The Top 8 PPC Trends You Definitely Shouldn't Ignore in 2023

In 2023, automation looked set to dominate PPC. Here are seven more trends that AI and automation were expected to influence, directly or indirectly.

A new year brings new challenges, budgets, and goals. In particular,  2023 promised to be a busy year for PPC campaigns and SEM strategies. PPC specialists and digital marketers needed to pay attention as new tools rapidly changed online advertising.

At first glance, one trend seemed set to overshadow the rest in PPC in 2023:  automation. Its importance was expected to keep growing.

Automation is a broad topic that  affects every part of PPC. That means exploring, learning, and adapting to new 

• tools,
• strategies,
• and methods.

We looked at  the biggest PPC trends expected to shape marketing strategies in 2023 and the role automation might play in them.

1. Automation in everyday work

From buzzword to everyday practice: that is  AI and automation in digital marketing.

In 2023, automation and AI were expected to reshape PPC planning and management.  The shift from manual work to automation  was becoming hard to ignore in digital marketing.

AI and machine learning were already used for 

• forecasting potential conversions,
• choosing bids to attract qualified traffic,
• and suggesting keywords that support campaign goals.

Smart bidding was already  part of managing many PPC campaigns. Google also organized its automated bidding strategies around maximizing 

• conversions,
• clicks,
• and conversion value.

Meta was also expanding its automation tools to help advertisers drive sales and growth. Meta Advantage+  used AI to simplify ad creation. Advertisers familiar with Ads Manager would recognize much of the workflow, with related tools brought together for easier selection.

2. Maximizing performance with PMax

Google was also building on its role in digital advertising with an  automated campaign tool  called  Performance Max. It was one of the newer additions to the PPC toolkit.

Given Google Ads’ reach, the article expected  Performance Max (PMax) adoption to grow. Google had combined Smart Shopping and Local campaigns into PMax. Advertisers could use it to promote products and services across Google channels, including YouTube, Gmail, and Maps. Automation played a central role in the format.

Google promised  broader reach, faster growth, and more conversions through automation without higher budgets. Those claims made PMax worth exploring and testing against campaign goals.

3. The overlap between SEO and PPC

Automatizácia bude významne prestupovať aj ďalšie oblasti PPC. Jednou z nich je SEO.

PPC and SEO were already closely connected. Google’s growing use of automation offered a glimpse of how search marketing might evolve. Its systems could  use existing website content to generate text ads.

The next step was  automatically created assets (ACA). These included more than text: automated ads could draw on other creative assets too. That would strengthen the existing  overlap between PPC and SEO.

Alongside 

• SEO improvements to home and landing pages,
• UX and UI testing,
• and regular maintenance and tuning,

teams also needed to consider  reviews and adjustments to published content and assets. Google’s systems could use these inputs to create relevant PPC ads, reducing the amount of manual ad production.

4. A new generation of analytics

For teams that had not yet migrated, July 1, 2023 was an important date: Universal Analytics was being replaced by  Google Analytics 4 (GA4)  as the new standard. Teams needed to adapt to the changes GA4 introduced.

At the time, Google planned to  phase out third party cookies. That would change how users were tracked. GA4 also included machine learning features, reports, and cross device insights into the customer journey. These tools were expected to give marketers a clearer view of performance across the funnel.

There was also interest in  the new event based analytics model. GA4 promised more flexible measurement and a more detailed view of the conversion funnel. Marketers needed to get used to the new data model.

5. Mobile comes first

Alongside automation, digital marketers had another priority: mobile.

“Mobile-first” was already an essential approach, and mobile usage was expected to keep growing. The article estimated that about two in three Google Ads clicks would come from mobile devices.

First, make sure your website works well on mobile devices.

If it does not, put that at the top of your list. Google  uses mobile first indexing.

Second, optimize your ads for mobile: review the copy, images, video, and interactive elements, then measure the results.

Interactive ads were also gaining attention, especially those using  gamification.

6. PPC specialists and AI

Artificial intelligence and machine learning remained influential tools in PPC campaign management.

Machine learning was already supporting PPC teams. In 2023, common uses included:

• pausing underperforming keywords
• planning and predictive analytics
• adjusting bids to increase conversions
• personalizing dynamic ads
• optimizing campaigns

7. More video content

Video advertising and content were expected to keep growing. As demand rose, video became a regular part of PPC campaigns, helping brands present products in a more  visual way that people could take in quickly.

Google had introduced tools for creating and managing video ads, including for audiences on YouTube Shorts. Brands could produce useful video without huge budgets or teams.  short videos and user generated content were expected to attract more attention.

8. PPC on social platforms

PPC advertising was also growing on social platforms, where large audiences spend their time.

In 2023, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, WhatsApp, and LinkedIn were major platforms for advertisers.  TikTok was growing quickly.

That growth meant more video content and more video ads. Video was becoming a bigger part of digital marketing, while  highly personalized targeting gave advertisers another reason to invest in social PPC.

Stihli sa ste sa pripraviť na novú sezónu PPC kampaní a trendy, ktorým sa treba prispôsobiť? Vždy sa môžete spoľahnúť na profesionálov. Contact Us  to learn how our PPC specialists can help you make the most of automation.