In this episode of the 7 Figures and Beyond eCommerce Marketing Podcast, host Greg Shuey sits down with paid media expert Kelsey O'Rourke to break down what brands need to know about Google Ads in 2025. Kelsey debunks the common misconception that Google Ads, particularly Performance Max (PMax), is fully automated and requires little oversight. Instead, she explains how many brands and agencies misuse PMax by failing to exclude brand searches, which artificially inflates ROAS while masking the true cost of acquiring new customers. She stresses the importance of structuring campaigns correctly—leveraging PMax for prospecting while using standard search and shopping campaigns strategically to ensure budget efficiency and clear data visibility.
Beyond campaign structure, Kelsey highlights a fundamental mistake many brands make: failing to understand their customer lifetime value (LTV) before scaling. She explains that businesses with low LTV need to focus almost exclusively on acquiring new customers, while those with higher LTV can afford to balance prospecting with retention-focused strategies like display and YouTube ads. Without this foundational knowledge, brands risk misallocating their advertising spend and struggling to grow sustainably. Additionally, she warns against taking Google rep recommendations at face value, as their primary goal is to drive more ad spend rather than optimize for business profitability.
To ensure long-term success, Kelsey emphasizes that Google Ads should be viewed as a key component of a broader omnichannel marketing strategy rather than a standalone growth engine. She points out that Google captures demand rather than creates it, meaning it works best when paired with top-of-funnel channels like Meta and TikTok. She also advises brands to avoid overcomplicating their campaigns—mastering the fundamentals of search, shopping, and PMax before expanding into more advanced strategies. Her closing message to brands: do your homework, know your numbers, and stay realistic about how performance shifts as you scale.
Episode Links
Greg Shuey LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-shuey/
Kelsey O'Rourke LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelseycorourke/
https://www.stryde.com/smart-marketers-win-with-google-ads-2025/
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