UK Founder's Guide to Hiring an Ad Consultant

So you're a founder in the UK and you've decided you need some proper help with your advertising. Good. That's probably the smartest decision you'll make this quarter. But searching for a "freelance advertising consultant in the United kingdom" throws up a million options, and most of them look the same. They all promise to 'skyrocket your ROI' and 'unleash your growth'. It's mostly fluff.

The first mistake most people make is thinking they need someone local. Someone in London if they're in London, or Manchester if they're up north. Tbh, this is a complete waste of time and massively limits your options. In this day and age, a consultant's location is probably the least important factor. What you actually need is someone with deep, proven experience in your specific niche, who understands the UK market, not just someone who can meet you for a coffee in Shoreditch. Their ability to get results for a B2B SaaS company has absolutely nothing to do with their postcode.

This guide is going to walk you through how to actually find, vet, and hire a top-tier freelance ad consultant in the UK, without getting ripped off. We'll cut through the jargon and focus on what really matters: evidence of results.

So, how do I actually find someone decent?

Most people start on platforms like Upwork, LinkedIn, or just Googling. These places are a minefield. You'll be inundated with proposals from people who are great at selling themselves but have very little real-world experience delivering results. They'll show you flashy dashboards but can't explain the strategy behind them.

A better approach is to shift your mindset from *finding a person* to *finding proof*. Instead of searching for consultants, search for case studies and results relevant to your business. Look for consultants who are actively sharing valuable, specific advice online—not just generic "5 tips to boost your ads" rubbish, but detailed breakdowns of strategy.

The best consultants don't need to hunt for work on freelance platforms. Their results speak for them, and they attract clients through word-of-mouth and their reputation. Your job is to find the evidence of that reputation. Look at their website. Is it just a brochure, or is it a resource filled with detailed case studies? For example, one campaign we worked on generated £107k in revenue for a client at 618% ROAS, while another for a B2B software client secured leads for just $22 CPL on LinkedIn. These are the kind of specific, verifiable results you should be hunting for. A good consultant isn't shy about showing their workings. When you're ready to start your search, it can be helpful to have a framework for how to find a paid ads expert beyond just your local area.

What should I look for when vetting their website and case studies?

Once you've shortlisted a few consultants based on the initial evidence, you need to dig deeper. This is where you separate the experts from the amateurs. Forget about how slick their website looks. You're looking for substance, not style.

1. Case Studies Are Everything
This is non-negotiable. If they don't have detailed case studies, move on. And I don't mean a vague testimonial with a logo. I mean a proper breakdown.

• -> Niche Relevence: Have they worked with businesses like yours? If you're a B2B SaaS company, a consultant who only shows eCommerce case studies for fashion brands is probably not the right fit. The strategy is completely different. I've run lots of campaigns for B2B software, and the approach is worlds away from selling a subscription box, where we achieved a 1000% ROAS. Different playbooks for different games.
• -> Real Metrics: Look for real numbers. "We increased leads" is meaningless. "We reduced their CPL from £120 to £22 on LinkedIn Ads for a high-ticket service" is a tangible result. Look for metrics like ROAS (Return On Ad Spend), CPA (Cost Per Acquisition), CPL (Cost Per Lead), and revenue generated, always in the right currency (£ or $).
• -> The 'Why' Behind the 'What': A great case study doesn't just show the result; it gives you a glimpse into the strategy. Did they identify a new audience? Did they crack the code on creative? It shows they have a repeatable process, not just that they got lucky once.

2. The Vibe Check
Read their blog posts or any content they've produced. Do they sound like they know what they're talking about? Is their advice specific, opinionated, and maybe even a bit contrarian? Or is it generic marketing fluff you could find anywhere? Real experts have strong opinions because their experience has taught them what works and what definately doesn't. They should be debunking myths, not repeating them.

Tbh if after reviewing their case studies and content you still feel the need to ask for references to speak to their past clients, it's probably not a good fit. It signals a lack of trust from the get-go, which isn't a great foundation for a partnership. A consultant's entire online presence should be one big reference. Getting this part right is crucial, and it helps to follow a clear playbook for vetting agencies and consultants to make sure you don't miss anything.

How much is this actually going to cost me?

This is where many UK founders get it wrong. They try to find the cheapest option. Hiring a cheap consultant is one of the most expensive mistakes you can make. A £500/month consultant who wastes £3,000 of your ad spend has cost you £3,500. A £2,000/month consultant who turns that same £3,000 into £15,000 of revenue has made you £10,000. The fee is secondary to the results they can generate with your budget.

In the UK, a good freelance consultant will typically charge a monthly retainer. This can range from £1,500 to £5,000+ per month, depending on the ad spend they are managing, the complexity of the campaigns, and their level of expertise. Some might charge a percentage of ad spend (e.g., 10-15%), but this is more common for larger accounts. Be very wary of anyone offering performance-only deals. It often means they'll optimise for cheap, low-quality conversions that look good on a report but don't actually grow your business.

The real question isn't "what is their fee?" but "is hiring them more profitable than doing it myself or having an employee do it?". You need to factor in the cost of your own time, or an employee's salary, plus the 'cost' of mistakes and slow learning.

What should I ask them on the discovery call?

The intro call is your chance to really test their expertise. Don't let them just run through a sales presentation. Your goal is to get them talking strategy. Here are some questions designed to see if they actually know their stuff.

Avoid these rubbish questions:

• "Can you guarantee results?" - The answer is always no. Advertising has variables. If they say yes, they're lying. Run away.
• "Have you worked in my exact niche before?" - A better question is about their experience with your business *model* (e.g., B2B SaaS, high-ticket eCommerce). A great consultant can adapt their process to new niches.

Ask these instead:

• "Based on what you know about my business, what ad platform would you start with and why? What would be your second choice?" This tests their strategic thinking. Their justification is more important than the platform they choose.
• "What's the biggest, most common mistake you see businesses like mine making with their paid ads?" This tests their real-world experience. Their answer should be specific and insightful, not generic.
• "Talk me through your testing process for the first 30 days. What are you looking to learn and in what order?" This is the most important question. A pro will talk about validating the audience, then the offer, then the creative. An amateur will talk about changing button colours.
• "My customer LTV is £X and our target is a 3:1 LTV:CAC ratio. How does that affect your initial campaign strategy?" This shows you understand your own numbers and forces them to think commercially, not just about ad metrics.

How they answer will tell you everything. Are they thoughtful and strategic, or do they just give vague, canned answers? You are looking for a partner, not just a button-pusher. Making the right choice here is critical, which is why a solid vetting guide for UK founders can be an invaluable tool.

Is it really worth the investment?

Look, you could try and learn all this yourself. You could spend the next 6-12 months reading blogs, watching YouTube videos, and burning through thousands of pounds of your own money on 'learning experiences' (i.e., failed ads). And you might get there in the end. Or, you could hire an expert who has already made all those mistakes with other people's money and can get you to profitability in a fraction of the time.

For a UK founder, time is your most valuable asset. Hiring a top-tier freelance consultant isn't an expense; it's buying back your time and buying speed. It's an investment in predictable, scalable growth that lets you focus on what you do best—running your business. The cost of a good consultant is almost always dwarfed by the cost of delay and the cost of wasted ad spend. Thinking about the pros and cons is a critical step, and it might be helpful to do a true cost analysis of DIY vs. hiring a consultant for your startup.

The key is doing your homework properly. Follow the framework: look for evidence, vet their case studies, grill them on strategy, and understand their process. If you do that, you'll find a partner who can genuinely help scale your business, not just another expense on your P&L.

I've detailed my main recommendations for you below to summarise the process:

Finding the right consultant is a process, but it's one of the highest-leverage activities a founder can undertake. If this all feels a bit daunting and you'd rather just talk to an expert who has been in the trenches with UK businesses, we offer a completely free, no-obligation strategy session. We can take a look at what you're doing now and give you some actionable advice you can implement straight away. Feel free to get in touch to schedule a call.

Hope this helps!