How to Choose a PPC Partner

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Pay-per-click advertising is a proven and effective method for businesses of all types to reach their goals. As such, when choosing a partner, more than just cost needs to be evaluated. Consider the following points:

Capabilities and certifications

The first thing you should consider is the agency’s capabilities. There are many PPC platforms available for businesses today. Mastering them all is a tall order, but not an impossible one. Look for certifications in the top PPC platforms:

  • Google Ads
  • Microsoft Ads
  • Facebook Ads
  • LinkedIn Ads


The above platforms are a good starting point for most businesses and should form the core of your strategy. As a bonus, they all offer certificates of training you can request from your potential agency. 

Ask, “Apart from these top PPC platforms, what other platforms do you have experience in?”

It is also important to choose an agency you can grow with. Some PPC firms are also knowledgeable in supporting tactics and platforms, such as:

  • Tag management platforms (important for conversion tracking)
  • Programmatic platforms (advanced brand awareness & consideration tactics)
  • Content syndication
  • Search engine optimization
  • Landing page optimization


Due to the constantly evolving nature of PPC advertising, it is also important to ensure your future agency has dedicated processes to maintain its certifications and stay up to date on recent trends. 

Here are some additional questions to ask:

  • What processes do you have to update your team on recent trends, news and platform updates?
  • What platforms and regions do you have experience with?
  • How much does your average client spend? 
  • Which certifications does your agency and team currently have? 
    • Once you are close to signing with an agency, remember to ensure the agency team members assigned to your business hold the important certifications.
  • Do you have experience creating ad copy and/or ad creatives?
  • Do you have any platform partnerships? For example, a Google Premier Partnership. 
    • Advanced partnerships offer better support, training, and access to exclusive campaign types that are not yet available to the general public. 

Reporting and routine

Exceptional reporting capabilities are a must-have for agencies today. Agencies have access to heaps of performance data and must be able to do the below all while maintaining trust and transparency:

  • Identify & prioritize key metrics 
  • Interpret performance changes
  • Communicate performance changes effectively
  • Recommend appropriate action

Ideally, the agency you choose will be able to build you near-real-time online reporting dashboards designed specifically for your business and goals. 

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Closely tied to your potential agency’s reporting capabilities are their routines.

Questions to ask:

  • How often will we have performance reporting meetings?
  • How often will you optimize our campaigns?
  • How do you manage A/B testing?
  • How will you keep track of our quarterly/yearly strategy?
  • What platforms do you use for reporting?
  • What’s the process for communicating urgent requests?

Data and dedication

Your future agency needs to be dedicated to data, dedicated to you and its employees. That last part is often overlooked, but be sure to prioritize it. After all, you don’t want to choose an agency that constantly replaces your main point of contact. 

Questions to ask:

  • What are some ways you use data to inform your decisions?
  • What team members will be working for my business?
  • How many other clients will my main team member be working with?
  • What is your average client tenure? 
  • What is your average employee tenure?

     

Finally, you want to make sure your agency handles data securely. In addition to the possible severity of data leaks, not knowing how to handle data appropriately can limit your performance and disqualify you from using advanced PPC features, such as Offline Conversion Tracking.

In conclusion, selecting the right PPC advertising partner entails more than considering costs and capabilities. Businesses can forge fruitful partnerships that drive results and foster long-term growth by prioritizing factors like employee wellness and agency processes. With a thorough understanding of these considerations, businesses can navigate the complexities of the PPC landscape with confidence, ensuring they maximize their advertising investments and achieve their marketing objectives effectively.

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