Understanding the CX Impact on Digital Campaign Success: Why PPC Agencies Need to Know CX

Feeling the weight: The challenge of integrating CX into a PPC agency, like pushing a boulder uphill against resistance and misunderstandings.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from my time at a PPC agency, it’s that integrating Customer Experience (CX) into paid media management isn’t as straightforward as it should be. While the theory behind it makes sense—aligning customer interactions to create seamless, meaningful campaigns—putting it into practice can feel like pushing a boulder uphill when the internal structure and mindset aren’t set up for it.

Let’s be honest: PPC teams are often masters of their small domain. They live and breathe keyword research, media buying, and optimizing for conversions, and that’s great—until you try to bring CX into the equation.

Based on my experience, PPC teams are not always receptive to CX research or strategy, especially if it goes against their established practices. But if agencies want to drive real success for their clients, it’s time to shift this mindset and embrace CX as a crucial part of digital campaign effectiveness.

The Problem: Over-Specialization in PPC Teams

The PPC teams I’ve worked with were laser-focused on their immediate metrics—click-through rates, cost-per-click, and conversions. While these are important, they’re only part of the story. When I tried to introduce CX research that highlighted friction points in the customer journey or proposed strategies that went beyond the traditional PPC playbook, I often hit a wall.

Teams were unwilling to accept anything that didn’t align with their ideas or metrics, even when the data clearly showed there were opportunities for improvement. This narrow focus not only limited the effectiveness of our campaigns but also created silos that prevented meaningful CX integration.

For PPC agencies to fully leverage CX, teams need to be open to insights beyond their immediate KPIs and see the bigger picture of how their work impacts the entire customer journey.

Sales Teams Need to Set CX Expectations with Clients

Another major hurdle I faced was the disconnect between the sales team’s promises and what was actually required for effective CX integration. Many of the salespeople I worked with had little understanding of CX or how it needed to be integrated into our PPC workflow. As a result, they didn’t set the right expectations with clients about what my role entailed, what information I needed from them, or how much time it would take to incorporate CX insights into the campaign.

I often found myself thrown into client relationships where neither the client nor my internal team knew what I was supposed to be doing or why I was involved. This lack of clarity not only created confusion but also delayed progress.

If PPC agencies want to make CX a core part of their offering, they need to invest in educating their sales teams. Salespeople should understand what CX entails, how it integrates into PPC, and how to clearly communicate its value and requirements to clients.

When everyone is on the same page from the start, campaigns run more smoothly, and clients see the full value of CX-driven efforts.

PPC Data Teams Need a Crash Course in CX Metrics

The data teams at my agency were fantastic at optimizing for traditional PPC metrics, but when it came to CX measurements, they were out of their depth. They didn’t know what metrics like Customer Satisfaction (CSAT), Net Promoter Score (NPS), or Customer Effort Score (CES) were, much less how to collect and analyze them. This lack of knowledge made it incredibly difficult for me to gather the data needed to inform and optimize our campaigns based on CX insights.

For example, when I asked for customer feedback data or analytics on post-click behavior beyond the conversion point, I often push back and confusion. Without a data team that understands CX metrics, it’s impossible to measure the true impact of campaigns on the overall customer experience.

PPC agencies need to train their data teams on the importance of these metrics and how they can complement traditional PPC data to provide a holistic view of campaign success.

How to Integrate CX Effectively in PPC Campaigns

If PPC agencies want to elevate their campaigns with CX, they need to take a more holistic approach and bridge these gaps. Here’s how to get started:

1. Foster Collaboration Between CX and PPC Teams: The first step is breaking down the silos. PPC teams need to see CX research not as a threat to their expertise but as a tool that can enhance their work. Encourage collaboration between CX and PPC teams so that insights are shared and integrated seamlessly into campaigns.
   

2. Educate Sales Teams on CX Integration: Make CX training part of your sales team’s onboarding process. They should understand the basics of CX, how it fits into paid media strategies, and what it requires in terms of time and resources. This will help them set clear client expectations and pave the way for smoother client relationships where everyone understands the value of CX.
   

3. Train Data Teams on CX Metrics: PPC data teams must expand their knowledge beyond CPC and CTR. Train them on how to collect and analyze CX metrics like NPS, CSAT, and CES. This way, they can provide the data needed to understand how campaigns are impacting customer perception and behavior beyond immediate conversions.
   

4. Develop CX-Centric Dashboards: Create dashboards that integrate traditional PPC metrics with CX measurements. This gives a comprehensive view of campaign performance, showing how PPC strategies influence customer satisfaction, loyalty, and overall experience. Clients can then see the true impact of their investment, beyond just clicks and conversions.
   

5. Test and Optimize Campaigns Using CX Data: With CX metrics and insights integrated, start testing and optimizing campaigns based on customer feedback. If customers are dropping off after clicking an ad due to landing page friction, use that data to adjust and improve the experience. A/B testing based on CX insights allows for targeted improvements that drive both short-term performance and long-term customer loyalty.

CX is Essential for PPC Campaign Success

PPC campaigns are more than just clicks, bids, and conversions; they’re about creating valuable interactions that foster long-term relationships. My experience has shown that without proper CX integration, agencies risk focusing too narrowly on their immediate metrics and missing the bigger picture. By educating sales teams, training data teams, and fostering collaboration, PPC agencies can elevate their campaigns and provide clients with a truly holistic approach that drives both short-term wins and long-term success.

If you’re ready to start integrating CX into your PPC services and want to avoid the pitfalls I’ve experienced, I offer a free 15-minute CX consultation. We’ll explore how to incorporate CX seamlessly into your paid media strategies, ensuring your campaigns create both impact and loyalty. Let’s take your PPC campaigns to the next level with CX.