Hiring a B2B PPC Consultant? Ask 10 Questions, Look For 10 Services

Hiring a business-to-business pay-per-click (PPC) agency to consult with on your paid ad campaigns is easier said than done. You should consider many factors to find the right consulting company. Here are a few questions you should ask your target PPC agency.

1. Are your services “Google verified?”
2. Can I get a free quote or assessment?
3. Can you provide case studies of your latest clients?
4. Have you ever told a company that PPC is not for their business?

This article explains why you should ask these and several other questions. So, are you seriously considering expert PPC help?

Let’s begin!

1. Are Your Services Google Verified?

A Google-verified consultant will use effective paid ads strategies aligned with your marketing goals.

Google certifies individuals who show professional proficiency in both basic and advanced Google Ads strategies. The search engine giant recognizes these individuals as experts in online advertising. Working with a Google AdWords Certified Partner will help you maximize your results and give you a higher ROI.

A Google-verified consultant will help set up and run your campaigns so you can focus on your business, products, or services and can help you achieve long-term success in B2B marketing.

2. Can I Get a Quote or Assessment?

A good PPC agency will be happy to provide an assessment or quote. Some consultants provide a complimentary assessment of your current campaign or offer recommendations. Also reflected is the cost of their services.

An assessment of your website will end with recommendations on improving different web elements. Consider the time spent to get to know your website, their responsiveness to your questions. and transparency before deciding.

3. Can You Provide Case Studies of Your Latest Clients?

Case studies help you decide if the PPC agency you are targeting is for you. The latest case studies will show the company's capabilities in applying PPC strategies. Look for case studies relevant to your industry or market. You’ll get a better idea of the approach the consultant will likely use for your campaign.

PPC case studies also show the problems of your prospective agency’s client and the solutions provided by the agency and the results of their implementation.

Review the case studies thoroughly. Besides counting how many successful cases the agency has, check the process the agency used to address their client’s challenges. These details will help you picture what the agency can do for you and how they will do it.

4. Have You Ever Told a Company That PPC Is Not for Them?

You may find this question absurd. But it may be one of the most important ones to ask a PPC consultant. PPC is not the only solution for all B2B companies' ad needs. A consultant must know this and not insist that you need paid ads when you don’t.

A good consultant will explain to you whether a PPC campaign is useful, or not, for your business. And this consultant will suggest a more appropriate solution, for example  personalized emails, coupons and discounts, referral partnerships, and high-value content.

5. How Do You Measure the Success of a Campaign?

Ask what information the consultant will provide you. Confirm how you will get that information. Most PPC agencies will provide a sample report to give you an idea of what you'll receive.

In PPC, conversions mean success. But conversion varies. For some businesses, it could be sales; for others, it’s registration. So, depending on the conversion you need, the consultant should be able to show and explain their success measures.

The best PPC consultant will not just tell you how they measure campaign success. They will also show you how it’s done. Typically, they set key performance indicators (KPIs) that support your marketing goals. Doing so ensures the most important metrics to track are the ones that work with your campaign goal.

6. Do You Perform Account Setup or Continuous Account Management?

Ask about the agency’s scope of service. Will they handle your account from set up to the monitoring of results? PPC agencies have different areas of practice. If you're considering a long-term relationship with an agency, find one ready to work for you for the long haul.

Also, consider an agency with a clear strategy to manage your accounts regularly. That includes monitoring, setting up, testing PPC keywords, designing copies, and customized landing pages.

A good B2B PPC consultant will analyze test results and adjust campaign factors to optimize your account. They will also consider your account's Google Analytics and AdWords metrics to determine your PPC campaigns' performance.

7. Who Owns the PPC Account?

You must ask this question to determine if you will completely own your account. You should be able to log in, check your metrics, and do updates.

In addition, owning the account means you still have access to it even if you change consultants. You can simply designate your consultant as an account manager. That way, they have access to your account, and you still see any changes they made.

You may allow other team members to access the account using their logins. Individual logins to the account let you see who accessed the account when and what changes were done.

8. Who Will Work on My Paid Ads Campaign?

Ask this question to determine if your account has a designated representative and how many hours they will work on your campaigns. Ask for your rep's contact details so you can call to ask about the progress of your ad campaigns.

You may have a consultant who will provide their advice and expertise, but you’ll also have a team. This team comprises designers, content writers, developers, etc. Knowing that your account is covered from every angle will give you a sense of satisfaction that your campaign will be a resounding success.

Summing Up

More companies will be diving into paid ads, with ad spending expected to climb 10.85% (CAGR 2022-2027), reaching $435.20 billion by 2027. But before you join the trend, check if PPC is for you. Talk to a PPC consultant. The best one will help you see what you need.

When looking to partner with a PPC agency, check if they are Google-certified. Determine the scope of their service. More importantly, investigate their previous cases. An agency takes hundreds of PPC accounts. So make sure you find one who will provide you with a suitable number of hours each week to produce the best results.

Do you have questions about hiring a B2B marketing consultant? At Digital Authority Partners, we can bring years of experience to your B2B PPC campaign. Contact us today.