes while hiding the numerous failures behind them * Turn mistakes into long-term wins - Chris built a stronger client relationship by demonstrating accountability and delivering exceptional results in subsequent months 00:00 Introduction to PPC Live The Podcast 01:39 Guest Introduction: Chris Nightingale 03:09 Rock Climbing and PPC: Drawing Parallels 04:24 The Big Mistake: A PPC Blunder 08:11 Turning It Around: Lessons Learned 13:58 Advice for PPC Professionals 18:02 Final Thoughts and Industry Insights 20:56 The Role of AI in PPC 24:47 Conclusion and Upcoming Events Follow Chris on ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisnightingale1/] Book a coaching call with ⁠⁠Anu⁠ [https://www.themarketinganu.com] PPC Live The Podcast (formerly PPCChat Roundup) features weekly conversations with paid search experts sharing their experiences, challenges, and triumphs in the ever-changing digital marketing landscape. The next ⁠⁠PPC Live event⁠⁠ [https://bit.ly/ppclivejun25] is on June 26th in Leeds, UK Follow us on ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/ppcliveuk/] Follow us on ⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠ [https://www.twitter.com/ppcliveuk] Join our ⁠⁠WhatsApp Group⁠⁠ [ ⁠https://bit.ly/pluwhatsapp] Subscribe to our ⁠⁠Newsletter [ ⁠https://ppc.live/newsletter-sign-up⁠]