Google Ads insights from ex-Googlers.
Strategy, tactics, and the inside-Google perspective most agencies don't share. Written from 10+ years working with Google's top advertisers.
All notes from the field.
Google Ads for Financial Services: The Compliance-First Playbook
Financial services is the hardest vertical to advertise on Google. The CPCs are the highest of any category, the policies are the strictest, and the consequence…
Google Ads Account Audit Checklist: 17 Things We Look At First
After 10+ years inside Google working with top advertisers, our team has seen the same handful of mistakes destroy 30-50% of ad spend in nearly every account I audit.
Performance Marketing's Definition Is About to Change
For the last 15 years, "performance marketing" has meant a specific thing: marketing that's tracked, attributable, measurable.
How to Tell If Your Google Ads Agency Is Actually Doing the Work
The most expensive lie in marketing is the lie of activity. A Google Ads agency can charge you $3K/month for "campaign management" while doing approximately 30…
Why Performance Max Is Eating Your Google Ads Budget
Performance Max is Google's flagship campaign type. It's also the single biggest budget leak we see in client audits.
How Google AI Overviews Are Reshaping PPC in 2026
The biggest change to search advertising since the introduction of paid clicks is happening right now.
Google Ads for SaaS: 7 Mistakes That Tank Your CAC
Most Google Ads advice is written for e-commerce. The mental model — sell a product, track a transaction, optimize ROAS — doesn't fit how B2B SaaS actually works.
Inside the Strategy Google Reserves for Top Advertisers
There's a tier of Google Ads strategy that almost nobody outside Google's biggest advertisers sees. Our team spent 10+ years inside Google as Senior Account Str…
The 'Single Keyword Ad Group' Debate: Is It Still Useful in 2026?
If you've been in Google Ads for more than 5 years, you remember Single Keyword Ad Groups (SKAGs). The structure: one ad group, one keyword, three closely-matched ad variants.
Google Ads Quality Score in 2026: What Actually Affects It
Quality Score is the metric advertisers obsess over and the metric that means the least to your actual results in 2026.
HubSpot to Google Ads Offline Conversion Tracking Setup
The single highest-leverage Google Ads change you can make in a B2B SaaS account: connect HubSpot to Google Ads via offline conversion imports.
8 Google Ads Negative Keywords Every Account Should Have
Negative keywords are the unglamorous workhorse of Google Ads optimization. Adding them isn't sexy. There's no "launched a new campaign" satisfaction.
How to Calculate Your Real Cost Per Lead
The Google Ads dashboard shows you a "Cost / Conv." metric — Google's calculation of your cost per lead.
Google Ads for Home Services: Why LSAs Beat Search
Home services — HVAC, plumbing, electrical, roofing, garage door, locksmith, pest control — has a unique advertising profile on Google.
Google Ads for E-commerce in 2026: What Still Works
E-commerce on Google Ads in 2026 is a different game than even 18 months ago. The pillars that worked in 2023 (Smart Shopping, traditional Search campaigns, man…
Google Ads for Healthcare Practices: The HIPAA Trap
Healthcare is one of the trickiest verticals on Google Ads. Not because the keyword strategy is complex — it's actually relatively straightforward.
Google Ads for Personal Injury Lawyers: The 400 USD CPC Battle
If you're a personal injury attorney looking at Google Ads, brace yourself. "Personal injury attorney" CPCs in major US metros range from $200 to $500+ per click.
Google Ads for Real Estate Agents: The Complete 2026 Playbook
Real estate is one of the toughest verticals on Google Ads. CPCs are high, the competition includes Zillow and Redfin spending millions monthly, and your prospe…
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