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Google Ads costs rising? Stop blaming Google! Learn the real reason your Google Ads CPA is too high and how to fix it by shifting your Google Ads strategy. In this crucial episode of the Google Ads Strategy Hub, we dive deep into the rising cost per click (CPC) and cost per acquisition (CPA) that so many advertisers are facing, showing you the fatal flaw in most DIY running Google Ads campaigns: a Cost-Intent Mismatch.
For too long, advertisers have been caught in the "Google Ads Trap," focusing too much on non-brand search campaigns that target high-priced, top-of-funnel keywords. While essential for building awareness, bidding aggressively on these terms like "athletic wear for women" or "running shorts" is paying a premium for low-intent traffic—it's like ordering a five-star steak dinner when the person only wanted to look at the menu! This strategy is outdated in 2025, especially with the increased competition driven by Performance Max (PMAX) campaigns.
We break down the three critical buckets of user intent (Awareness, Consideration, and Conversion) and explain why your non-brand search campaigns are an expensive relic of the past, especially for e-commerce. You'll hear a real-world case study of an athletic wear brand whose ROAS jumped from 2 to an astonishing 8 by radically restructuring their approach.
Key Strategy Takeaways from this episode:
Identify the Google Ads Trap: Understand why traditional non-brand search campaigns are leading to a high CPA.
Master the Intent Spectrum: Learn the difference between Awareness, Consideration, and the "Money Zone" (Conversion) to match your bids to user readiness.
Implement a Modern Campaign Structure: Discover how Demand Gen and YouTube campaigns are the affordable, high-impact replacements for expensive non-brand search, effectively warming up your audience.
Audience Segmentation Mastery: See how layering affinity, deal-shopping, and demographic audiences can refine your targeting and dramatically improve efficiency.
Post-View Retargeting: Learn a powerful pro-tip: how to observe YouTube video viewers within your branded search campaigns for massive brand lift.
If you’re struggling with high CPC in Google Ads or need a clearer Google Ads budget strategy, this episode provides the definitive path forward. Stop the maintenance work of adding negatives and adjusting ROAS and start fixing the root problem: paying a premium for mismatched intent.
Chapters
00:00 Navigating the Cost Intent Mismatch
00:16 Strategies for Effective Campaign Management
Ready to take your Google Ads strategy to the next level? Book a paid consulting call with me: https://linktr.ee/sarahstemen
For more strategic insights on Google Ads, visit my website at www.thesarahstemen.com
Are you running Google Ads campaigns but struggling with increasingly high CPCs? In this episode of the Google Ads Strategy Hub Podcast, host Sarah Stemen provides a strategic roadmap for DIY advertisers whose budgets can’t keep up with premium search campaigns. Learn why pivoting to Google Demand Gen campaigns can be the affordable, accessible path to building brand awareness and consideration without sacrificing performance. This is the essential Google Ads strategy for maximizing your budget in 2025.
The Affordability Crisis in Google Ads
It’s painful to watch CPCs rise, making it tough for small and medium-sized businesses to compete in the highly expensive, non-brand search market. While a content-first SEO approach is a valid long-term digital marketing strategy, we understand the desire to use paid advertising to accelerate growth. If you are determined to pay for ads but can't afford the 'Madison Square Avenue' pricing of traditional Search Campaigns, you need a different strategy.
Why Demand Gen is the New Budget-Friendly Google Ads Strategy
Search campaigns are often the most expensive because they capture high intent at the very top of the funnel. If you have a limited budget, Sarah recommends avoiding generic search campaigns and shifting your focus to the emerging power of Demand Generation.
A Demand Gen campaign is essentially Google's answer to social media advertising and an AI successor to Discovery and Display campaigns. Critically, these ads appear in Google’s most immersive experiences, like the YouTube mobile feed, giving them significantly more attention than traditional sidebar display ads. This placement makes them highly effective for building brand awareness and consideration at a fraction of the cost.
Key Takeaways for Running Google Ads on a Budget:
Mindset Shift: Understand that Demand Gen campaigns focus on the awareness and consideration stages, not immediate, high-volume conversion. Set your expectations accordingly.
Audience Segmentation is Critical: Success hinges on deep audience strategy. Move beyond broad segments like "parents" or "in-market for baby goods." Cross-reference interests (e.g., "running" + "day trips") to build a highly targeted and effective audience for your PPC campaigns.
Creative is King: Success in Demand Gen is driven by compelling, sales-focused creative. Use strong calls-to-action like "50% off, shop now" during peak buying seasons to drive conversions, proving these campaigns are effective throughout the buyer journey.
Strategic Stacking: Start with Demand Gen for budget efficiency. Layer in a highly affordable branded search campaign next. Only move to Performance Max or expensive non-brand search when your budget can fully support the higher CPCs.
The reward of Demand Gen is that it offers an affordable and accessible way to reach your ideal audience where they are most engaged, making it a powerful component of a modern Google Ads budget strategy.
Ready to take your Google Ads strategy to the next level? Book a paid consulting call with me: https://linktr.ee/sarahstemen
For more strategic insights on Google Ads, visit my website at www.thesarahstemen.com
Google Ads strategy: Stop Losing Revenue! Maximize Conversion Value, Not Just Conversions
Are your Google Ads accounts just not growing? If your revenue is slipping, or your performance is flatlining despite a healthy budget, this video is for you. In this powerful case study, we dive deep into a common, yet critical, mistake that even large e-commerce brands make: the wrong Google Ads bidding strategy.
We reveal how a major home fitness brand was successfully selling products, but failing to meet their true profit goals because their bid strategy was set to Maximize Conversions instead of Maximize Conversion Value. Google was efficiently chasing cheap, low-value sales (resistance bands) instead of the high-value sales (benches) that the client actually wanted. This isn't just about a single setting—it's about the entire Google Ads strategy philosophy.
This episode is a must-watch if you are running Google Ads campaigns and seeing sales volume but low revenue. You’ll learn the exact steps we took to fix this account, including verifying conversion value tracking, strategically implementing Target ROAS bidding, and patiently escalating the bid target. The results were astounding: a 38% increase in conversion value (revenue) with the same ad spend, proving the power of value-based signals.
Stop letting Google prioritize volume. It’s time to switch from a wide net to a precision net in your Google Ads campaign management. Learn how to use value signals to tell Google exactly what your business truly needs.
Key Takeaways You'll Master:
Diagnosing Revenue Slip: Identify why high conversion volume doesn't always equal high revenue or profit.
The Bidding Strategy Fix: Understand the critical difference between Maximize Conversions vs. Maximize Conversion Value for e-commerce.
Target ROAS Implementation: Learn the step-by-step process for layering on a conservative ROAS target and slowly escalating it to retrain the algorithm.
Value-Based Optimization: Discover how to ensure your Google Ads smart bidding is aligned with your core business goals.
Don't let a single setting derail your entire Google Ads optimization efforts. Watch now and start seeing the revenue growth you deserve!
Ready to take your Google Ads strategy to the next level? Book a paid consulting call with me: https://linktr.ee/sarahstemen
For more strategic insights on Google Ads, visit my website at www.thesarahstemen.com
Cannot afford Google Ads? 🤔 Stop worrying! In this essential episode of the Google Ads Strategy Hub Podcast, Google Ads specialist Sarah Stemen dives deep into a common question for small business owners: "What if I can't afford to run Google Ads campaigns?" You might think a Google Ads expert would only push paid campaigns, but Sarah shares her insider marketer knowledge on building a successful, thriving business with zero ad spend. This isn't just about budgeting; it's about a foundational content marketing strategy that attracts leads naturally.
Sarah, who has built her own highly successful business without spending a dime on ads, reveals the grassroots marketing methods that truly work. Learn why focusing on your follower count is not your bank account and how to get real clients by shifting your content strategy. She breaks down the three crucial types of content every small business must create to generate consistent leads and conversions without a large Google Ads budget.
Key Takeaways for Small Business Growth:
The truth about alternatives to running Google Ads campaigns (like Bing Ads or social platforms) and why a no-ads approach can be better for building a solid foundation.
Why vanity metrics like follower counts are often misleading and how to focus on content that actually converts.
The three pillars of a high-converting content strategy: Attraction (Educational/Transactional) Content, Nurturing (Get-to-Know-Me) Content, and Conversion (Transformational) Content.
Actionable advice on how to start creating content today, even with zero experience, by documenting your existing business success and repurposing assets across platforms like YouTube and LinkedIn.
This video is a must-watch for any entrepreneur or DIY marketer looking for a low-cost Google Ads alternative or seeking a sustainable small business marketing strategy. You’ll learn how to leverage organic channels to build authority and drive sales, making this a powerful supplement to your Google Ads implementation knowledge or a complete replacement if your budget is tight. Start growing your business without paid advertising and learn the strategies that work long-term.
Ready to take your Google Ads strategy to the next level? Book a paid consulting call with me: https://linktr.ee/sarahstemen
For more strategic insights on Google Ads, visit my website at www.thesarahstemen.com
Your Google Ads strategy is being killed by perfectionism. Stop over-optimizing your campaigns and embrace strategic imperfection! In this essential episode of the Google Ads Strategy Hub Podcast, host Sarah Stemen, a 17-year Google Ads veteran, reveals the three core reasons why letting go of control and accepting a degree of imperfection is the power move that will actually improve your performance and drive significant growth.
Are you running your own Google Ads campaigns and feeling frustrated by stagnation? The old days of complete control—where you manually controlled every keyword, copy, and setting—are over. Today, the machine (Google's automation) is simply bidding better than humans. Your pursuit of the perfect campaign is actively starving the system of the data it needs to learn and find your best customers. Learn why the solution is embracing the 80-20 imperfection rule and how to apply it right now to launch campaigns faster and generate meaningful data.
This video challenges the flawed thinking that leads to hyper-segmented siloed campaigns and the costly assumption that you can determine user intent from a single keyword. Discover why Google's auction is a dynamic, complex, and sometimes “rigged” system, and how the smartest paid search practitioners work with the automation, not against it. Sarah introduces her powerful new mantra: consolidate and signal. Learn how to build more robust search accounts by strategically leveraging consolidated keywords, assets, and conversion signals alongside tools like Performance Max (PMax) to ensure your campaigns are built for the future.
Finally, we dive into the time-suck of pursuing perfect ad copy. The platform doesn't need perfect; it needs relevance, speed, and value. Learn how to use a small, designated test and learn budget (the purposeful failing campaign) to be agile, gain a competitive edge, and collect invaluable data acquisition that textbooks won't teach you. You'll learn to shift your mindset from being a campaign architect to a campaign gardener, planting seeds for iterative, sustainable Google Ads growth. Stop being paralyzed by the fear of launching the wrong thing and start implementing the bold changes that will catapult your account forward.
Key Takeaways to Optimize Your Google Ads:
Why traditional manual control is a Google Ads killer.
Implementing the 80/20 imperfection rule for faster launches.
The dangers of siloed campaigns and single-keyword intent.
Sarah’s new mantra: Consolidate and Signal for modern account structure.
How to use purposeful failing campaigns for market learning.
Chapters
00:00 - Introduction to Perfectionism in Google Ads
00:20 - Letting Go of Control for Better Performance
00:42 - The Evolution of Google Ads Strategy
03:03 - The 80-20 Imperfection Rule
06:28 - Challenges of Keyword Control
07:36 - The Role of Automation in Google Ads
11:49 - Embracing Imperfection and Testing
08:19 - Strategic Use of Performance Max
08:58 - The Importance of Audience Signals
14:30 - Conclusion and Call to Action
🔔 Subscribe for more expert Google Ads strategy tips! Don't let perfectionism hold back your campaign's true potential. Comment below with the biggest "perfectionist mistake" you're ready to let go of!
Ready to take your Google Ads strategy to the next level? Book a paid consulting call with me: https://linktr.ee/sarahstemen
For more strategic insights on Google Ads, visit my website at www.thesarahstemen.com
Running Google Ads for your small business and not seeing results? You’re not alone. In this video, Sarah Stemen, Google Ads strategist, writer for Search Engine Land, and President of the Paid Search Association, breaks down exactly how to write ads that stand out, get clicks, and actually convert.
If you’ve ever felt like Google Ads is “working against you,” or you’re competing with big brands and lead aggregators who seem impossible to beat—this is the video you need.
You’ll learn a step-by-step process to:
✅ Audit your competitors and find the messaging gaps you can exploit
✅ Audit your own Google Ads and landing pages like a pro (and “roast” yourself for real insights)
✅ Write ad copy that’s authentic, specific, and designed for conversion
✅ Use proof, offers, and sensory language to make your ads irresistible
✅ Stand out from competitors—even on a small budget
💡 This episode is perfect for:
📈 What You’ll Take Away:
You’ll walk away knowing how to write winning Google Ads headlines, descriptions, and CTAs that feel true to your brand—while still competing with the big guys.
🔥 Example covered in this video:
How one roofing company turned “Professional Roofing Services” into “Storm Damage Roof Repair in 24 Hours” — and saw real results.
Chapters:
00:00:00 Introduction to Google Ads Misconceptions
00:02:00 Strategic Ad Writing
00:04:21 Three-Step Process for Auditing Campaigns
00:06:00 Competitor Analysis
00:08:23 Self-Audit and Improvement
00:10:00 Practical Examples and Tips
00:12:01 Conclusion and Encouragement
🚀 More Google Ads help:
🔹 Subscribe for weekly Google Ads strategy tips for small businesses
💬 Drop your biggest Google Ads struggle in the comments — Sarah reads and replies to every one!
Ready to take your Google Ads strategy to the next level? Book a paid consulting call with me: https://linktr.ee/sarahstemen
For more strategic insights on Google Ads, visit my website at www.thesarahstemen.com
Google Ads mastery isn't a certification or a get rich quick side hustle. If you're a small business owner or DIY marketer spending thousands with no results, the problem isn't your budget—it's your entire strategy.
In this video, I reveal the TRUTH about running your own Google Ads campaigns. Stop looking for the easy button and the promise of passive income. I'll explain the real dedication, expertise, and emotional investment required to achieve success in paid search, why cheap "experts" fail, and why getting certified is just the beginning. This is the DIY reality check every business owner needs before they waste any more money.
Takeaways
Google Ads certification is just the beginning of a long journey.
Campaign success requires time, energy, and critical thinking.
Understanding the full marketing funnel is essential for success.
Client management is challenging due to high expectations and stress.
Performance issues often lead to client churn and stress for marketers.
Google Ads is not a source of passive income; it requires active management.
Scaling the business is necessary to increase profitability.
The emotional burden of client success is significant for marketers.
Staying current with industry changes is crucial for effective campaign management.
A genuine desire to help clients is what drives success in this industry.
Chapters
00:00 The Reality of Google Ads Certification
02:48 The Challenges of Running Google Ads
05:25 The Importance of Marketing Knowledge
07:49 Client Management and Expectations
10:28 The Commoditization of Google Ads
12:19 The Service Nature of Google Ads
14:31 Finding Reward in the Work
Ready to take your Google Ads strategy to the next level? Book a paid consulting call with me: https://linktr.ee/sarahstemen
For more strategic insights on Google Ads, visit my website at www.thesarahstemen.com
Google Ads strategy has fundamentally changed, rendering the traditional agency model obsolete for most small businesses.
The rise of AI and automation means you can—and should—take back control of your campaigns and save your Google Ads budget!
In this episode of the Google Ads Strategy Hub Podcast, host Sarah Stemen unpacks the massive shifts happening within the Google Ads platform and reveals why the secret sauce of yesterday's agencies no longer exists. If you’re a solopreneur or small business running Google Ads campaigns DIY, this is the essential guide to leveraging automation, maximizing your margins, and finally achieving better results in-house.
🔑 Key Takeaways & Learning Points:
The Agency Margin Crisis: Discover the real reason Google doesn’t want agencies involved—it’s all about the 10-15% fee they want for themselves, which impacts your CPC.
The Death of the "Secret Sauce": Automation now handles the mechanics (bidding, ad generation, settings), meaning the technical expertise agencies once sold is now built into the platform for everyone.
Your New Role: The Expert: Learn why in-house Google Ads management gives you the agility and speed to test, iterate, and optimize campaigns faster than any external partner.
Data & Instructions are King: We break down the practical steps you need to take right now to solidify your data foundation, improve tracking, and give the AI the perfect instructions.
Creative as the Ultimate Lever: Understand why creative testing—using fresh images and copy—is the most impactful thing you can control in the new machine-driven Google Ads ecosystem.
This episode is a call to action for every small business owner tired of overpaying for mediocre results. Stop wasting clicks and start investing that agency fee back into your own growth. This is the low budget Google Ads strategies talk you need to hear to survive the platform's AI shift.
The future of Google Ads is simpler, faster, and puts the power (and the profit!) back into your hands. When to fire your Google Ads agency? The time is now.
CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction to Google Ads Changes
03:00 The Role of AI in Advertising
06:00 Empowering Small Business Owners
09:00 Data and Creative Testing
12:00 Future Trends and Strategies
Ready to take your Google Ads strategy to the next level? Book a paid consulting call with me: https://linktr.ee/sarahstemen
For more strategic insights on Google Ads, visit my website at www.thesarahstemen.com
Are you running Google Ads campaigns and trusting AI to write your perfect ad copy? If so, you might be leaving significant conversions on the table. In this crucial episode of the Google Ads Strategy Hub Podcast, we debunk the persistent myth of the "absolute perfect ad copy" generated by AI and reveal the strategic, human-guided process that truly drives clicks and conversions.
We start by examining the seductive trap of AI-generated copy. It sounds great, gives you a quick "dopamine hit," and feels "done"—but it's often missing the deep strategy, brand voice, and sentiment needed to persuade a real customer. We walk through a live example with an RSA ad for a local HVAC company, showing exactly where generic AI copy falls short (no unique value, no urgency, no real reason to click). Remember: Google Ads doesn't reward professional-sounding copy; it rewards relevance and persuasion.
AI doesn't understand your campaign goals, your brand's voice, or the subtle sentiment that dictates audience behavior. It can't "read the room" or recognize when a competitor has launched a new offer. This is where human expertise and insight win, every single time.
Key Takeaways for Your Google Ads Strategy:
The AI Flaw: Why relying on an AI's first draft of ad copy is a common and costly mistake for DIY Google Ads users.
The 3-Step Human-AI System: Get the step-by-step process for leveraging AI's speed without sacrificing strategy. This system helps you audit the AI's output, inject unique selling points, and use language that your real-world audience is actually using.
The Fresh Eyes Rule: Learn why letting your ad copy "sit" for a few days removes the "dopamine factor" and leads to more authentic, high-converting copy.
Case Study: Doubling CTR: We break down a powerful before-and-after example from a dental client. By adding a small human tweak (a trust signal and urgency), they doubled their click-through rate and saw a jump of 10+ conversions a month. This proves that little human details create great, wonderful jumps for clients.
The Future of Paid Search: It’s not about humans versus AI; it's about humans guiding the AI. The real winners in 2025 and beyond will be the practitioners who can use AI to iterate faster but inject human to connect better.
Your challenge is to stop being a passive user and start actively training, questioning, and shaping the AI around your precise Google Ads optimization goals. Is your copy just polished, or is it powerful? Watch now to learn the difference and take your campaigns to the next level.
Ready to take your Google Ads strategy to the next level? Book a paid consulting call with me: https://linktr.ee/sarahstemen
For more strategic insights on Google Ads, visit my website at www.thesarahstemen.com
Managing your own Google Ads and still avoiding Broad Match? It might be time to rethink that.
In this episode, I break down how Google Ads has completely changed — and why strategies that worked in 2018 could be hurting your results in 2025. Broad Match used to be a money-waster, but with smart bidding and machine learning, it’s become one of the most powerful tools small businesses can use to get more conversions.
I’ll explain:
• Why match types don’t mean what they used to
• How Broad Match + Smart Bidding work together
• What Google actually cares about (and why it’s not just your budget)
• How to test Broad Match safely in your own campaigns
If you’re managing your own Google Ads or just trying to understand what’s working now, this episode will save you hours of frustration — and maybe even your ad budget.
Key Takeaways:
👋 Subscribe for weekly Google Ads tips for small businesses.
Ready to take your Google Ads strategy to the next level? Book a paid consulting call with me: https://linktr.ee/sarahstemen
For more strategic insights on Google Ads, visit my website at www.thesarahstemen.com
Summary
In this conversation, Sarah Stemen discusses the new brand report showing in Google Ads. The brand report is the introduction of new metrics related to connected TV advertising. She emphasizes the importance of YouTube as a significant platform for small businesses and explains how Google is positioning itself in the TV ad space. The discussion highlights the potential for brand building and the undervaluation of YouTube's ad inventory compared to other platforms like Facebook.
Takeaways
Google Ads is introducing new metrics for connected TV in the new brand report.
YouTube is a major player in the smart TV advertising space and it's still cheap.
Advertisers are undervaluing YouTube compared to Facebook because the campaigns are hard to set up and hard to prove.
Google is focusing on brand building, not just conversions.
The new brand report reflects Google's strategy in TV advertising.
Connected TV is becoming a critical area for advertisers.
Small businesses should consider YouTube for lower-cost advertising.
Testing ads on YouTube can reveal significant brand lift.
Understanding audience reach is crucial for effective advertising.
The future of advertising may shift towards TV as search becomes less viable.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Google Ads and New Metrics
01:49 Google's Shift Towards Connected TV Advertising
03:54 Understanding Audience Reach and Predictive Modeling
04:58 The Value of YouTube Advertising for Small Businesses
Ready to take your Google Ads strategy to the next level? Book a paid consulting call with me: https://linktr.ee/sarahstemen
For more strategic insights on Google Ads, visit my website at www.thesarahstemen.com
Summary
In this episode of Google Ads Strategy Hub, Sarah Stemen breaks down the complexities surrounding redundant keywords in Google Ads. She explains how these keywords can be misunderstood and how they impact Google Ads campaign performance. Sarah Stemen emphasizes the importance of focusing on intent rather than keyword variations, advocating for a simplified approach to keyword management. She provides actionable strategies for advertisers to improve their campaigns by consolidating data and monitoring performance effectively. The discussion culminates in a forward-looking perspective on PPC, highlighting the shift towards fewer keywords for better results.
Takeaways
Google Ads can be confusing for advertisers.
Redundant keywords are often misunderstood and can impact performance.
It's important to focus on intent rather than keyword variations.
Data consolidation helps the algorithm learn faster and optimize better.
Fewer keywords can lead to better performance in PPC campaigns.
Monitoring query performance is crucial for understanding ad effectiveness.
Letting go of keyword hoarding can simplify campaign management.
Auction dynamics can increase CPC when redundant keywords compete.
Duplicates can be strategic when testing different match types.
The future of PPC emphasizes fewer signals for improved results.
Chapters:
00:00.109 Introduction: The Redundant Keywords Confusion
00:46.390 The Truth About Redundant Keywords (The Heart of It)
01:32.486 Step 1: Get Out of the Old "Control Everything" Mindset
01:54.606 Step 2: Focus on Intent, Not Syntax
02:19.466 Step 3: Monitor Performance at the Query Level, Not Keyword Level
02:37.382 Step 4: Let Go of the Fear (Fewer Keywords = Less Control)
04:36.790 Conclusion: The Mindset Shift and Simple Formula
Ready to take your Google Ads strategy to the next level? Book a paid consulting call with me: https://linktr.ee/sarahstemen
For more strategic insights on Google Ads, visit my website at www.thesarahstemen.com
Are there ads in Google Ads AI Overviews yet? Has anyone seen Ads in AI Overviews? In this conversation, Sarah Stemen discusses the talking the PPC experts have been having in the context of AI advancements and ads.
She highlights the uncertainty surrounding the ad placement and effectiveness of ads as AI tools become more integrated into user searches. Sarah Stemen emphasizes the importance for small businesses to stay informed about these changes to adapt their advertising strategies effectively. Because ultimately we don't know the ad format and how the ads will be released.
Takeaways:
AI is changing how Google Ads are displayed and interacted with and we don't know where the Ads will be in AI Overviews
Small businesses may not have access to high-level PPC discussions.
The future of ads in Google may involve more AI-driven placements.
Understanding AI overviews is crucial for effective paid search ads.
Ad placements may shift from traditional text to visual formats no one really knows yet.
Staying updated on paid search industry changes is essential for advertisers.
Early adopters of AI tools may gain a competitive advantage.
Google Ads profitability concerns will shape ad strategies.
User trust is vital for the success of AI ads in advertising.
Small businesses should prepare for changes in ad performance.
Chapters
00:00 The Rise of AI in PPC Advertising
05:34 Implications for Small Businesses in Advertising
Ready to take your Google Ads strategy to the next level? Book a paid consulting call with me: https://linktr.ee/sarahstemen
For more strategic insights on Google Ads, visit my website at www.thesarahstemen.com
Summary
In this conversation, Sarah Stemen discusses the common misconception of waste in Google Ads, emphasizing that some level of waste is inevitable and even beneficial for learning and growth. She explains how marketing is not a perfect science and that understanding audience behavior requires testing and adaptation. Stemen encourages small business owners to view their ad spend as an investment in data and insights rather than a loss, and she provides practical advice on managing and identifying waste effectively in their campaigns.
Takeaways
Every Google Ads account has some level of waste.
Waste in ads doesn't mean you're failing; it's part of marketing.
Data from ads helps understand what your audience doesn't like.
Testing is essential for learning and improving marketing strategies.
Good waste is about gathering data and testing new ideas.
Inefficiencies in ads can be controlled and improved.
Marketing is not static; it evolves with market changes.
Don't let waste discourage you; it's a sign of growth.
Every expert experiences waste in their campaigns.
View ad spend as an investment in learning about your audience.
Chapters
00:00 Understanding Waste in Google Ads
02:39 The Emotional Impact of Ad Spend
05:35 Identifying Good vs. Bad Waste in Campaigns
Ready to take your Google Ads strategy to the next level? Book a paid consulting call with me: https://linktr.ee/sarahstemen
For more strategic insights on Google Ads, visit my website at www.thesarahstemen.com
Google Ads strategy is undergoing its biggest transformation yet. In less than 8 minutes, this video breaks down the 3 high-power engines you need to master: Performance Max (PMax), AI Max, and Dynamic Search Ads (DSA). If you’re a small business owner, an e-commerce store, or in a regulated industry, understanding the "hidden structural flaws" in the new AI Max is crucial to protect your campaigns.
Expert Sarah Stemen cuts through the confusion, defining each campaign type's role and risk. Performance Max is your "AI-managed marketing department in a box," offering total cross-channel reach but minimal control. AI Max is not a standalone campaign; it’s an enhancement layer for your traditional Search campaigns, designed to supercharge keywords using generative AI. Finally, DSA (Dynamic Search Ads) is the reliable, content-driven method perfect for capitalizing on your SEO efforts with granular control. This is not about which is best—it’s about which tool fits your specific business goal.
The shift to automation introduces risks. Sarah details why large e-commerce Google Ads and regulated industry Google Ads must be cautious. The "Final URL Expansion" feature inside AI Max can dilute your campaign focus, routing high-ROAS traffic to low-intent pages (like blog posts) and wasting budget. For e-commerce with volatile inventory, AI Max lacks the scalable exclusion control (page feeds) that DSA has meaning wasted spend on out-of-stock items is inevitable. Also, generative AI can create a liability by generating non-compliant or inaccurate offers, like a site-wide discount that doesn't exist.
The solution isn't fighting automation, but mastering the Performance Max vs AI Max control spectrum. Sarah provides the exact strategy for when and how to test these tools:
Your job is to build the fence—to provide high-quality inputs and precise guardrails. You are the smart strategist who tells the AI where to play, and more importantly, where not to go.
Chapters:
00:00 Intro: The 3 Google Ads Engines You Need
00:44 Defining Performance Max (PMax)
01:31 Defining AI Max: The Enhancement Layer
02:08 Defining DSA: The Trusted Workhorse Ad Type
02:50 The Control Spectrum: Black Box vs. Guardrail
03:52 Structural Flaw 1: Final URL Expansion Risk
04:52 Structural Flaw 2: The E-commerce Exclusion Problem
05:32 Structural Flaw 3: Generative AI & Compliance Risk
06:05 When to Use and When to AVOID AI Max
07:00 Conclusion: Be the Expert, Build the Fence
Ready to take your Google Ads strategy to the next level? Book a paid consulting call with me: https://linktr.ee/sarahstemen
For more strategic insights on Google Ads, visit my website at www.thesarahstemen.com
In this episode of the Google Ads Strategy Hub, Sarah Stemen discusses AI Max, a new feature from Google Ads that enhances search campaigns. She emphasizes the importance of understanding AI Max as an opt-in toolkit rather than a new campaign type. The conversation covers the significance of exact match keywords, the necessity of a robust negative keyword strategy, and the controls available to advertisers. Stemen also highlights the mandatory use of smart bidding and the need for regular audits of search term reports to ensure effective campaign management.
Takeaways
AI Max is an opt-in toolkit for existing search campaigns.
Exact match keywords are crucial for campaign success.
Regular audits of search term reports are essential.
A robust negative keyword strategy is necessary with AI Max.
Smart bidding is mandatory for using AI Max effectively.
AI Max features can enhance traffic discovery without cannibalizing core keywords.
Advertisers need to maintain control over their campaigns despite automation.
AI Max allows for ad group level targeting and URL rules.
Understanding AI Max requires a shift in campaign strategy.
Continuous monitoring and adjustments are key to leveraging AI Max.
Ready to take your Google Ads strategy to the next level? Book a paid consulting call with me: https://linktr.ee/sarahstemen
For more strategic insights on Google Ads, visit my website at www.thesarahstemen.com
Black Friday Google Ads strategy exposed! Find your competitors' hidden weaknesses & dominate the Cyber Monday gauntlet in 2025.
The SERP is about to become a war zone. If you’re running Google Ads campaigns for Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM), you know CPCs are about to skyrocket. Most advertisers are going to bleed their budgets dry in head-to-head bidding wars. But what if the biggest wins weren't found in outbidding your competition, but in outsmarting them?
In this essential episode of the Google Ads Strategy Hub Podcast, we expose three hidden weaknesses your competitors will show during the 2025 Black Friday Cyber Monday season, plus one "pro move" they'll completely ignore. Learn how to turn their fundamental mistakes into your unfair advantage.
We dive deep into the four biggest blunders most advertisers make—including the "all-in-one-day" mistake and the "budget burn" mistake—and provide tactical Google Ads tips to exploit them.
Chapters
0:00
Introduction: The Black Friday Google Ads War Zone
0:39
The 4 Fundamental BFCM Advertiser Mistakes
1:13
WEAKNESS 1: Own the Timeline (The Pre-Sale Event)
1:48
Building Your VIP Email List with Demand Gen/YouTube
2:44
WEAKNESS 2: Own the Value (Beyond the Discount)
3:22
Boosting Quality Score by De-Risking the Purchase
3:52
WEAKNESS 3: Own the Cleanup (Post-Cyber Monday)
4:25
PRO MOVE: Own Your Budget with Aggressive Exclusions
5:14
The Black Friday Counterattack Plan (Recap)
Ready to take your Google Ads strategy to the next level? Book a paid consulting call with me: https://linktr.ee/sarahstemen
For more strategic insights on Google Ads, visit my website at www.thesarahstemen.com
In this conversation, Sarah Stemen discusses the challenges and misconceptions surrounding Google Ads optimization. She emphasizes the importance of strategic thinking over mere activity and highlights counterintuitive insights that can lead to better campaign performance. Stemen argues that sometimes the best action is to refrain from making changes, and that focusing on qualified traffic rather than just increasing visitor numbers is crucial. She also stresses the irreplaceable role of human expertise in managing campaigns, especially during peak sales periods, and encourages marketers to adopt a more strategic mindset.
Takeaways
The pressure to optimize Google Ads is relentless.
Optimization doesn't always mean making changes; sometimes it's about doing nothing.
Chasing traffic without context can harm your business.
Not all traffic is equal; focus on qualified traffic.
Best performing campaigns can stifle growth if over-relied upon.
Human expertise is crucial during high-stakes sales events.
Automation should not replace strategic decision-making.
Effective management requires thoughtful analysis, not just button pushing.
Marketers should challenge conventional wisdom in their strategies.
Balancing defensive and offensive strategies is key for growth.
Chapters
00:00 The Relentless Pressure of Optimization
03:01 Counterintuitive Insights on Google Ads Optimization
05:48 The Role of Human Expertise in Automation
08:46 Strategic Thinking Over Reactive Optimization
Ready to take your Google Ads strategy to the next level? Book a paid consulting call with me: https://linktr.ee/sarahstemen
For more strategic insights on Google Ads, visit my website at www.thesarahstemen.com
Summary
In this episode of the Google Ads Strategy Hub, Sarah Stemen discusses the importance of understanding and improving click-through rates (CTR) in Google Ads. She emphasizes that while a high CTR can be beneficial, it is not the ultimate goal; rather, the focus should be on creating relevant ads that lead to conversions. Sarah provides actionable tips on aligning keywords with ad copy, crafting effective ad messages, targeting the right audience, and balancing CTR with conversion rates.
Takeaways
CTR is not the ultimate goal; focus on conversions.
Check keyword alignment with ad copy for better relevance.
Use all available ad assets to improve CTR.
Write ad copy that sparks curiosity and clarity.
Mirror the searcher's intent in your ads.
Target smaller, more relevant audiences for better CTR.
Test different headlines and ad types for optimization.
Avoid testing everything at once; make small changes.
A high CTR doesn't guarantee success; conversions do.
Your best CTR aligns with your ideal audience.
Ready to take your Google Ads strategy to the next level? Book a paid consulting call with me: https://linktr.ee/sarahstemen
For more strategic insights on Google Ads, visit my website at www.thesarahstemen.com
Summary
In this episode, Sarah Stemen discusses the challenges advertisers face in reaching Gen Z through Google Ads. She highlights the need for authenticity, humor, and a shift away from traditional advertising methods that no longer resonate with this digitally native generation. The conversation covers where Gen Z spends their time online, their nonlinear buying journey, and practical strategies for adapting Google Ads to better connect with younger audiences.
Takeaways
Gen Z is the first generation to grow up entirely online.
Traditional advertising methods are ineffective with Gen Z.
Authenticity and humor are crucial in advertising to Gen Z.
Gen Z prefers user-generated content over polished ads.
They often use TikTok as a search engine for products.
The buying journey for Gen Z is nonlinear and circular.
Social proof is essential for influencing Gen Z's purchasing decisions.
Privacy is a significant concern for Gen Z, but they value transparency.
Brands must align their messaging with cultural movements.
Successful advertising to Gen Z requires evolving strategies and messaging.
Chapters
00:00 Understanding Gen Z's Digital Landscape
03:09 The Shift in Advertising Tone and Style
06:32 Navigating Gen Z's Buying Journey
07:57 Practical Strategies for Google Ads Success
Ready to take your Google Ads strategy to the next level? Book a paid consulting call with me: https://linktr.ee/sarahstemen For more strategic insights on Google Ads, visit my website at www.thesarahstemen.com