Regardless of how many years you’ve been in the business, it is important to keep on top of your PPC knowledge and skills. It’s a fast paced industry and if you don’t keep up, then you’re going to get left behind.
With what sometimes feels like an infinite amount of websites, videos and guides flying around, it can be difficult to know where to go to continue your learning and development. To get you started, here’s the ABCs of paid advertising resources.
Associations
Joining a paid advertising specific association is one way to stay up to date with the latest industry news, announcements and features. It is also an easy way to network with like minded individuals to share advice and experiences with each. Here are some you might want to check out:
- Paid Search Association
The Paid Search Association is the first of its kind exclusively dedicated to everything Paid Search. Whether you’re an expert or new to industry, PSA offers valuable resources including the ‘Top 10 PPC News’ and regular online events. It is currently free to access a Professional or Student Membership, so head over and get signed up! - Women in PPC
A movement based on supporting women in paid advertising, Women in PPC offers an incredible range of resources. From a Mentorship Program, interviews with professionals and job listings, it’s a great place to head for all things PPC and Search Engine Marketing.
PPC Blogs
It goes without saying that there are an infinite amount of blogs out there, so always explore your options and find what works for you. However, if you need some guidance on where to go, here are some of my favourite blog sites to visit:
- Hero Blog (PPC Hero)
Covering a comprehensive range of topics including Search, Social and Programmatic topics, Hero Blog offers content suitable for beginners to experts. You can also sign up to have news emailed directly to your inbox.
- WordStream
Home to leading evergreen content including ‘Google Ads Benchmarks for Your Industry’ and ‘120 of the Best Marketing Words and Phrases’, WordStream has been a valuable resource to advertisers for over 12 years. Full of original content and actionable guides, WordStream is one to bookmark.
- Optmyzr Blog
Optmyzrs offers blogs, industry insights and PPC Town Hall videos and transcripts to its visitors. This is a fantastic blog to access content in a variety of formats depending on your preference. - Search Engine Journal
SEJ provides fantastic coverage from leading experts in the field. It is also a great site to expand your knowledge on other topics including SEO and Content Marketing.
- Think with Google
Think with Google hosts a range of content including consumer insights, product statistics and marketing articles. This site is great for more in-depth market insights and content, and also a great resource for finding statistics to use in your own content. - PPC Protect
Whilst primarily providers of click fraud protection, they also offer a vast amount of original research pieces, providing valuable insights into the paid search industry.
PPC Books
Whilst our working lives may be online, for many of us you can’t beat holding a fresh copy of a paperback book. I’m always on the lookout for new reading material, and here are some of my favourites:
Kirk Williams - Ponderings of a PPC Professional
Named as one of the most influential PPC’ers in the world by PPC Hero, Kirk William is a leading voice in paid advertising. His book is a fantastic look at PPC in the past, future and present, and there is something for every professional to take away. Kirk manages to make complex topics such as attribution models and automated bidding easy to digest and understand.
Frederick Vallaeys - Digital Marketing in an AI World: Futureproofing Your PPC Agency
Whilst the title suggests that this is a book for agency owners, if you are someone who is trying to get your head around the complex world of Artificial Intelligence in PPC then this is the book for you. There are so many real life examples in this book which help to cut through the noise and make the issues much clearer. AI is the future – there’s no time like the present to make sense of it.
Patrick Gilbert - Join or Die: Digital Advertising in the Age of Automation
PPC Courses
Regardless of your experiences, there are always opportunities to continue to grow your skills. Here are some online courses, both free and paid for, which you may want to consider enrolling in:
- Google SkillShop (Free)
This is the go to site for courses and certifications not only for Google Ads, but also other Google products including Google My Business and Google Analytics. - Microsoft Advertising Certified Professional (Free)
For all things Microsoft Advertising, the Microsoft Advertising Certified Professional course is the place to head to.
- LinkedIn Learning (1 month free, then £19.99 per month)
A great learning platform for not only PPC courses, but also analytics and reporting, which are great skills to develop when working in paid search.
- Google Digital Garage (Free)
Another free platform from Google which covers a range of digital subjects, including the basics of machine learning, introductions to coding and SEO fundamentals.
- Udemy (Various)
If you prefer to learn via video content, then Udemy is for you. Covering an extensive range of paid advertising topics, Udemy allows you to learn new skills at your own pace.
- Semrush (Free)
Industry favourite Semrush offers a range of Digital Marketing courses, including a comprehensive PPC Fundamentals Course with Joel Bondorowsky.
PPC Communities
Sometimes you need the advice and support of your fellow PPC’ers. And that’s where these communities step up:
- PPC Chat
Starting in 2011, PPC Chat has become a powerful part of the PPC industry. Primarily a weekly Twitter Community meet up, every Tuesday PPC’er across the world come together using the #PPCChat to discuss industry issues. Previous topics have included Performance Max Campaigns, The Future of PPC and Amazon Ads. Then the wonderful Anu Adegbola turns the conversation into the ‘#PPCChat Roundup’ podcast!
The community is active all the time, with advertisers always willing to help and discuss to posts using the #PPCChat. It is also a highly influential community for advertising platforms when it comes to feedback on their features and announcements. - Google Ads Help Community
The Google Ads Help Community is a place where users can ask questions regarding their Google Ad issues to other users and specialists. This is a great way to get real life experiences and solutions, from likeminded Google Ads users. - Women in Tech SEO
Whilst not a PPC specific, Women in Tech SEO deserves a mention for it’s incredible community of women working in SEO and related industries. Consisting of over 4,000 members, Women in Tech SEO runs workshops, offers a speaker directory, hosts an annual in person conference and much more!
This list is by no means exhaustive and there are so many great resources out there which aren’t on this list. I recommend you check these out and see where your browsing takes you. Take the time to explore what is out there and find sources which best speak to you, and if you stumble across something great, then make sure you share it with the PPC community.
