As we enter the mid-2020s, pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is evolving at a rapid pace. Google, Meta, Microsoft, and other major ad platforms are heavily investing in automation—promising advertisers better performance with less manual input. But with this shift comes a pressing concern: is automation killing PPC as we know it?
While automation has its benefits—such as time savings and improved optimisation—it can also strip away the control and transparency marketers once relied on. In 2025, the question isn’t whether automation is here to stay (it is), but how you can stay in control while leveraging it to your advantage.
Let’s explore what’s changed, why it matters, and what strategies you can adopt to stay competitive and in command.
The Rise of Automated Campaigns
In recent years, we’ve seen a surge in automated campaign types—Google’s Performance Max, Meta’s Advantage+ Shopping campaigns, and Microsoft’s Responsive Search Ads, to name a few. These platforms use machine learning to manage bids, match keywords, design creatives, and even target audiences with minimal human input.
On paper, it sounds ideal: plug in your goals and assets, and let the algorithm do the rest. But advertisers are realising that these “black box” systems often offer limited visibility into how decisions are made—or why campaigns succeed or fail.
What We’re Losing with Automation
Here’s what’s at stake:
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Loss of Data Transparency: Many automated campaigns limit access to search terms, placements, or audience breakdowns, making it difficult to understand performance drivers.
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Reduced Creative Control: Machine-generated ad copy and creative combinations might not align with your brand tone or messaging strategy.
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Wasted Budget: Without tight control, automation can spread budgets too thin or prioritise low-quality leads over conversions.
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Over-Reliance on Platform Algorithms: Trusting automation blindly puts your results at the mercy of AI models you can’t audit or influence.
The key to success in 2025 lies in finding the right balance—using automation where it helps, while maintaining strategic oversight.
How to Stay in Control of Your PPC
Here are five practical ways to retain control of your PPC campaigns in an automated landscape:
1. Set Clear Guardrails
Before launching automated campaigns, define strict boundaries:
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Budget caps
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Geo-targeting restrictions
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Negative keywords
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Audience exclusions
These prevent automation from veering off-course and wasting spend on irrelevant clicks.
2. Monitor Performance Manually
Even with automation, manual review is essential. Regularly check performance metrics such as:
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Cost per acquisition (CPA)
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Return on ad spend (ROAS)
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Conversion quality
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Impression share
Flag anomalies early and adjust campaign settings if automation begins to underperform.
3. Use First-Party Data Wisely
Feed platforms with your own customer data to improve targeting accuracy. Upload customer lists, build lookalike audiences, and track conversions with server-side tagging for better insights and results.
4. Run Controlled Experiments
A/B testing is your best friend. Run manual campaigns alongside automated ones to compare results. Test variables such as ad copy, landing pages, and targeting strategies. This will help you determine whether automation is really improving performance—or simply offering convenience.
5. Focus on Strategy, Not Just Execution
Let automation handle the repetitive tasks, but keep your hands on the steering wheel when it comes to:
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Campaign structure
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Messaging hierarchy
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Budget allocation
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Long-term goals
Remember: automation doesn’t replace strategic thinking—it simply augments it.
Final Thoughts
Automation isn’t killing PPC—it’s transforming it. In 2025, smart marketers are those who adapt without surrendering. By combining machine efficiency with human insight, you can not only survive the automated future—you can thrive in it.
Take control of your data, protect your brand, and continue testing. Automation may run your campaigns, but you still run the strategy.