Deciding which Adwords management agency is right for your business is not a simple task. There are many options available to you. You can choose one that is local, one that is in the US, or overseas. They may have many different specialties and backgrounds. How do they bill? Here are some objective criteria to assess when deciding which Adwords management agency to hire.
- Location of the agency. Your Adwords management agency should be located as geographically close to you as possible, ideally in the same region. This is especially important if you sell products or services that are geographically based, such as if you are an attorney. A local Adwords management agency will have a much better grasp of the psychology and demographic in your neck of the woods. A national or regional agency can still do the job if they have a lot of experience and a wide range of clients.
- Choosing the type of agency. The specialty of the Adwords management agency is important. If you are an online store, than choosing an agency with ecommerce experience is important. The same goes for other specialized marketing needs such as lead generation, user acquisition, or branding. When consulting with the Adwords management agency, ask for examples that are similar to your business.
- Billing Flexibility. How does your Adwords management agency charge? There are many different models for Adwords management fees, including transparent or nontransparent billing, flat-rate billing, performance billing, and more. Consult with the agency to see if there is a form of billing that meets your needs and objectives.
- Turnkey vs. Self-Directed. Do you have employees, or are you going to manage Adwords yourself? Then it is important that you choose an agency that has consulting or Adwords education services, because that Adwords management agency will be able to structure the kind of arrangement you need. If you’re looking for a more turnkey approach, a fully managed campaign can be the answer, and you’ll want to inquire about the maintenance capabilities of your Adwords agency.
- Certifications. You should very closely examine the certifications and credibility of your Adwords management agency. Are they a Google Certified Partner company? Are their staff individually Google Adwords certified? Are they Analytics certified? These certifications will provide a guarantee that the services provided by the agency are of high quality and are effective.
- Third-Party References. Does the Adwords agency have client testimonials? Do they have third-party certifications such as the Better Business Bureau? do they have certifications in other areas such as web development that can provide a holistic benefit to your campaign?
- Do they understand your situation and your needs? Are they able to propose a strategy that will get you there? Any Adwords management agency worth it’s salt will be able to provide a comprehensive proposal to you which identifies your needs and a basket of services to meet them.
It’s important to carefully vet your potential Adwords management agency with the above characteristics. A hasty or quick decision, or one based on price, can ultimately have heavy consequences down the line. Most companies when hiring an Adwords maangement agency end up paying about $1 to the agency for every $5 that is actually spent in Google Adwords. With this type of differential, it becomes especially important that whoever is managing your Google Adwords account be someone that is closely aligned with your goals and have experience and background in your unique niche. Using that 5-to-1 ratio, even a 20% improvement in your Adwords performance can easily pay for the management fee that an agency charges, and conversely, a 20% drop in performance can equal the amount that you would typically pay an agency.
Adwords can be a highly profitable and cost-effective means of advertising, but it is a careful decision who will carry the burden of management.
