Paid Advertising (PPC & Paid Media)

About Course

Launch price: R1,050 until 30 November 2026. From 1 December 2026 the price is R1,250.

Most small businesses that “tried ads” lost money for the same few reasons: no conversion tracking, the wrong campaign type, no idea what a profitable cost per sale looks like, and creative that looked like an ad. This course fixes all four.

Across 8 modules and 47 practical lessons, you will learn to plan, build, measure and optimise paid campaigns on Google (Search, Demand Gen, YouTube and Performance Max), Meta (Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp), TikTok and LinkedIn, using the platforms as they work in 2026. That means assets instead of extensions, Advantage+ sales campaigns, Smart+ on TikTok and Google’s move from Display to Demand Gen.

Everything is taught in Rand for South African businesses. You will work out break-even ROAS, budget for the 15% VAT that platforms add to ad spend, and check that customer lists have a lawful basis under POPIA, and test your ad claims against the ARB Code. Worked examples follow a Midrand bakery, a Durban clothing store, a Soweto salon and a Cape Town software firm.

Each module ends with a quiz and a portfolio assignment. You will finish with a capstone paid-media plan you can show employers or clients. We also point you to the official platform certifications worth taking next, and say which are free and which are paid exams. Your report dashboards are built in Google’s free Data Studio (formerly Looker Studio). This course does not promise results or jobs: it gives you the skills and the evidence of them.

How this course works

8 modules and 47 written lessons. Every lesson has a worked South African example, common mistakes to avoid and a practical exercise. Each module ends with a quiz, a quiz review and a practical assignment that becomes part of your portfolio, and the course finishes with a capstone project.

Recognised certifications to take next

This course prepares you for these official certifications and courses from the platform providers. They are issued by those providers, not by Digital Marketing Guide. Check the current cost and requirements on each provider’s page.

Google Ads Search Certification (Google Skillshop) – Free
Google Ads Measurement Certification (Google Skillshop) – Free
AI-Powered Performance Ads Certification (Google Skillshop) – Free
Meta Blueprint free courses (e.g. advertising and measurement learning paths) (Meta Blueprint) – Free (courses only, no certification)
Meta Certified Digital Marketing Associate (Meta Blueprint (exam delivered by Pearson VUE)) – Paid, proctored exam (third-party sources list about US$99 in the US in 2026; check the price at registration)
Meta Certified Media Buying Professional (exam 410-101) (Meta Blueprint (exam delivered by Pearson VUE)) – Paid, proctored exam (not free); check the price at registration
LinkedIn Advertising Fundamentals Certification (LinkedIn Marketing Academy (formerly LinkedIn Marketing Labs)) – Free (courses and exam)
TikTok Academy courses (TikTok for Business) – Free (courses only)
TikTok Media Buyer Certification (TikTok (exam via Kryterion Webassessor)) – Paid, proctored exam (fee shown at registration, not on the info page)
How to Incorporate PPC Into Your Marketing Strategy for Increased Conversions (Semrush Academy) – Free (course certificate)
Microsoft Advertising Search certification (Microsoft Advertising Learning Lab) – No fee shown on the official page; confirm when you sign in

Calculate break-even ROAS and CPA and build a VAT-inclusive ad budget in Rand
Set up and verify conversion tracking with the Google tag, Meta Pixel plus Conversions API, TikTok Pixel and LinkedIn Insight Tag
Build Google Search campaigns with tight keywords, compliant responsive search ads, assets and the right bid strategy
Choose between Search, Demand Gen and Performance Max, and use their reports to see where your money goes
Run Meta campaigns with Advantage+ setup, structured creative tests and click-to-WhatsApp or lead campaigns
Plan TikTok and LinkedIn campaigns that fit the business, the deal value and each platform's culture
Build retargeting and customer-list audiences with a lawful basis under POPIA and within platform policies
Optimise weekly, reconcile attribution with real sales, report clearly and scale without losing profit

Course Content

Module 1: Paid Advertising Foundations
How paid media works in 2026, how auctions price your clicks, the maths that decides whether ads make money, and the measurement you must have in place before spending a cent. Includes the South African money realities: Rand billing, 15% VAT on ad spend and card payments.

LESSON 1.1 – The Paid Media Landscape in 2026
LESSON 1.2 – How Ad Auctions Work
LESSON 1.3 – Key Metrics Demystified
LESSON 1.4 – Campaign Structure Best Practices
LESSON 1.5 – Setting KPIs, Budgets and Break-Even Targets (incl. VAT)
LESSON 1.6 – Measurement Foundations: Conversion Tracking, UTMs and Consent
Module 1 Quiz – Paid Advertising Foundations
Module 1 Quiz review – answers explained
Module 1 Assignment – Paid Media Foundations Plan

Module 2: Google Search Ads
Build, write and bid on Google Search campaigns that capture people already looking for what you sell, using current 2026 features: responsive search ads, assets (formerly extensions), Quality Score diagnostics, Smart Bidding and AI Max for Search.

Module 3: Google Demand Gen, Display, YouTube and Performance Max
Google's visual and AI-driven campaigns as they stand in 2026: Demand Gen (which now absorbs Display and replaced Video action campaigns), YouTube video formats, remarketing with your data segments, and Performance Max with its newer reporting and controls.

LESSON 3.1 – From Display to Demand Gen: Google’s Visual Campaigns in 2026
LESSON 3.2 – Image and Video Assets for Demand Gen and Responsive Display
LESSON 3.3 – YouTube Ad Formats and Campaign Choices
LESSON 3.4 – Writing Video Ad Scripts that Work on Mute and on Mobile
LESSON 3.5 – Remarketing and Your Data Segments
LESSON 3.6 – Performance Max: When to Use It and How to Keep Control
Module 3 Quiz – Demand Gen, YouTube and Performance Max
Module 3 Quiz review – answers explained
Module 3 Assignment – Demand Gen and Remarketing Launch Pack

Module 4: Meta Ads (Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp)
Run Meta campaigns the way Meta's 2026 system expects: the six outcome-based objectives, Advantage+ campaign setup (Advantage+ sales, leads and app campaigns), creative-led targeting, the Pixel plus Conversions API, and click-to-WhatsApp and lead campaigns built for South African buyers.

LESSON 4.1 – Campaign Objectives and Advantage+ Campaign Setup
LESSON 4.2 – Audiences in 2026: Advantage+ Audience, Custom and Lookalike
LESSON 4.3 – Ad Formats and Creative that Sells
LESSON 4.4 – Meta Pixel and Conversions API
LESSON 4.5 – Advantage+ Sales Campaigns (Formerly Advantage+ Shopping)
LESSON 4.6 – Lead and Click-to-WhatsApp Campaigns
Module 4 Quiz – Meta Ads
Module 4 Quiz review – answers explained
Module 4 Assignment – Meta Campaign Blueprint

Module 5: TikTok Ads
Advertise on TikTok with native-feeling creative, the right objective, Spark Ads, the TikTok Pixel and Events API, and Smart+ automated campaigns — and know when TikTok fits a South African business and when it does not.

LESSON 5.1 – Is TikTok Right for This Business? Audience and Ads Manager Setup
LESSON 5.2 – Objectives and Campaign Structure
LESSON 5.3 – Creative that Feels Native: Hooks, Formats and Spark Ads
LESSON 5.4 – TikTok Pixel, Events API and Measurement
LESSON 5.5 – Smart+ Campaigns: Automated Performance on TikTok
LESSON 5.6 – Optimising and Scaling TikTok Campaigns
Module 5 Quiz – TikTok Ads
Module 5 Quiz review – answers explained
Module 5 Assignment – TikTok Test Campaign Plan and Creative Pack

Module 6: LinkedIn Ads
Use LinkedIn for B2B and professional audiences: objectives, firmographic targeting, formats, Lead Gen Forms, the Insight Tag and Conversions API, and how to make the platform's higher costs pay off for South African B2B firms.

LESSON 6.1 – When LinkedIn Makes Sense and Campaign Manager Setup
LESSON 6.2 – Objectives and Targeting by Job, Company and Industry
LESSON 6.3 – LinkedIn Ad Formats and B2B Creative
LESSON 6.4 – Lead Gen Forms and Lead Quality
LESSON 6.5 – Insight Tag, Conversions API and Matched Audiences
LESSON 6.6 – Bidding, Budgets and Optimising LinkedIn Campaigns
Module 6 Quiz – LinkedIn Ads
Module 6 Quiz review – answers explained
Module 6 Assignment – LinkedIn B2B Lead Campaign Plan

Module 7: Advanced Targeting, Retargeting and Privacy
Build a full-funnel audience strategy across platforms: first-party data, retargeting sequences, lookalikes, exclusions, frequency control, and the privacy and consent rules (POPIA, the 2026 CPA opt-out registry, platform policies) that South African advertisers must follow.

LESSON 7.1 – Full-Funnel Audience Strategy
LESSON 7.2 – First-Party Data and POPIA-Compliant Customer Lists
LESSON 7.3 – Retargeting Sequences that Do Not Annoy
LESSON 7.4 – Lookalikes, Similar Signals and Audience Expansion
LESSON 7.5 – Exclusions, Frequency and Wasted Spend
LESSON 7.6 – Local and Geo Targeting for South African Businesses
Module 7 Quiz – Targeting, Retargeting and Privacy
Module 7 Quiz review – answers explained
Module 7 Assignment – Cross-Platform Audience and Retargeting Strategy

Module 8: Optimisation, Reporting and Scaling
Turn data into decisions: a weekly optimisation routine, honest testing, attribution across platforms, clear client reports, safe scaling and expanding into new channels such as Microsoft Advertising.

LESSON 8.1 – The Weekly Optimisation Routine
LESSON 8.2 – Testing Properly: Experiments and A/B Tests
LESSON 8.3 – Attribution and Cross-Platform Measurement
LESSON 8.4 – Reporting that Clients and Managers Understand
LESSON 8.5 – Scaling Profitably
LESSON 8.6 – Expanding Channels: Microsoft Advertising and Beyond
Module 8 Quiz – Optimisation, Reporting and Scaling
Module 8 Quiz review – answers explained
Module 8 Assignment – Optimisation and Monthly Report Pack

Capstone Project
Bring the whole course together in one client-ready project.

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About Course

How this course works

Recognised certifications to take next

What Will You Learn?

Course Content

LESSON 1.1 – The Paid Media Landscape in 2026

LESSON 1.2 – How Ad Auctions Work

LESSON 1.3 – Key Metrics Demystified

LESSON 1.4 – Campaign Structure Best Practices

LESSON 1.5 – Setting KPIs, Budgets and Break-Even Targets (incl. VAT)

LESSON 1.6 – Measurement Foundations: Conversion Tracking, UTMs and Consent

Module 1 Quiz – Paid Advertising Foundations

Module 1 Quiz review – answers explained

Module 1 Assignment – Paid Media Foundations Plan

Module 2: Google Search Ads Build, write and bid on Google Search campaigns that capture people already looking for what you sell, using current 2026 features: responsive search ads, assets (formerly extensions), Quality Score diagnostics, Smart Bidding and AI Max for Search.

LESSON 2.1 – Search Campaign Setup and Keyword Strategy

LESSON 2.2 – Writing Responsive Search Ads that Convert (and Comply)

LESSON 2.3 – Assets (Formerly Ad Extensions)

LESSON 2.4 – Quality Score and Ad Rank

LESSON 2.5 – Bidding Strategies in 2026

Module 2 Quiz – Google Search Ads

Module 2 Quiz review – answers explained

Module 2 Assignment – Google Search Campaign Build Sheet

LESSON 3.1 – From Display to Demand Gen: Google’s Visual Campaigns in 2026

LESSON 3.2 – Image and Video Assets for Demand Gen and Responsive Display

LESSON 3.3 – YouTube Ad Formats and Campaign Choices

LESSON 3.4 – Writing Video Ad Scripts that Work on Mute and on Mobile

LESSON 3.5 – Remarketing and Your Data Segments

LESSON 3.6 – Performance Max: When to Use It and How to Keep Control

Module 3 Quiz – Demand Gen, YouTube and Performance Max

Module 3 Quiz review – answers explained

Module 3 Assignment – Demand Gen and Remarketing Launch Pack

LESSON 4.1 – Campaign Objectives and Advantage+ Campaign Setup

LESSON 4.2 – Audiences in 2026: Advantage+ Audience, Custom and Lookalike

LESSON 4.3 – Ad Formats and Creative that Sells

LESSON 4.4 – Meta Pixel and Conversions API

LESSON 4.5 – Advantage+ Sales Campaigns (Formerly Advantage+ Shopping)

LESSON 4.6 – Lead and Click-to-WhatsApp Campaigns

Module 4 Quiz – Meta Ads

Module 4 Quiz review – answers explained

Module 4 Assignment – Meta Campaign Blueprint

Module 5: TikTok Ads Advertise on TikTok with native-feeling creative, the right objective, Spark Ads, the TikTok Pixel and Events API, and Smart+ automated campaigns — and know when TikTok fits a South African business and when it does not.

LESSON 5.1 – Is TikTok Right for This Business? Audience and Ads Manager Setup

LESSON 5.2 – Objectives and Campaign Structure

LESSON 5.3 – Creative that Feels Native: Hooks, Formats and Spark Ads

LESSON 5.4 – TikTok Pixel, Events API and Measurement

LESSON 5.5 – Smart+ Campaigns: Automated Performance on TikTok

LESSON 5.6 – Optimising and Scaling TikTok Campaigns

Module 5 Quiz – TikTok Ads

Module 5 Quiz review – answers explained

Module 5 Assignment – TikTok Test Campaign Plan and Creative Pack

Module 6: LinkedIn Ads Use LinkedIn for B2B and professional audiences: objectives, firmographic targeting, formats, Lead Gen Forms, the Insight Tag and Conversions API, and how to make the platform's higher costs pay off for South African B2B firms.

LESSON 6.1 – When LinkedIn Makes Sense and Campaign Manager Setup

LESSON 6.2 – Objectives and Targeting by Job, Company and Industry

LESSON 6.3 – LinkedIn Ad Formats and B2B Creative

LESSON 6.4 – Lead Gen Forms and Lead Quality

LESSON 6.5 – Insight Tag, Conversions API and Matched Audiences

LESSON 6.6 – Bidding, Budgets and Optimising LinkedIn Campaigns

Module 6 Quiz – LinkedIn Ads

Module 6 Quiz review – answers explained

Module 6 Assignment – LinkedIn B2B Lead Campaign Plan

LESSON 7.1 – Full-Funnel Audience Strategy

LESSON 7.2 – First-Party Data and POPIA-Compliant Customer Lists

LESSON 7.3 – Retargeting Sequences that Do Not Annoy

LESSON 7.4 – Lookalikes, Similar Signals and Audience Expansion

LESSON 7.5 – Exclusions, Frequency and Wasted Spend

LESSON 7.6 – Local and Geo Targeting for South African Businesses

Module 7 Quiz – Targeting, Retargeting and Privacy

Module 7 Quiz review – answers explained

Module 7 Assignment – Cross-Platform Audience and Retargeting Strategy

Module 8: Optimisation, Reporting and Scaling Turn data into decisions: a weekly optimisation routine, honest testing, attribution across platforms, clear client reports, safe scaling and expanding into new channels such as Microsoft Advertising.

LESSON 8.1 – The Weekly Optimisation Routine

LESSON 8.2 – Testing Properly: Experiments and A/B Tests

LESSON 8.3 – Attribution and Cross-Platform Measurement

LESSON 8.4 – Reporting that Clients and Managers Understand

LESSON 8.5 – Scaling Profitably

LESSON 8.6 – Expanding Channels: Microsoft Advertising and Beyond

Module 8 Quiz – Optimisation, Reporting and Scaling

Module 8 Quiz review – answers explained

Module 2: Google Search Ads
Build, write and bid on Google Search campaigns that capture people already looking for what you sell, using current 2026 features: responsive search ads, assets (formerly extensions), Quality Score diagnostics, Smart Bidding and AI Max for Search.

Module 5: TikTok Ads
Advertise on TikTok with native-feeling creative, the right objective, Spark Ads, the TikTok Pixel and Events API, and Smart+ automated campaigns — and know when TikTok fits a South African business and when it does not.

Module 6: LinkedIn Ads
Use LinkedIn for B2B and professional audiences: objectives, firmographic targeting, formats, Lead Gen Forms, the Insight Tag and Conversions API, and how to make the platform's higher costs pay off for South African B2B firms.

Module 8: Optimisation, Reporting and Scaling
Turn data into decisions: a weekly optimisation routine, honest testing, attribution across platforms, clear client reports, safe scaling and expanding into new channels such as Microsoft Advertising.

Capstone Project
Bring the whole course together in one client-ready project.