If you studied marketing at university and are wondering what area to pursue, I think paid ads is a brilliant place to start. That was me a year ago—a recent graduate, fresh out of uni with my master’s degree in digital marketing, thinking, “Okay, what now? I don’t know where to begin.”

It’s hard to figure out what you want to do when you haven’t had proper exposure, but at the same time, most companies expect you to already have some experience. Finding one who’s willing to take on someone with no experience can be challenging, but it’s not impossible. 

Long story short, I’m here to tell you that a career in paid ads can take you far because the skills you develop are applicable across many industries. Anyway, enough rambling—let’s get to the main points: paid ads, or more specifically, PPC. If you like data, this is the field for you. One of the reasons I enjoy working in paid ads is that all decisions are data-driven. A/B testing is more exciting than you might think, and often, the least expected ad ends up performing the best. But it’s not just about numbers, data, and spreadsheets—it’s about creating a narrative that moves users down the funnel. It’s about crafting a story with your ads that captures attention and converts users into customers.

But it doesn’t stop there. Once you have a customer, you need to retain them—and that’s where remarketing comes in. You have to go the extra mile, acknowledging that since they’ve already made a purchase, you need to incentivise them and make them feel like part of a community. This is where strong ad copy plays a crucial role.

On any given day, you scroll past anywhere between 4,000 and 10,000 ads. That’s why keeping your copy sharp and to the point is crucial. People don’t have the time (or patience) to read through multiple paragraphs, especially in the age of “doom scrolling.” Attention spans are minimal, so you have a very small window to make a strong impression. Well-worded copy is key.

Having strong creatives is also vital to the success of your ads. You need to show users exactly what they’re getting—overcomplicating things can leave them confused about what you’re actually offering. However, in some cases, that mystery can work in your favor, depending on your industry. If you can hold a user’s attention for longer, they’re more likely to interact with your brand out of curiosity. Once they’re engaged, you move them to the next stage of the funnel—retargeting.

At the end of the day, it’s all very strategic—some might even say sneaky—which is exactly why I enjoy doing it.

A few helpful resources that helped me understand the basics of digital marketing and get started in this field are:

• The Google Skill Shop
• Introduction to Google Ads
• Social Media Analytics
• GA4 for Beginners
• Podcasts, podcasts, and more podcasts! I can’t stress enough how useful these have been for me.
  • Some great examples are: The Paid Search Podcast, Keep Optimising, The Digital Marketing Podcast by Exposure Ninja, Marketing and Margaritas

A great way to test your analytical skills is by using the GA4 demo account for the Google Merchandise Store. It’s a brilliant hands-on tool that lets you explore real data without needing access to a live website. You can dive into reports, track user behaviour, analyse traffic sources, and even see how e-commerce performance is measured. It’s perfect for experimenting with dashboards and figuring out how everything fits together.

Google Merchandise Store GA4 Account
So, if you’ve got a knack for strategy and relish in a bit of creative sneakiness, PPC could be your perfect match. Dive in, and who knows? You might just discover your digital marketing niche. As always, we love discussing all things PPC, so don't hesitate to get in touch!

Want to learn more about the world of digital marketing? Check out our other blogs here!