Brett Westerman was nominated for a PPC spotlight profile by Greg Finn in May of 2022.
How long have you been working in PPC?
I’ve racked up 12 years as of this June, 2022.
How did you get started in PPC?
I started agency life as a Project Manager and frankly wasn’t very good at it. The SEO/SEM team there was just getting started, and I’ll be forever grateful that another manager took a chance on this failing PM because I was decent at math and research.
If you went to college or university, what did you study? If not college, do you have any other degrees or certifications?
Bachelor’s degree in Marketing from the University of Dayton.
What was your first job that involved PPC?
The first agency client I handled was for a children’s hospital. The medical keyword research was just what I needed to sink my teeth into, and helping parents find resources for their sick children was gratifying as well.
What is your current position and how long have you been in it?
I started independently consulting 5.5 years ago and thank the universe every morning that this experiment has worked out so well.
What kinds of things do you currently handle or manage in PPC?
Strategic planning has become a larger part than direct implementation lately. Though I try to keep active in each platform because you really need to know the new features (or removals, as in the case of a particular search network) and nuances to best suggest campaign tactics.
Has your career path had any hiccups or nontraditional aspects that you’d like to share?
Becoming a content expert on super-niche industries has been fascinating! From neurosurgery to industrial insulation and over to heart catheter lasers – I’ve discovered more about the corners of the professional world than expected.
What are you most proud of in your PPC career?
There are a few colleagues that I’ve helped usher into independent consulting, and I’m proud to see them succeeding.
What, if anything, do you wish you could “do over” in your PPC career?
I would take the risk of going independent sooner – trying to convince myself that, YES, you are an expert and people WILL compensate for those skills. Also focusing more on copywriting skills to hone that side of my brain along with the analytical side.
If you could give advice to someone either considering or just starting out in PPC, what would that be?
Take on projects even when you’re not an expert in that tactic, and then learn quickly. This is how I fell into Amazon, LinkedIn, and Spotify campaigns.
Are you interested in speaking opportunities? If so, what topics are your jam?
Yes, indeed! I’ve enjoyed finding enterprise-level tactics that can be activated for SMB’s without the budget or resources usually needed. So you can’t afford an expensive CRM – here’s how we work around that – or you don’t have much to invest in Search/Display – here’s an approach that can work today and then mature with you over time. There are more SMB’s out there who need help than Enterprise clients.
Anything else you’d like to share?
When I don’t have time to check Twitter every day or otherwise keep up with this changing PPC industry, I’ve found that 30 minutes listening to Marketing O’Clock on Fridays brings me up to speed.
Where can people find you to connect (Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, etc.)?
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brettwesterman/
Twitter: @brettwesterman