6 Books To Become World Class at PPC Marketing

Here's the exact list of PPC books I would recommend to anyone who wants to reach a very high standard in paid marketing. 

1) The AI Playbook For PPC Pros

Full disclosure - I wrote this book! 

I spent 12 months signing up to the best paid training courses for PPC, and I also downloaded 20-odd books to my Kindle. On top of that, I'm obsessed with leveraging AI in digital marketing.

So I decided to write a book all about integrating AI into your PPC strategy! I scaled my own marketing agency to $600k/month in revenue, and also built an AI tool for PPC professionals to help real people use AI as a force multiplier in their PPC campaigns. 

The book covers everything from guiding AI through to how you should adjust your PPC skills moving forward in the age of AI.

2) Join or Die - Patrick Gilbert

This book from Patrick Gilbert was originally launched in 2020, but lots of the concepts still hold true today.

These are some of my exact book notes I made whilst reading the book:

Unlike other PPC books that tiptoe around automation, "Join or Die" takes a strong stance: automation isn't just helpful - it's essential for survival in PPC. The author challenges the common misconception that Google's automation tools are designed to increase advertiser costs, arguing instead that well-implemented automation delivers superior results for both advertisers and the platform.

Key takeaways:

• Strategic automation implementation, starting with manual bidding to establish baseline data (30+ conversions per month) before transitioning to smart bidding.
• The concept of "liquidity" in PPC - allowing broader audience parameters and reduced restrictions to give AI systems more data to work with.
• For example, it’s true that Google display network ad clicks might be 90% less valuable than search ads. But if Google’s AI is adjusting our bid to be 95% cheaper then it could still be a very profitable bid to make.
• Gives practical solutions for maintaining lead quality when using automation, including CRM integration and proper conversion tracking configuration.
• Techniques for optimizing Performance Max campaigns through feed management and external factor considerations.
• Insights on how automation has transformed ad delivery, making previously inefficient placements potentially profitable through dynamic bidding.

It's actually really amazing how well this has aged in over 5 years since it was first published, and I think all of the main concepts absolutely still hold true today.

Strongly recommend this book for any PPC professional!

3) Sell Like Crazy - Sabri Suby

This isn't strictly a PPC book, I honestly think this is essential reading for any Google ads marketer. Whilst a lot of books talk about the platform, this book talks about timeless concepts that get people to buy products or services

Sell Like Crazy bridges the gap between traffic generation and conversion, offering a holistic approach to turning clicks into customers.

Key takeaways:

• The High-Ticket Hook, Story, Close methodology for crafting compelling ad messages that drive high-value conversions
• Frameworks for creating irresistible offers that make PPC campaigns significantly more profitable
• The 8-phase selling system that connects paid traffic to conversion through strategic funnel design
• Psychological triggers that can be applied to both ad copy and landing pages to increase conversion rates
• Methods for qualifying prospects through your marketing to improve lead quality

It's perfect for PPC managers who want to move beyond technical execution to understand how their campaigns fit into the broader business growth picture. It's particularly valuable for agency owners and consultants looking to demonstrate greater value to clients.

What makes Suby's approach unique is his focus on high-ticket customer acquisition - using paid traffic to attract premium clients rather than competing on price.

4) $100m Offers - Alex Hermozi

Lots of people hate this guy because he makes YouTube videos shirtless and does admittedly talk a reasonable amount of rubbish.

However, I found this book to be incredibly well researched and practical, with very little fluff.

Hermozi distills the essence of why some offers convert at 1% while others convert at 50% with identical traffic. After building and selling multiple eight-figure businesses, he's identified the patterns that separate lackluster offers from those that print money.

Key takeaways:

• The Grand Slam Offer framework that makes price irrelevant
• Value equation reconfiguration that creates irrational buying decisions
• The counter-intuitive approach to charging more while reducing resistance
• Risk-reversal strategies that transform conversion rates overnight
• Psychological triggers that bypass logical objections entirely

Perfect for: The PPC manager who realizes they're polishing the wrong variables. Traffic quality matters, but often far less than offer quality. 

He doesn't just speculate in this book as well - he shares the exact methodology that built multiple cash-generating businesses. While others obsess over bid adjustments and quality scores, the savvy marketer understands that a great offer sent to mediocre traffic will outperform a mediocre offer sent to great traffic every time.

What fascinates about this book is the mathematical precision applied to what most consider an art. There's a formula to crafting offers that compel action, and once you understand it, advertising becomes less gambling and more engineering. For the PPC professional who wants to stop blaming platforms for campaign failures, this book illuminates the real leverage point: the offer itself.

5) Unlevel the Playing Field by Frederick Vallaeys

As one of Google's first 500 employees and former AdWords Evangelist, Frederik Vallaeys understands the system from the inside. Rather than teaching basic mechanics, he reveals the thinking behind the platform - knowledge that creates structural advantages few advertisers ever discover.

Key takeaways:

• The automation layering methodology that makes algorithms serve your goals rather than Google's
• Decision frameworks that eliminate countless wasted hours of optimization
• Signal amplification techniques that give machine learning the data it actually needs
• The counter-intuitive bid management approach that outperforms conventional wisdom
• Script frameworks that automate what your competitors do manually

Perfect for: The PPC manager who refuses to be just another advertiser playing a zero-sum game.

Vallaeys doesn't peddle incremental improvements, he reveals fundamental asymmetries in how the system works. While others obsess over best practices that everyone follows, he demonstrates why the biggest winners build proprietary systems on top of Google's platform.

6) Ponderings of a PPC Professional

I loved this book because Kirk Williams has run a Google ads agency for years, and he runs a great podcast as well.

In the book he shares reflections that transcend platform changes and algorithm updates. This isn't a manual of tactical instructions that will be obsolete next quarter.

In particular, this book is great for anyone who owns a PPC agency or works inside an agency. 

Key takeaways:

• The philosophical frameworks that guide decision-making when data is incomplete
• Client relationship insights that transform you from vendor to trusted advisor
• The counterintuitive approach to platform changes that positions you ahead of disruption
• Mental models for navigating complexity without becoming overwhelmed
• Perspective shifts that make you unshakable when others panic

Perfect for: The thoughtful PPC manager who understands that how you think matters more than what you know.

It focuses on the timeless. The tactical details of PPC change constantly, but the principles of good judgment, client service, and strategic thinking remain. For the PPC professional who wants to build a sustainable career rather than chasing endless tactical adjustments, these ponderings provide the mental foundation.