If you’re a business looking for the best digital agency to manage your Google Ads, it’s important to do your research. Google Ads include search, display, Shopping, and more. Paid traffic can drive purchases, calls, and revenue. So it’s key to take your time and choose the right Google Ads agency partner.
We know that Google Ads are a pretty big deal. After all, Google controls 71% of the search engine market and its search ads can covert 50% better than organic traffic.
Read on for tips on vetting digital marketing agencies for Google Ads in 2020.
Evaluate your company’s needs
Before you start researching digital agencies, take a look at your needs. A local brick-and-mortar business will use different Google ad strategies than an international B2B enterprise.
This is vital to do whether you’re choosing to work with an agency for the very first time or you’re looking to switch partners.
Some questions to ask yourself include:
- What’s the scale of your accounts? Do you have hundreds of campaigns that you need an experienced agency to manage? Or are you looking for a dedicated account manager to create new campaigns from scratch?
- What kind of ads are you looking for? Again, Google Ads don’t just include search. If you’re looking for a strong display advertisement strategy, this will mean you should look for agencies with this expertise.
- What kind of agency relationship are you looking for? Is having a local partner a high priority or not? What about company size and company culture?
- Do you need an agency with certain areas of expertise, certifications, or partnerships? For instance, if you’re an e-commerce site with a desire to ramp up your Google Shopping game, you likely want to work with an agency that partners with a feed optimization organization.
Additionally, if you’re leaving a current digital partner, make note of what you didn’t like and what you need from a new digital partner.
When you make a list of these requirements, it’ll make the vetting process much smoother.
Look into the agency’s background
Once you have your checklist, you’re ready to research agencies.
Here are some things to look for:
Reviews:
Check out reviews in the obvious places like Google and Yelp, but don’t forget about agency-specific directories. Directory-based platforms such as Digital Agency Network are great ways to get more insights into an agency that you don’t get from a company website.
Certifications:
Not all Google ad agencies are created equal. Look for agencies with the Google Premier Partner badge, which Google only bestows upon 10% of all Google Partner agencies. This Premier Partner badge means that the agency gets early access to betas, dedicated Google representatives, and more.
Other Google certifications to look for are Google Analytics, Search Ads, Shopping, Display Ads, Mobile Sites, and Fundamentals. If an agency has these, it means they’ve really put the work in to become Google experts.
Press & awards:
Scope out an agency’s press releases, awards, and other accolades. An active and updated press and awards section of a company’s website signifies that they’re invested in their own brand identity—which bodes well for how they’ll handle your brand.
Service offerings:
Of course, you know you’re looking for a Google partner. But do you need them to have Display Network expertise? Or be super skilled in Shopping feeds? Do you have an in-house designer, or do you need an agency with a design team? Consider all of these when vetting an agency.
Experience in your industry:
Be sure to find out if the agency has specific expertise working with your industry, vertical, and target audience. This will help ensure a strong partnership.
Testimonials:
Exploring an agency’s testimonials gives you a deeper look into who they’ve worked with and where their strengths lie. You can also feel free to ask the agency to speak to references, so you can get more information from other clients who’ve worked with them.
Questions to ask any Google Ads agency
While you’re going to ask questions about an agency’s services and client work, there are some things you might forget to inquire about.
We recommend asking:
- What are some examples of low-hanging fruit the team would optimize in your Google Ads account?
This is something you can feel free to ask in a discovery call or an audit. It’ll give you information into what they consider low-hanging fruit and where their Google ad strategy starts.
- Who owns the accounts?
Some agencies own their clients’ Google accounts. This can be tricky if a client decides to part ways; it can also decrease your transparency into your account’s performance.
If owning your Google account is important to you, be sure to ask about the agency’s policy.
- What’s your company culture like?
On first glance, this question might not seem directly relevant. However, a strong company culture signifies higher employee satisfaction, which means their team will do better work for your business.
Once you’ve evaluated your needs, done your research, and asked all the questions on your list, you’ll be able to make an informed decision. Best of luck!
Written by: