How Do I Know a Google AdWords Management Agency Is Reliable
With many different Google Adwords Agencies and PPC consultants out there, it can be hard to narrow down and pick one. And what can be even trickier is finding a reliable service. Beyond just looking at Linkedin or searching for online reviews, how do you determine that a Google Adwords agency is right for your business?
There are a few different factors that are signs of reliable service. Also, the fit must come into play. A PPC consultant might be 100% trustworthy or reliable, but just not the right fit for your business. Perhaps this person is the top Google Adwords expert in the world, but you were looking for someone to help grow your Twitter account. Whatever the case may be, here are a few things to look for or look out for.
Make sure the pricing model has the correct incentives.
There are a few different ways Google Adwords Agencies or PPC consultants price their services. These include hourly, percentage of spend, tiers, or partnerships.
You will rarely go into a partnership with an agency, so we will not cover that here.
If a Google Adwords agency is charging hourly, this can often be a red flag. There is potential to overbill or exaggerate the time spent on your account. It can be hard to honestly assess how much time was spent on an account with this type of work.
Percentage of spend simply means that their fee will be a percentage of your monthly advertising spend. This model is better than hourly but does have a big misaligned incentive. That being, the PPC consultant is incentivized to drive up your ad spend continually. The more money that you spend, the higher their retainer is. The goal of a Google Adwords Agency should be to minimize your wasted cost and maximize your revenue. This model misses the first half of that equation.
Tiered spending is our preferred model. Although this is not perfect, it correctly aligns the incentives. Say you are spending $2k on Google Adwords, the consultant has no incentive to drive up the spend, and you already know what the service fee will be. There will be no surprise at the end of the monthly, like is possible with hourly service. And as long as the tiers are laid out correctly and presented beforehand, there is no reason to drive up advertising continually.
Look for some type of accountability
When looking for a reliable agency, there must be some type of accountability on their side. There are multiple ways to work this into the agreement, but a Google Adwords Agency needs to be responsible. Whether it’s a monthly contract or a risk-free initial service or worked into a partnership. Beware of long term contracts that lock you into the service with no mention of your goals.
Speak with the person who will work on your account – whether it’s a Google Adwords Management agency or a PPC consultant
With larger agencies, it’s common to speak to a salesperson at first. While there is nothing wrong with this, they might make promises that sound great. The actual account manager then takes a look at the account and cannot execute any of this. Make sure to get on the call or a screen share with the actual account manager. Here they can walk you through how they will minimize your wasted cost and maximize your revenue goals.
For one unfamiliar with Google Adwords, hiring a Google Adwords agency can get tricky. Hopefully, the strategies and tips here will help you on your journey.