Does logging into your Google Ads account feel like staring at the cockpit of a fighter jet? You aren't alone. But here is the secret: You don’t need to obsess over every single button every single day. You just need a routine.

In this episode of the Surfside PPC Podcast, we are moving beyond basic tutorials and stepping into the role of a Lead Strategist. We are breaking down how to perform a "health check" on your account in just 10 minutes and how to use data—not gut feelings—to dominate your market.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The "Overview Screen" Hack: How to use the often-ignored Overview tab to spot wasted budget in minutes. We look at the "Big 5": Keywords, Scheduling, Demographics, Devices, and Search Terms.

• Your New AI Assistant: How to export your messy data and feed it into Google Gemini. We share the exact prompt you can use to get a 20-point strategy report instantly.

• Spying on the Competition: We demystify "Auction Insights." Find out exactly who is stealing your shelf space on Google and how to win it back.

• Impression Share 101: Are you a big fish in a small pond (Local) or a small fish in the ocean (National)? We explain how to adjust your strategy based on your business size.

• The Budget Simulator: A simple tool that tells you if you can lower your budget without losing customers (yes, really!).

The 2026 Google Ads Course is Here!

We are launching our brand new, annual comprehensive course on February 11, 2026.

• Price: Just $34.99/year.

• What you get: Full access to the course plus all updates throughout the year.

• If you are a former student, you are grandfathered in for life!

Resources & Community:

• Join the Surfside PPC Community: Get your specific questions answered 
• Access premium content on:
  • Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/surfsideinbound
  • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Surfsideppc
  • SKOOL: https://www.skool.com/surfsideppc
• Subscribe: Don’t miss an episode, hit the follow button now!
• Any questions you’d like answered? Leave a review and let me know!

Is Google’s advice killing your campaign performance?

Every Senior PPC Strategist faces the same dilemma: the pressure to scale volume versus the need to protect lead quality. Google Reps will tell you to "just switch to Broad Match" and let automation take the wheel. But anyone who has done that blindly knows the result: a flood of irrelevant traffic and a plummeting ROI.

In this episode, we dismantle the "death of the keyword" and give you a safety-first framework for scaling. We move beyond platform platitudes to show you exactly how to expand your reach without destroying your bottom line.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• The Great Disconnect: Why Google’s "launch with broad match" recommendation is often a trap for new campaigns—and how to spot the difference between "informative" searches and actual buyers.
• The Decision Matrix: The two non-negotiable variables (Budget Elasticity & Data Hygiene) you must check before even considering Broad Match.
• The "Top-Performers" Test: A controlled, step-by-step protocol to test Broad Match on your best keywords without opening the floodgates to bad traffic.
• Efficiency vs. Scale: Why "Endless Budget" service businesses need Broad Match to survive, while $3k/month accounts should likely stay far away.
• The Future of Search: How to prepare for "Meta-style" audience targeting and the incoming shift to AI Max.

Resources & Community:

• Join the Surfside PPC Community: Get your specific questions answered 
• Access premium content on:
  • Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/surfsideinbound
  • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Surfsideppc
  • SKOOL: https://www.skool.com/surfsideppc
• Subscribe: Don’t miss an episode, hit the follow button now!
• Feedback: Any questions you’d like answered? Leave a comment and let us know!

Stop guessing and start scaling.

Modern Google Ads success isn't about manual button-pushing it's about managing a sophisticated "black box." But how do you balance volume against efficiency? And more importantly, what is the exact mathematical moment you should switch from manual control to automated Smart Bidding?

In this episode, we move past basic settings to reveal the "numbers behind the bids." We break down the precise data thresholds you need to hit to transition your account from "treading water" to automated growth.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• The "CPA Gap" Dilemma: What to do when your target CPA is $50 but reality is delivering leads at $75 (and how to manage the client psychology behind the panic).
• The 7-Conversion Rule: Why 7 conversions in a 10-15 day window is the critical "green light" for leaving manual bidding behind.
• Efficiency vs. Volume: The two distinct paths you can take when costs rise—and why "opening the floodgates" might be safer than choking the campaign.
• The "Cold Start" Danger: Why switching to Maximize Conversions too early will kill your campaign, and how to avoid the "starving data beast" scenario.
• The Global Guardrail: How to use Portfolio Bid Strategies to set hard caps that prevent the algorithm from overspending on $40 clicks.

The Phased Transition Roadmap: We outline the exact 4-step framework for maturity:

1. Launch: Manual CPC/Max Clicks (Control)
2. Accumulation: Hitting the 7-conversion threshold.
3. Pivot: Switching to Maximize Conversions (Stabilization).
4. Refinement: Implementing Target CPA/ROAS (Efficiency).

Key Quote: "Success is no longer about manual button pushing... it's about feeding the machine and knowing exactly when to let go of the wheel."

Resources & Community:

Join the Surfside PPC Community: Get your specific questions answered 

• Access premium content on:
  • Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/surfsideinbound
  • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Surfsideppc
  • SKOOL: https://www.skool.com/surfsideppc
• Subscribe: Don’t miss an episode, hit the follow button now!

• Feedback: Any questions you’d like answered? Leave us a review and let us know!

Are you launching ads based on "vibes" or a data-backed hierarchy?

In Episode 2 of the Surfside PPC Podcast, I move beyond basic technical settings to answer the most fundamental question in paid media: Where should I put my budget to actually make money?
 
I  break down the 80/20 rule of budget allocation, why Search is still the "Gold Standard," and how to stop wasting money on low-quality automated leads. Whether you are running lead gen or eCommerce, this episode provides the architectural framework you need to scale.

In this episode, I cover:

• The Paid Media Hierarchy: Why you must prioritize campaigns based on intent and funnel position, not just what's "new" in Google Ads.
• The 80/20 Rule: The ideal budget split between Search and Performance Max (PMax) for most businesses.
• Search as the Foundation: Understanding "Money Keywords" vs. "Research Keywords."
• The Roofing Case Study: A deep dive into why you should bid $300 for an installation click but only $75 for a research click (and how to structure this).
• Performance Max Nuances: How to leverage PMax for local store visits and eCommerce without getting flooded with junk leads.
• Demand Gen Strategy: Using video to fill your funnel and build a "living room presence" on YouTube.
• CAC vs. LTV: Why high CPAs are acceptable if you know your numbers.

“Search is the non-negotiable starting point. It provides the clean data signals necessary to fuel the machine learning models.”

Resources & Community:

• Join the Surfside PPC Community: Get your specific campaign questions answered and access premium content on:
  • Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/surfsideinbound
  • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Surfsideppc
  • SKOOL: https://www.skool.com/surfsideppc.
• Subscribe: Don’t miss an episode—hit the follow button to stay ahead of Google’s algorithm changes.
• Feedback: Did this framework help you? Leave us a review and let us know!

Precise conversion tracking is the high-performance engine behind every successful Google Ads campaign. For lead generation businesses data is the only bridge between ad spend and actual revenue. Without a precise tracking foundation, the most sophisticated bidding algorithms remain blind, unable to distinguish a casual browser from a high-value client. This inaugural episode of the Surfside PPC Podcast serves as your definitive guide to bridging that gap. Our mission is simple: a dedicated Q&A format designed to improve your marketing ROI by turning technical setups into strategic profit. Selection of your tracking goals is only half the battle; precision implementation is where ROI is won or lost.