What to Look for in a PPC Agency

Businesses don’t have to do it all themselves. Work with industry experts to move a few things off your to-do list and reap the benefits of PPC professionals. Here’s how to choose a PPC agency that provides the pay-per-click advertising services you’re looking for.

Find the Best PPC Agency for Your Needs

While Oneupweb offers paid media services across all verticals, you might benefit from working with a specialized agency with experience in your industry. Market-specific knowledge is just one of the qualities of a good PPC agency.

We’ve put together five characteristics of a great PPC agency for you to keep in mind as you search:

1. Industry or category expertise is essential. You could work with a totally green partner, but you probably won’t see the best results. Nothing beats the hours a seasoned professional has spent learning the tricks of the trade.
2. Ensure account transparency. You should have access to your own ad accounts to pull reports, monitor performance or update contacts as needed.
3. Confirm certifications and learning mindsets. Digital marketing changes quickly, and your PPC partner needs to be aware of current techniques and trends to support your strategy.
4. Make sure it’s a good “personality fit.” Make sure you really like the team you’ll be working with. The discovery call is a great time to meet the team and ask questions.
5. Gauge knowledge of KPIs and reporting. Ask potential PPC partners what they think KPIs would be, based on your goals. This will gauge their knowledge of attribution, reporting and how data informs campaign optimizations.

Still a little fuzzy on what PPC agency services do? Check out our paid media FAQ page to learn more.

How to Choose a PPC Agency

When you find a marketing agency that checks all your initial boxes, take the vetting a step further during exploratory interviews with prospective organizations. Here are the three most important stages of your journey.

1. Establish Goals and Budget

Your internal team should align on goals and budget before you choose a PPC agency. If an agency is data-driven and cares about your success, they’ll most likely inquire about these two details. An agency can – and certainly should – help you decide which KPIs will show success. They may also suggest a budget increase based on the audience you are looking to target. Discussing this information during the discovery phase will enable the agency to help determine the best strategy to support you and your campaign goals.

2. Research Carefully

Do your research! There are so many agencies out there that will guarantee “first page results” or “top-of-SERP ad placements,” but it’s not that simple. Many factors play into excellent results; even if you have search ads showing up high in search results or display ads running, that doesn’t necessarily translate to a positive ROI for your company or brand.

Start the research process by tapping into your professional network. Research each company individually and create a list of pros and cons.

Here are a few things to look for on a company website:

• Reviews and testimonials
• Industry experience
• PPC case studies with performance data
• Reporting capabilities

Looking for an example to work from? Here’s a PPC report template that Oneupweb created. 

3. Know the Questions to Ask Your PPC Agency Candidates

Digital market agencies are as varied as the clients we serve. So how do you find your perfect match? Ask questions! Little details can make or break a company’s position as the best PPC agency for you. Come into initial talks with a list of questions you need answers to before you can commit to a contract.

We’ve come up with a list of basic questions, but feel free to add your own queries:

• What level of support do they offer, in terms of ad management and optimization?
• Will they hold weekly or monthly calls with you to review performance and strategy?
• How often can they provide reporting, and what does that look like?
• Who will your point of contact and project team be, and who is involved in meetings?
• What industries do they typically work with? What’s their specialty?
• What’s their fee structure? Is it strictly retainer-based? Is it calculated based on a percentage of media spend?
• Do they have extensive experience in the paid media channels your target audience uses?
• What happens if you’re not satisfied with the service? Do they have a termination period of 30 or 60 days? (This is important if you ever want to change agencies or take your efforts in-house.)

Accelerate Your Paid Media Success with Oneupweb

Extend your marketing department by partnering with us. Whatever your PPC needs are, the paid media experts at Oneupweb have the experience and creative skills to make it happen. We’ve worked with growing businesses across industries, including enterprise companies looking to enhance their marketing impact.

See what we have to offer. Get started by reaching out online or calling (231) 922-9977.