Google App Ads Expert: Why Local is a Waste of Money

Right, looking for a specialist in Google App Ads, specifically in Indianapolis. That's a very precise search, and honestly, it's probably leading you down the wrong path. The number one mistake I see app founders make is getting fixated on finding a local agency or consultant. For a brick-and-mortar service business, sure, local knowledge is handy. For a digital app targeting users across the US, the physical location of your ads expert is probably the least important factor. What you actually need is someone with deep, proven experience in scaling apps within the hyper-competitive US market, regardless of whether their office is in Indy, London, or Lisbon.

The truth is, most local marketing agencies are generalists. They might be brilliant at getting leads for a local plumber or running Facebook ads for a restaurant, but Google App Campaigns are a completely different beast. It's a unique, algorithm-driven system that punishes guesswork and rewards highly specific expertise. So, instead of looking for a postcode, you need to be looking for a very particular skillset. This guide will walk you through how to spot a true specialist from a generalist who's just winging it, what you should realistically expect to pay, and the tough questions you must ask before you hand over a single dollar of your ad budget.

So, do you really need someone in Indianapolis?

Let's get this out of the way first. No, you almost definately don't. While Indianapolis has a growing tech scene, with big names like Salesforce having a major presence, that doesn't automatically mean it's brimming with world-class Google App Ad specialists. More likely, you'll find a lot of full-service digital agencies that list 'App Ads' as one of twenty services they offer. That's a red flag.

Think about it: your users aren't confined to Marion County. They're all over the United States. The expertise required to attract a user in California is identical to the expertise needed to attract one in Indiana. The platform, the bidding strategies, the creative principles—they're all the same. What matters is experience with the audience, not proximity to your office. A UK-based expert (like myself) who has run dozens of successful US app campaigns and has the case studies to prove it will be infinitely more valuable than a local agency that's only dabbled in it once or twice. Finding a real app ads expert is about their track record and process, not their office address.

The danger of focusing locally is you drastically shrink your talent pool and end up settling for 'good enough' instead of 'the best'. You should be looking for a partner who lives and breathes user acquisition for mobile apps, who knows the benchmarks for your app category inside-out, and who can tell you what your CPI and downstream ROAS should look like before you've even started. That level of specialisation is rare, and you're unlikely to find it by restricting your search to a single city.

What questions should you be asking a potential specialist?

Okay, so you're on a call with a potential agency or consultant. How do you cut through the sales pitch and figure out if they actually know what they're doing? You need to ask questions that expose their process, or lack thereof. A real specialist will love these questions; a generalist will stumble.

Here are the non-negotiables:

• "Walk me through your campaign structure for a brand-new app." A bad answer is vague: "We'll set up a campaign and target users who might be interested." A good answer is specific: "We'd start with at least 3-4 distinct asset groups, each with a mix of video, image, and HTML5 assets. We'll likely begin with a target Cost Per Install (tCPI) bid to gather data quickly, while setting up conversion tracking for key in-app events. As soon as we have enough data on, say, trial starts or first purchases, we'll launch a seperate campaign with a target Cost Per Action (tCPA) bid, because that's how you drive profitability."


• "How do you approach creative strategy and iteration?" You're listening for a system, not just "we make nice ads". A specialist will talk about developing a creative testing matrix, iterating on winning concepts, the importance of User-Generated Content (UGC) style creative, and having a regular refresh cadence to combat ad fatigue. They'll ask you for your best user testimonials to turn into ad copy. A generalist will just talk about your brand colours.


• "Beyond installs, how do you measure success?" This is the killer question. If their answer is all about driving down the Cost Per Install (CPI), hang up. A low CPI is a vanity metric if those users don't do anything valuable. A true expert will immediately talk about Lifetime Value (LTV), Return on Ad Spend (ROAS), and tracking in-app events like subscriptions, level completions, or purchases. Their goal is to find you profitable users, not just cheap installs, which is why you must learn to target high-value users, not just bulk downloads.

The difference in approach is stark. A pretender focuses on the top of the funnel because it's easy to measure. A specialist is obsessed with the bottom of the funnel, because that's where your money is actually made.

What should I actually expect to pay and get in return?

This is the million-dollar question, isn't it? The cost of user acquisition varies wildly by app category, competition, and the value of the action you're optimising for. The US is a Tier-1 country, so costs will be higher than in many other parts of the world. But that's okay, because US users also tend to have a higher lifetime value.

Based on my experience running campaigns for various apps, here are some realistic ballpark figures. For a simple app install (tCPI), you might see costs anywhere from $2 to $8. However, for a more valuable action (tCPA), like a free trial sign-up for a B2B SaaS app, you could be looking at $7-$25. I remember one campaign for a medical job matching client where we managed to get their CPA down from a painful £100 to just £7 by completely rebuilding their strategy around valuable actions. In another campaign for a B2C app, we scaled to over 45,000 signups at a cost of under £2 per user.

The key isn't to fixate on the initial cost, but on the return. Would you rather pay $2 for a user who installs your app and never opens it again, or $20 for a user who signs up for a trial and has a 20% chance of converting to a $50/month subscription? The math is simple. The second option is where you build a sustainable business. To get a better feel for your own numbers, you can use the calculator below. Adjust the sliders to see how changes in ad spend, CPI, and user value can impact your potential return. This kind of forecasting is a crucial first step before you even think about how to scale your app installs.

What specific Google App Campaign knowledge separates the pros from the amateurs?

Google App Campaigns (UAC) are often called a 'black box', and for good reason. Unlike traditional search ads, you don't pick keywords or manually manage placements. You provide the machine with assets (images, videos, text) and signals (bidding strategy, audience data), and it figures out the rest. This is where most generalists fail. They treat it like a regular display campaign and are baffled when it doesn't work. A specialist understands that their job is to be an expert 'teacher' for the algorithm.

Here’s the specific knowledge that matters:

1. Asset Group Mastery: A specialist knows that the quantity and diversity of your creative is paramount. They won't just ask for a couple of images. They'll demand multiple headlines, descriptions, high-resolution images in various aspect ratios, and most importantly, video (both landscape and portrait). They know that the algorithm needs a rich palette of assets to test across YouTube, the Play Store, Search, and the Display Network. If your potential partner isn't obsessed with your creative assets from the first call, they don't understand the platform.


2. Strategic Bidding: This is probably the biggest differentiator. An amateur will set up a campaign, select "Maximise Installs" (tCPI), and hope for the best. A pro knows this is just step one. The real growth comes from optimising for valuable in-app actions (tCPA). This means working with you to properly set up conversion tracking for events like 'user_subscribed', 'level_10_completed', or 'first_purchase'. They'll then use that data to tell Google: "Don't just find me anyone who will install; find me users who are likely to perform *this specific action* for my target cost." It’s a completely different level of strategy, and it’s often the key to unlocking profitability. A classic example of this is when you see Google App campaigns in Zurich where the fix was about switching the optimisation from installs to valuable in-app actions.


3. Intelligent Audience Signals: While you can't directly target audiences in UAC, you can provide 'signals' to guide the algorithm. A specialist will know how to leverage your first-party data. They'll ask you to create audiences of your existing high-LTV purchasers or users who completed a trial, and then feed those into the campaign as a signal, telling Google "go find more people who look like this." They might also use data from your website visitors or people who have previously engaged with your brand. It's about giving the black box a better map to start with.

Here’s your action plan for finding that specialist.

Right, that was a lot of information. Let's boil it down to a simple, actionable plan. Forget about finding someone in Indianapolis for a moment and focus on finding someone who is genuinely good at this specific, wierd part of the advertising world.

This is the process you should follow:

1. Define Your Real KPI: Before you speak to anyone, decide what success *actually* looks like. Is it installs? Or is it trial signups? Or paid subscriptions? Be honest. This one decision will dictate your entire strategy.
2. Expand Your Search: Look for specialists across the US, UK, and Europe. Focus on those who have a dedicated service page for App Marketing and showcase relevant case studies.
3. Grill Them on Process: Use the questions from the section above. Don't let them off with vague answers. If they can't talk fluently about asset groups, tCPA bidding, and audience signals, they're not your partner.
4. Demand Relevant Case Studies: Don't accept a case study for a local dentist. You need to see proof that they've scaled a mobile app, preferably in your category and targeting the US market. Look for real metrics like ROAS or LTV, not just vanity metrics.

The following table can help you spot the difference between a real pro and a chancer during your vetting process.

Ultimately, finding the right partner to scale your app is one of the most important decisions you'll make. It’s far more critical than finding someone you can have a coffee with in downtown Indy. This is complex, expensive work, and getting it wrong can sink an otherwise great app. Getting it right can be the engine for explosive growth.

If this all feels a bit overwhelming, that's because it is. This isn't simple stuff. We find that a single, focused 20-minute strategy session can often clarify months of confusion and prevent founders from wasting thousands on flawed campaigns. If you'd like a second pair of expert eyes to look over your user acquisition strategy and offer some honest, no-fluff advice, feel free to get in touch to schedule a free consultation.

Hope this helps!