Solved: Need Help Hiring a Google Ads Specialist for Upwork

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out! I understand you’re looking for some help with your Google Ads account and are trying to figure out the best way to hire someone to manage it. It’s a common situation for small companies, especially when you’ve got an account that’s just been running on autopilot for a while. With a spend of around $3-4k a month, there's definitely potential to get more out of it, but it's also enough money that you don't want it going down the drain on campaigns that aren't working.

I’m happy to give you some of my initial thoughts and guidance based on my experience. Finding the right person is more than just hiring a freelancer; it's about finding a partner who understands how to turn that ad spend into real business results. So, instead of just telling you where to look, I thought it might be more helpful to walk you through what an expert should be doing for you, and what you should be looking for in a specialist or agency. It should give you a good framework for making a decision.

I'd say you need to be really careful who you hire...

First things first, vetting anyone you consider working with is probably the most important step. Whether it’s a freelancer from a platform or a small agency like ours, the principles are the same. You need to look past the sales pitch and find genuine proof of expertise. Tbh, a lot of people can talk a good game, but delivering results is another story entirely.

The first place I’d look is at their case studies. And I mean really look at them. Don't just glance at the headlines. See if they have experience in a niche similar to yours, or at least with a similar business model (e.g., B2B services, lead generation, etc.). If they can show you they've driven tangible results for a company like yours, that’s a massive plus. For example, I remember one client, a B2B software company, where we used LinkedIn Ads to generate leads from decision makers at a $22 CPL. Results like these show a deep understanding of the platform and strategy, not just basic campaign management.

Of course, you gotta be realistic. Your results will depend on your industry, competition, and offer. No one can promise you a 1000% ROAS overnight. In fact, if someone is promising you specific results, I'd be very wary. In paid advertising, there are no guarantees. An expert knows this; they talk about process, strategy, and testing, not empty promises. They should be able to look at your business and give you a realistic idea of the potential, and also be honest about the challenges.

The next step is to get on a call with them. An initial chat or consultation is a great way to gauge their expertise. See what kind of questions they ask you. Are they trying to understand your business, your customers, your goals? Or are they just trying to sell you a package? A genuine expert will likely offer some upfront value. For instance, we often do a free initial consultation where we'll have a look at a potential client's ad account with them on a call. This isn't a sales pitch; it's a working session. We point out what we see, suggest some quick wins, and discuss potential strategies. It gives the client a real taste of the expertise they'd be paying for. Look for that kind of approach. It shows confidence and a genuine desire to help.

Finally, look for social proof like reviews and testimonials. What have other clients said about working with them? Strong, detailed reviews are a great sign. But honestly, the combination of solid case studies and a valuable initial consultation should tell you most of what you need to know. If after all that you still dont feel you can trust them, they probably arent the right fit. Trust is so important in this relationship. You're giving them control of a significant part of your marketing budget, so you need to be confident they know what they’re doing and have your best interests at heart.

We'll need to look at what's actually happening in your account...

Once you find someone you think is a good fit, their first job shouldn't be to start building new campaigns from scratch. It should be to conduct a deep audit of what you already have. You said you've been working off campaigns set up by someone else, so there's a treasure trove of data in there – both good and bad. An expert will want to dig into that data to understand what’s been working, what hasn't, and why.

This isn't just a quick glance. It's a proper forensic analysis. Here’s what they should be looking at:

-> Campaign & Account Structure: Is it logical? Are campaigns grouped by service, location, or intent? A messy structure makes it impossible to manage and optimise effectively.

-> Conversion Tracking: This is a big one. Is it set up correctly? Are you tracking the actions that actually matter to your business (e.g., form submissions, phone calls, not just page views)? Without accurate conversion data, you're flying blind and any 'optimisation' is just guesswork. The whole point of running these ads is to get conversions, so you have to be optimising for them.

-> Performance Metrics Analysis: This is where the story of your account is told. They should be breaking down the performance to diagnose problems. It usually follows a simple funnel logic:
    - Do you have very low Click-Through Rates (CTRs) and high Cost-Per-Click (CPCs)? -> This usually points to a problem at the very top of the funnel. Either the keywords you're targeting are wrong (not relevant to your audience), or your ad copy is weak and not compelling enough to make people click. Maybe your ads aren't ranking well due to low Quality Scores.
    - Do you get clicks to your website but a very low conversion rate? -> This suggests the problem lies on your landing page. You’re getting the right kind of traffic, but the page isn't convincing them to take action. This could be down to poor design, confusing messaging, a weak offer, or a clunky user expereince.
    - Is your Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) too high? -> This is a symptom of other problems. It could be high CPCs, a low conversion rate, or a combination of both. The audit needs to identify the root cause.

A thorough audit gives you a baseline. It establishes the current state of affairs and identifies the biggest areas for improvement. Any specialist who doesn't insist on doing this first is probably just going to repeat the same mistakes that have been made before. They need to understand the past to build a better future for the account.

You probably should rethink your entire funnel...

A good paid ads specialist doesn't just live inside the Google Ads platform. They understand that the ads are only one part of a much larger customer journey. The best ads in the world will fail if they send traffic to a website that doesn’t convert. Your $3-4k monthly spend is wasted if the user experience falls apart after the click. So, an expert should be talking to you about your website and your overall sales process.

Your website needs to be your best salesperson. It should be designed with one primary goal in mind: to turn a visitor into a lead or a customer. Based on what I've seen with many small businesses, here are some common issues that a specialist should help you identify and fix:

-> A Clear Call-to-Action (CTA): What is the single most important action you want a visitor to take? Is it to "Request a Quote," "Schedule a Free Consultation," or "Download a Brochure"? This CTA should be front and centre, above the fold, and repeated throughout the page. If a visitor has to hunt for what to do next, they'll just leave.

-> Persuasive Sales Copy: Your website copy needs to do more than just describe what you do. It needs to speak directly to your ideal customer's pain points and show them how your service is the solution. It should build trust, handle objections, and create a sense of urgency. Often, investing in some professional copywriting can have a huge impact on conversion rates. We use experienced copywriters for our clients for this very reason – it just works.

-> Your Offer: What are you actually offering people? For B2B, a direct "Buy Now" often doesn't work. The sales cycle is longer. You need a compelling, low-friction offer to get them into your funnel. I've seen countless B2B SaaS companies struggle because they ask for a credit card upfront. A free trial or a live demo almost always works better. For a service business, this could be a free audit, a strategy review, or a detailed quote. The goal is to start a conversation and build a relationship.

-> Trust Signals: Why should a stranger trust your 3-man company with their business? Your website needs to scream credibility. This means having testimonials, case studies, logos of clients you've worked with, professional team photos, and a clear physical address and phone number. These small things make a huge difference in making a potential customer feel comfortable enough to reach out.

A good agency or freelancer will see your website as part of their remit. They know their success is tied to your success, and that means looking at the entire funnel, from the keyword the user searches to the thank you page they see after becoming a lead. If they only want to talk about keywords and bids, their vision is too narrow.

You'll need a proper Google Ads strategy...

Assuming your tracking and website are in a good place, the next focus is on the actual Google Ads strategy. Just "optimising" existing campaigns isn't enough. You need a proactive strategy designed to attract your ideal customer and guide them towards conversion. This is where real expertise shines.

We'll need to look at your Keyword Strategy...
This is the absolute foundation of any search campaign. It’s not just about bidding on your main service terms. A sophisticated strategy involves understanding user intent and targeting keywords across the different stages of the buying cycle.

• High-Intent Keywords: These are the money makers. People searching for things like "[your service] near me," "emergency [your service]," or "hire [your service] company." They are actively looking to buy. You should have dedicated campaigns for these terms and be willing to bid aggressively.
• Problem/Awareness Keywords: These are for users who know they have a problem but aren't yet looking for a specific solution. For example, "how to improve manufacturing efficiency" if you sell factory automation software. These are great for capturing leads higher up the funnel, perhaps by offering a helpful guide or whitepaper.
• Branded Keywords: Bidding on your own company name. It's cheap and protects you from competitors who might be bidding on your brand.
• Negative Keywords: Just as important is telling Google what not to show your ads for. A robust negative keyword list is crucial to avoid wasting money on irrelevant clicks (e.g., 'jobs', 'free', 'training', 'DIY').

I'd say you need to structure your campaigns for control and testing...
A common mistake is lumping everything into one or two campaigns. A proper structure gives you control over budget and allows for clear testing.

• Split Testing is Non-Negotiable: You should always be testing. Test different ad copy, different headlines, different calls-to-action. Test different landing pages. The only way to improve performance over time is to constantly test new ideas and let the data tell you what works.
• Campaigns by Theme: Campaigns should be broken down by theme, which could be different services you offer, different locations you target, or different levels of user intent. This allows you to allocate budget to your most profitable areas and write highly relevant ads for each specific search.

This is a simplified example, but it shows the kind of logical seperation that allows for precise control and measurement.

This is the main advice I have for you:

To pull this all together, a proper engagement to optimise your Google Ads account isn't just a quick fix. It's a systematic process. Based on what you've said, if you were to work with an expert, here’s what the plan of action should look like. This is what you should expect from anyone you hire.

As for your question on cost, it varies. Agency fees are often a percentage of ad spend (typically 10-20%) or a fixed monthly retainer. For an account spending $3-4k/month, a retainer model is common, and could be anywhere from $500 to $2000+ per month depending on the scope of work and the agency's experience. Remember that paying a bit more for real expertise is almost always cheaper in the long run than paying less for someone who wastes your ad spend.

Why you might want to consider expert help...

Running paid ads effectively has become incredibly complex. It's not just about picking a few keywords and writing an ad anymore. It's a full-time job that requires a deep understanding of marketing strategy, data analysis, copywriting, and the ever-changing ad platforms themselves.

For a small company like yours, every dollar counts. Wasted ad spend is money that could be invested elsewhere in the business. Working with a dedicated specialist or agency means you're not just paying for someone to click buttons; you're investing in a strategic partner who can bring a proven process, years of experience from working on dozens of other accounts, and a singular focus on generating a return on your investment.

I hope this detailed breakdown has been helpful and gives you a much clearer picture of what to look for and what to expect. It’s a lot to take in, I know, but getting this decision right can make a huge difference to your business's growth.

If you’d like to have a more specific chat about your account, we offer a free, no-obligation initial consultation where we can go through your campaigns together on a screen share. It would be a great chance for you to see this process in action and get some actionable advice right away. Feel free to let me know if that's something you'd be interested in.

Regards,

Team @ Lukas Holschuh