SmarTech

08/18/2026

After managing Google Ads for almost twenty years, I didn't expect a single settings label to shock me. But here we are.
We ran a deep dive audit with our Google rep on one of our accounts, and found that a conversion action tracking new sales was sitting in the wrong category. Not broken. Not missing. Just mislabeled. And that one label was quietly limiting how the algorithm treated it.
The full story is in the video. If you run your own Google Ads account, it's worth checking your conversion actions today. This is the kind of thing that's easy to overlook and easy to fix once you know where to look.

08/12/2026

🚨 IMPORTANT GOOGLE ADS UPDATE EFFECTIVE MONDAY, AUGUST 17
!If you have campaigns flagged as "Limited by budget" that use Target CPA or Target ROAS, Google is making a major change to how Smart Bidding operates.📉 What was happening: When capped by budget, Google used to bid conservatively, often delivering conversions far below your target CPA.📈

What happens starting Monday: Google will treat your target as a strict performance goal. If your target is set to $200 but you’ve been getting leads at $121, Google will start bidding more aggressively to reach that $200 target—potentially spiking your CPA by 65%!🛠 3-Step Fix Before Monday: Check your notifications for Google’s Bid Target Adjustment Tool.

Adjust target CPAs down to match your actual 30-day average ($121 instead of $200). Alternatively, switch budget-constrained campaigns to Maximize Conversions or increase daily budgets to clear the restriction.💡 Don't leave over-performing campaigns on autopilot this weekend! Read full details on the official Google Ads Help Center.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJBwqY4Qr_A

05/14/2026

6 Critical E-Commerce Mistakes You're Making in 2026

6 ecommerce mistakes we’re still seeing brands make in 2026 👇
After auditing campaigns and working with brands across multiple verticals this year, these are the patterns showing up consistently — and they’re costing real revenue.
1️⃣ Missing leads in your Facebook lead center — Shopify promos auto-populate as extensions without UTM parameters. Attribution gaps you don’t know exist.
2️⃣ Underutilizing UGC — consumers trust third parties more than your brand. If you’re not building a UGC strategy, your conversion rate is suffering.
3️⃣ Neglecting founder-led content — in an era of AI-generated products and dropshipped goods, authentic brand stories are converting. Lean into them.
4️⃣ Assuming repeat purchases happen automatically — if a customer hasn’t bought in 6-8 months, they’ve moved on. Re-engagement is revenue recovery.
5️⃣ Only optimizing for the first sale — AOV and lifetime value should be driving your acquisition math, not just initial ROAS.
6️⃣ Relying on incomplete attribution — fragmented funnel data leads to bad budget decisions. Audit your measurement before you scale.
These aren’t theories. These are patterns we’re fixing for clients right now.
Want to know where your brand stands? Drop a comment or send us a message. 📩

#2026

03/06/2026

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rewriting the playbook of so much of our lives — how we interact, how we learn, how we complete daily tasks, and sometimes even what we eat for dinner. So, of course, AI and the future of SEO are no different.

Discover how AI is reshaping SEO and where AI-powered search stands. Plus, learn how to adapt your marketing strategies in this expert interview.

03/04/2026

Over the past year, I‘ve had hundreds of conversations with business leaders about AI. The pattern is always the same. They’re not short on tools or ambition. They're struggling with where to get started and how to get value.

Learn practical AI strategies for marketing, sales, and service teams to drive real results and enhance productivity.

03/02/2026

VRC Non-Skip ads are now generally available globally in Google Ads and Display & Video 360.

03/02/2026

Marketing is set for its most transformative year in decades, according to major AI predictions for 2026. Currently, marketers struggle with fragmented customer journeys, declining attention spans, rising acquisition costs, and failed campaigns. Using AI in marketing will redefine how brands connect with consumers by using real-time data processing and predictive analytics.

Get the top AI predictions in marketing for 2026 and beyond from our latest State of Marketing report.

03/02/2026

“What’s better: Claude or ChatGPT?” is the mind-boggling question every marketer is asking right now. As AI tools become essential to content workflows, understanding the differences between Claude and ChatGPT for marketing can mean the difference between a streamlined operation and a frustrating bottleneck.

Is Claude better than ChatGPT? It depends on the task. Get pricing, integrations, and use cases to choose the right LLM.

03/01/2026

What should you prioritize for SEO in 2026? Chima Mmeje offers six tips for staying on top of SEO in 2026, including how to optimize for agentic AI, build entity clusters, and track LLM metrics to stay ahead.

02/27/2026

Most brands are still guessing who their audience is.
Geofencing lets you know.

From pulling customers away from places like Five Guys and Whole Foods Market, to building high-intent audiences at events like the Super Bowl and major conventions—location data changes the game.

Lower opportunity cost.
Higher ROAS.
Smarter targeting.

Don’t sleep on geofencing. The brands that understand where their audience goes will always win.

👇 Questions? Drop them in the comments.