Wizard of Ads Online

Wizard of Ads Online Online marketing so transparent, we’re practically naked. We provide digital marketing services to businesses ready to scale. We make the internet work for you.

Not the other way ’round.

09/18/2026

Most owners have never had someone outside their business look at what they're doing online and just tell them the truth.

That's the offer. Go to wizardofadsonline.com and I'll look at your website and the other things you're doing online, and give you 45 minutes of my time. Whether we end up being a good fit or not, you'll leave with something useful.

Thanks to Daniel Tolson for having me on the Leverage podcast.

09/16/2026

I'm often surprised by how little effort goes into measuring digital marketing effectively. If you don't decide what success looks like before you launch Google Ads, you'll never know how to optimize or improve. Ask the tough questions first, then determine the tools and processes you need to track real business outcomes.

09/14/2026

Traffic is becoming less valuable than authority.

People aren't clicking ten blue links anymore. They ask ChatGPT or Claude (or Google) and get an AI summarized answer. So the businesses that win are the ones consistently recognized as the authority in their niche.

SEO isn't dead. It's just changed. Now it's about quality over search volume. Authority over traffic. Trust over tricks.

And AI is a multiplier, not a replacement. It speeds up research and sharpens analysis. It doesn't understand the nuance in your market, your customers, or your operations, and it doesn't make the strategic calls. That still takes a human.

From my conversation with Abi Asija on Honest Wealth Builders.

09/11/2026

Google changed how Target CPA works on August 17. If you didn't touch your targets before then, go look at your account.

Here's the change. Say your Target CPA is $100 and Google was getting you leads at $70. It did that because you told it $100 was acceptable and it could do better. Google called that "over-performing on bidding targets." I call it getting a better deal for our clients.

Now Google says affected campaigns will optimize more consistently toward the target you set. More predictable, in their words. More expensive, if your campaign was beating its target.

This hits campaigns that are limited by budget and use Target CPA or Target ROAS. If that's you, compare your targets against your actual performance from the last few weeks.

Make sure that if Google hits your target that you will be happy with the performance.

If your review bonus program depends on customers naming technicians, it's time to update the system.On April 17, Google...
09/09/2026

If your review bonus program depends on customers naming technicians, it's time to update the system.

On April 17, Google updated its Maps Rating Manipulation Policy. Two additions matter: businesses can't direct employees to collect a set number of reviews, and can't direct customers to include specific content, including employee names.

Gemini now screens reviews before they go live, and unusual phrasing gets flagged automatically. One of the biggest triggers is a customer using a technician's full first and last name. That happens far less often in natural reviews, so Google reads it as possible manipulations.

Here's the distinction that matters. Reviews that organically mention a technician are still allowed. The problem is the request. If your compensation structure only rewards a tech when their name appears, your team is being incentivized to violate the policy.

The fix isn't dropping the incentive. It's changing what the incentive is tied to. Reward technicians for matched reviews instead of named ones. Match each review to the most recent completed job at that address in your service management platform, and credit the assigned tech automatically. No manipulated language. No filtered reviews.

Full breakdown on the blog:
https://www.viwickam.com/google-is-filtering-employee-name-reviews-heres-the-fix/

An electrician in Northern Colorado doesn't need leads from Texas.That was the problem with ChatGPT Ads for local busine...
09/04/2026

An electrician in Northern Colorado doesn't need leads from Texas.

That was the problem with ChatGPT Ads for local businesses; no way to stay local. OpenAI now offers geographic targeting - state, DMA, and ZIP code in the U.S.

Does that mean ChatGPT ads will work for home service businesses? Nobody knows yet. There aren't years of conversion data to compare it against Google or Meta. What we have is another channel worth testing.

"I'm not interested in spending money on ChatGPT Ads just because they're new. I'm interested in finding out if they work."

You can read the full post here:
https://www.viwickam.com/chatgpt-ads-now-offer-geographic-targeting/

If you run Local Services Ads, the dashboard you've been using is going away.Google confirmed LSAs are moving into Googl...
09/01/2026

If you run Local Services Ads, the dashboard you've been using is going away.

Google confirmed LSAs are moving into Google Ads as a new Performance Max campaign type with pay-per-lead goals. The first phase started in August and covers plumbers, electricians, HVAC contractors, roofers, pest control, movers, landscapers, house cleaners and appliance repair.

From a customer's perspective, almost nothing changes. Your ads still show in Search, you still pay only for qualified leads, and Google still uses your service categories and service areas instead of keywords.

From a management perspective, everything changes. Budgets most from weekly to daily averages, some bidding options disappear, and the standalone LSA dashboard is being retired.

Here's a part worth acting on: historical LSA performance reports will not migrate. If you manage your own LSA account, download your reports before your migration date. Google notifies account admins about 14 days ahead.

And expect a bumpy few weeks. Google says performance may take up to two weeks to stabilize after migration, so don't assume something is broken the moment numbers move.

Full post:
https://www.viwickam.com/google-is-officially-moving-local-services-ads-into-google-ads/

08/31/2026

Some of my clients have been with me for 20 years.

Not because of a contract. Because when you focus on taking care of people instead of just making the sale, people stay.

What drives me: making sure small business owners have the opportunity to grow and create jobs.

From the Mindset2Results podcast with Elena Apalkova.

08/28/2026

In the age of AI, genuine human connection is your biggest marketing differentiator. I’m seeing local businesses outsource call centers to AI bots, but that sacrifices the friendly human touch customers crave. Lean into your humanity, treat clients like family, and you’ll outshine the big players that care more about profits than people.

08/26/2026

Your competitors can buy your name. Don’t let them steal your brand value.

When you're a top brand in your market, someone eventually stops bidding on "AC repair" and starts bidding on YOU. If you're not protecting your own name, Google doesn't care. "They just want money."

Broke down how brand campaigns work with Daniel Tolson on Leverage. Is anyone bidding on your name right now? Search it and see.

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