How Did You Learn PPC?

whatroad

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Hi Guys
Totally love the content I have found here..

PPC has jumped out at me as someone in his 40s in IT, really is the road I feel I should go ( I have never liked working in IT )

My question is, how do you go about learning PPC when you don't have a product to sell?

I only have £100-150 a month spare so I believe £5 a day on Facebook ads which is the platform I feel would work for my mindset.

However, how do you learn when you don't have a product?

Thanks very much everyone
 
You can either run affiliate ads on a landing page or you can create a form and collect emails for something like an ebook, webinar, collection.

In theory, you could also create a Shopify store and sell some product, just have them be out of order or something. Not exactly sure how that works.
 
We've got some PPC masters here and hopefully they pop in and help you out.

The name of the game is data collection. You need to be able to afford enough data so you can start optimizing the campaigns. That means you need to structure your campaigns in such a way that you're doing single variable testing at the bottom levels. You need to find out what ad copy and ad creatives fetch you the best conversions (not just clicks) in the right locations and time frames for the right demographics. Setting up your campaigns in this manner let you drop out the non-performers and move towards being ROI positive.

You also want to have a landing page / squeeze page be set up so you can optimize conversions on your end too. If you're promoting someone else's product you may not have a choice here and hopefully they've done the work themselves.

It's all about optimizing and trying out different things. You may think you're perfectly optimized but you're really stuck in a local maxima, meaning the peak for that specific lander and campaign. But you could try something wildly different and get optimized there and be earning double the amount too. It's all about testing constantly because you'll also burn out your current campaigns and have to at least make new creatives and ad copy eventually, too. Not to mention copycats that will help you burn the campaign faster.
 
When you're doing PPC, you are paying for data! Data will help you get sales in the long run. The faster you test and FAIL, the better of you will be! It's important to embrace every failure because that is a step in the right direction.

TEST. FAIL. TEST. FAIL. TEST. SUCCEED. TEST. GROW

The best way to learn is to simply run your own ads! Since you have a limited budget, you can also start out with an online ppc course.

Good FB ads managers are in high demand so it might be a good platform if you want to start onboarding clients. I personally hate FB ads manager and think its a pain, especially with them changing policies every few days. There is always something that needs to be fixed. It's also glitchy at times when using their bulk uploader tool. Anyway, it might be a good starting point for you because CPC there is much cheaper than other PPC Channels.

I would also recommend you catch up on:

- FB Analytics. Learn the metrics and their meanings. Campaign types, Audiences, Bidding strategies, etc..

- Google Analytics. You should setup an account and literally spend a day going through every area of Google Analytics and learning what it can do/how it can help you. You can't simply learn it in a day, but you should become familiar with what the metrics mean in terms of actionable insights. Use UTM Tracking for FB Ads.

- Remarketing lists/Audiences. These are important for FB ads and PPC in general.

- Creative Assets. Size limits, File Types, Necessary sizes, etc..

- Testing. You will need to have tests running all the time. If you are not running tests, then you are just hitting your local maxima, and not learning anything.

Ultimately, you will want to be able to translate data into actionable insights!
 
I gave Perry Marshall $3,000 in 2005. I don't recommend that path.

As others have said, pay to play and learn from the data you collect.
whatroad said:
However, how do you learn when you don't have a product?
Click to expand...

Lead gen and then push to an affiliate offer or even to display ad monetized content. The key is to actually give the user value every time you contact them. Whether that value is entertainment or education, they need to get something in return for what they are giving you (contact info, money, and/or time engaging with your message).
 
AdSkills.com is what you need. That community and training is amazing.
 
Not quite an expert yet, but what has worked for me was challenging myself to improve my campaigns in google ads every single day. Either improving ad copy, adding new ads, adding new keywords or expanding the list of negative words. Even if I didn't had time or it was Christmas, I still had to do something every day. Even if it was 5 minutes.

I also did a course on udemy, one of the more popular ones, and that gave me a lot of tips that I actually tried to apply. $10 or $12 well spent there.

Eventually went from losing money every month, to doubling or tripling my small investment. Still a long way to go. Not spending all that much on it yet.
 
sedo said:
Can you please share more about your experience with this?
Click to expand...
@sedo I'm currently doing the AdSkills "Trifecta" program that they recently promoted which consists of courses on GoogleAds (includes a sub-course on Google Shopping Network), Facebook Ads, and YouTube Ads. Included are also courses Marketing Research Blueprint, and Tracking 101. So far I've finished the GoogleAds course and most of the way through the Marketing Research Blueprint. The material is dense, no fluff and I have found it to be high quality compared to many of the expensive courses sold via webinars. Each course so far looks like a couple of hours mostly in follow along over the shoulder, professional format. All instructors have to have managed a $1 million annual ad budget to qualify to teach their course so no pretenders or wanna-be's teaching. I should state I have no affiliate or commercial connection to AdSkills. I'm only a student taking the program.

Plus I need to write three posts here on BuSo to be able to interact on other forums and this is one question I actually know enough about to be useful.

The guy behind it is Justin Brooke. I had never heard of him before I watched a webinar he did on using Google Display Network to generate and monetize leads, but it was amazing. It was a bit artful on their part as I thought the Trifecta program I was buying into would teach me how to do exactly what he presented since I was especially interested in the sophisticated way he monetizes his leads which combines CPA, paid ads, remarketing, email marketing and comarketing. Sadly once I opened the tin I discovered it was something else. The GoogleAds course in the Trifecta program doesn't cover the Google Display Network. That said I've been enjoying and learning a lot from the program although it's been delaying me spending time on getting IM things done. A useful yet shiny object.

What I've discovered is that this program and the more commonly promoted Jumpstart program are funnels to sell the full blown Digital Agency Program. With Jumpstart there is only one course (Online Marketing 101 I believe) after which you can take their certification to become (wait for it...) a Certified Junior Media Buyer and that makes you eligible to get a junior buyer job from their job board of client media companies. Jumpstart costs $500.
The Digital Agency Program gives you access to all their courses (including Twitter, Native, Instagram, LinkedIn, LandingPages). Once you've done the Media Buying Mastery course you can take the Media Masters test after which you're "certified" as a Digital Agency Master which makes you eligible to get agency work via their agency client work board as well as community of experienced agency people that have been through the same course. That costs $5000.
If you want a job in a company doing digital media buying or if you are already an agency that could use another channel to get work and a solid resource for you or your agency employees to learn a new ad platform these may be useful programs to consider.
I don't know if this is allowed here but I'm including the link to his webinar as it really blew me away what can be done when you know how, and he drops a lot of nuggets:
https://10000leadsaday.com/download-free-report/

I don't suggest you try to download the slides as you'll get pitched on AdSkills but sounds like you already are.

Comparing AdSkills to BuSo is like training to be in the army vs training to be a street fighter, and the latter is free.

For other useful and free CPA material search Chantal Stevens on YouTube. I started following her a few years ago when she lived in a Michigan trailer park and her CPA landing page was a Google doc because she couldn't afford hosting. Now she lives in a five bedroom house in Atlanta. Watch the oldest videos first. No need to buy any courses. It's all there.
 
Arbivar said:
@sedo I'm currently doing the AdSkills "Trifecta" program that they recently promoted which consists of courses on GoogleAds (includes a sub-course on Google Shopping Network), Facebook Ads, and YouTube Ads. Included are also courses Marketing Research Blueprint, and Tracking 101. So far I've finished the GoogleAds course and most of the way through the Marketing Research Blueprint. The material is dense, no fluff and I have found it to be high quality compared to many of the expensive courses sold via webinars. Each course so far looks like a couple of hours mostly in follow along over the shoulder, professional format. All instructors have to have managed a $1 million annual ad budget to qualify to teach their course so no pretenders or wanna-be's teaching. I should state I have no affiliate or commercial connection to AdSkills. I'm only a student taking the program.

Plus I need to write three posts here on BuSo to be able to interact on other forums and this is one question I actually know enough about to be useful.

The guy behind it is Justin Brooke. I had never heard of him before I watched a webinar he did on using Google Display Network to generate and monetize leads, but it was amazing. It was a bit artful on their part as I thought the Trifecta program I was buying into would teach me how to do exactly what he presented since I was especially interested in the sophisticated way he monetizes his leads which combines CPA, paid ads, remarketing, email marketing and comarketing. Sadly once I opened the tin I discovered it was something else. The GoogleAds course in the Trifecta program doesn't cover the Google Display Network. That said I've been enjoying and learning a lot from the program although it's been delaying me spending time on getting IM things done. A useful yet shiny object.

What I've discovered is that this program and the more commonly promoted Jumpstart program are funnels to sell the full blown Digital Agency Program. With Jumpstart there is only one course (Online Marketing 101 I believe) after which you can take their certification to become (wait for it...) a Certified Junior Media Buyer and that makes you eligible to get a junior buyer job from their job board of client media companies. Jumpstart costs $500.
The Digital Agency Program gives you access to all their courses (including Twitter, Native, Instagram, LinkedIn, LandingPages). Once you've done the Media Buying Mastery course you can take the Media Masters test after which you're "certified" as a Digital Agency Master which makes you eligible to get agency work via their agency client work board as well as community of experienced agency people that have been through the same course. That costs $5000.
If you want a job in a company doing digital media buying or if you are already an agency that could use another channel to get work and a solid resource for you or your agency employees to learn a new ad platform these may be useful programs to consider.
I don't know if this is allowed here but I'm including the link to his webinar as it really blew me away what can be done when you know how, and he drops a lot of nuggets:
https://10000leadsaday.com/download-free-report/

I don't suggest you try to download the slides as you'll get pitched on AdSkills but sounds like you already are.

Comparing AdSkills to BuSo is like training to be in the army vs training to be a street fighter, and the latter is free.

For other useful and free CPA material search Chantal Stevens on YouTube. I started following her a few years ago when she lived in a Michigan trailer park and her CPA landing page was a Google doc because she couldn't afford hosting. Now she lives in a five bedroom house in Atlanta. Watch the oldest videos first. No need to buy any courses. It's all there.
Click to expand...

what is the YouTube channel? I searched for Chantal Stevens and didn’t find anything.
 
I learned a great deal about PPC mainly from two sources.
It covers the fundamentals, but it has some pitfalls, like recommending automated bidding strategies for new accounts. After you study the material, you can sit for an online 75 minutes assessment. If you pass, you can get a certificate. It is relatively straight-forward, and I was able to get it in less than three weeks.
This course is the go-to resource for newcomers, and some agencies require their newly hired employees to study it.

It is rated #1 in Udemy as the best course on the subject, and it covers a wide range of topics about Google Ads. It starts from setting up an account, writing ad copy, performing keyword research, how the auction works, account structure, site link extensions, conversion tracking, remarketing tags setup, Google ads automation with javascript.

The keyword research section alone is 7+ hours, and it covers match types, negative keywords, the AIDA sales funnel, and other topics.

I highly recommend it.

Good Luck!
 
Split testing and split testing and split testing until you find what works. Sort of like machine learning, but for humans. Through machines.
 
whatroad said:
PPC has jumped out at me as someone in his 40s in IT, really is the road I feel I should go ( I have never liked working in IT )
Click to expand...
Yeah, I've worked with a few guys who come from a number of IT roles and have done really well with paid search.

There's some good shares in this thread about how to learn - I'd recommend saving your money on courses and watch some of the YouTube stuff by Ben Heath - he seems like a stand up guy and even after years in the trenches I've picked up some tips from him.

Now for the reality check - I'm going to be that guy and I mean this all in the very nicest of ways (I just don't want you to loose money)...

whatroad said:
My question is, how do you go about learning PPC when you don't have a product to sell?
Click to expand...
You don't. Realistically, you need to go and work in an agency and get paid to learn.

If you have a product to sell then you can 100% learn as you go but without a product to sell at best you'll learn how to increase followers to a Facebook page which a chimp could do.

whatroad said:
I only have £100-150 a month spare so I believe £5 a day on Facebook ads which is the platform I feel would work for my mindset.
Click to expand...
Save your money. This isn't enough budget to learn anything meaningful.

Conversion Campaign Example
I want to give you this example to show you how tricky ads can be even with a product and limited budget - not to put you off but to help teach you.

Let's say that the average CPM (cost per 1,000 impressions) is £5 which would be on the cheaper end of traffic.

For that £5 your ad is going to get shown to 1,000 users.

Of those 1,000 people 1% might click through to your landing page which gives you 10 visitors.

If your site is really pushing it with design and the offer and interest match really well, you might convert at 5%.

Now to get a single sale with these numbers, you'll have to spend £10 which gives you a £10 CPA (cost per acquisition).

So now your budget is at £280 - £310 a month to get 28-30 sales

Your product sells for £20 which would give you a ROAS (return on ad spend) of 2. This looks good right as anything above a 1 is profit right?

Nope.

Before you go celebrating making a profit with ads, you have to factor in what you buy the product for in the first place.

Let's say you bought it for £10, sold for £20 and spend £10 to get the sale, this leaves you with £0 profit and true return on ad spend of 1.

Sure you could keep running the interest to get the customer but don't you want to test different interests to get better results?

Testing
You're not going to hit a home-run with interests every time and you're going to have some ads that don't get a single click.

Here's a testing framework that's always worked for me.

Each ad should get 5,000 impressions before making a call on it (£5 x 5 = £25)
Each interest should have 5 ad angles tested within it (5 x £25 = £125)

Sometimes you're going to spend £125 just to see that something didn't work - that's a whole months budget just to see something didn't work. Depending on the niche and your market research, you might have to test 3 or 4 audiences just to get something going... and then what?

You find a new audience in month 4 that works and then you've got no money to scale the spend so you sit there having to watch 1 or 2 sales come in when you could be getting hundreds.

What Am I Getting At Here?
I don't write this to put you off, ads are amazing and once you get the right audience and the right message you can print money, but to get to this point is going to cost you.

Sure you can learn on £100 a month but you're not just facing the normal challenges of finding the right interest / ad match - you're also learning how to run Facebook Ads, manage campaigns, design ads and buy on the right platforms.

If you're really passionate about doing this, find an agency that's hiring and go work there.

Don't waste money on courses as they're mostly outdated and you'll soon out grow them

And don't waste money on Facebook Ads especially if you don't have a product to sell.
 
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