Last week a friend asked me, “Outside of hands-on experience, where are the best places to learn PPC on the Internet .” This got me thinking about something Seth Godin said, “We’re not going to outgrow our need for information.”
We live in a time where there’s so much information freely shared across the web. Some of it is good and some of it is crap. Either way we’re producing more content than can be consumed. That’s incredible!
In an effort to distill all this content with our need for information, I narrowed it down to my favorite training resources across the web to learn PPC.
This list is by no means all-inclusive or the ultimate resource. Rather it’s a starting point to guide people looking to dig a little deeper into the world of PPC.
Blogs
First off, let me say that there a lot of blogs about PPC. These are only a few blogs that I know consistently put out excellent content day after day. I know there’s a lot more I could add, but if you have limited reading time then start here.
- Wordstream – Founded back in 2007 by Larry Kim, Wordstream delivers a daily drip of solid PPC content. They have a good mix of industry news, new features, and PPC strategies. Also, check out their PPC University for a topical breakdown of their blogs.
- Brainlabs – These guys are great for all things AdWords Scripts. If you’re looking for the technical side of PPC, this is your blog.
- Certified Knowledge – Established by Brad Geddes, the blog consists of best practices and opinion pieces. Most of their premium content is gated and will require a membership to access the tools and lessons.
- Search Engine Land – A must read for anyone in the SEM industry. They provide a good mixture of industry updates and news with guest posts from industry experts. Be sure to follow writer Ginny Marvin as she covers the PPC industry.
- AdEspresso – The bulk of their blogs are centered around Facebook advertising. What makes their content so unique are their mini case studies mixed with actionable takeaways. They also dive into the psychology and sociology of people targeting on Facebook.
- Social Media Examiner – One of the best social media blogs in the world. They have the top experts sharing the latest tips, trends and hacks across all social media platforms.
- eMarketer – This isn’t a dedicated PPC blog, however, they are a comprehensive source of how to do business in a digital world no matter what business or profession you’re in.
- Clix Marketing – A knowledgeable group of PPC marketers that you’re likely to see speaking at any SEM conference. They provide great optimization tips and strategies for PPC campaigns.
- Google AdWords Blog – The easiest way to stay updated on new AdWords features and case studies is through their blog. Another way is to follow their Google+ page (but who wants to do that).
- Bing Ads Blog – The best place to find the latest Bing announcements, product news, and insights. They also do a great job on Twitter responding to questions.
Twitter Chats
Another great place to learn about PPC is Twitter. By attending weekly Twitter chats, you’ll have the opportunity to engage with fellow marketers, learn different viewpoints, network with industry leaders, build a personal brand and discuss relevant industry topics.
Here are three weekly chats to get you started.
- #ppcchat – Started by Matt Umbro, #PPCChat is the weekly Twitter chat about everything related to PPC. Join the conversation on Tuesdays at 12 PM EST.
- #semrushchat – Another weekly Twitter lead by SEMrush, a leading competitive keyword and AdWords research tool on the market. While not exclusively PPC related, they cover a lot of SEO/SEM topics and is well attended by industry SEM experts. Join in on Wednesdays at 11 AM EST.
- #pinchat – Weekly Twitter chat founded by Kelly Lieberman to discuss Pinterest best practices, new uses, tools, highlight brand usage, personal/professional use and share our passion for Pinning. Join #Pinchat Wednesdays at 9 PM ET.
Podcasts
Rather than reading tons of articles, podcasts make it simple to absorb content when you’re on the go. Or at least they do for me. I really enjoy listening to podcasts especially when I’m traveling or driving in a car. Below are a few of my favorite PPC related podcast that I subscribe to.
- PPC Rockstars – David Szetela hosts this podcast as “your ticket to the juiciest tips, tactics, and techniques on all things PPC, straight from the industry’s foremost paid marketing thought leaders.” David interviews some of the top names in PPC discussing the latest trends in PPC.
- PPC Podcast – Paul Wicker of AdStage hosts this weekly podcast through a live Blab following #PPCChat on Tuesdays. By utilizing Blab, you can participate in a live podcast by asking questions or you can re-watch the live recording.
- Social Media Marketing – Michael Stelzner helps you “discover success stories and expert interviews from leading social media marketing pros in a weekly 45-minute podcast.”
LinkedIn Groups
Another great resource is LinkedIn Groups. By participating in these groups, you can build thought leadership, connect with a thriving community of like-minded professionals, and get group discussions sent to your email. Most of us are already drowning in emails, but getting recaps sent to me inbox allows to sort through the discussions and articles quicker than logging into LinkedIn. Below are a few groups worth joining if you’re not involved with any.
- PPC Marketing (14,111 members) – join this group to get information on PPC Marketing and with informative tips on optimization for conversions and creating efficient PPC campaigns. We will have tips from the experts and questions related to PPC.
- PPC Pro People (13,207 members) – For Pay-per-click advertising aficionados only – none of that geeky SEO stuff. We share news and best practices about advertising on Google AdWords, BingAds, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.
- Search Engine Land (68,206) – Search Engine Land is a must read hub for news and information about search engine marketing, SEO, PPC, and how search engines work such as Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft’s Bing. A huge bonus is the group does NOT allow the use of LinkedIn’s “Add A Link” feature, in order to keep spam out and the focus strongly on good discussions.
- Bonus: Join local groups to network with professionals in your community.
There are just a few places to turn your attention if you’re wanting to learn PPC. Just remember that learning is a life-long journey and never before has it been so easy to learn something new.
Your Turn
I know there’s a ton of resources out there that I didn’t mention, and I’m curious to know what resources you turn to for information. Let me know in the comments!
