In the fast-changing world of marketing, it’s tempting to chase the latest trend or shiny object, but true mastery comes from understanding the principles that have stood the test of time. As the saying goes, “To be the best, you must learn from the best.”

By studying the masters and applying their principles, hopefully we too we can build strategies that don’t just follow trends but lead them.

When it comes to the intersection of pay-per-click (PPC) advertising and content marketing, few names are as influential as Larry Kim. As the founder of WordStream and Customers.ai (formerly MobileMonkey), Kim has built a reputation as a creative thinker and data-driven strategist. His expertise spans search engine marketing (SEM), social media advertising, and chatbot automation, making him a go-to resource for marketers looking to maximise ROI while staying ahead of industry trends.

Let’s take a look at Larry Kim’s top 10 marketing tips and see how we can apply them to our own campaigns.

This is quite a long article, so if you want a TL;DR, click here.

1. Aim for Unicorn content, not Donkey content

Larry Kim famously divides content into two categories: unicorns (content that performs exceptionally well) and donkeys (mediocre content that gets lost in the noise). His advice? Focus on creating rare, standout content that generates massive engagement.

How to apply:

• Analyse your best-performing content using tools like Google Analytics or social media insights. Identify what made it successful and replicate those elements.
• Use storytelling, strong visuals, and data-backed insights to craft memorable pieces.
• Distribute your unicorn content widely through paid promotions, email marketing, and partnerships.

2. Embrace chatbots for lead generation

As the founder of Customers.ai, Larry Kim is a strong advocate for using chatbots to engage audiences and collect leads in a conversational, low-pressure manner.

How to apply:

• With AI almost ubiquitous, there are multiple chatbots available for your website, including Larry’s Customer.ai. Other notable chatbots include Tidio, Drift and Intercom.
• Use chatbots to capture leads by offering something valuable, like a free resource or discount, in exchange for an email address.
• Ensure the chatbot experience feels human by keeping the tone friendly and helpful.

3. Use ‘Super Remarketing’ to amplify results

Larry Kim advocates for going beyond traditional remarketing by combining social ads with demographic and behavioural data to create “Super Remarketing.” This approach increases engagement, drives conversions, and makes the most of both organic and paid channels.

How to apply:

• Start with remarketing: Target users who have interacted with your content, such as visiting your website or engaging with your social media.
• Step up with Super Remarketing: Use social media platforms to layer demographic and behavioural data onto your remarketing audiences. For example, create highly tailored ads for people who engaged with a specific post or video.
• Leverage high-engagement content: Promote your best-performing organic content through paid ads to extend its reach. This can include blog posts, videos, or infographics that have already resonated with your audience.
• Optimise for conversions: Adjust your landing pages and calls-to-action to align with the audience segments you’re targeting, ensuring the transition from ad to conversion is seamless.

This approach fits with Larry Kim’s philosophy of making the most of combined organic and paid strategies while focusing on data-driven precision and high-impact engagement. It gives marketers a clear framework for boosting results through advanced targeting and integration.

4. Avoid the ‘7 Things that will keep you from being successful’

Larry Kim emphasises that success is as much about avoiding harmful habits as it is about adopting effective strategies. Here are seven common pitfalls to steer clear of:

• Don’t equate money with success: Focus on providing value and creating impact beyond financial gain.
• Don’t dwell on regrets: Learn from mistakes, but don’t let them paralyse you.
• Don’t envying successful people: Admire and emulate their success rather than letting jealousy creep in.
• Don’t surround yourself with negativity: Avoid negative influences that drain your energy and hinder progress.
• Don’t second-guess yourself: Trust your instincts and experience instead of overthinking every decision.
• Don’t become complacent: Stay curious and hungry to improve, no matter how much success you achieve.
• Don’t talk without taking action: Plans are meaningless without execution. Take clear, decisive steps.

How to apply:

Evaluate your current mindset and behaviours. Identify any of these pitfalls affecting your work or team and take proactive steps to address them. Surround yourself with supportive people, set actionable goals, and focus on progress rather than perfection. Remember, marketing success isn’t just about tactics, it’s about maintaining a productive, forward-thinking approach.

5. Create high-CTR headlines

Larry Kim frequently highlights the importance of improving organic click-through rates (CTR) as a foundational aspect of SEO success. A higher CTR doesn’t just bring more traffic to your site, it can increase rankings, boost conversion rates, and maximise the value of your SEO efforts.

Kim’s research with Brian Dean, former owner of Backlinko has uncovered proven strategies to craft irresistible headlines and optimise your content for maximum clicks.

1. Descriptive URLs: URLs that clearly describe the page content perform 25% better than generic ones. For example, instead of “/page123,” use “/seo-clickthrough-tips.”
2. Avoid boring, keyword-stuffed titles: Headlines overloaded with keywords feel uninspired and fail to engage readers.
3. Use a proven title formula: Kim recommends structuring your titles as follows:
   • The Format: Create anticipation.
   • The Emotional Hook: Tap into curiosity, fear, or excitement.
   • The Content Type: Highlight that it’s a guide, checklist, or another useful resource.
   • Your Subject: State what the content is about. For example, “10 Proven Ways to Double Your Traffic with SEO (and Why Most Marketers Miss Them).”
4. Incorporate emotional triggers: Headlines that evoke curiosity, urgency, or excitement outperform neutral ones. For example, “Why 70% of Marketers Fail at CTR Optimisation (and How You Can Succeed).”
5. Use Numbers and Lists: Numbers grab attention and give readers a clear idea of what they’ll get. For example, “7 Mistakes Killing Your Click-Through Rate.”

How to apply:

• Audit Your Existing Content: Review your top-performing and underperforming pages to identify where headline improvements can make the biggest impact.
• Test Multiple Versions: Use A/B testing on headlines for blog posts, ads, or email subject lines. Experiment with different emotional triggers, formats, and lengths.
• Keep CTR Optimisation Ongoing: Update old content with new headlines and improved meta descriptions to give them a fresh boost in search results.
• Use Tools for Assistance: Platforms like CoSchedule’s Headline Analyzer or Google Ads’ Headline Suggestions can help you fine-tune your titles.

By writing headlines that are clear, engaging, and emotionally compelling, you can significantly increase your CTR, drive more traffic, and improve the overall performance of your content. As Larry Kim emphasises, a well-optimised headline is one of the simplest yet most effective ways to elevate your SEO game.

6. Outsmart your competition with strategic targeting

Larry Kim is a strong advocate for using clever, competitive strategies to gain an edge in advertising. By targeting competitors’ audiences directly, you can disrupt their campaigns and capture the attention of potential customers who are already interested in similar products or services.

How to apply:

• Interest-based targeting: Use platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn to target users who express interest in your competitors’ brands or products.
• Keyword hijacking: Target your competitors’ brand names as keywords in Google Ads or Gmail Ads to reach users searching for them.
• YouTube Ad Placement: Place your ads before or during your competitors’ YouTube videos to capture attention early.
• Twitter strategies: Download lists of your competitors’ Twitter followers and use targeted campaigns to engage with them directly.

7. Focus on Quality Score in Google Ads

Larry Kim often stresses the importance of improving Quality Score to lower your costs per click (CPC) while maintaining ad performance. Here are his top tips:

• Quality Score Is driven by High CTR
  • High click-through rates (CTR) are the most significant factor in achieving high Quality Scores.
• Branded keywords help improve overall Quality Score
  • Branded keywords often have very high CTRs (30-70%), which can lift the overall Quality Score for an account.
  • Allocating 15% of your PPC budget to branded keywords can boost your account’s performance.
• Long-tail keywords are essential
  • In a case study by Kim, long-tail keywords (3+ words) accounted for 82% of the advertiser’s impressions. These specific keywords resulted in higher CTRs and stronger Quality Scores compared to broader terms.
• Negative keywords
  • While Google states that negative keywords don’t directly impact Quality Score, they significantly improve CTR by filtering irrelevant traffic.
• Ad Text optimisation drives engagement
  • Match well-targeted keywords with optimised ad copy
  • Test multiple ad variations to identify and refine high-performing ads.
• PPC best practices
  • Use features like ad extensions, advanced match types, and conversion tracking, which enhance campaign effectiveness.
• Consistent optimisation is key
  • Dedicate time weekly to making improvements, such as adding new keywords, creating ad groups, and adjusting campaigns.
  • Regular, incremental updates help sustain high Quality Scores over time.
• High Quality Scores yield substantial benefits
  • Advertisers can cut their PPC spend by 50% while maintaining the same results.
  • Lower cost-per-click (CPC) and better ad placements can reduce the average cost-per-acquisition (CPA) to well below the industry average.

How to apply:

Achieving a high Quality Score requires a disciplined approach to keyword selection, ad copy optimisation, and regular account management. By focusing on CTR and adopting PPC best practices, you can dramatically reduce costs and improve campaign performance.

• Make high CTRs your priority
• Optimise your ad copy, keywords, and landing pages to align closely with user intent.
• Use negative keywords to filter out irrelevant searches that drive up costs.
• Continuously monitor and refine your campaigns to boost engagement and relevance.

8. Don’t neglect mobile marketing

Kim has long championed the importance of optimising for mobile users, especially as mobile usage continues to dominate online activity.

How to apply:

• Ensure your website and landing pages are mobile-friendly, with fast loading speeds and intuitive navigation.
• Design ads with mobile in mind, using short, punchy copy and clear calls to action.
• Experiment with mobile-specific ad formats, like click-to-call ads or app promotion ads.

9. Turn Facebook fans and email subscribers into Messenger contacts

Larry Kim recommends using Facebook Messenger ads to engage audiences as they’re more effective than traditional email or other Facebook ad objectives.

Using the “messages” objective in Facebook ads allows businesses to drive users directly into Messenger conversations. These campaigns not only foster more personalised interactions but also significantly reduce costs, achieving cost-per-acquisition (CPA) rates up to 95% lower than objectives like traffic or conversions. This makes Messenger ads an incredibly efficient way to build a highly engaged contact list while keeping ad spend low.

How to apply:

• Use Facebook Messenger ads to convert your Facebook Page fans and email subscribers into Messenger contacts.
• Messenger has much higher engagement rates than email, offering 10x better results.
• Messenger ads with a “messages” objective can achieve a CPA 95% lower than traditional objectives like traffic or conversions.

10. Adopt a growth mindset

Larry Kim’s overarching philosophy is to never stop testing, learning, and improving. He believes that marketing success comes from embracing change and adapting to new opportunities.

How to apply:

• Regularly review your campaigns, learn from failures, and iterate. Treat every test as a learning opportunity.
• Stay informed about new tools, trends, and techniques by following industry thought leaders and experimenting with emerging platforms.
• Encourage your team to adopt a similar mindset, fostering a culture of creativity and continuous improvement.

Let’s learn from Larry Kim!

Larry Kim’s approach to marketing blends creativity with data-driven strategies, making his insights invaluable for marketers in today’s competitive digital landscape. From chatbots to high-performing PPC campaigns, his methods offer practical ways to stay ahead of the curve and deliver measurable results.

Which of these tips resonates most with you? Let us know in the comments below!

Stay tuned for more insights in our Marketing Masters series, where we explore the strategies of the industry’s most influential figures.

Other sources

Follow Larry Kim on X (@larrykim), LinkedIn, and Facebook.

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