Christine Zirnheld was nominated by Anastasia Sorokina in October of 2021.
How long have you been working in PPC?
3.5 years, I had no previous PPC experience before getting hired at Cypress North.
How did you get started in PPC?
I have always been creative and wanted a career that would allow me to use those skills. Unfortunately, I’m not serious enough to be an actress, my singing voice would hurt your ears, and arts and crafts usually lead me to tears. I decided to study marketing because it felt like a good way to flex my creative muscles without using paint or scissors.
One of my first jobs after college was for an eCommerce fashion site and I ended up doing some email marketing. I loved that, with digital marketing, I was able to see how people were interacting with my emails, if they were making purchases, and use this insight to improve future campaigns. When I saw that Cypress North was looking for an entry-level digital marketer and the job required little previous experience, it felt like the right fit. The next thing I knew, I was studying to become Google Ads certified!
If you went to college, what did you study? If not college, do you have any other degrees or certifications?
I grew up thinking I would work in the fashion industry and my dream was to study at the Fashion Institute of Technology. As I approached college, I got nervous about putting all my eggs in the fashion basket. I found a program at Canisius College that allowed me to graduate in 4 years with my Bachelor’s in Marketing and an Associate’s in Fashion Business Management, spending my senior year at FIT in New York City.
What was your first job that involved PPC?
I didn’t work in PPC until I was hired at Cypress North! I was hired as a digital marketer in 2018 but quickly took a liking to PPC over SEO.
What is your current position and how long have you been in it?
I am currently a Digital Marketing Manager at Cypress North, I was promoted to this position in 2021.
What kinds of things do you currently handle or manage in PPC?
I am mostly running search campaigns for B2B clients in a wide range of industries. My role is to oversee account strategy, but I like being a part of the execution as well. I love to listen to murder podcasts while doing some of the monotonous tasks like building out campaigns.
Has your career path had any hiccups or nontraditional aspects that you’d like to share?
Yes! I always wanted to work in Fashion, but when I had my first taste of a job in the fashion industry I quickly realized it wasn’t for me (plus, there are lots of rats in New York City). I knew I wanted to use my marketing degree but wasn’t sure what specific subject matter I wanted to work in. I did some email marketing and social media before learning PPC.
What are you most proud of in your PPC career?
I love hosting our agency’s podcast, Marketing O’Clock. When I first started, I only had about a year’s worth of experience and have learned so much from hosting the show. I’m forced to stay on top of what is happening in the industry at all times and it’s the best thing to happen for my career.
I also worked with the team at Cypress North team to publish The Ultimate Google Ads Playbook (available on Amazon!) when we had some downtime during the pandemic. I ended up teaching myself so much about Google Ads during the writing process (including that I should hire an editor for my next book), going down crazy rabbit holes to answer questions that people probably aren’t even asking.
What, if anything, do you wish you could “do over” in your PPC career?
Other than the whole book editor thing mentioned above, I like to live with no regrets.
If you could give advice to someone either considering or just starting out in PPC, what would that be?
Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there! Join PPC chats, go to conferences, and listen to podcasts! There is so much to learn and this community is super welcoming, generous, and smart.
Are you interested in speaking opportunities? If so, what topics are your jam?
Sure! I love to talk about problematic Google Ads changes, complaining about their terrible product announcements, and the scary push toward less data and more automation. I can totally be positive, too!
Anything else you’d like to share?
Marketing O’Clock is looking for sponsors! Our show is listened to and loved by some of the best PPC professionals out there and we’d love to tell them about your business! More details can be found in our media kit.
Where can people find you to connect (Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, etc.)?
You can find me on Twitter @shepzirnheld if you want to talk PPC, Real Housewives, or Taylor Swift:
If you want to hear me direct my sass toward Google Ads and roast my lovely coworkers, I cover PPC news on Marketing O’Clock every Friday!: marketingoclock.com
You can also talk shop and shoot the heck with fellow PPCers and I in the Marketing O’Clock Discord community! Just skip right past the “Thanks, I Hate It” channel. community. marketingoclock.com