Google Ads is NOT a Sales Pitch: Stop wasting money on outdated campaigns! In this essential episode of the Google Ads Strategy Hub, veteran expert Sarah Stemen reveals the new strategic mindset small businesses must adopt to get profitable results in 2025. Forget everything you think you know about Google Ads it's time for a fundamentally different, intent-driven approach to your PPC campaigns.

The mistake is simple: you're trying to sell, not serve. Sarah Stemen breaks down the precise, innovative strategies that allow small businesses to finally compete and win:

• 🔑 Master User Intent: The key to success is understanding why people are searching, and serving them a solution—not just a sales pitch.
• 🔬 Adopt the Scientist Mindset: Move beyond guessing. We show you how to analyze data, reverse engineer competitor messaging, and focus on action goals for continuous improvement.
• ✨ Infuse Your Uniqueness: Learn how to add your "sparkle" to ad copy to stand out in a crowded market and ensure your ad is seen as a solution, not just another ad.
• 🚫 Why Your Campaigns are Failing: Find out why trusting your eyes when studying competitors is a massive mistake, and what data you should be looking at instead.

This is the ultimate Google Ads strategy for small business owners looking to stop the wasteful spending and finally achieve massive ROI from their campaigns.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Google Ads Strategy

01:40 Mastering User Intent

05:34 Reverse Engineering Competitor Messaging

10:19 Infusing Uniqueness into Your Ads

12:34 Adopting a Scientist Mindset for Data Analysis

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 http://www.thesarahstemen.com

In this episode of the Google Ads Strategy Hub Podcast, Sarah Stemen explores an unexpected tool for better Google Ads results: Reddit. While most advertisers focus only on Google Ads campaigns, Reddit can be a goldmine for ad copy ideas, customer insights, and authentic marketing language.

Discover how Reddit’s communities reveal what people actually think, say, and trust — and how you can use that to write ad copy that converts in PPC campaigns. Sarah breaks down:

• Why Reddit can give you better keyword and messaging insights than Google Ads alone
• How authentic conversations on Reddit build customer trust
• Practical steps to use Reddit for crafting ad copy that resonates with your audience

If you’re a business owner or marketer running Google Ads, PPC campaigns, or paid media, this episode will show you how to tap into Reddit to make your campaigns smarter and more effective.

Takeaways:

• Reddit can be a goldmine for Google Ads ad copy ideas.
• Authenticity in PPC marketing is key to building consumer trust.
• Customers prefer real conversations over polished ad copy.
• Subreddits act like niche focus groups for advertisers.
• Reading Reddit comments uncovers customer pain points and frustrations.
• Spotting patterns in user feedback helps shape effective Google Ads messaging.
• High-performing ads speak the exact language your customers use online.
• Reddit offers grassroots market research for PPC campaigns.
• Smart marketers learn to filter noise and find valuable ad copy inspiration.
• Listening to customers directly leads to better ad performance in paid search.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Power of Reddit

04:44 Leveraging Reddit for Ad Copy Research

10:38 Conclusion and Call to Action

Ready to take your Google Ads strategy to the next level? Book a paid consulting call with me: https://sarahstemenllc.hbportal.co/public/66465f104670f3002dd0fbe8

For more strategic insights on Google Ads, visit my website at http://www.thesarahstemen.com

In this episode, Sarah Stemen breaks down the truth about Google Ads representatives who call small business owners. Many businesses get frequent unsolicited calls from Google Ads reps offering “free help” or account advice. But should you trust them?

Sarah explains why business owners need to be cautious: these Google Ads reps are not account managers and often lack the expertise you might expect. Their main job is to push advertisers to spend more on Google Ads, not to improve your ROI. This can lead to wasted budget, higher costs, and strategies that don’t fit your business goals.

Instead of relying on generic advice from Google, Sarah emphasizes the importance of understanding your own campaign data and keeping control of your advertising strategy. By focusing on profitability and long-term growth, business owners can avoid costly mistakes and make smarter decisions with Google Ads.

Takeaways

Taking calls from Google Ads reps can waste your time.

Google reps do not have secret insights into your account.

Their goal is to increase Google's revenue, not yours.

Know your data to make informed decisions.

Don't let Google reps pressure you into spending more.

Your business is unique; trust your instincts.

Clicks and impressions are vanity metrics.

Focus on your return on investment, not just traffic.

Protect your time; it's your most valuable asset.

Nobody cares more about your business than you do.

Chapters

00:00 The Unwanted Calls from Google Reps

07:18 Taking Control of Your Google Ads Strategy

Ready to take your Google Ads strategy to the next level? Book a paid consulting call with me: https://sarahstemenllc.hbportal.co/public/66465f104670f3002dd0fbe8

For more strategic insights on Google Ads, visit my website at http://www.thesarahstemen.com

Summary

In this episode of the Paid Search Strategy Hub, Sarah Stemen discusses the rising costs of Google Ads and how business owners can adapt to this new reality. She emphasizes the importance of innovation in advertising, common mistakes made in Google Ads campaigns, and the necessity of evaluating whether Google Ads is the right fit for a business. Sarah provides actionable strategies for success in a high-cost environment and encourages listeners to diversify their traffic sources and continuously evolve their marketing efforts.

Takeaways

Rising costs in Google Ads are a normal part of the market.

Adapting expectations and strategies is crucial for success.

Optimization is an ongoing process, especially as costs rise.

Innovation in product offerings is essential to stay competitive.

Common mistakes in Google Ads can lead to wasted budgets.

Ready to take your Google Ads strategy to the next level? Book a paid consulting call with me: https://sarahstemenllc.hbportal.co/public/66465f104670f3002dd0fbe8

For more strategic insights on Google Ads, visit my website at http://www.thesarahstemen.com

Audience targeting is key to effective advertising campaigns.

Not all businesses are suited for Google Ads; evaluate your model.

Diversifying traffic sources can enhance overall marketing effectiveness.

Measuring what matters is more important than focusing solely on CPC.

Successful advertisers leverage data to improve customer experiences.

Broad match keywords in Google Ads used to be a big no-no for most advertisers, but with the power of Google's AI and Smart Bidding, things have changed. In this video, we're diving deep into the most debated topic in PPC right now: Is broad match a trustworthy strategy for DIY business owners in 2025?

I'll walk you through the top 20 reasons why paid search experts like myself are now recommending broad match more often.

But more importantly, we'll uncover the critical reasons why you should still be cautious and the exact steps you need to take to avoid wasting your budget. If you're managing your own Google Ads and want to scale your campaigns without hiring an expensive agency, this video is for you.

Ready to take your Google Ads strategy to the next level? Book a paid consulting call with me: https://sarahstemenllc.hbportal.co/public/66465f104670f3002dd0fbe8

For more strategic insights on Google Ads, visit my website at http://www.thesarahstemen.com

Sources for this podcast:

Arguments for Broad Match

• PPC Hero: "Broad Match in Review: Putting Google to the Test"  

• Link: https://ppchero.com/broad-match-in-review-putting-google-to-the-test/

• Go Fish Digital: "Broad Match Google Ads: Benefits, Best Practices, and AI Visibility"  

• Link: https://gofishdigital.com/blog/paid-search-broad-match-google-ads/

• Adalysis / Search Engine Land: "Broad match drives higher revenue per conversion – but at a cost: Study"  

• Link: https://searchengineland.com/broad-match-higher-revenue-per-conversion-cost-study-462142

Arguments of Caution Against Broad Match

• Strikepoint Media: "The Truth About Broad Match Keywords in Google Ads" (This article mentions the importance of negative keywords).  

• Link: https://strikepointmedia.com/blog/broad-match-keywords-google-ads/

• WordStream: "Broad Match Plus Smart Bidding: Should You Use It?" (This article discusses the need for conversion data, negative keywords, and monitoring lead quality).  

• Link: https://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2022/06/06/broad-match-smart-bidding

• Reddit: A specific link to a Reddit thread is difficult to provide because they are dynamic and conversations can be archived. However, the general consensus on Reddit from PPC professionals, as noted in various discussions, is that broad match without a strict negative keyword strategy and Smart Bidding is highly risky.  

Please note that web pages can be moved, updated, or removed over time, so the content at these URLs may change slightly from what was originally referenced.

How Many Keywords Should Be In An AdGroup? A Google Ads Strategy Hub Podcast

In a recent episode of the Google Ads Strategy Hub Podcast, host Sarah Stemen tackled a question many advertisers grapple with: how many keywords should be in an adgroup? Stemen's answer isn't a magic number, but a strategic approach. She warns against the common pitfall of adding too many keywords, which she argues can dilute valuable data and ultimately harm campaign performance.

Instead of a kitchen-sink approach, Stemen advocates for focusing on a curated list of broader, high-intent keywords. This strategy allows for cleaner data, enabling Google's powerful automation tools to work more effectively. The key takeaway from the episode is to embrace strategic thinking over simply stuffing ad groups with every possible search term.

Stemen's discussion serves as a crucial reminder for anyone managing Google Ads: less is often more. By focusing on quality over quantity and trusting in Google's automation, you can unlock better performance from your campaigns. The episode concludes with a clear call to action: start thinking strategically about your keyword management and move beyond the old-school mentality of adding as many keywords as possible.

Here are the key takeaways for smarter Google Ads management:

• The Keyword Dilemma: Stop adding too many keywords. This isn't a numbers game. Overloading your ad groups fragments your data, making it impossible to see what's truly working. A scattered campaign is a weak campaign.
• Focus on High-Intent Keywords: Instead of a massive list of low-value keywords, concentrate on broader, high-intent terms. These are the searches that show a strong likelihood to convert. This approach gives you cleaner, more centralized data, which is the foundation for making informed decisions.
• Don't Ignore Low Search Volume: If Google flags a keyword with a "low search volume" alert, it's a clear signal that the keyword is ineffective. Don't waste your time or budget on these.
• Embrace Automation and Smart Bidding: Google's automation tools are designed to work for you. By focusing on a strong, core set of keywords, you empower the platform to automatically capture valuable, long-tail search queries you might have missed. This includes leveraging tools like:
  • Dynamic Search Ads (DSAs): Simplify your keyword management by allowing Google to automatically generate ads based on your website's content.
  • Performance Max Campaigns: These campaigns use machine learning to find new, unexpected high-value search queries and audiences.
• Strategic Control vs. Manual Micromanagement: The best Google Ads strategies are about strategic control, not manual control. It's about setting the right foundationthe "why" and letting the platform's automation handle the day-to-day. You make the strategic choices; Google executes.

Ready to take your Google Ads strategy to the next level? Book a paid consulting call with me: https://sarahstemenllc.hbportal.co/public/66465f104670f3002dd0fbe8

For more strategic insights on Google Ads, visit my website at http://www.thesarahstemen.com.

In this episode of the Google Ads Strategy Hub Podcast, host Sarah Stemen dives deep into the art and science of Google Ads. She highlights the importance of understanding the 'why' behind your strategies, not just the 'how.' A key focus of the episode is the 'Rule of 100,' a principle that ensures marketers rely on sufficient data before making decisions. Sarah explains how this rule can safeguard against impulsive changes and help optimize campaigns for long-term success.

Listeners will learn how to analyze keyword performance with patience, view campaigns as thematic collections of ad groups, and leverage data at both the campaign and ad group levels. This episode is packed with actionable insights for marketers looking to make smarter, data-driven decisions in their Google Ads campaigns.

Key Takeaways:

• Understand the 'Why': Knowing the reasoning behind your Google Ads strategy is as important as execution.
• The Rule of 100: A principle that ensures decisions are based on sufficient data, avoiding premature conclusions.
• Patience Pays Off: Keyword performance analysis requires time and a broader view of trends.
• Campaigns as Themes: Treat campaigns as thematic collections of ad groups for better organization and performance.
• Data-Driven Optimization: Avoid hasty decisions based on low click data; let the algorithm gather enough information.
• Systematic Approach: Build a system tailored to your business needs for consistent results.

Ready to take your Google Ads strategy to the next level? Book a paid consulting call with me: https://sarahstemenllc.hbportal.co/public/66465f104670f3002dd0fbe8 For more strategic insights on Google Ads, visit my website at http://www.thesarahstemen.com.

Episode 1: The Google Ads Strategy Hub - A New Mindset

Welcome to the inaugural episode of the "Google Ads Strategy Hub"! In this episode, host Sarah Stemen introduces listeners to the world of Google Ads, emphasizing the importance of understanding the underlying strategies rather than just the technical aspects.

She discusses common frustrations business owners face with Google Ads, the significance of capturing user intent, leveraging data for strategic decisions, and the scalability of Google Ads campaigns. The episode concludes with actionable insights for listeners to adopt a more strategic mindset in their advertising efforts.

Key Takeaways:

• Too many business owners are frustrated with Google Ads.
• The problem is not the platform, but the approach.
• Google Ads captures user intent effectively.
• Data from Google Ads can inform overall business strategy.
• Scaling Google Ads requires strategic budget management.
• It's essential to understand the customer's problem.
• Shift focus from technical execution to strategic thinking.
• Google Ads can be a reliable engine for lead generation.
• Understanding intent can lead to better ad performance.
• Empower yourself to look beyond the dashboard.

Ready to take your Google Ads strategy to the next level? Book a paid consulting call with me: https://sarahstemenllc.hbportal.co/public/66465f104670f3002dd0fbe8

For more strategic insights on Google Ads, visit my website at www.thesarahstemen.com.