I began my profession in paid media again in 2011 at a small PPC company known as Periscopix. It was, in some ways, a a lot less complicated time. Efficiency Max didn’t exist. Marketing campaign administration meant making one bid change a day. You had full management.
It was additionally the yr that Prince William and Kate Middleton got married, and the yr Charlie Sheen made headlines for all the wrong reasons. Less complicated instances certainly.
Over the previous 15 years, I’ve made (and witnessed) loads of errors in paid media. A few of them have been painful, some have been costly, and all of them taught me classes that I nonetheless carry with me as we speak.
Listed below are the large ones — and what you possibly can be taught from them so that you don’t repeat my errors.
1. All the time Get It in Writing
Early in my profession, I labored with a significant watch retailer. They have been a dream consumer: open to testing new options, collaborative, and straightforward to work with.
In the future, I phoned my contact and instructed rising budgets as a result of efficiency was robust. She agreed — “let’s add an additional £10K for October.” I made the modifications, felt nice about my proactive resolution, and went on vacation to Las Vegas.
After I returned, I used to be sick and couldn’t work for every week. Throughout my day without work, the account overspent by £10K. When my boss confronted me, I defined it had been accepted verbally. However my contact denied the dialog had ever occurred.
I had nothing in writing. The consumer distanced themselves, and I bought the dreaded “I’m not offended, simply dissatisfied” speak from my supervisor.
🎓Lesson: Nevertheless good the connection, all the time affirm modifications in writing. Emails, tickets, Slack messages — something is best than counting on reminiscence or goodwill.
2. All the time Double-Examine (and Then Examine Once more)
This one didn’t occur to me personally, however it’s a nightmare situation.
A marketing campaign supervisor at a big company was requested to launch an enormous Meta marketing campaign for a magnificence retailer simply earlier than a financial institution vacation weekend. The price range was £150,000 for Might, with a day by day cap of simply over £4,000.
Within the Friday rush, they unintentionally set the marketing campaign price range at £150,000 as an alternative of the lifetime price range unfold over the month. The marketing campaign went dwell on Saturday as deliberate. By Tuesday morning, the whole price range had been spent — in three days.
🎓Lesson: By no means rush a launch. All the time double-check settings (price range sorts, dates, placements), and if attainable, have a colleague cross-check earlier than pushing campaigns dwell.
3. The £25,000 Job Interview Mistake
At Periscopics, we typically requested candidates to arrange a technique for a well known retailer. Robust candidates would use Google Adverts Key phrase Planner, mock up adverts, and present how they’d method campaigns.
One candidate went above and past — too far, the truth is. He didn’t simply mock up the campaigns. He unintentionally launched them. By the point anybody observed, he’d spent round £2,500 (rumors exaggerated it to £25,000).
The corporate did the fitting factor: they employed him, supported him, and even raised his wage to assist cowl the associated fee. But it surely was a tough lesson within the significance of checking accounts earlier than and after setup.
🎓Lesson: Whether or not you’re getting ready a take a look at, an interview, or a dwell marketing campaign, triple-check that campaigns aren’t unintentionally switched on. And all the time log again in after setup.
4. The Father’s Day Catastrophe
This one nonetheless stings.
In 2022, only a yr and a half into working my consultancy, we landed an enormous consumer within the gifting expertise area. Father’s Day was a peak season, so the strain was excessive. Their PPC group was very junior, and we have been introduced in last-minute to advise.
Pink flags got here rapidly:
- They insisted on broad match key phrases.
- Each marketing campaign had a £500/day price range, multiplied throughout 10 campaigns.
- They wished to launch on a Friday at 3 p.m.
We strongly suggested warning, documented every little thing in writing, and warned towards the plan. They went forward anyway.
By Monday, £40,000 had been spent with zero gross sales. The livid CEO known as me instantly. We misplaced the consumer (and £12,500 in unpaid consultancy charges).
🎓Lesson: Belief your instincts. If a consumer refuses to take heed to purpose, it’s not a partnership price maintaining. Spot the crimson flags and stroll away.
Quickfire Errors to Keep away from
Past the large horror tales, listed below are just a few smaller — however simply as painful — pitfalls I’ve seen:
- Linking to the improper Meta account. Simple to do for those who handle a number of shoppers. All the time verify catalog feeds earlier than publishing.
- Hitting “Apply All” in suggestions. I as soon as had a consumer unknowingly change all key phrases to broad match. Chaos adopted.
- Not leaving cowl notes earlier than vacation. I as soon as coated an account on Christmas Eve with zero context. It didn’t go effectively.
- Emailing the improper contact. I unintentionally despatched a pitch deck to somebody’s outdated employer, inflicting main fallout.
Key Takeaways
- All the time affirm in writing.
- All the time verify (and have another person verify).
- By no means launch on a Friday.
- Go slower when underneath strain — not sooner.
- Be taught from errors, however don’t repeat them.
And eventually, keep in mind: we’re not mind surgeons. We’re not saving lives. Paid media errors might be disturbing and costly, however they’re not often career-ending for those who be taught and enhance.
Give your self a break. Errors occur. What issues is ensuring they don’t occur twice.
Kat Sale is Co-Founding father of House of Performance, a paid media company primarily based in Clerkenwell, London. This text is predicated on Kat’s speak at Hero Conf UK in April 2025, which you’ll watch in full free of charge.
