Hi there,
I'm happy to give you some initial thoughts and guidance based on your query. It sounds like you're at a point where scaling up your Google Ads campaigns is taking more time than you can spare, but you are unsure whether hiring an agency is the right choice. It's a common dilemma, but let's try to work through some of the things you might not have considered yet. I think you should probably weigh up the options first, as I think it's a decision worth pondering over.
We'll need to look at what you're currently spending...
First things first, the price range you mentioned ($600–$1k/month) seems fairly normal for a smaller account. That's not to say every agency offering that is good, but you're not getting obviously ripped off. I'd say it's probably worth doing some more research to see if you can find a better deal.
It also depends on what you want to achieve with the ad spend - whether the goal is brand awareness, leads or just sales. I mean, if you aren't currently tracking the right metrics or getting the results you want, that's a big problem. To get the results you need, I'd say you should try to find someone that can help with tracking.
I'd also recommend looking at their case studies. Have they worked in a similar niche before, and were they able to drive results? You have to be realistic as every niche is different and some are just super competitive, but if they have good case studies and it sounds like they have the expertise, that's a great sign. For example, we've helped a lot of B2B and B2C companies, so we have some idea of what works and what doesn't. I remember one campaign where we achieved 5082 software trials at $7 cost per trial on Meta Ads.
I'd say you should consider the time savings
The main thing that usually makes handing off ad management worth it is the time saving. You said you've got the basics down, but scaling and refining takes more time than you have available. Think about how much time you're currently spending on Google Ads each week. Is it 5 hours? 10 hours? 15 hours? If an agency can take that off your plate, what else could you be doing with that time? Could you be focusing on other parts of your business, like product development or sales? Could you be taking some time off?
From our experience, time saved is the biggest benefit people see. For example, we've worked with companies where their team was spending all their time on ads and nothing else. Once we took over, they could focus on growing the business. And that's why you should probably be looking for someone to take care of all this time-consuming work.
It’s not just about the time saving, but also about the mental relief that can come with it. Running campaigns can be a lot of work. If you're constantly stressing about it, it can really take a toll on your mental health. We've heard from a lot of clients that they feel so much better once they hand over their campaigns to us, as the mental element can be a lot to take on.
You probably should get a fresh perspective
You're probably stuck in your own head, and that's fine, it happens to the best of us. When you're working on something every day, it's easy to get tunnel vision and miss opportunities. A good agency should bring a fresh perspective and identify things you haven't thought of. We come across this all the time. For instance, I remember one client we worked with, they were targeting really broad keywords, and we narrowed them down and saw a massive improvement in their return. If you recall, we managed to reduce the cost per lead by 84% for an environmental controls client by refining the targeting on LinkedIn and Meta Ads. Small tweaks can make a huge difference.
This can be really important. You're not just paying someone to do the work, you're paying for their expertise and experience. It's like going to a doctor: you're not just paying them to write a prescription, you're paying for their diagnosis and treatment plan. You've got to find someone with experience to get the most out of the partnership. I recommend going with someone who has worked with software previously as they will know what it takes to succeed.
You'll need expertise when it comes to tracking
If you're not tracking everything properly, you're basically flying blind. I think it is important to track absolutely everything, from conversions and revenue to customer lifetime value. A good agency should be able to set up proper tracking and reporting, so you can see exactly where your money is going and what results you're getting.
With proper tracking, you can start to optimise your campaigns and improve your results. Maybe you'll find that certain keywords are driving a lot of conversions, or that certain ad creatives are performing better than others. Once you have that data, you can start to make informed decisions about where to allocate your budget. For example, I remember when we helped a software client generate 3,543 users at a cost of only £0.96 per user using Google Ads, by tracking everything correctly and making informed decisions on where to spend their budget.
Here's the main advice I have for you:
| Recommendation | Details |
|---|---|
| Weigh up the options | Consider whether hiring an agency is the right choice for your business, I'd consider that you may not even know what you are missing out on. |
| Consider the time savings | Think about how much time you're currently spending on Google Ads each week, and what else you could be doing with that time. I'd free up that time and mental energy for other crucial aspects of your business |
| Get a fresh perspective | A good agency should bring a fresh perspective and identify opportunities you haven't thought of. It's easy to get tunnel vision when you're working on something every day. |
| Track absolutely everything | Make sure you're tracking conversions, revenue, customer lifetime value, and anything else that's relevant to your business. Proper tracking will help you optimise your campaigns and improve your results. |
In summary, if you're feeling overwhelmed and don't have the time to dedicate to your Google Ads campaigns, hiring an agency can be a good option. Just make sure you do your research, find an agency with expertise in your niche, and ensure they have a good track record of driving results.
You might be wondering why you should consider hiring a paid advertising agency. The truth is, while managing your own ads might seem cost-effective initially, the expertise and tools that an agency brings to the table can often lead to a significant return on investment. We can usually help you get better results faster and more efficiently than you could on your own. If you need help, we offer a free initial consultation where we review your strategy and account together which usually is super helpful and gives potential clients a taste of the expertise they'll see going into their project if they decide to work with us, but there's absolutely no pressure to proceed. Don't hesitate to reach out!
Hope this helps!
Regards,
Team @ Lukas Holschuh
