I am a Pay Per Click Marketing and Web Analytics Professional with over 20 years of experience in the online world. I founded Positive Sparks Marketing Ltd, a commission based PPC agency that works with e-commerce brands across the world to generate more sales and optimise their conversion rates. 

My passion is to help businesses grow and scale online via a share of the revenue generated by our PPC campaigns, rather than ongoing fixed fees. I also a past host of the Digital Sparks podcast, where I previously interviewed established voices in web marketing, online productivity, and digital entrepreneurship. I have multiple publications on remote working and digital nomadism and am always looking for new challenges and opportunities to collaborate with like-minded professionals and clients.

Phil Byrne

2026 will expose every weak system you have.

Google Ads is changing faster than your strategy.

That’s why I’ve documented the 24 frameworks we use inside Positive Sparks to keep Google Ads accounts stable, scalable, and profitable for e-commerce brands.

Inside the PDF you’ll get the systems that actually shift performance:
✔ Search Term Efficiency Models to uncover hidden waste
✔ Keyword Architecture Grids that eliminate chaos instantly
✔ Quality of Spend Indexes to detect margin leaks
✔ PMax Visibility Frameworks showing what’s really driving conversions
✔ Predictive ROI Models to scale without guesswork
✔ Automation Health Checks to stop Smart Bidding drift

Want the PDF version?

Comment “Ads” and I’ll DM it to you.

Commission Based PPC Advertising Pro. Digital Entrepreneur. Founder of Positive Sparks, Digification & The Digital Sparks Podcast

Most Shopify brands scale Google Ads the hard way.

This checklist shows you how to scale the profitable way.

I’ve pulled together my full Shopify PPC Profit Checklist for 2026 - the exact checks we use inside Positive Sparks to take brands from unstable performance to predictable, profit-first scaling.

Inside the checklist you’ll find:
✔ Market & Keyword Mapping that finds buying intent fast
✔ Listing & Offer Checks that increase conversion rate immediately
✔ Trust & Quality Score Builders that lower CPCs
✔ Rank Signal Boosters that lift your Google visibility
✔ Structure & Control Systems that remove chaos
✔ Measurement Rules that focus on profit, not vanity metrics
✔ Risk & Resilience Protocols that keep your account future-proof

It’s simple, practical, and built for Shopify brands that want stable, scalable acquisition - not just nice dashboards.

If you want the full high-res checklist, comment “CHECKLIST” and I’ll send it over.

Follow Phil Byrne for profit-first Google Ads systems.

Most e-commerce operators have a dangerous obsession with ROAS.

We want every pound to be perfectly trackable.

The danger is that we end up optimising for whatever’s easiest to measure.

Google Ads ROAS = easy to measure
Real profit drivers = hard to measure

That’s why most Shopify brands overspend on cold ads and underspend on the foundations that actually scale revenue.

The brands we scale past £100k/month?

They invest heavily in the “hard-to-measure” layers: customer experience, product margin, retention flows, landing page clarity, creative testing…

Tens of thousands poured into things their dashboard can’t neatly attribute.

Do you think they can accurately track the ROI of every landing page tweak, every CRO test, every retention loop? Nope.

But you can bet your life those are the levers that compound their profit.

Think about it: where would any successful e-commerce brand be if they relied solely on Google Ads ROAS screenshots?

Just because it shows up in your reports doesn’t mean it drives growth.

And just because it’s hard to measure doesn’t mean it’s not the thing keeping your business alive.

Microsoft Ads PMax finally lets you target NEW customers only.

That’s a big deal if you’re running an ecom brand where margins actually matter.

Here’s the thing: PMax has been great at finding conversions… but it’s also been brilliant at hoovering up existing customers you’d have got anyway (brand search, email traffic, repeat buyers).

Now you can:
1) bid up for new customers, or
2) go new-customer ONLY (open beta for purchase goals)

Why I’m arsed about this:
- Less cannibalisation = less wasted spend
- Cleaner reporting = you can actually see incrementality
- Better scaling = you’re buying growth, not recycling revenue

If you’re on Microsoft Ads and you’ve got PMax running, this is one of the first “proper control” updates I’ve seen in a while.

Phil : Positive Sparks

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Meta and Google auctions are getting more expensive by the month.

For a lot of e-commerce brands, that’s not “a bit tougher” : it’s margins getting pinched until the numbers stop working.

That’s why we’ve been shifting more budget into Microsoft Ads lately. Not because it’s a secret hack. Because fewer advertisers are fighting over the same clicks.

What we’re seeing in the account data:
- Lower competition: cheaper CPCs and cleaner testing.
- High-value intent: Bing’s desktop-heavy traffic often brings higher AOV.
- Automation that’s caught up: Shopping and PMax-style options are now genuinely usable at a pro level.
- LinkedIn integration: layering professional data into targeting is a proper advantage.

Our usual approach:
Move 10–15% of search spend over, import a proven Google structure, then optimise to net profit (not vanity ROAS).

If you’ve hit a ceiling on the big platforms, Microsoft is often the gap.

DM me if you want our Microsoft Ads launch checklist.

Phil | Positive Sparks

Merchant Center promos are one of the easiest wins in e-comm… and most brands never switch them on.

If you’re running Shopping / Performance Max and your offer’s only living on the landing page, you’re making customers work too hard.

What promos do (when set up properly):
1) Put your offer right in the ad (promo badge on Shopping)
2) Improve CTR + CVR without just cranking bids
3) Pre-qualify clicks (fewer tyre-kickers, better conversion rate)
4) Give PMax something stronger to lean into

Promos that tend to work best:
- Money off (£10 off £50)
- % off (when AOV supports it)
- Free gift (brilliant for health brands)
- Free shipping (still underrated)

Quick rule: whatever the badge says, the landing page must match. Google’s not forgiving on that.

If you want, DM me and I’ll tell you the 3 promo types we usually test first based on your AOV + margin.

Phil

Consent Mode v2 isn’t just a legal checkbox. If it’s not set up properly, it quietly trashes the conversion signals your Google Ads account learns from.

What that looks like in the wild:
- Conversions “drop” overnight (they haven’t… you’ve just stopped seeing them)
- Remarketing lists shrink or stall (especially UK/EEA traffic)
- Smart Bidding starts making confident decisions on half the story

The fix isn’t magic : it’s plumbing:
1) Use Advanced Consent Mode (so Google can model with cookieless pings)
2) Turn on Enhanced Conversions (send stronger first-party signals)
3) Validate GTM consent states actually change after the banner choice

If you’re scaling spend but your tracking’s half-blind, you’re basically letting the algorithm drive in fog.

If you want, DM me “CONSENT” and I’ll tell you the 3 checks we run to spot broken Consent Mode setups in under 10 minutes.

Phil | Positive Sparks

Google finally opened the Performance Max black box – and most e-commerce brands don’t realize what’s changed.

Here’s the thing:
1️⃣ Transparency updates now show exactly which assets are driving actual conversions. No more guessing, no more blind optimization.
2️⃣ You can see real audience signals, so you know who clicks, buys, and comes back. Finally: actionable data, not just “algorithmic magic.”
3️⃣ Most advertisers are still running PMax as ‘set-and-forget.’ If you’re not using the transparency to reallocate budget and sharpen creative, you’re basically leaving profit on the table.

The brands that win in 2026? The ones who treat PMax like a living asset, not a lottery ticket.

Which part of PMax do you wish was less of a black box? Drop your thoughts below.

- Phil Byrne, Founder at Positive Sparks

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Attribution Apps

For anyone seeking some guidance within the complex world of attribution, feel free to send me a DM, or reply here, and I'll share with you the best 3rd party attribution apps we have found the most success with. 

TruC

There are a number of visitor behaviour and engagement apps out there that can help you literally watch your customers on their "journey" through your site. Feel free to DM me, or reply here,  and I'll let you know the ones we most recommend. 

1st party data tracking

Whatever you use to help you uncover your attribution going forward, you need to ensure it works off first-party data. Message me, or reply here, for our recommendations on the best first-party data tracking tools out there. 

TRoas

If you are an ecomm brand looking for more attribution insights, we are currently offering a free month's trial on our favourite ecomm tracking app. It will help you uncover the true impact of your ads. It will help you uncover the impact of all of your marketing channels and how they work together. DM me, or reply here, if you would like to give our fav app a go.

FreeAudit

If you're wondering if the way your ads are setup is the right fit for your business, why not take advantage of our free ad audit? We'll look at your campaigns and let you know where we see opportunity for growth and/or opportunity for optimisation, all at no cost to you. Feel free to DM me, or reply here, if you would like our complimentary opinion on your ad campaign performance and structure. 

Long customer journey attribution

Want to know how to approach long customer journey attribution for your business? Comment below, or DM me. We know what to do. 

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Florian Schröder

Here’s the thing: most ecommerce brands are treating first-party data like a nice-to-have, when in 2026 it’s the difference between efficient growth and wasted ad spend.

80% are just running generic pop-ups and hoping for emails. The brands that win treat their data as an asset, with a repeatable system:

1️⃣ Don’t rely on shallow pop-ups: offer value that matters.
2️⃣ Ask for *relevant* info, not just a name + email.
3️⃣ Segment new contacts by intent and real interests.
4️⃣ Sync your first-party lists direct to ad platforms weekly (not quarterly).
5️⃣ Review and score progress every week: growth, quality, opt-in rate.

Are you running your first-party system like an asset: or leaving sales on the table?

Google’s finally given us account-level placement exclusions.

Proper step forward. Especially for PMax.

But it’s still not “set and forget”. Not even close.

Here’s the thing: Google will always keep testing new inventory. If you’re not checking, you’re donating budget to random apps, ropey sites, and YouTube channels your brand doesn’t want to be seen near.

How we’re using it with ecom accounts:
- Central exclusion list = faster cleanup
- Weekly placement checks = stop the leaks
- Block repeat offenders, not whole categories
- Watch performance after big blocks (you can strangle scale)

Automation’s great. Oversight is king.

Phil
Founder, Positive Sparks

Here’s the thing most brands miss: AI in Google Ads is only as smart as your data. If you’re not tracking true profit, automation just makes those mistakes faster and bigger. Google’s “smart” bidding can double down on orders that look good in-platform, but shred your margins the moment real costs are counted.

Stop relying on default conversions. Instead:
- Set UTM tags for every ad source
- Pull profit, not just revenue, into your reports
- Build a simple weekly scorecard (ad spend vs. *actual* profit, not just ROAS)

Smart tech isn’t a replacement for smart tracking. Manual checks still beat magic algorithms every week. Is your data telling the real profit story: or just making you feel good?

DM me if you want the Positive Sparks profit scorecard template.

– Phil Byrne
Co-Founder, Positive Sparks

Nothing bleeds budget faster than a lookalike audience that's fossilised. Most brands cling to the same audience for months, watching CPAs quietly creep up (40%+ isn’t rare), blaming platform algorithms instead of stale input. The real fix? Refresh your first-party data monthly: signals in, money out. Shortcuts get spotted by Meta and Google, so if your audience hasn’t seen a new customer in 30 days, you’re leaving cash on the table every single impression. Fresh data, lower CPAs, no excuses. The brands scaling right now have this dialled. Still running last summer’s lookalike? Might as well send the cash straight to the competition.

If you think block-lists alone will protect your brand in PPC, you’re having a laugh. With Performance Max, YouTube and the Google Display Network, your ads can show up anywhere: next to dodgy content, fraudsters or sites you’d never want your name on. Brand safety isn’t about ticking a few exclusion boxes and hoping for the best; it’s a daily fight against low-quality traffic, sketchy placements and the kind of search terms you’d never type yourself. The real risk in 2026? Letting automation run wild while you’re asleep at the wheel. 

Simple fix: Actually check your search terms, placements, and exclusion settings weekly. Layer your PPC with custom negative lists, real-time monitoring and fraud filters: and never trust YouTube or PMax to “auto” protect your brand. The e-com founders who get this right scale predictably; the rest pay for embarrassment. 

Positive Sparks – Because your brand’s worth more than a click.

10 Do’s and Don’ts that make Commission-Only PPC profitable

Running PPC on commission seems simple until profit margins start disappearing.

Here are ten rules that keep performance deals fair, scalable, and genuinely profitable:

Offer clarity
↳ Define exactly what counts as a conversion before launch.
↳ Never rely on vague results to trigger payouts.

Profit alignment
↳ Base commission on net profit, not revenue.
↳ If it doesn’t scale profitably, it doesn’t scale.

Tracking accuracy
↳ Audit every pixel, tag, and UTM before spending.
↳ Inaccurate data destroys trust faster than poor results.

Contract terms
↳ Spell out refund rules, payout timelines, and shared data rights.
↳ No handshake deals, put everything in writing to protect both sides.

Creative control
↳ Keep creative aligned with conversion strategy and audience insights.
↳ Don’t let clients rewrite ads that break performance logic.

Margin awareness
↳ Calculate breakeven ROAS before scaling spend.
↳ Never chase volume at the cost of sustainability.

Data ownership
↳ Share dashboards openly so clients see the full picture.
↳ Don’t gatekeep results, transparency earns long-term trust.

Continuous optimisation
↳ Review every campaign weekly for leaks and missed gains.
↳ Set and forget is the fastest way to lose commission.

Communication rhythm
↳ Keep updates consistent and focused on what moves profit.
↳ Silence between reports kills confidence and relationships.

Long-term thinking
↳ Build systems that scale predictably, not quick wins.
↳ Performance deals work when both sides play the long game.

Commission-only PPC isn’t about risk, it’s about alignment, structure, and trust.

Follow Phil Byrne for frameworks that turn paid traffic into predictable profit.

♻️ Save this for your next client negotiation or campaign setup.

Bad traffic doesn’t just waste budget ,  it teaches the algorithm the wrong lesson.

If you feed Google/Meta a pile of low-intent clicks, the system doesn’t go “that was rubbish”.
It goes “nice, more of that please” and optimises harder in the wrong direction.

That’s when you see:
- spend creeping up
- CPA wobbling about
- volume rising while margin quietly dies

The fix is boring work, but it prints:
Clean tracking. No duplicate events. Tighten targeting. Block junk placements. Sort the feed.

Clean signals = faster learning = stable performance.

Phil Byrne
Co-Founder, Positive Sparks

Bad traffic poisons the algorithm

Most brands treat Performance Max like a magic trick and wonder why their CPA’s gone walkabout. Truth is, PMax is only as sharp as the data you feed it: and honestly, ‘clean’ isn’t most marketers’ strong suit. Messy product feeds with dodgy SKUs or missing prices? That’s like handing Google your wallet and hoping it buys you something nice. Poor conversion tracking means you might as well invite the robots to play darts blindfolded. Tidy up your signals, kill duplicate events, and actually own your conversions: suddenly, PMax gets clever and your margins stop leaking. Boring, but it works. Fix the boring bits and watch real growth.

Phil Byrne | Positive Sparks

Think you’ve got a handle on privacy? Think again.

Three new US privacy laws just landed in Indiana, Kentucky, and Rhode Island. If you’re an e-commerce owner selling to the States, your tracking setup just became a massive liability overnight.

We’re not talking about a simple cookie banner update. These laws give folks the right to opt-out of targeted advertising and profiling: exactly the stuff that feeds your Meta and Google algorithms.

If you aren't compliant by 2026, you're looking at fines up to $10,000 per violation. In Rhode Island, there isn't even a "cure period" to fix your mess before they slap you with the bill.

The reality? Most brands are flying blind with outdated tracking that leaks data and ignores consent. This isn't just about avoiding a fine; it’s about having a signal that actually works in a privacy-first world.

Sort your server-side tracking out now or prepare to pay the price.

Founder

Most brands still treat multi-channel attribution like detective work: endless guesswork, zero clarity. Here’s what actually works:

Every Monday, grab your scorecard. Track these three things (week-on-week):

1️⃣ Traffic by channel (Google, Meta, Affiliates, etc). Forget vanity metrics, just sessions.
2️⃣ Sales by channel. Use UTM sources and basic order tagging. Cut the noise.
3️⃣ Actual margin from each channel. Get ruthless: What’s *really* profitable?

Cycle weekly. Highlight what’s moving up (🟢), what’s stalling (🔴), and double down where you see compounding returns: not just random spikes.

Most growth comes from brutal simplicity, not more tools. Who else is ready to bin the chaos and run clean?

( Phil Byrne, Co-Founder @ Positive Sparks)

Stop fiddling with your Meta audiences. Honestly, you’re just wasting your time.

Meta’s Andromeda update has landed, and it’s officially killed off the "audience hacker" era. If you’re still trying to scale by stacking tiny interests or obsessing over 1% lookalikes, you’re fighting a losing battle against the machine.

Here’s the reality: Andromeda has shifted Meta from "who you are" to "what you’re doing right now." It’s semantic retrieval, not probability guessing. 

The algorithm doesn't care about your manual segments anymore. It reads your creative, weighs up your signal quality, and finds the buyers itself. 

If you want to win in 2026, stop being an ad manager and start being a data architect.

1. Fix your signals. If your CAPI or server-side tracking is flaky, you’re feeding the beast garbage. 
2. Let the creative do the heavy lifting. Your hook is your targeting now.
3. Go broad. Give the AI enough room to actually do its job.

The tech has changed. If your strategy hasn't, your ROAS is going to feel it.

Founder

EAMINC

eaminc

EAMINC.com

Engineered Automation (EAM Inc.) designs and manufactures custom assembly and product handling automation equipment as well as standard product lines including mini-footprint labeling systems, EAS (Electronic Article Surveillance), and source tagging application equipment that includes both low and high speed application of Sensormatic style AM and Checkpoint style RF anti-theft tags. EAM also supplies automatic labelers, CD, Bluray and DVD packaging equipment, conveyor systems, product feeding systems, sleeving machinery, laser marking, camera inspection systems, pick and place automation, product filling equipment and custom integration services.

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