5 Questions to Ask Your Agency about Google Ads

5 Questions to Ask Your Agency about Google Ads

Navigating the world of digital marketing agencies — and picking the one that works best for your business — can be stressful.

At 9 Clouds, we’ve compiled questions you should ask so you can feel comfortable about your decision to hire (or fire) an agency. In this multi-part blog series, we weave through easy and tough questions to ask about each digital marketing service you need.

Feel free to meander over to any other posts we have about the topic:

In this post, we’ll share a fruitful list of what you should ask about Google Ads.

The Importance of a Profitable Google Ads Account

Most people don’t jump on the bandwagon to learn Google Ads. While the system is very user-friendly, many dealerships find that their original equipment manufacturer (OEM) is willing to do the brunt of the work for them — so dealers feel they can wipe their hands of the dirty work.

It’s important, though, to have an ear attuned to your Google Ads to make sure they’re working the way they should be (AKA sending new users to your website and walking them through the conversion points your website has set up).

When your Google Ads account isn’t profitable, your dealership will:

  • Pay more money per click
  • See fewer clicks to your site based on your budget
  • Show up lower in paid ad placements

You don’t want to show up lower on Google than a dealership half an hour away — especially when you’re paying more per click!

Your dealership should also aim to hit the right audience at the right time. If you sell luxury vehicles, your audience is probably not 18- to 24-year-olds or people with low-income households. The person or agency running your Google Ads should be in tune with your target audience, so you don’t waste your budget on people who are only dreaming of the car they could have someday.

To make the most of your Google advertising, here are the five questions to ask your current or prospective agency about Google Ads.

The 5 Google Ads Questions You Must Ask

1. Is Your Agency Accredited with Google Partners?

Not familiar with Google Partners? Most people aren’t, and that is A-okay.

But when it comes to Google Ads, your agency should be very familiar with the program. Google Partners must meet several standards to receive this accreditation. If the agency you’re considering isn’t accredited, it might not be in tune with everything Google Ads have to offer.

Here is a list of requirements you must complete in order to be accredited with the Google Partners status:

  • Your company needs to have at least one affiliated individual certified in Google Ads. Individuals must be certified in two specializations within Google Ads, such as Video, Display, or Shopping.
  • Your company’s Google Ads spend must be at least $10,000 (evaluated based on total ad spend during the last 90 days).
  • Your company must see positive revenue growth, client retention, and growth in overall revenue and number of advertisers (also over the last 90 days).

Along with the sheer status of being an accredited Google Partner, there are other great benefits to the program.

Google Partners are offered educational videos, courses, and certifications to help them continue to develop their skills and keep their companies up to date on the latest Google Ads improvements. Partners also have direct access to product support, the Google Advertiser Community, the Google Help Center, and more.

Since the credentials to become a Google Partner aren’t too difficult, if the agency you’re considering isn’t certified, that should be a red flag. Don’t be afraid to ask the agency why it isn’t certified, either! If it’s just not interested, you may want to look for another agency that is a Google Partner.

2. How Often Do You Report on Google Ads?

Dog in glasses, considering Google Ads questions

It’s best to report on Google Ads on a monthly basis. After you’ve added a new Google Ads campaign, it can take up to two weeks to see results, so most Google support representatives suggest you don’t make changes within 14 days of a major change to the account.

But if it’s been more than a month since your agency has reported on your Google Ads, you start to wonder if the team is truly looking at your account.

If you aren’t seeing a regular report from your agency, ask for one. (That goes for any type of marketing service you hire!) Is your current agency not sending you reports or not being transparent about your results? Walk away now.

3. How Do You Charge for Fees Related to Google Ads?

Every agency will vary in the way it charges for ad spend. Some agencies will have you pay directly for ad spend every month, while others will include that in their own bill. Agencies may also charge you:

  • A flat fee per campaign
  • A percentage of your ad spend
  • An overall management fee for working on your Google Ads account

Ask your agency about these fees up-front so you aren’t surprised when the first bill comes. (Same goes for the billing of other types of online advertising, like Facebook, LinkedIn, Bing, or Amazon ads.)

Finally, ask the agency what its overage will be if it goes over your ad budget. Some companies will always make sure to be on or under budget, but some will put in their contracts a percentage over ad spend, such as 5% or 10%, in case they go a little over your monthly budget.

At 9 Clouds, we simply charge one flat fee per month for each Google Ads campaign you have running. We choose to not work off a commission of ad budgets because we believe you should receive the same amount of attention from our team, regardless of how much you spend.

4. How Often Will You Check on Our Account (and What Will You Look For)?

Dog checking Google Ads on computer

Your agency should spend adequate time optimizing your account so that it performs the best it can. There are many different variables it should keep a close eye on.

Here’s a list of some things Google advertisers should check regularly:

  • Ad budget
  • Search queries
  • Ad performance
  • Keyword modifications
  • Ad extensions
  • Bid adjustments

Agencies usually have a dedicated Google Ads employee who works within the account daily; others might have someone checking in once or twice a week.

If your agency says it’s checking your ads only once a month, it shouldn’t charge you big management fees. This option may work if your marketing budget is very small, but make sure you have the reporting to back up the agency’s spottiness in checking your account.

5. Can You Share Success Stories of Companies Similar to Mine?

It’s always a good idea to ask for recent examples of client work to ensure the agency has a successful track record for the service you need. It’s best if these case studies are relevant to your industry.

Some smaller agencies may not work with any companies similar to yours. If that’s the case, ask for success stories anyway. The nice thing about being the only one in your vertical is that the agency isn’t working with your direct competitors.

If the agency is working with other companies in your industry, be sure to ask about its non-compete clause. Make sure your agency isn’t working with your direct competitors!

At 9 Clouds, we want to let our current and future clients know right off the bat that we want to set them apart from their competition. To do that, we perform conflict checks for any leads that might be in a current client’s market before providing that lead with a contract. We want our current clients to be the only organizations in their market to benefit from Google Ads and inbound marketing!

We share case studies (read: success stories) right on our website, so potential clients can see some of our successes on their own time. We are all about transparency!

Take Your Google Ads to the Next Level

Take your Google Ads to next level, like this dog with its head out the window

If you’re looking for more great questions to ask your current or future agency, download our eBook, Questions To Ask Your Agency. (Bonus: it also includes our handy one-page checklist!)

If you’re ready to achieve real results with a trusted digital marketing partner, contact us for a custom digital marketing proposal for your dealership. We guarantee that our services will increase your internet conversion rate by at least 25% in the first six months.

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