Are you about to launch a PPC campaign?
Of course, you’ll need the aid of a PPC professional. They know the business and they have both the right tools and experience to get it done right. But, how do you know you’re hiring the right agency or expert?
We’ve got a few tips to help you decide. Read on below to learn 10 crucial questions you should before hiring a PPC expert:
1. Do You Have Certified Customer Reviews?
Not sure if you’re dealing with experienced PPC specialists? Ask them about customer reviews and they should point you out to a page of testimonials. If they don’t hide any reviews, both good or bad, they should direct you to reviews on their Google My Business page or social media pages.
PPC agencies that don’t showcase reviews often have something to hide. They either are genuinely new or they might run a shady business not worth investing.
2. Do You Offer an After-Care Program?
PPC campaigns can run for a few weeks to a few months. It all depends on how much you’re willing to spend on an agency and your current ad goals. But, what happens when it’s all said and done?
Ask if the PPC company offers some sort of support even when the job’s over. You might run into a snag with the campaign they initiated and they’re the best ones to call for help.
3. Do We See Every Penny Spent?
One of the best things about paid ads like Google Ads is that you get to see where every penny went. Google Ads lets you see which ads cost you the most, where your remaining funds went, and how each ad performs.
Your PPC interview questions should cover whether you gain access to this expenditure account or if you simply pay the agency a flat rate and they do all the accounting behind closed doors.
4. Is There a Minimum Monthly Ad Spend?
Keep in mind some agencies demand a minimum ad spend. This means you can’t go below that monthly budget for your PPC campaign. This monthly ad spend limit is separate from the charges for hiring the PPC professional.
If there is a minimum ad budget, make sure you know how much they demand. Their minimum may be over your current marketing budget. You should also ask why they demand that amount as a minimum and how it affects your business, your niche, and your chances of success.
5. What Tools Do You Use?
Satisfied so far with their answers and you plan to keep going? We’re not done yet!
There are a few additional questions pay per click experts need to address. One of the most important details they should divulge is the list of tools they use.
Which tools do they use to research and discover keywords? How do they run analytics and which tools do they use to A/B split test different PPC strategies? Sometimes, the quality of the tools used can determine whether you find returns and see a boost in conversions from a PPC campaign.
6. What’s the Structure of Your Management Fees?
Don’t forget to ask how they charge you for their professional fees. Some might charge you a flat monthly fee on top of the minimum ad spend while others will charge you by the hour. A few freelancers might charge you per PPC campaign, asking you to pay in bulk.
Understanding how they charge you for their PPC management can curb your budget. You might not have a large sum of cash now to pay a flat monthly fee, but you could hire them hourly. Keep this in mind if you’re tight on finances.
7. Are There Full Reports?
The biggest advantage of a PPC campaign is that you get to see every little detail about every action performed. If you run an audit to determine the type of ads your visitors engage with the most, you should see every detail. This includes data like what time people clicked on ads and the age demographics of people who clicked an ad and went on to buy something on your site.
Make sure the PPC agency provides these details in their reports! Some might give generalized reports on a weekly or monthly basis.
If you can, get as much data from the agency. The information might prove useful in the future, long after you worked with the PPC management experts.
8. Which KPI’s Do You Prioritize?
No PPC is the same and no Key Performance Indicator (KPI) is more important than the others. Some KPI help determine an ad strategy betters than others for one client but not so much for another. That said, every PPC professional might have a select few favorites.
Make sure you ask which KPI’s the agency monitor frequently. Do they monitor Click-Through-Rates, total ad clicks, quality score, and cost per click? Check if the expert notes down the exact cost-per-conversion and lifetime value too.
9. Did You Manage Similar Clients Before?
So you’ve gone through the way they handle PPC campaigns and they’ve got good reviews. That’s great! But, did they ever manage a business like yours?
A PPC campaign for a fashion site works differently compared to one for video games. They have a vastly different audience. You have to curate PPC ads that work specifically for that niche and it’s always reassuring if your PPC expert already dipped their toes into that area before.
10. How’s Your Customer Service?
There is one effective way to tell if a company, whether a PPC agency or any other, is worth working with: test their customer service! You can gauge how well they’ll deal with refunds, financial disputes, complaints, and other issues through the way they talk to clients on the phone.
Hire the Best PPC Professional!
Make sure you ask these questions before hiring a PPC professional. Their answers should clarify how they’ll handle your PPC campaign and how much you need to get it done. Their responses can also determine if they’re the right one or if it’s time to look elsewhere.
Of course, we’re glad to answer these questions as well. We’re here to help and you can discover more by going through our other guides, such as this one laying the basic groundwork of PPC.