Digital marketing is constantly evolving, especially in the pay-per-click (PPC) world.
It’s a smart move to look into hiring PPC industry experts so you can implement the most modern digital marketing strategies in Google Ads and other advertising platforms.
But how do business owners choose the right PPC agency to partner with, when everyone claims to be the best?
Here’s what to look for in every PPC management agency you consider, and warning signs that you should take an agency out of consideration!
Red Flags in PPC Agencies
Big Promises, Vague Details
Does the agency make big promises of money and customers with their search campaigns, but they don’t explain how they’ll make it happen? Do they brush off any attempts for clarity on their PPC strategy, and insist that they know what they’re doing and not to worry?
No matter how their level of expertise, an agency should always spend a significant amount of time explaining their process to their clients, and be happy to do so on request.
Sparse Case Studies
When you’re considering a PPC management agency, be sure to look through their case studies, which should be available on their website or on request.
See if they provide project specifics and quantifiable results. Find the former clients online and see how they are doing (or if they even exist!) If you look through an agency’s website and it’s hard to find a client list, ask yourself why.
Negative Reviews, or None at All
The occasional bad review can happen to any business, but a collection of negative ones should give you pause. If the agency does have negative reviews, read them carefully to see if it’s a one-off situation, or if the agency has consistent problems with service delivery.
On the flip side, an experienced PPC agency that’s been around for years, but has no online presence in reviews? That’s another indication that something is amiss.
All about the Sell, Sell, Sell
Pay attention to how hard your potential PPC agency is trying to sell you. If they’re pushing you to sign a long-term contract and balk at a request for time to look it over, they aren’t the agency for you.
Vanity Metrics over ROI
Does the agency focus on conversion rate and ROI, including actual leads, submitted forms, purchases, sign-ups, and more? Or do they talk about getting your brand out there, and how that will eventually lead to sales?
Full Ownership over your Accounts
Some PPC agencies ask you to put their name as the owner of your accounts, in order to guarantee the best results. That is a clear indicator of something sketchy going on. They can certainly set up the accounts for you, but there’s no reason why any PPC agency requires account ownership.
Overreliance on Automation
If their strategy is ‘we’ll set it up and let it run for a month to see how things go,’ that’s a warning sign.
Advertising campaigns are not off-limits as soon as it launches. They can be edited at any time, and a solid PPC management company is always checking on the success of their campaigns and making tweaks based on the data.
Signs of a Great PPC Agency
Similar Clients
A PPC agency that has worked with clients similar to you is ideal, especially if you’re in an industry with stringent standards.
A company that sells professional services, including legal, architectural, and engineering firms, has different needs than a B2B company specializing in manufacturing and logistics. Perusing a PPC agency’s client list can give you a strong sense of what they can do for your marketing plans.
Effective Communication
Seek an agency whose style matches yours. Maybe you prefer all communication to go through email, or weekly phone or video conferences with project updates. Or maybe your company uses collaboration software with message boards you can all use to chat about the project.
Whatever your preference, projects go far smoother when your agency’s communication protocols work well with yours. Ask before you hand over campaign management!
Clear Pricing Options
When you established the PPC objectives in your digital marketing strategy, you likely made a budget for them. But things happen that can drive a project over.
So, before signing any contracts, ask the PPC agency how they handle pricing and contracting. How do they determine when to charge above the initial price? What do they do to keep projects within a certain budget?
Reality over Promises
Many agencies swear they will do everything in their power to complete your needs under budget and on time. First, is it true? And what about requests that are unrealistic, or situations that cross boundaries?
Ask the PPC agency to list reasons why it turned a client down or fired a customer mid-project. You don’t want an agency that makes promises it can’t keep. If you have an unreasonable request, you need an agency to say so and work with you to find a more achievable alternative.
Nerds for Data and Analytics
Data and analytics are crucial to any PPC advertising campaign, and the best PPC agencies are all about the numbers to improve your ROI. They should also be eager to share their results with you in a format that makes sense!
Ask any agency about their reporting process, and work with a house team that makes you feel involved and in control of your marketing budget. Plus, you should always have independent access to Google Analytics or other forms of data collection, no matter who you work with!
Partnering with the right PPC agency shifts those responsibilities to experts and frees up your time to work on other important tasks.
At ParaCore, we’re a proud ‘red-flag-free’ company, eager to share all the amazing advertising campaigns we’ve made for our clients and apply them to your company.
Let’s start a conversation to reach your target audience and put your marketing goals into high gear!
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Shaun Schulman
Black Pearl Mail
400% Increase in Lead Volume
“We wanted to get ads out there and get business right away. That was goal number one. And when we found ParaCore, we just hit the ground running and within a month we were having results.”
Rick Pedley
PK Safety Supply
8X Return on Ad Spend
“My target has always been 5:1, so 500%. And since we've been with ParaCore it's been 7:1 and 8:1 some months.”
Chad Nikkel
Aquaman Pools
Dramatic Drop in Cost Per Lead
“Our lead cost has dramatically dropped over time, and part of that was the relationship with ParaCore, them understanding my business.”
Vicki Mayo
Touchpoint Solution
Expert PPC Partnership
“They actually care. They care about my business. They care about myself, my team, and it's really apparent. And I wanted a place where I wasn't just a number and I wanted expert service and a very high touch type place. And that's what I got with Paracore.”