Topic hub

# Paid search and PPC: Alex Melen’s talks, data and guides

Alex Melen speaks on where paid search is going and what to change now: bidding on conversion value instead of clicks, feed-based formats such as vehicle listing ads and Performance Max, Microsoft Advertising as a cheaper second engine, and the new placements inside ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews and Copilot. His sessions use numbers from the accounts SmartSites manages, including a year of Microsoft-versus-Google click costs across 73 advertisers and SmartSites’ own ChatGPT Ads spend.

[Book Alex on this topic](https://www.alexmelen.com/contact/)[Signature talks](https://www.alexmelen.com/speaking/#topics)

In a session Paid search

## What a paid search session covers

The four bidding eras and why value-based bidding wins, every ad asset worth switching on, custom audiences from your own customer list, vehicle listing ads and Performance Max, Microsoft Advertising, and how to test ads inside AI answers without losing sight of cost per lead.

**For:** Paid media leaders, marketing directors, dealer principals and GMs, agency teams **Format:** Keynote · Breakout · Workshop · Webinar

Watch Video: [How to Plan and Manage a Pay Per Click Campaign in 2024 @ DealersEdge Paramus, NJ · Feb 29, 2024](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSJZ1pZIYdg)

Video: [Advertising Inside the Answer: Preparing for ChatGPT Ads and the AI Search Ad Economy @ Technology for Marketing / eCommerce Expo London 2026 London, UK · Sep 23, 2026](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjQWBx4Q5g8)

Video: [Increase your leads with these website & search marketing optimizations @ NIADA 2023 Las Vegas, NV · Jun 21, 2023](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xsymZg9JIE)

Key facts
- SmartSites won Rising Partner of the Year at the 2026 Microsoft Advertising Partner Awards (North America); Alex was a finalist for Trailblazer of the Year
- Across 73 advertisers that ran search on both platforms for a year, Microsoft search clicks cost 47% less than Google’s ($1.54 vs $2.93)
- SmartSites’ own ChatGPT Ads account, June–November 2026: $50.15 CPM and $7.64 per click
- Part 2 of Automotive Search Marketing (2nd ed.) is six chapters on PPC: bidding, ad assets, custom audiences, vehicle listing ads and going beyond Google
- Presented paid search sessions at NADA, NIADA, Digital Dealer, DealersEdge, AutosBuzz and Technology for Marketing

Other topics
- [AI Search & Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)](https://www.alexmelen.com/topics/ai-search-geo/)
- [ChatGPT Ads & Advertising Inside AI Answers](https://www.alexmelen.com/topics/chatgpt-ads/)
- [Automotive Dealer Marketing: SEO, PPC, VLAs & AI Search](https://www.alexmelen.com/topics/automotive/)
- [Scaling an Agency & Using Generative AI to Run It](https://www.alexmelen.com/topics/agency-scaling/)
- [SEO: Ranking Factors, Content, Links & Local Search](https://www.alexmelen.com/topics/seo/)

Read

## Articles, guides and chapters.

[Article · Oct 28, 2026 Microsoft Search Clicks Cost About Half as Much as Google’s Every SmartSites client that ran search on both Microsoft and Google for a year: Microsoft was cheaper for 64 of 73 advertisers.](https://www.alexmelen.com/insights/microsoft-ads-vs-google-ads-cpc/)[Article · Nov 11, 2026 How Much Do ChatGPT Ads Cost? What SmartSites paid in its own ChatGPT Ads account: a $50 CPM and $7.64 a click, plus minimums and billing.](https://www.alexmelen.com/insights/chatgpt-ads-cost/)[Guide · Nov 11, 2026 Car Dealer Search Engine Marketing: The Working Guide Value-based bidding ratios, Ad Rank, vehicle listing ads and the SEO plan in hours, condensed from the book.](https://www.alexmelen.com/insights/car-dealer-search-engine-marketing/)[Article · Oct 27, 2026 Car Dealers Are Overpaying for Search Clicks Across 11 dealerships, the same kind of click cost 46% less on Microsoft than on Google.](https://www.alexmelen.com/insights/microsoft-ads-car-dealers/)[Explainer How do ChatGPT ads work? How the placements are bought, targeted and measured.](https://www.alexmelen.com/insights/how-chatgpt-ads-work/)[Article · Oct 16, 2026 The Question Every Dealer Asks Me About Connected TV](https://www.alexmelen.com/insights/connected-tv-car-dealers/)[Free chapter 14 ChatGPT Ads and Advertising Inside AI Answers: What Dealers Need to Know](https://www.alexmelen.com/book/chapters/chatgpt-ads-and-ai-search-advertising/)[Article · Dealer Magazine, 2022 A Deep Dive into Vehicle Listing Ads](https://www.alexmelen.com/a-deep-dive-into-vehicle-listing-ads/)

Talks and interviews

## 15 sessions on this topic.

[All engagements](https://www.alexmelen.com/speaking/#archive)

- Sep 23, 2026

[Advertising Inside the Answer: Preparing for ChatGPT Ads and the AI Search Ad Economy @ Technology for Marketing / eCommerce Expo London 2026](https://www.alexmelen.com/speaking-engagements/advertising-inside-the-answer-chatgpt-ads-ai-search-ad-economy-technology-for-marketing-2026/) Summary

London, UK
- Jun 25, 2026

[How Data and AI Are Shaping PPC and SEO](https://www.alexmelen.com/speaking-engagements/how-data-and-ai-are-shaping-ppc-and-seo/) Podcast Summary

Paramus, NJ
- May 20, 2026

[Turning Next-Gen Ad Formats into Marketplace Advantage @ AutosBuzz 2026](https://www.alexmelen.com/speaking-engagements/turning-next-gen-ad-formats-into-marketplace-advantage-autosbuzz-2026/)

Sitges, Spain
- Feb 18, 2026

[How Automotive Brands Can Stop Junk Leads & Increase Real Buyers](https://www.alexmelen.com/speaking-engagements/how-automotive-brands-can-stop-junk-leads-increase-real-buyers-alex-melen/) Podcast Summary

Paramus, NJ
- Jun 25, 2025

[Automotive Dealership AI, SEO & PPC @ NIADA 2025](https://www.alexmelen.com/speaking-engagements/automotive-dealership-ai-seo-ppc-alex-melen-niada-2025/) Summary

Las Vegas, NV
- Feb 29, 2024

[How to Plan and Manage a Pay Per Click Campaign in 2024 @ DealersEdge](https://www.alexmelen.com/speaking-engagements/how-to-plan-and-manage-a-pay-per-click-campaign-in-2024-alex-melen-dealersedge/) Summary

Paramus, NJ
- Jun 21, 2023

[Increase your leads with these website & search marketing optimizations @ NIADA 2023](https://www.alexmelen.com/speaking-engagements/increase-your-leads-with-these-website-search-marketing-optimizations-alex-melen-niada-2023/) Summary

Las Vegas, NV
- Nov 10, 2022

[How to Get Started with Vehicle Listing Ads @ NIADA BHPH Super Forum 2022](https://www.alexmelen.com/speaking-engagements/how-to-get-started-with-vehicle-listing-ads-alex-melen-niada-bhph-super-forum-2022/) Video

Austin, TX
- Oct 11, 2022

[A Deep Dive into Vehicle Listing Ads @ Digital Dealer Las Vegas 2022](https://www.alexmelen.com/speaking-engagements/a-deep-dive-into-vehicle-listing-ads-alex-melen/) Video

Las Vegas, NV
- Oct 10, 2022

[A Deep Dive into Vehicle Listing Ads @ Driving Sales Executive Summit 2022](https://www.alexmelen.com/speaking-engagements/a-deep-dive-into-vehicle-listing-ads-alex-melen-driving-sales-executive-summit-2022/) Video

Las Vegas, NV
- Jun 23, 2022

[Google Ad Tricks Your Competitors Are Using to Succeed @ NIADA 2022](https://www.alexmelen.com/speaking-engagements/google-ad-tricks-your-competitors-are-using-to-succeed-alex-melen/) Video

Las Vegas, NV
- Oct 14, 2021

[Advanced SEM Implementations for Driving Digital Success @ DigitalDealer](https://www.alexmelen.com/speaking-engagements/advanced-sem-implementations-for-driving-digital-success/) Video

Las Vegas, NV
- Feb 23, 2021

[NADA 2021: Trends in paid search from successful businesses outside of automotive @NADA](https://www.alexmelen.com/speaking-engagements/nada-2021-trends-in-paid-search-from-successful-businesses-outside-of-automotive/)

Sandy, UT
- Oct 17, 2019

[PPC Industry @Bill Hartzer’s Podcast](https://www.alexmelen.com/speaking-engagements/bill-hartzers-podcast-alex-melen-smartsites-ppc-industry/) Podcast Video

Paramus, NJ
- Apr 11, 2019

[Combining SEO with PPC to Drive Maximum Results @DigitalDealer](https://www.alexmelen.com/speaking-engagements/combining-seo-with-ppc-to-drive-maximum-results/) Video

Orlando, FL

Questions

## Frequently asked

**Does Alex Melen speak on paid search and PPC?**

Yes. His paid search sessions cover value-based bidding, ad assets, custom audiences, vehicle listing ads and Performance Max, Microsoft Advertising, and advertising inside AI answers such as ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews. He has presented them at NADA, NIADA, Digital Dealer, DealersEdge, AutosBuzz and Technology for Marketing.

**What is new in his paid search material?**

The 2026 sessions add first-party numbers: a year of Microsoft-versus-Google click costs across 73 advertisers, SmartSites’ own ChatGPT Ads account costs, and how ads in Google AI Overviews, AI Mode and Copilot are served from campaigns advertisers already run.

**Is the paid search talk only for car dealers?**

No. The automotive version uses dealership examples such as vehicle listing ads and store-visit bidding. The general version uses e-commerce and lead-generation accounts, since SmartSites manages paid search in every industry.

## Want this topic in your program?

Alex builds every session for the room. Send the event, audience and dates and he will come back with a proposed talk.

[Check availability](https://www.alexmelen.com/contact/)
[Speaker kit](https://www.alexmelen.com/speaking/#kit)

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Source: https://www.alexmelen.com/topics/paid-search-ppc/ · Markdown version of this page for AI agents and LLMs. Site guide: https://www.alexmelen.com/llms.txt