Becoming a PPC expert in 2025 requires far more than mastering platforms or knowing which buttons to press. As the PPC Live UK community explains, true expertise is a blend of deep technical proficiency, commercial understanding, creativity, adaptability, experience, and—above all—an ongoing commitment to learning.
Across dozens of insights shared by practitioners, one message becomes clear: PPC expertise is no longer about optimisation alone; it’s about orchestrating paid media as part of a bigger, more complex ecosystem.
Below, we explore what it really takes—through the voices of those shaping the craft today.
1. Seeing the Bigger Picture: Patterns, Links, and the Whole Business
Great PPC practitioners don’t just look at the numbers—they understand how those numbers connect to everything around them.
As Inderpaul Rai puts it, it starts with “the ability to piece information together like a complicated jigsaw, understanding how one thing links to another and what the best path forward is accordingly.”
This thread continues with Boris Beceric, who says that expertise is “the ability to see performance patterns instantly, verify data accuracy, steer the machine in the right direction, look beyond the ad account, and measure performance across the entire business.”
For Ameet Khabra, it’s all about constantly asking “why?”—why numbers look the way they do, why performance shifts, and what’s driving changes beneath the surface.
And Ash Winder emphasises that modern PPC requires “a deep understanding of how paid search fits into the broader marketing ecosystem… our ability to integrate PPC with cross-channel strategies ensures not just high-performing ads but measurable growth that aligns with overarching business goals.”
In 2025, PPC experts think beyond campaigns—they think in systems.
2. Strategic Foundations: Funnel Thinking, Commerciality, and Integrated Marketing
According to Heidi Sturrock, expertise means aligning Google Ads with every stage of the funnel:
“I understand how to build smart account structures, select the right bid strategies, and leverage Google’s automation… using Google Ads not just to generate clicks, but to guide users from awareness through conversion with precision and intent.”
Similarly, Serge Nguele highlights that true expertise includes diagnosing wider business challenges, not just ad account issues:
“It’s about understanding their market and audience, and making PPC work as an integrated part of their wider marketing ecosystem… managing every budget as if it were your own.”
Emina Demiri-Watson expands this further:
“Great PPC is so much more than managing bids or knowing ‘the right’ keywords. It starts with understanding the business and the people behind every search… every decision made, from keyword lists to landing pages, ties back to the business, the audience, and the intent.
On an agency level, it’s also about balancing innovation with focus. LLMs are a perfect example of this. They are new-ish, shiny and easy to overuse. This is why it’s important to understand where AI fits in and how we can use it to enhance, not replace, our own strategic judgment. I guess the good news is that from all marketers, PPC experts are the ones that are use to the black box more than anyone else. We’ve been finding creative ways to steer AI to perform, long before AI was a buzz word.”
The message is clear: PPC doesn’t sit in isolation—it fuels and reflects the entire commercial engine.
3. Technical Mastery: Platforms, Tactics, Data, and the Machine
Technical skill remains essential—the craft still matters.
Chris Kostecki describes being “steeped in paid search… comfortable in all social networks, media buying, and the affiliate space,” and emphasises the value of understanding “strategy, tracking, and building web experiences.”
Adrienne Shaver calls herself “a technician first,” someone who “understand[s] the mechanics deeply and know[s] exactly when to pull each lever,” always aligning platforms and tactics with strategy and audience.
Nidhi Jain adds that a PPC expert brings a “blend of analytical precision, strategic creativity, and hands-on experience managing high-performing campaigns across multiple platforms.” Her advantage lies in being able to “translate data into strategy… identifying patterns, uncovering inefficiencies, and turning insights into actionable optimisations.”
And Fraser Andrews reinforces the technical mindset with one word: “Flexibility!”—the willingness to test, learn, challenge assumptions, and adapt.
In short: PPC mastery means knowing the tools, but not being defined by them.
4. The Human Skill Set: Communication, Empathy, and Turning Complexity Into Clarity
Expert PPC professionals don’t just analyse—they translate.
Susan Richards-Benson explains that expertise requires “the ability to actually deliver results and meet your client’s KPIs, while equally taking what is a relatively complex subject and making it easier to understand in laymen’s terms. The WHY behind the WHAT.”
Nidhi Jain echoes this dual competency—comfortable both “with campaign execution and client communication,” she ensures that “data and business align seamlessly.”
And Gabriel Gruter argues that being an expert is as much about empathy and intuition as metrics:
“I listen to the data, to the brand, to the trends, to what Google is (and isn’t) saying… I try to sense when an account feels right and when it doesn’t… You can’t really explain this with a metric.”
Expertise, he adds, is the ability to stay calm, patient, and creative—seeing patterns others can’t.
5. Curiosity, Adaptability, and the Never-Ending Journey of Learning
PPC has always evolved fast—but in 2025, curiosity is non-negotiable.
Veronika Höller puts it bluntly:
“For me, ‘experts’ are done learning – and that’s exactly why I’d never call myself one… What makes me skilled is not a title – it’s curiosity, experience, and the drive to keep improving.”
She continues:
“I know the platforms, but I think beyond them. I combine analytical precision with a practical mindset. I test, learn, adapt – constantly.”
Susan Richards-Benson agrees—expertise requires “adaptiveness, and a willingness to learn from your peers… not being afraid of change.”
PPC is an industry that never stands still. Neither do its best practitioners.
6. Creativity: The Often-Overlooked Competitive Edge
While data and strategy dominate PPC conversations, creativity is rising as a differentiator.
As Nidhi Jain succinctly puts it:
“Creative thinking.”
And Gabriel Gruter reminds us that graduating from “skilled” to “expert” often means understanding PPC “in creative, abstract terms.”
Creativity helps marketers craft better ads, design stronger journeys, and spot opportunities the machine can’t.
Conclusion: The 2025 PPC Expert Is More Than a Practitioner—they’re a Strategic Partner
Pulling together the wisdom of the PPC Live community, the 2025 PPC expert is:
- A systems thinker who understands connections, patterns, and commercial impact.
- A strategist who aligns PPC with audiences, journeys, and business economics.
- A technician who knows platforms deeply and uses AI intelligently.
- A communicator who translates complexity into clarity.
- A learner who adapts, experiments, and evolves.
- A creative problem-solver who sees beyond dashboards and formulas.
And perhaps most importantly, they are someone who—despite years of experience—never truly considers themselves “finished.”
As the PPC landscape continues to transform, the best practitioners will be those who stay curious, stay connected, stay thoughtful, and stay human.
Meet the PPC Experts
Inderpaul Rai – Director, Paid Media at WeDiscover – Speaker, mentor & Paid Media innovation advocate
Heidi Sturrock – Skilled PPC expert helping businesses scale with modern Google Ads strategies across every stage of the funnel.
Boris Beceric – Google Ads Consultant & Coach with 15 years of experience.
Susan Richards-Benson – Accomplished digital marketing specialist with over a decade of experience delivering measurable growth across paid media, SEO, and performance strategy.
Serge Nguele – Founder of Your PPC Doctor, a boutique paid search agency helping brands and charities grow through smarter Google & Microsoft Ads strategies.
Veronika Höller – Digital marketing professional from Germany with extensive experience in PPC, SEO, performance, and strategy, passionate about data-driven marketing, knowledge sharing, and continuous learning.
Nidhi Jain – Data-driven PPC expert skilled in crafting high-ROI campaigns through strategic targeting, optimization, and performance insights.
Ash Winder – A UK-based paid marketing expert with 10 years of proven account growth, specialising in paid media management and marketing strategy
Gabriel Gruter – Broad scope of experience activating, consulting and leading accounts for advertisers of all sizes.
Ameet Khabra – Globally recognized digital marketer, educator, and founder who helps brands grow through strategy, data, and transparency.
Fraser Andrews – Worked in search for 10 years and is current Global Search Lead at JLR
Chris Kostecki – 20 year veteran working across platforms for established businesses of all sizes across industries.
Emina Demiri-Watson – Head of Digital Marketing at Brighton based award winning agency Vixen Digital
Adrienne Shaver – Adrienne Shaver, Marketing & Growth Partner and Sr. Paid Media Strategist; AI/Automations enthusiast and educator focused on strategy-led growth across Google and Microsoft.
