Copy This PROFITABLE Paid Search Strategy in 2025

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In 2025, despite their popularity, the key to success in Paid Search isn’t AI content tools — listen to this podcast and learn how to strategise for Paid Search success this year.

TL;DR:

• Mobile now accounts for 75% of ad spend, up from 71% last year.
• Google’s Gemini AI has transformed traditional best practices.
• Performance Max’s success varies dramatically across sectors.
• The data reveals clear patterns in what’s actually working.

Breaking Down What’s Really Happening in Paid Search

Last year, Google announced their changes at two major conferences: Google I/O and Google Marketing Live.

At Google I/O, they revealed changes involving AI Overviews. Then, at Marketing Live, they made thirty-plus announcements about changes to the Google Ads product. Almost every single one referenced Google’s AI, Gemini.

Our year-end analysis revealed something significant: of all the money spent on behalf of our clients, the mobile percentage rose from 71% to 75% in just twelve months. That’s exactly three quarters of all spend going to mobile devices — and it still surprises people who primarily think of websites in desktop terms.

The shift to mobile isn’t just a trend — it’s a complete transformation. When 75% of all ad spend is now mobile, yet businesses still think desktop-first, you know there’s a massive opportunity for those who adapt first.

Tom Goodwin
Head of PPC

Why Most Paid Search Strategies Are Failing in 2025

Back in the day, you’d always favour exact and phrase-match keywords. You’d have long lists of keywords, and you’d be bidding on stuff like misspellings and plurals.

That’s been completely flipped on its head with the era of smart bidding.

Broad match has been rebuilt. Google now encourages it because it serves your ads in the widest possible way. They overlay different signals — whether you’re on a mobile device, which location you’re in, your search history, or what you’ve been shopping for recently. In theory, you’re finding your ideal customer wherever they are.

But here’s where it gets nuanced. It depends entirely on your vertical. If you’re a dentist or in service industries where customers use very specific language, Performance Max and broad match aren’t working perfectly. The advice here is actually to go against Google’s recommendations — focus your activity on search and concentrate your budget on exact and phrase match.

Building a Framework That Actually Generates ROI

Performance Max integrates six different types of inventory. Most people still think of Google Ads as links on a search page, typically on a desktop device. But that’s not how the product actually works anymore.

Google Ads integrates your search inventory with video inventory on YouTube, display inventory, Gmail interface, and local direction searches — wherever potential customers are within Google’s remit.

What’s really driving success is the audience data in the background. It’s giving you the opportunity to appear in front of your potential customers wherever they are within Google’s ecosystem.

The best starting point is to look at your own data and understand how your ideal customer persona actually interacts with these different touchpoints.

Success in paid search isn’t about mastering one channel anymore — it’s about understanding how your customers move across multiple platforms and meeting them there.

Charlie Marchant
CEO

Your 90-Day Implementation Plan

Start small, but go deep. If you haven’t tried Paid Search or Google Ads before, you’ve got incentives from the platforms that can help make it more profitable. Google offers £1,200 in advertising credit for new advertisers, and Microsoft offers similar incentives.

Month 1: Foundation Building

• Start with branded search campaigns to protect your market position and gather vital customer data for Google’s algorithm.
• Map out your core commercials: calculate average order value, analyse margins, and determine the maximum viable cost per acquisition.
• Document your ideal customer persona, particularly focusing on how they interact with different parts of Google’s ecosystem.
• Put everything in a calculation spreadsheet before launching campaigns — including revenue targets, margins, and lifetime value metrics.
• Identify whether your vertical is suited for Performance Max or requires a more traditional search approach.
• Set up conversion tracking across all potential touchpoints — from Gmail to YouTube, search to display

Month 2: Expansion and Testing

• Build campaigns from the bottom of the funnel up, starting with your most profitable keywords and audiences.
• Implement systematic testing of Performance Max if your vertical is suitable.
• Set up brand campaigns to capture high-intent traffic and feed Google’s algorithmic bidding system.
• Monitor mobile performance closely — remember that 75% of ad spend now goes to mobile.
• Test different inventory types within Performance Max, from search to YouTube and display to Gmail.
• Begin exploring Meta Ads alongside Google Ads to prompt brand searches and improve overall profitability.

Month 3: Strategic Scaling

• Scale what’s working based on clear performance data, not assumptions.
• Expand successful campaigns into new channels strategically.
• Implement a full-funnel strategy across multiple platforms where you’ve seen success.
• Continue testing new opportunities while maintaining profitable core campaigns.
• Focus budget allocation on channels showing the best profitability.
• Consider expanding into Microsoft Advertising using learnings from Google Ads.
• Keep testing and learning — the platforms are changing too rapidly to set and forget.

Request your free marketing review at Exposure Ninja to get personalised insights for your business. We’ll analyse your current setup and provide specific recommendations for improvement.

Watch and Learn How Digital Advertising Works in 2025

Continue learning about how Paid Search works in 2025 by watching this video by Exposure Ninja’s founder, Tim Cameron-Kitchen. Tim shares valuable insights into emerging trends and innovative approaches to help businesses maximise their ROI.