Should You Do Google Ads Yourself or Hire An Agency?

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Key Factors to Consider

As an advertiser, you have an important decision to make; whether to manage your Google Ads campaign internally or outsource to an ad agency. While going it alone saves money up front, an agency brings expert skills and scale. Let's examine the pros and cons of both approaches.

Do-It-Yourself Google Ads

PROS: - Total control over every element yields learning and flexibility. - No ongoing agency fees allow budget flexibility month to month. - Immediate ability to adjust tactics based on findings sans approvals. CONS: - How many hours can you commit weekly to tasks like keyword research, bid adjustments, campaign optimization and reporting? Google Ads is a part-time job.It requires carving time out of existing responsibilities to self-learn a complex platform. - Are you willing to continuously learn as Google updates its platform and algorithms? You must keep skills and knowledge up to date.Learning curves and experimentation will likely impact your performance at first. - You'll likely waste budget testing ineffective keywords or ads before finding your rhythm. This cuts into ROI until you gain experience. Ongoing optimizations and strategy evolutions still require extensive time commitments. - Without perspective, you may not catch strategic opportunities from new Google features or shifts in your market. Going the DIY route only makes sense if you have experience with PPC already or can dedicate minimum 10 hours per week. Results will lag versus agency support at onset.

Hiring A Google Ads Agency

PROS: - Expert-level expertise across Google's full toolset means wasted spend is rare. - Agencies allow you to focus on running your business while experts handle campaign management full-time. - They stay on top of constant changes to Google's systems and can implement updates immediately. - You gain strategic insights from clients in various industries, not just your niche experience. - Continuous testing and optimizations keep campaigns performing versus annual reviews. - Monthly fees provide budget predictability rather than investing hours of your own time. - Account health and policy compliance risks are minimized. - Detailed reporting highlights which tactics and metrics are relevant to your specific goals. - Full-service agencies offer additional digital capabilities like SEO, social media, analytics etc. CONS: - Upfront and monthly service fees represent extra expense over do-it-yourself. - Surrendered control requires buy-in to agency recommendations upfront. - Onboarding process yields buffer period before full agency optimizations kick in.

When Is an Agency the Right Fit?

Agencies prove worthwhile for businesses lacking PPC experience and time. Key factors that indicate agency support makes sense include: - Complex products demands strategic expertise beyond self study. - Tight budgets demand avoiding learning costs through scalable agency management. - Seasonality/growth requires leveraging outside skills to complement resources. - Existing responsibilities preclude allocating 10+ hours weekly to campaign work.

Proper Agency Selection and Expectations

Choosing the right full service partner requires qualitative review of reputation, experience and client chemistry. Expect 3-6 month ramp for agency to harness expertise and achieve full revenue lift. Conclusion: DIY works best for some, while agencies power results for others. Consider your business needs and internal capabilities to determine the optimal Google Ads path.