The problem isn’t pay per click itself. It’s how the PPC strategy is (or isn’t) set up. Too often, campaigns go live without a clear goal. Teams chase activity, not outcomes. And what’s meant to drive growth ends up burning budget.
That’s the gap. And it’s where good campaigns underperform.
Why pay per click advertising falls flat
Pay per click advertising sounds simple: you run a targeted ad, and only pay when your audience clicks. Platforms like Google Ads, Meta, and LinkedIn have made online advertising more accessible than ever, promising visibility, traffic, and fast results.
But just because it’s easy to launch ads doesn’t mean it’s easy to get right.
Too often, brands treat PPC like a tap they can turn on and off. The thinking goes: if we need traffic, we’ll run ads. If we need more leads, we’ll increase the budget.
What’s missing, though, is strategy, a clear line between the business goal and the campaign setup that’s meant to support it; not just assumptions about what might work.
That’s where pay per click advertising tends to go sideways.
Think of a brand launching a new product. They boost spend on Google Ads hoping to “build hype” but never define what success looks like. The result? High impressions, a few clicks, and a bounce-heavy landing page that tells them… nothing.
Which means even if the ad works, the experience after the click doesn’t. If your landing page isn’t aligned with the ad’s promise or doesn’t guide the user to take action, you’ll lose them before they convert.
We’ve seen it across industries. Brands will celebrate an increase in traffic but struggle to explain what that traffic actually did. Or they’ll double down on campaigns that are technically performing, but not where it matters.
It’s a disconnect we see often: chasing metrics, while business goals stay undefined or siloed.
The issue isn’t that PPC campaigns don’t work. It’s that online advertising only delivers when it’s built on a strategic foundation. And that starts with defining what success actually looks like. Even before the first ad goes live.
The strategy behind high-performing PPC campaigns
The truth is, PPC only delivers when it’s tied directly to a business goal. Not traffic for traffic’s sake. Not conversions in isolation. But results that actually move the needle.
That shift starts by focusing less on keywords, more on intent. Less on ads that look good, more on campaigns that convert.
A strong Google Ads strategy doesn’t begin with budget or bid. It begins with a clear question: what are we trying to achieve?
- Sales: If the goal is sales, you might combine Search, Shopping, and Retargeting to capture high-intent buyers.
- Lead generation: If it’s to generate leads, your setup might lean on Lead Forms and targeted Search campaigns.
- Brand awareness: If you’re driving awareness, Display and YouTube ads could build reach and familiarity at the top of the funnel.
And within those goals, the real target might vary: it could be revenue growth, improved margins, higher customer lifetime value, or even reducing reliance on one acquisition channel. The clearer that target, the sharper your campaign decisions become.
These aren’t just tactics. They’re strategic decisions rooted in real business goals — and how people move from interest to action.
And while campaigns are often built around a single objective, real-world setups sometimes juggle more than one. You might prioritise lead generation now while building brand awareness for the long term. The key is making sure each campaign serves a clear purpose — and that your mix is intentional, not accidental.
We saw this play out with Friedman & Cohen. They wanted growth, but not at any cost. By aligning their campaign structure with their goal — profitable sales — we helped them increase their return on ad spend by 90% while simultaneously decreasing their cost per conversion by 43%.
That’s what a high-performing PPC strategy looks like. Not more activity, but sharper intent, clearer structure, and campaigns that serve the goal they were built for.
What to look for in a strategic PPC agency partner
When searching for a PPC agency, you need to understand this: their role isn’t just to manage ad spend. It’s to help you build a strategy that drives real business growth.
That starts with asking the right questions. Before diving into budgets or platforms, they should be asking:
What does success actually look like for your business?
And if you’re not sure? That’s okay. A good agency will help you get clear on your goals, whether that’s more sales, better leads, long-term brand awareness, or even a specific outcome like improving your return on marketing spend. The best ones don’t just take briefs. They help shape them.
Already launched without a clear goal? A good partner doesn’t just take what you hand over. They’ll step back, ask the right questions, and course-correct when things aren’t quite landing.
Because strategy isn’t set once. It’s shaped over time.
That also means they’ll track the right things. Not just surface metrics like impressions or CTR, but KPIs that speak to actual outcomes: return on ad spend, cost per acquisition, qualified leads.
And they’ll use every campaign type with purpose. Because every channel, from Shopping to Display, has a job to do. The right strategy matches each one to where your audience is in the funnel, not just where your budget is easiest to spend.
What you want is a proactive partner. An agency that knows the pay per click work doesn’t stop when the campaign goes live. Because the best PPC strategy isn’t optimised for clicks alone; it’s built for impact, anchored to outcomes, and aligned with the goal it was meant to serve.
Think that’s the kind of agency partner you need? Let’s talk.
