The basics of outsourcing PPC management
So you’re considering pay-per-click advertising. Maybe another business owner recommended it, saying they’re getting quality leads. Whatever has led you to this point, you need to be sure about what PPC brings to the table, and what outsourcing this marketing channel looks like.
My focus is Google Ads (AdWords) as it has the largest audience size, and in my opinion, the higher likelihood of a website visitor taking action.
Outsourcing your Google Ads account is something you shouldn’t take lightly, as you’re going to be paying not only the cost of the ads themselves but a monthly management fee too.
Matching the needs of your business with a PPC manager
Each business is unique in the visitor actions that they find valuable. For some it’s phone calls, for others its ecommerce sales.
When considering a PPC manager, they should have a good grasp of:
- Your business model
- Profit margins: what elements are more valuable than others
- Target market: age, demographics, location, device preference
- Competitors
- Ways of tracking relevant leads (conversions)
Ensuring that you’ve got the right fit
You could have a few ppc management proposals to review before making your decision. Truth be told, price shouldn’t necessarily be the most important factor. Prioritise trust, experience level and transparency, and don’t be afraid to ask for recent referrals. There is no guaranteed number of conversions!
A decent rapport goes a long way. After all, your Google Ads manager is essentially a part of your marketing team. Get a feel for how this person can help you to achieve your online marketing goals.
Honest, transparent reports (don’t settle for less)
Monthly reporting is a standard feature of any PPC Management company. But the level of reporting quality can wildly vary.
A good PPC management agency or freelancer should share with you all the Google Ads metrics that are valuable to your business, but should take the time to explain other metrics that are important, that you might not fully understand yet.
I’ve seen reports that are a couple of basic metrics sent via an email. This isn’t right – be sure that this isn’t your story. You’ll scratch your head wondering if you’ve made any money at all.
Focus on your return on investment (ROI). You need to be totally sure that you’re getting good revenue from Google, because every single click is costing you money. A quality report will clearly show ROI front and centre.
Performance will take dips, and it’s normal
Time of year can cause clicks to drop, but this should be explained by your report data and over the phone with your manager. Dips may also be caused by an experimental campaign taking up extra budget, a competitor increasing bids, or a settings change (among others).
A good PPC manager isn’t looking to hide dips – they should be using the data in front of them to make logical conclusions and improvements. From time to time, a manager will make mistakes, and provided they aren’t repeated and are rare, then the client being aware of a mistake can actually be evidence of transparency. The worst scenario is finding mistakes that have been hidden, months down the line.
Over the long term, a PPC account should evidence steady improvement. A quarterly or yearly review meeting can help a business to see this for themselves and increase their Google Ads budget, in line with ROI.
Get an outsourced PPC manager that grows your online business with performance and transparency – arrange a free phone consultation with Matt today.