Glasgow's Guide to Outsourcing Google Ads Management

So, you're a Glasgow business, and you're thinking about outsourcing your Google Ads. Good. It's probably the single best decision you can make to stop burning money and start getting actual leads or sales. Trying to DIY Google Ads is a bit like trying to do your own conveyancing – you might get there eventually, but you'll probably make a costly mess along the way.

The problem is, finding the right person or agency in Glasgow can feel like a bit of a minefield. You've got big agencies with flashy offices in the city centre, one-man-bands working from their flat in the West End, and everything in between. They all promise the world. So how do you separate the experts from the cowboys?

I've been in the paid ads game for a long time, and I've seen it all. Forget the sales pitches. What you need is a simple framework for vetting potential partners to find someone who will genuinely care about your business and has the skills to back it up. It's not about finding the cheapest option; it's about finding the one that will deliver the best return.

First off, who are you actually looking for in Glasgow?

Not all agencies are created equal. The right choice for a local plumber in Bearsden is going to be very different from the right choice for a B2B SaaS company based out of the Tontine building. You need to match the agency's specialism to your business needs. It's not just about them being 'good at Google Ads'; it's about them being good at Google Ads *for you*.

A lot of businesses make the mistake of going with a big, full-service agency because they look impressive. But often, a smaller, specialist outfit will give you better results and more attention because your account is more important to them. Think about what you really need.

The only thing that matters: Case studies

Once you've identified the *type* of agency you're after, the next step is to ruthlessly vet them based on their past work. Their website can say whatever it wants. Their sales team can promise you the moon. The only ground truth is their track record.

Don't just glance at the logos on their homepage. Ask for detailed case studies. And when you get them, you're not looking for pretty graphs; you're looking for specifics:

• -> The Niche: Have they worked with a business like yours before? A case study for a national fashion brand is almost useless if you're a local roofing company. I remember a client who came to us after a bad experience with another agency – they'd been shown a flashy eCommerce case study, but the agency had no clue how to generate leads for a high-ticket service business. It was a complete waste of time and money.
• -> The Problem: What was the client's situation before they started? Were they new to ads? Were their costs too high? A good case study sets the scene.
• -> The Solution: What did the agency *actually* do? Did they restructure campaigns? Write new ad copy? Optimise landing pages? It should be more specific than "we ran Google Ads".
• -> The Results: This is the big one. Look for hard numbers. Not just "clicks" or "impressions". You want to see Return on Ad Spend (ROAS), Cost Per Lead (CPL), or Cost Per Acquisition (CPA). And critically, these should be in pounds (£). For one client, a medical job-matching SaaS platform, we used a combination of Google and Meta Ads to reduce their Cost Per Acquisition from a staggering £100 down to just £7. That's the kind of specific, meaningful result you're looking for. A vague "we increased their visibility" is a massive red flag.

If an agency is cagey about sharing details, or if their case studies are all fluff and no substance, walk away. It means they either don't have the results to show, or they don't understand what metrics actually matter to a business owner. Any agency worth their salt will be proud of their work and happy to show you the details.

What should you actually expect to pay in Glasgow?

This is the question on everyone's mind, and most agencies are deliberately vague about it. The answer has two parts: your ad spend (what you pay Google) and the management fee (what you pay the agency).

Ad Spend: This depends entirely on your industry, competition, and how many leads or sales you want. A plumber in Glasgow might need to spend £1,000 - £2,000 a month to get a decent flow of calls. An eCommerce store might spend £5,000 or more. There's no magic number. However, anyone who tells you that you can "get started with just £10 a day" for a competitive market is either inexperienced or being dishonest. You need to spend enough to gather data and give the campaigns a real chance to work. I remember one campaign we ran for a home cleaning service where we got leads for just £5 each, but for a more competitive HVAC client, leads were closer to £60. Your market dictates the price.

Management Fee: This varies wildly. Some charge a flat fee (£500-£2000+/month), others charge a percentage of ad spend (usually 10-20%), and some use a hybrid model. There's no "right" way, but you should be clear on what you're paying for. Be wary of very low flat fees. A £250/month fee might sound great, but think about it: how much time and expertise can they possibly dedicate to your account for that price? Probably not a lot. You often get what you pay for.

To give you a realistic idea, I've built a simple calculator below. Play around with the numbers to see how different variables affect your total monthly budget. This is the kind of basic math any potential agency partner should be discussing with you on a first call.

How to spot a real expert on the discovery call

So you've found a few potential agencies, you've reviewed their case studies, and you've got a realistic budget in mind. The next step is the discovery call. This is your chance to interview them. Your goal is to get past the sales fluff and see if they *really* know their stuff.

Don't let them run the show. Go in with a list of pointed questions:

1. "Based on what you know about my business, what would your initial strategy be?" - A good answer will be cautious but specific. They might talk about starting with branded search, moving to high-intent non-brand keywords, and using specific ad groups for your different services. A bad answer is vague: "We'll use our proven formula to drive traffic and get you results."
2. "What's your process for keyword research for a business like mine in the Glasgow area?" - This tests their local knowledge. Do they mention tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs? Do they talk about analysing competitors in Glasgow? Or do they just give a generic answer?
3. "Can you walk me through what your monthly reporting looks like?" - Ask to see a sample report. Does it focus on the metrics that matter (CPL, ROAS, conversions), or is it a "vanity report" full of fluffy metrics like impressions and clicks? It should be clear, easy to understand, and focused on business outcomes.
4. "How do you approach landing page optimisation?" - The ads are only half the battle. A true expert knows that the website experience is just as important. Do they talk about A/B testing headlines, calls-to-action, or lead forms? Or do they just shrug and say "that's your responsibility"?
5. "Who will actually be working on my account?" - Will it be the senior person you're talking to, or a junior account manager? You need to know who is in charge of your money.

Listen carefully to their answers. Are they talking *with* you, or *at* you? A good partner will be asking you lots of questions about your business, your customers, your profit margins. They're trying to understand your business, not just sell you a service. Tbh if someone asks us for references after we've already shown them detailed case studies and given them a free strategy review, it's a bit of a red flag for us. It signals a lack of trust from the start, and that's not a great foundation for a partnership.

The final decision: A summary of what to do

Choosing an agency is a big decision. To make it simpler, here is the exact process I would follow if I were in your shoes. Don't skip any steps.

Making the right choice here can be the difference between your business stagnating and it finding a powerful new engine for growth. It takes a bit of work upfront, but finding a genuine expert who can navigate the Glasgow market is an investment that will pay for itself many times over.

This process might seem like a lot of effort, but it's designed to protect your investment and ensure you partner with someone who has the skill to deliver. Doing this homework now will save you a world of pain and wasted ad spend later.

If you're going through this process and want a second opinion, or if you'd like a no-obligation audit of your existing campaigns to see where the opportunities are, that's something we do. We offer a free initial consultation where we can review your strategy and give you some actionable advice you can take away, whether you decide to work with us or not. Feel free to get in touch for a free consultation.