Full-funnel PPC for the AI era: winning before the search begins

In this talk, Cristiano Winckler will highlight the fundamental shift occurring in paid search as AI transforms how customers discover and assess products.

With AI Overviews now reaching 1.5 billion monthly users and causing a 34.5% drop in click-through rates, the traditional search-only PPC approach is swiftly becoming outdated.

Cristiano will unveil “The Intent Engine,” a proprietary four-pillar framework that Somebody Digital has developed through 18 months of testing and refinement.

This framework moves beyond reactive search campaigns to proactive demand generation that influences intent before customers even consider searching.

Attendees will learn how to implement AI-native strategies across four vital areas: Audience Intelligence & Insight, Full-Funnel Creative & Messaging, Omnichannel Activation, and Unified Measurement & Attribution.

Cristiano will demonstrate how to utilise Performance Max for demand creation rather than merely capturing conversions, leverage Connected TV and programmatic display to target high-value audiences, and measure success with AI-era KPIs like Branded Search Lift and Engagement Value Score.

Transcript

1. Speakerdeck.com/cristianow @cristianowinckler Full-funnel PPC for the AI era: winning before the search begins Cristiano Winckler SOMEBODY DIGITAL
2. The Customer Journey Has Evolved. Has Your PPC?
3. AI-Powered Search is rewriting the rules of discovery
7. The Bottom- Funnel Trap Pouring budget into bottom- funnel, but growth stays flat.
8. FROM CAPTURING TO CREATING IT
9. Rethinking PPC 18 Months We Spent
10. The Intent Engine: Your Framework for Proactive Demand Generation An integrated framework to influence intent and drive pipeline. Audience Intelligence & Insight Omnichannel Activation Full-Funnel Creative & Messaging Unified Measurement & Attribution
11. things we learned from Google’s Future of Search Summit 3
12. Ads no longer sit “next to” the answer. They’re being placed inside AI Overviews and AI Mode responses. Without PMax, Shopping, and AI Max Search, you don’t qualify.
13. Keywords aren’t dead, but Google is moving fast toward “keyword-less” targeting. AI Max and Broad Match are now the gateway to demand.
14. Google made it clear: not every ad is eligible to show in AI Overviews. It takes more than bids to qualify. Page quality, structured data, strong creative and UX, plus trust signals get rewarded.
15. Finding Hidden Intent Signals Track intent before the query. Activate in Search and PMax. CRM DATA SUPPORT TICKETS SITE BEHAVIOR PURCHASE HISTORY SOCIAL SIGNALS CHAT LOGS
16. Customer journey data Insight-Driven Ads out Our Prompt Machine Turns Conversations Into Conversions
18. 700+ Lines 45+ Days + 6000+ Words +
19. Unleashing Demand Gen for Full-Funnel Growth Build awareness with high-impact, visual storytelling Drive intent through precise targeting & sequencing Turn interest into action with AI-powered search capture Inspire Video & Creative on YouTube, Discover, Gmail Engage Target Top & Mid-Funnel Audiences Convert Capture with AI-Native Search
20. Surround the User Beyond the Search Bar Then Follow the Money Beyond the Funnel CTV Paid Social Native Search (AI) Your brand in every living room Be the trusted voice Own the scroll Win the moment of intent
21. Building Brand Affinity Before the Query $27B programmatic CTV ad spend projected for 2025 75% of all CTV ad transactions bought programmatically Use contextual, behavioral, and predictive targeting to introduce your brand pre-intent. eMarketer, Jan 2025 IAB Tech Lab, Oct 2024
22. Measuring What Matters: From Clicks to Pipeline Traditional KPIs Impressions Clicks CTR CPA Last-Click Conversions AI-Era KPIs Branded Search Lift Attention Metrics Assisted Conversions (Upper-Funnel) Marketing-Attributed Revenue CLTV & Pipeline Contribution Still Important Now Essential Combine into an Engagement Value Score for total revenue impact.
23. 1 2 4 The Roadmap: Implementing the Intent Engine Long-Term Investments Advanced attribution CLTV modelling Strategic Shifts Integrate CTV and Native Align SEO/content for AI-era eligibility Quick Wins PMax asset optimization Enable AI Max feature 3 Optimization Loops AI-driven audience refresh Creative iteration + journey sequencing AI Search Advantage Reached
24. Adapt or Be Left Behind. Win Before The Search Begins
25. Thank You. Cristiano Winckler Speakerdeck.com/cristianow @cristianowinckler Scan here to access frameworks and resources