Not getting the results you used to from your paid search? In this episode of the DMI podcast, host Will Francis speaks with PPC specialist Cathal Melinn about the current state and future of pay-per-click advertising. With rising costs, AI-driven automation, and new campaign types like Demand Gen reshaping advertising, Cathal shares what’s actually delivering results right now, and what marketers should approach with caution.

They explore why PPC is still profitable (but less forgiving than before), how AI Max for Search differs from Performance Max, and why mid-funnel campaigns are becoming essential. Cathal also explains how to structure campaigns strategically, manage budgets effectively, and avoid over-relying on automation.

Cathal’s top 3 tips

1. Separate brand and non-brand campaigns: Run a dedicated brand campaign on exact match to protect your name and control impression share.
2. Start small and structured: Begin with 10–15 carefully chosen exact match keywords and grow strategically.
3. Don’t ignore the mid-funnel: Demand Gen campaigns can feed your search performance and deliver measurable returns faster than traditional top-of-funnel activity.

The Ahead of the Game podcast is brought to you by the Digital Marketing Institute and is available on ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube,  Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠all other podcast platforms. 

And if you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review so others can find us. If you have other feedback or would like to be a guest on the show, email the podcast team! 

Timestamps
3:14 – Why Demand Gen is changing the funnel
12:54 – AI Max vs Performance Max
17:52 – Manual bids vs smart bidding
23:00 – The “learning phase” myth
29:00 – Amazon & Bing: where else to invest
34:05 – Why PR supercharges PPC
38:16 – Metrics that actually matter
40:14 – The biggest PPC mistakes
46:31 – The future: pay-per-conversation?
48:31 – Tools and automation stack
51:10 – Cathal’s starter framework for beginners

Worried about your organisation’s security, or not worried enough?  In this episode of the DMI podcast, host Will Francis speaks with ⁠⁠Rebecca Robinson⁠⁠, cybersecurity expert and founder of ⁠⁠Cybec Consulting⁠⁠. Rebecca breaks down why cybersecurity isn’t just an IT issue, but a business, brand, and marketing issue too.

From phishing and social engineering to ransomware and reputation risk, she explains how modern cyber threats really work, why people shouldn’t always be seen as the “weakest link,” and how marketers can build secure systems without killing creativity. She also shares practical advice on training, password management, and building resilience so organisations can grow safely, even when things go wrong.

Rebecca’s top 3 tips:

1. Take a moment before acting on anything urgent – pause, question it, and ask someone else.
2. Treat system access like currency – only give people the access they genuinely need.
3. Use strong, unique passwords – and a password manager if possible

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The Ahead of the Game podcast is brought to you by the Digital Marketing Institute and is available on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠, ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠all other podcast platforms.

And if you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review so others can find us. If you have other feedback for or would like to be a guest on the show, ⁠email the podcast team⁠!

A new year is here, and 2026 brings a new wave of marketing predictions.

In our most anticipated episode of the year, the 2026 Trends edition of Ahead of the Game, DMI podcast host Will Francis explores the biggest changes, challenges, and opportunities facing marketers in the year ahead.

As expected, AI dominates the conversation, but not in isolation. Across ecommerce, social media, youth marketing, PPC, and content creation, our experts share how marketers can move beyond automation and focus on creativity, trust, and genuine customer value. Will also highlights the growing need for authenticity in an increasingly AI-dominated world, a concept Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri touched on in a recent post.

In this episode, 6 DMI experts explore this year’s trends from across the digital marketing landscape:

Jim Lecinski, Professor of Marketing at Northwestern Kellogg and author of The AI Marketing Canvas, predicts 2026 will see mobile AI become a constant shopping companion, with marketers shifting from AI automation to AI elevation focused on taste, curation, and brand value. He also flags power and infrastructure as emerging constraints on AI growth.

Alison Battisby, founder of Avocado Social, warns of a surge in AI-generated video and “AI slop” that could erode trust, making transparency, human oversight, and authenticity more important than ever. She also highlights the rise of community-first platforms and increased automation in paid social.

Jane McDaid, founder of youth marketing agency Thinkhouse, paints an optimistic picture for independent agencies, and sees creativity becoming the key differentiator as AI removes speed and efficiency advantages. She predicts continued growth in social, creator-led marketing, and PR playing a more central role in an LLM-driven ecosystem.

Cathal Melinn, PPC specialist and regular DMI contributor, explains how AI is simplifying paid search through keywordless campaigns, Performance Max, and built-in AI assistants. While increased competition may drive costs up, he believes 2026 is a strong year for marketers to start experimenting with PPC.

Derek Liddy, ecommerce expert and Head of Marketing at Nesta, forecasts growth in conversational ecommerce, hyper-personalisation, and AI-powered shopping agents. He stresses the importance of first-party data, authentic content, and strong product feeds to stay competitive.

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The Ahead of the Game podcast is brought to you by the Digital Marketing Institute and is available on ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube, Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠all other podcast platforms.

And if you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review so others can find us. If you have other feedback for or would like to be a guest on the show, email the podcast team!