Google App Ads Expert: Why Local Is a Mistake

So, you're looking to hire a Google App Ads expert in Bath. I get it. It feels safer, right? You imagine meeting for a coffee, holding someone local accountable. It's a natural instinct. But I'm going to be brutally honest with you: it’s probably the biggest mistake you can make right now for your app's growth. Focusing on geography is a distraction from what actually gets results, and it'll probably lead you to hiring a B-player when you need an A-player.

The truth is, in the world of digital advertising, location is almost completely irrelevant. The best person to scale your app's user acquisition could be in London, Manchester, or even working from a cottage in the Scottish Highlands. What matters, and what this guide is all about, is finding someone with deep, proven, and specialised expertise in the unique ecosystem of app marketing. Someone who lives and breathes metrics like CPI, LTV, and retention rates. So let's ditch the "near me" search and talk about what really drives growth.

Why is "Near Me" the Wrong Question to Ask?

Let's think about this logically. Google's ad platform is a global, digital tool. The skills needed to master it have nothing to do with being physically present in Bath, or any other city for that matter. An expert in Bristol doesn't have access to a special "West Country" version of Google Ads. The strategies that work for an app in London are the same ones that will work for an app based in Somerset. The battleground is digital, and your expert needs to be a master of that digital terrain, not your local high street.

When you limit your search to "Bath," you're fishing in a tiny pond. How many genuine, top-tier app marketing specialists do you think live within that specific postcode? A handful, at best? Maybe none. The UK, however, has thousands. The world has tens of thousands. By insisting on a local provider, you are artificially shrinking your talent pool by over 99%. It's like needing a specialist heart surgeon but refusing to look outside your local GP's office. You're sacrificing world-class expertise for the trivial convenience of a shared postcode.

We've worked with app founders across the UK and beyond, and not once has a face-to-face meeting been the thing that moved the needle. What moved the needle was our deep understanding of app campaign structures, our library of high-performing creatives, and our obsessive focus on data. Tbh, if an agency is pushing the benefit of being local, it’s often because they don't have stronger credentials to lead with. They're selling you proximity because they can't sell you proven performance. And that's a massive red flag. The reality is, hiring a local app ads expert is often a waste of money that could be better spent on your ad campaigns.

So, What Should I Be Asking Instead?

Alright, so we've established that "where are you based?" is the wrong question. Let's focus on the right ones. Your entire vetting process should revolve around three things: specific app experience, a deep understanding of app-specific metrics, and a coherent strategy for growth.

First, proven app experience. And I mean *app* experience. Not "we ran some Google Search ads for a plumber" or "we do Facebook ads for e-commerce stores." App marketing is a different beast entirely. You should be asking: "Can you show me case studies for app install campaigns you've managed?" and "What were the results?". You want to see that they've been in the trenches. For instance, we've managed campaigns that generated over 45,000 signups for one app client, and for another, we took their Cost Per Acquisition from a painful £100 all the way down to just £7. Those are the kinds of specific, verifiable results you should be looking for. If they can't show you this, they're not an expert; they're a generalist who will learn on your dime.

Second, they must speak the language of app metrics. During your initial chat, listen carefully. Are they talking about vanity metrics like impressions and clicks, or are they focused on what really matters? A true expert will immediately start asking about your Cost Per Install (CPI), your user Lifetime Value (LTV), your retention rates, and your key in-app events. They'll understand that getting a download is only the first, and arguably the easiest, step. The real goal is to acquire high-value users who engage with your app and contribute to your bottom line. If they can't hold an intelligent conversation about the LTV:CPI ratio, they are not the right partner for you. You need more than a campaign manager; you need a growth partner who understands the economics of your app.

Finally, ask about their strategic approach. "What would your process be for the first 90 days?" is a great question. You're listening for a structured plan, not vague promises. A good answer will involve things like:

-> An initial audit of your tracking and analytics (Firebase, AppsFlyer, etc.).
-> A deep dive into your ideal user persona.
-> A methodical plan for creative testing (testing different videos, images, and ad copy).
-> A clear strategy for campaign structure, separating campaigns by country, platform (iOS/Android), and user intent.
-> A plan for scaling what works and quickly killing what doesn't.

If their answer is just "we'll set up some ads and optimise them," run for the hills. That's not a strategy; it's a recipe for burning cash. Finding the right partner is critical, which is why we've put together the ultimate guide to finding the right help for your app to walk you through every step.

How Do I Actually Vet Their Expertise?

Okay, you have your shortlist of specialists (none of whom were chosen because they live in Bath), and you're ready to start talking to them. How do you separate the real experts from the pretenders? It comes down to a simple, methodical vetting process.

Your first stop is their case studies. And I mean a proper deep dive, not just a glance at the headline figures. If they claim "45k+ signups," ask for the context. What was the CPI? What was the timeframe? What kind of app was it? A £2 CPI for a hyper-casual game is very different from a £20 CPI for a high-value fintech app. The numbers must be relevant to your situation. Look for transparency. Do they explain the challenges they faced and how they overcame them? A good case study tells a story of problem and solution, not just a list of vanity metrics. Be wary of agencies with only e-commerce or lead gen case studies; the skills don't always transfer to the app world.

Next comes the consultation call. This is your litmus test. This is where you deploy the questions we just discussed. But it's also about watching for red flags. The biggest one? Anyone who guarantees results. No genuine expert will ever promise you a specific CPI or number of downloads. There are too many variables. They can promise a rigorous process, transparent communication, and a data-driven approach, but they can't promise an outcome. Other red flags include being cagey about their process, using excessive jargon to sound smart, or immediately trying to lock you into a long-term contract. A confident expert will be happy to start with a trial period or a small pilot project to prove their value.

Finally, look at their reviews and testimonials. These are useful signals, but treat them with a pinch of salt. Look for patterns. Do clients consistently praise their communication, their strategic insights, or their reporting? Or are the reviews generic and vague? A detailed review that says, "They helped us understand our user LTV and cut our CPI in half" is worth ten reviews that just say "they're great to work with." Your goal is to build a complete picture of their capabilities and working style before you sign anything. This process is so important for any business, which is why we wrote a comprehensive founder's guide on hiring the best UK ad agency, because the principles are the same regardless of your niche.

What Results and Costs Can I Realistically Expect in the UK?

This is the million-dollar question, or rather, the "how many pounds per install" question. The answer, of course, is "it depends." But an expert should be able to give you a realistic ballpark based on their experience. Anyone who avoids this conversation is either inexperienced or hiding something.

In the UK market, for Google App Campaigns, the Cost Per Install (CPI) can vary wildly. For a simple utility app or a casual game, you might see CPIs in the £1.50 - £4.00 range. For a more niche or high-value app, like in fintech, education, or B2B SaaS, you should expect to pay more, potentially anywhere from £5 to £20 or even higher per install. The key isn't just the CPI, but its relationship to your Lifetime Value (LTV). If your average user generates £50 in revenue, paying £10 to acquire them is a fantastic deal. If they only generate £5, you have a problem. This is the fundamental maths of profitable app scaling.

We've seen this spectrum firsthand. I mentioned the campaign where we achieved over 45,000 signups at under £2 per user. That was for an app with broad appeal and a very efficient monetisation funnel. On the other end, we worked with a specialised medical job-matching SaaS app where the initial CPA was over £100. It was unsustainably high. Through methodical testing of creative, targeting, and in-app event optimisation, we brought that down to just £7. That's the kind of impact an expert can have—they don't just accept the platform's default costs; they actively work to beat them. This whole process is a core part of our ultimate growth framework for app marketing in the UK.

To start, I usually recommend a test budget of at least £2,000 - £3,000 per month. This gives you enough data to learn what's working without betting the farm. As you find winning combinations of creative and targeting, you can scale the budget up. But don't just throw money at it. Scaling needs to be deliberate and tied to your return on ad spend (ROAS). Below is a simple calculator to help you visualise how your target CPI and desired install volume translate into a monthly budget. Play around with it to get a feel for the numbers involved.

What Does a Winning Google App Campaign Strategy Actually Look Like?

A winning strategy is never about just "setting and forgetting" a campaign. It's a continuous cycle of testing, learning, and optimising. Any expert you hire should be obsessed with this process. The goal isn't just to get cheap installs; it's to find profitable pockets of growth and scale them intelligently.

The foundation of any good strategy is optimising for the right thing. Too many amateurs set their campaigns to optimise for "Installs." That's a rookie mistake. You're telling Google to find you anyone who will download an app, which often means you get low-quality users who open it once and then delete it. A real expert will quickly move to optimising for in-app actions. This means you tell Google's algorithm: "Don't just find me people who will install the app; find me people who are likely to complete the tutorial, make a purchase, or subscribe." This requires proper conversion tracking, but it's the single most powerful lever you can pull to improve the quality of your user acquisition. You pay a bit more per install, but the users you get are infinitely more valuable, which is the key to scaling your user acquisition profitably.

Next up is relentless creative testing. Your ad creative (the videos, images, and text) is your shop window. It's what convinces someone to even consider your app. A good agency won't just ask you for one video and run it forever. They'll have a process for testing dozens of variations.

-> Different video lengths (5s, 15s, 30s).
-> Different creative angles (highlighting features vs. user testimonials vs. problem/solution).
-> Different headlines and descriptions (testing various calls to action and value propositions).

The algorithm needs fresh creative to stay effective, and you'll often find that one surprising ad format outperforms everything else by a huge margin. We've seen campaigns where a simple, low-fi user-generated style video absolutely crushed a high-production, expensive studio ad. You never know what will work until you test, and a true expert has a robust system for doing just that.

Finally, a word on scaling. Many app campaigns hit a plateau. You find a formula that works and gets you 50 installs a day at a good price, but as soon as you try to increase the budget to get 100, the CPI shoots up and it becomes unprofitable. This is where a real specialist earns their fee. They know how to break through these plateaus. This might involve expanding to new countries, testing broader audiences on Google, or even diversifying to other platforms like Meta Ads, TikTok Ads, or Apple Search Ads. The case study I mentioned earlier with 45k+ signups wasn't just on Google; it was a multi-platform strategy. An expert doesn't see a plateau as a dead end; they see it as a puzzle to be solved. And solving that puzzle is what separates stagnant apps from the ones that achieve massive growth.

Your Actionable Plan: The Right Way to Hire

So, let's put this all together into a clear, actionable plan. Forget trawling through local directories. This is the process that will actually connect you with a partner capable of growing your app. The difference between a good and a bad hire can be tens of thousands of pounds in wasted ad spend and months of lost momentum. Taking the time to do this properly is one of the highest-leverage activities you can do as a founder.

I've detailed my main recommendations for you below in a simple table. Think of this as your checklist for finding a world-class growth partner for your app. Following these steps will force you to prioritise genuine expertise and proven results, which is the only reliable path to success. Making the right hire is difficult, but there is a clear process, and we have laid out a more detailed version in the founder's vetting guide for hiring a UK Google Ads expert which applies perfectly here too.

Why You Might Need an Expert After All

You might be reading this and thinking, "This sounds complicated. Maybe I should just try to run the ads myself." And you could. But the world of paid user acquisition is incredibly competitive. Your competitors aren't just other apps in your category; you're competing with every brand trying to get a slice of your user's attention. The platforms are complex, best practices change constantly, and a single mistake in campaign setup can burn through your budget in a matter of hours with nothing to show for it.

Hiring a genuine expert isn't an expense; it's an investment in speed and efficiency. They've already made the costly mistakes on other accounts. They already know which creative formats are working right now. They already have a proven process for testing and scaling. They can get you from zero to a profitable user acquisition engine in a fraction of the time it would take you to learn it all from scratch. You can focus on what you do best—building an amazing app—while they focus on what they do best—finding the people who need it.

If you're serious about growing your app and want to see what a specialised, data-driven approach looks like, we offer a free, no-obligation strategy session. We'll take a look at your app, your goals, and your current efforts, and give you some honest, actionable advice you can use, whether you decide to work with us or not. It's a chance to experience real expertise firsthand and see the difference it can make.

Hope that helps!