5 telltale signs, and how to know for sure
We are always looking for great talent to join our team to help our customers succeed in their industries, and interview people regularly. During these interviews we gain deep insights into how other agencies are run, both good and bad. In one recent interview with a paid search specialist at a paid search agency (one that most people know the name of), the company’s internal processes were shared.
The candidate explained that they had over 100 PPC clients and were only allowed to spend one hour per month per client. Understandably, this strategist was unhappy in their role because they couldn’t generate results with the time they had to service their clients.
We share this to remind you that not every PPC agency is created equal, and not everyone will provide you with the service you expect and deserve. How do you ensure the PPC agency you partner with will provide your company with value for the money you are investing? Here are some things to look for:
#1: Size of the company – Larger is not always better
When it comes to providing exceptional PPC program service, a bigger company does not always mean better. Often, massive agencies are owned by newspapers, TV stations, radio stations, or private equity firms with over 1,000 employees. They may not charge as much for their services compared to smaller agencies. This could be because they have economies of scale, but it is often because they do less work for their clients.
In our experience, the people these companies hire to manage PPC programs have little to no experience. Though they have relevant certifications, their expertise doesn’t improve because the pay is low and the turnover is high. However, these agencies have the very best salespeople on the planet, who are extremely convincing.
When you are searching for a PPC agency to partner with, talk with them about how they will manage your account and the experience of the strategists working on your account. This will give you an idea of the attention you will receive and the expertise of the people driving your company’s paid search efforts.
#2: They don’t have a 4.5 star rating or higher
Google the company name + reviews. If the first result is a Reddit thread talking about a scam, run. Check out their Yelp or BBB reviews, anything less than 4.75 stars needs to be reviewed closely. If they have lots of 5 star reviews, but also a fair amount of 1 star reviews – this is a big warning sign. These agencies may have convinced some clients that they are doing good work, but the high number of poor reviews shows that they are not offering consistent services.
You want to see that the company has realistic, great reviews. Nobody’s perfect, so don’t expect to find a legitimate 5 star digital marketing agency. But there are ones that come close.
#3: You don’t understand what they are doing
A good paid search agency will meet with you regularly and talk in terms that you understand about your goals, performance, and progress. They will provide you with admin access to your account so that you have ownership of your campaigns. If you decide to bring your account in-house or test out another agency, you can use your existing account and build on your current performance.
A good agency will build a partnership with your business, including you in advertising decisions to work towards your goals. They share the keywords they are targeting and the ads they are creating. They explain how they are optimizing your campaigns. Good agencies don’t talk about clicks but qualified leads and sales. A good agency will also set up a report for you so that you can see the results of your campaigns.
#4: The Ads they run don’t go to paid search landing pages
Sending ads to your homepage may also be a significant warning sign. While there are exceptions to the rule, in most cases, a paid search landing page with a lead generation form at the top and compelling copy for each campaign is best practice. This ensures that your destination URL has relevant copy and helps improve conversion rates.
When interviewing paid search agencies, ask about their current campaigns and where those ads send users. Discuss the process for developing landing pages for each campaign. Knowing this upfront can help you both plan accordingly to maximize your ad spend sooner rather than later.
#5: When you question results their response is always ‘Increase Your Budget’
There are legitimate reasons to increase your budget, such as a change in the competitive landscape or if you’re switching focus to a new product or service. That being said, increasing the budget is not always the answer. Increasing the budget won’t help if there is a larger problem in the paid search strategy. You need to trust your agency, but you shouldn’t trust them blindly.
What you will see in the GREAT SEO companies
- Their clients have real results.
- Their references are actively involved in the SEO process – true partners.
- They have a great reputation locally or in your niche market.
- They will audit your campaigns and accounts and share with you how they can help.
When you need to know if you are being ripped off by your paid search agency, get your account audited by a company with a stellar reputation. They will tell you to stay if you are in good hands. The auditing company may give some pointers if your existing agency missed a few opportunities, but if it’s in bad shape, they will be honest with you and share what is not being done well. The auditing company won’t come back to you with a bunch of jargon; they will make sure the analysis makes sense to you and provide actionable ways to improve your performance.
Want us to analyze your current paid search program? Let’s talk! All it takes is a quick call to get started. We will ask some questions to learn more about your company and goals and talk about your current program. Send us a note online or call (518) 743-9424 now.
