Questions to Ask Before you Hire a PPC Agency

Working with a PPC Agency on pay-per-click advertising campaigns is known to produce incredible results. However, at a time when a digital marketing strategy can either make or break a business, you need to make sure you are working with the right people. How you can you take precautions?

Ask questions. Take time to assess which agency is likely to produce the best possible results. In this article, we outline some questions that will help you take a step closer to making the right decision.

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10 Questions To Ask Before You Sign With a PPC Agency

     1. How Will the PPC Agency Help Your Business?

This might seem vague, but there is such thing as a poor client-agency fit. PPC agencies will appreciate this straightforwardness, as they will also want to establish what kind of needs you have in mind as soon as possible. Use this opportunity to explain any pain points and problems your business is facing.

Note: Don’t be afraid to ask them to go into more detail. The more you know coming out of the conversation, the better able you will be to make a decision.

     2. Why Are They a Good Fit for Your Business?

You will be working with this agency for a long time, so it’s important that you like the team. While it may not feel appropriate to ask a representative something like “Tell me about yourself,” you should absolutely ask questions about the beliefs, vision, and sense of culture within the agency.

Many businesses like to speak with more than one member of the agency and have conversations that go beyond the scope of work. That’s not to say you need to insist on getting personal, but rather to explain there are ways to gain a decent perception of what it might be like to work with the agency.

     3. What Is the Vision of the PPC Agency?

This question may sometimes catch a representative by surprise because it’s not something a client usually asks. But there is a method to this because an agency with a clear vision is sure to be one with integrity. Asking this question is a way to make sure your business is aligned with the right people. A famous author named Jim Rohn said, “You are the average of the five people around you,” and this points to the importance of business partners too.

     4. What Is the Process for a PPC Campaign?

You should ask a PPC agency about their process. Nothing less than a clear and comprehensive understanding of this process is acceptable. You don’t want to begin working with an agency that doesn’t fill you with confidence. PPC agencies will likely explain the need to assess the business before moving on to researching the market, competitors, and keywords. This enables them to identify a suitable mix of keywords that will help the campaign thrive without destroying the budget. You should also expect the agency to talk about tracking, reporting, and tweaking the ads in order to improve performance.

     5. How Will You/They Know What Is Working and Not Working?

It’s likely that every agency will be able to explain the strategy and implementation stage, but not every agency will be good at reporting. Ask questions related to tracking and the various systems and processes the agency will use to tweak strategy. Tracking is hugely important and often the only way for agencies to know what works and what needs to change. They should also have processes that involve collecting data and metrics for the purpose of calculating the return on investment.

     6. Who Will Be Your Point of Contact?

You should ask which individual/s in the agency will be responsible for managing your PPC campaign. It’s also important to ask who will perform the research, write the copy, manage the budget and monitor performance. You can expect contact details for a specific person with whom you can get in touch whenever the need arises.

     7. What Can You Expect With Regard To Reporting?

Reporting is arguably the most important back and forth between you and a PPC agency. Reports not only keep you informed but also aware of the return on investment. Numbers don’t lie, and agencies are obliged to provide this report on a regular basis. What kind of detail can you expect and how often will you receive it? These are questions that require specific answers. This is also a chance for the agency to provide peace of mind by talking about KPIs and setting targets.

     8. What Is the Fee and What Does It Include?

You don’t want any surprises going forward, so be upfront about wanting to know the fees involved as well as any that may come up in the future. Ask what services are included and the specific return on investment the arrangement will typically provide. It’s often better to wait until after the initial conversation to negotiate them down.

     9. Will Any of This Work/Campaign Be Outsourced?

PPC agencies sometimes outsource tasks to freelancers. For instance, agencies often contract a copywriter to write the PPC ads. They should be transparent about this side of the process. It’s true that outsourcing can build a better business, but what if every last detail is outsourced? This is not a good sign. Too much outsourcing can bring down the quality of a campaign. You want to make sure the agency is only outsourcing tasks in order to improve the process.

     10. What Kind of Experience Does the Agency Have?

How experienced is the PPC agency? Experience is a key factor that can help agencies avoid certain pitfalls while knowing which tactics and techniques to use. Some PPC agencies also specialize in other areas, such as search engine optimization (SEO), and these specialties can be a great benefit to businesses that might need assistance with other areas of marketing.

Either way, you should make sure the agency has plenty of experience and request a peek at their portfolio of clients. They may offer testimonials at this point and access to results achieved for other clients that demonstrate that they get the job done.

Do you want to get started with a proven agency that you can trust?

Get in touch with one of our team at Digital Authority Partners.