Most PPC talks focus on what happens inside ad platforms.
But what if the biggest performance gains actually come from everything outside them?

That’s exactly what Tom Cox will be unpacking in his upcoming talk at Hero Conf UK on 1st May.

The problem with most PPC conversations

Paid media is one of the most powerful tools in a marketer’s arsenal. But if you’ve spent any time at industry events, you’ll know the conversation tends to stay in a very familiar place:

Platform tactics, optimisation levers, and automation and tooling.

All important, of course. But they only tell part of the story.

Because while we’re busy tweaking bids, testing audiences and chasing marginal gains inside ad platforms… we’re often overlooking the bigger picture.

A different approach to better performance

Tom’s talk challenges that mindset.

With over a decade of experience working across client services and paid media, supporting brands like Legal & General Affordable Homes, Bennetts Motorcycle Insurance, Tyrrells, and Dunlop Sport, he’s seen first-hand where real performance gains come from.

And spoiler: it’s not another bidding strategy.

Instead, this session focuses on something refreshingly simple: No complex frameworks, no expensive tools, and no jargon.

Just practical, repeatable ways to uncover better insights using tools and data that are already available to you.

Your competitors are already doing the hard work

One of the core ideas behind the talk is this:

You don’t need to start from scratch.

Your competitors are constantly testing their messaging, offers, and creative.

And they’re leaving a trail of valuable signals behind.

By paying attention to what keeps showing up (what messaging is repeated, how brands position themselves, which angles they lead with) you can start to identify patterns.

Patterns = insight.

The internet is your biggest focus group

Another area Tom will explore is how marketers can tap into real customer language and sentiment.

Platforms like Reddit are often overlooked in paid media strategy – but they shouldn’t be.

This is where people talk about their problems in their own words.

And that’s exactly the kind of insight that leads to more effective ad messaging.

The biggest missed opportunity in PPC

There’s one area, however, that’s often ignored entirely.

What happens after the click.

You can have the best-performing ad in the world, but if the user journey is confusing, full of friction, or simply doesn’t deliver on the promise, performance will suffer.

That’s why Tom is a big advocate for tools like Microsoft Clarity, which provide visibility into how real users interact with your site.

It’s not about guessing, it’s about seeing what’s actually happening.

A more complete view of performance

At its core, this talk will be about broadening the way we think about paid media.

Not just ‘how do we optimise our ads?’ but ‘how do we better understand people?’

Because the strongest campaigns aren’t built solely inside platforms, they’re built on insights gathered from the world around them.

Want the full breakdown?

This is just a preview.

If you want to see exactly how to apply these ideas, along with the tools, frameworks and real-world examples, make sure you’re in the room for Tom’s session at Hero Conf UK.

You won’t look at PPC the same way again.