[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"post-building-a-distributed-ppc-team":3,"recent-posts":23},{"id":4,"type":5,"uri":6,"location":7,"title":8,"description":9,"date":10,"readTime":11,"author":12,"content":13,"contentHtml":14,"header":15,"button":20},"581dfd7d-7853-4239-8cb7-4d776db88689","blog","/building-a-distributed-ppc-team/","London, United Kingdom","Building a Distributed PPC Team: The Complete Guide to Hiring Global Marketing Talent","The talent shortage in digital marketing is forcing agencies to rethink how they hire. Competing for the same local PPC specialists drives up costs and limits growth. Building a distributed PPC team offers a smarter alternative: access to global talent with specialised skills that may not exist in your local market.","February 2026",13,[],"Building a Distributed PPC Team: The Complete Guide to Hiring Global Marketing Talent The talent war in digital marketing isn't getting any easier. With demand for experienced PPC specialists far outstripping supply in most Western markets, agencies are facing a choice: compete for the same expensive, overworked talent pool, or look beyond borders. Building a distributed team of global marketing talent isn't just about cost savings anymore. It's about accessing specialists you simply can't find locally. Need a native Arabic speaker who understands Meta's MENA ad policies? A performance marketer who's run campaigns in Southeast Asian markets? These specialists exist, but they're unlikely to be in your city. This guide walks through the practical steps of building a distributed PPC team, from finding talent to legal setup to day-to-day management. Whether you're hiring your first international specialist or scaling to a fully distributed agency, here's what actually works. Why Global Talent Makes Sense for PPC Agencies Let's address the elephant in the room: international hiring is complex. Time zones, communication challenges, legal considerations...these are real concerns. But the benefits often outweigh the friction: Access to specialised skills.  Markets such as Eastern Europe, Latin America, and Southeast Asia have produced thousands of highly skilled PPC specialists who've gained experience managing international campaigns. Many have worked with Western clients and understand both the technical and cultural nuances of   performance marketing . Cost efficiency without sacrificing quality.  A senior PPC specialist in Poland, Argentina, or the Philippines typically costs 40-60% less than their US or UK equivalent, while delivering comparable or superior skills. This isn't about \"cheap labour.\" It's about global differences in market rates for the same expertise. Time zone advantages.  A distributed team can mean campaigns are monitored and optimised around the clock. Your US-based clients' campaigns don't sleep when your local team does. Market-specific expertise.  Expanding client work into new geographic markets? Hiring specialists who already understand those markets (languages, platforms, consumer behaviour) beats trying to train your existing team from scratch. The agencies seeing the most success with distributed teams aren't treating international hires as \"budget alternatives.\" They're building genuinely global teams where talent is distributed across locations. Where to Find Top International PPC Specialists Finding quality marketing talent internationally requires knowing where to look. The platforms and approaches that work for local hiring often don't translate. Specialised job boards and communities: We Work Remotely  and  Remote OK  attract marketing professionals specifically looking for distributed roles GrowthHackers  and  Superpath  have job boards focused on marketing and growth talent PPC Chat  and similar Slack communities often have channels where specialists post availability Regional platforms  like  NoFluffJobs  (Poland),  Getonbrd  (Latin America), or  JobStreet  (Southeast Asia) access local markets directly Agencies and marketplaces: Specialised agencies like  The Remote Company  or  Terminal  can handle sourcing and vetting Mayple  and  Adpulse  connect you with vetted paid advertising specialists Upwork  and  Contra  work for contractor relationships, though require more hands-on vetting LinkedIn still works (if you use it right): Search by skill + location, not just by current company Look for people with English-language certifications ( Google Ads , Meta Blueprint) from target markets Join international PPC groups and engage before recruiting Use LinkedIn Recruiter's filters for location, language skills, and remote work experience The referral advantage: Once you hire one strong international specialist, their network becomes your best source. Top talent knows other top talent, regardless of location. Pro tip:  When posting roles, be explicit about time zone requirements. \"Must overlap 4 hours with EST\" is clearer than \"must be available during US business hours\" and opens up more of the world. Evaluating Global Marketing Talent: Interview & Assessment Hiring internationally means you can't rely on \"gut feel\" from an in-person interview or someone's reputation in your local market. Your evaluation process needs to be more structured and  skills-focused . Structure your interview process: Initial screening (15-20 min):  Communication skills, basic culture fit, availability/logistics Technical interview (45-60 min):  Deep dive into PPC knowledge, campaign strategy, problem-solving Practical assessment:  Real work sample or case study Final interview (30 min):  Team fit, work style, expectations alignment What to test for specifically: Technical competency.  This should be non-negotiable and thoroughly tested: Campaign structure  and account organisation principles Bidding strategy knowledge (when to use different approaches) Understanding of attribution and conversion tracking Platform-specific knowledge (Google Ads, Meta, LinkedIn, etc.) Analytics and reporting capabilities Use practical scenarios: \"Walk me through how you'd structure a campaign for [specific client scenario]\" or \"How would you diagnose why CPAs increased 40% last week?\" Communication skills.  For distributed teams, this matters more than in-office roles: Can they explain complex PPC concepts clearly? How's their written communication (since most will be async)? Do they ask clarifying questions or make assumptions? Can they present data and insights effectively? Practical assessment examples: Audit an existing Google Ads account and present optimisation recommendations Build a campaign structure for a hypothetical client (provide a brief and a budget) Analyse a dataset of campaign performance and present insights Write ad copy variations for a specific product/service Red flags to watch for: Vague answers about past campaign results (\"we achieved great performance\") Inability to explain  why  they made certain optimisation decisions Limited understanding of business objectives beyond channel metrics Poor grasp of testing methodologies and statistical significance Resistance to your processes or \"my way or the highway\" attitudes The language factor:  If English isn't their first language, focus on professional communication skills, not accent or perfect grammar. Can they write a clear client email? Explain campaign performance on a call? That's what matters for most roles. Legal & Compliance Considerations for International Hiring This is where many agencies hesitate, and for good reason. International employment law is complex, and getting it wrong can be expensive. Three main options for legal setup: 1. Hire as independent contractors The simplest starting point: engagement agreements, invoice-based payments, no employment relationship. Pros:  Simple, fast, minimal legal overhead Cons: Misclassification risk in many countries (especially EU) Less control over work arrangements Contractor may not feel committed long-term Benefits and taxes are their responsibility Best for:  Project-based work, part-time specialists, testing a new market 2. Establish a local legal entity Set up a subsidiary in the country where you're hiring. Pros:  Full control, proper employment relationships, best for large teams Cons: Expensive (legal fees, registration, accounting) Slow (3-6 months in many countries) Ongoing compliance burden Only makes sense if hiring multiple people in one location Best for:  5+ employees in the same country, long-term market presence 3. Use an Employer of Record (EOR) A third-party service that becomes the legal employer, while you manage the day-to-day work. Pros: Fast (hire in days, not months) Compliant (they handle local employment law) Cost-effective for small teams Provides proper employment contracts and benefits No need to set up entities Cons: Monthly per-employee fees (typically $300-600/month) Less customisation of benefits/contracts Adds a third party to the relationship Best for:  1-10 employees across multiple countries, agencies wanting proper employment relationships without entity setup Most agencies we work with start with contractors, then transition to an   Employer of Record  once they're confident in the hire and want to offer a proper employment relationship. The EOR route is particularly appealing when hiring in countries with strict labor laws (most of Europe, Latin America), where contractor misclassification risks are high. Other legal considerations: Data protection and GDPR.  If hiring in the EU or handling EU client data, your team members need to comply with GDPR. This includes: Proper data processing agreements Training on data handling Systems with appropriate security measures IP and confidentiality.  Ensure your contracts (employment or contractor) include: Work-for-hire clauses IP assignment Confidentiality and non-disclosure terms Non-compete provisions (where legally enforceable) Tax implications.  Depending on your setup: Permanent establishment risk (could trigger corporate tax obligations) Withholding requirements VAT/GST obligations for contractor payments Local tax registrations Don't skip legal counsel.  Have an international employment lawyer review your setup, especially for your first few hires. The upfront cost ($1,500-3,000) beats the potential exposure of getting it wrong. Onboarding Your Distributed PPC Team A strong onboarding process is non-negotiable for distributed teams. Without the osmosis of office proximity, you need explicit systems. Pre-day-one: Send equipment if needed (laptop, monitor, etc.) or provide stipend Grant access to tools and systems Share team handbook, processes, and documentation Set up communication channels (Slack, email, etc.) Schedule first week's meetings Week one focus: Context and connection Day 1-2: Company and client context Company overview, mission, how you work with clients Meet the team (1:1s with key people) Tour of tools and where to find information Review of first client account they'll work on Day 3-5: Processes and first tasks Deep dive into your PPC workflow How you structure accounts, naming conventions, reporting cadence First small task: audit a campaign, review an account, optimize ad copy Daily check-ins to answer questions Month one: Building confidence and competence Assign a buddy/mentor (not their direct manager) Gradually increase responsibility Weekly 1:1s with manager Review work closely and provide detailed feedback Include in client calls/meetings as observer The documentation principle:  If you're explaining something for the second time, document it. Build a knowledge base that covers: How you approach different campaign types Quality standards and checklists Client communication protocols Reporting templates and requirements Common problems and solutions Cultural integration matters:  Distributed doesn't mean disconnected: Include in team meetings and casual conversations Celebrate wins (individual and team) Regular video calls, not just text Team \"doughnut calls\" (random coffee chats) Annual or semi-annual in-person meetups if possible The goal: By day 30, your new hire should be able to manage a client account independently with minimal oversight. Tools & Systems for Managing Remote Marketing Teams The right stack makes distributed teams feel less distributed. Here's what actually matters: Communication and collaboration: Slack  or  Microsoft Teams  for daily communication (async-first, meetings second) Loom  for screen recordings (replace many meetings) Notion  or  Confluence  for documentation Google Workspace  for docs, sheets, and basic collaboration PPC-specific tools: Supermetrics  or  Funnel.io  for centralised reporting Optmyzr  or  Adalysis  for   optimization workflows Google Ads Editor  for bulk changes Databox  or  Google Data Studio  for client dashboards Project and workflow management: ClickUp ,  Asana , or  Monday.com  for task management Productive  or  Forecast  for capacity planning (if running an agency) Toggl  or  Harvest  for time tracking (if needed) Client management: Your standard  CRM  (HubSpot, Pipedrive, etc.) Calendly  for scheduling across time zones Shared  Slack channels  with clients for async communication Knowledge management: Notion  or  Guru  for a central knowledge base Miro  or  Figma  for strategy maps and visual collaboration GitHub  or  Bitbucket  if managing tracking implementation or scripts The fewer tools principle:  More tools ≠ , better management. Choose a focused stack and use each tool well. Every additional tool is another login, another place to check, another thing to train people on. Async-first workflows:  Design your processes to minimise required synchronous time: Daily written updates instead of daily standups Loom videos for campaign reviews instead of live meetings Clear documentation so people aren't waiting on answers Defined response time expectations (not everyone needs instant replies) This doesn't mean zero meetings. Human connection matters. But make meetings intentional (decision-making, brainstorming, relationship-building) rather than defaulting to sync for everything. Making It Work: Best Practices from Leading Agencies After talking with dozens of agencies running distributed teams, these patterns separate those who thrive from those who struggle: 1. Hire for autonomy and communication, not just technical skills The best distributed PPC specialists are self-directed, communicate proactively, and don't need hand-holding. These traits matter more at a distance than raw technical ability (which you can train). 2. Establish clear ownership and accountability Every campaign, client, or project should have a clear owner. Distributed teams need this clarity more than co-located ones. Ambiguity about \"who's handling this\" is painful when you can't just tap someone's shoulder. 3. Over-communicate in the early days, then calibrate New hires need more frequent check-ins initially. Daily for the first two weeks, then every other day, then weekly. Once they're running independently, trust them. Micromanagement kills remote work. 4. Time zone overlap matters, but isn't everything Aim for 3-4 hours of overlapping work time for real-time collaboration when needed. Beyond that, async workflows handle the rest. Some agencies successfully work with team members 12+ hours apart. 5. Document everything, assume nothing \"How we do things here\" needs to be written down, not assumed or passed down verbally. This helps new hires and scales better as you grow. 6. Invest in relationships Budget for annual in-person meetups if possible. The strongest distributed teams meet face-to-face at least once a year. Two or three days together builds rapport that lasts months. 7. Pay fairly, regardless of location While you can pay market-adjusted rates, the agencies keeping the best talent aren't paying the absolute minimum. Pay competitively for the market you're hiring in, and increase compensation as people prove valuable. Top talent has global options. 8. Create career paths Great specialists want  career growth opportunities . Can they become team leads? Senior strategists? Account directors? If your only path up is \"move to our office,\" you'll lose people. Getting Started: Your First International Hire If you're new to hiring globally, start small and learn: For your first hire: Choose one role to fill (senior PPC specialist is often the best starting point) Pick a region based on time zone overlap and talent density Start with a contractor arrangement to test the relationship Focus on hiring someone with proven agency experience Budget 4-6 weeks for the hiring process (don't rush it) Invest heavily in onboarding and documentation Success indicators in the first 90 days: They're managing 1-2 accounts independently Communication is smooth (they're proactive, clear, responsive) Client feedback is positive You're not spending more time managing them than you would a local hire They're contributing ideas and optimisations, not just executing tasks If month three feels good, you've validated the model. Scale from there. Recap Building a distributed PPC team isn't just about filling positions. It's about accessing a global talent pool that local hiring can't match. The agencies getting this right aren't treating international team members as \"remote workers.\" They're building global-first operations where talent is distributed. The complexity is real, but manageable. The legal considerations, communication challenges, and process adjustments are one-time investments that unlock ongoing access to exceptional marketing talent. For agencies looking to scale without the constraints of local talent markets, distributed teams aren't just an option. They're becoming the default.","\u003Ch1>Building a Distributed PPC Team: The Complete Guide to Hiring Global Marketing Talent\u003C/h1>\u003Cp>The talent war in digital marketing isn't getting any easier. With demand for experienced PPC specialists far outstripping supply in most Western markets, agencies are facing a choice: compete for the same expensive, overworked talent pool, or look beyond borders.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>Building a distributed team of global marketing talent isn't just about cost savings anymore. It's about accessing specialists you simply can't find locally. Need a native Arabic speaker who understands Meta's MENA ad policies? A performance marketer who's run campaigns in Southeast Asian markets? These specialists exist, but they're unlikely to be in your city.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>This guide walks through the practical steps of building a distributed PPC team, from finding talent to legal setup to day-to-day management. Whether you're hiring your first international specialist or scaling to a fully distributed agency, here's what actually works.\u003C/p>\u003Ch2>Why Global Talent Makes Sense for PPC Agencies\u003C/h2>\u003Cp>Let's address the elephant in the room: international hiring is complex. Time zones, communication challenges, legal considerations...these are real concerns. But the benefits often outweigh the friction:\u003C/p>\u003Cp>Access to specialised skills. Markets such as Eastern Europe, Latin America, and Southeast Asia have produced thousands of highly skilled PPC specialists who've gained experience managing international campaigns. Many have worked with Western clients and understand both the technical and cultural nuances of\u003Ca href=\"https://clicktrain.com/blog/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> \u003C/a>\u003Ca href=\"https://clicktrain.com/blog/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">performance marketing\u003C/a>.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>Cost efficiency without sacrificing quality. A senior PPC specialist in Poland, Argentina, or the Philippines typically costs 40-60% less than their US or UK equivalent, while delivering comparable or superior skills. This isn't about \"cheap labour.\" It's about global differences in market rates for the same expertise.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>Time zone advantages. A distributed team can mean campaigns are monitored and optimised around the clock. Your US-based clients' campaigns don't sleep when your local team does.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>Market-specific expertise. Expanding client work into new geographic markets? Hiring specialists who already understand those markets (languages, platforms, consumer behaviour) beats trying to train your existing team from scratch.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>The agencies seeing the most success with distributed teams aren't treating international hires as \"budget alternatives.\" They're building genuinely global teams where talent is distributed across locations.\u003C/p>\u003Ch2>Where to Find Top International PPC Specialists\u003C/h2>\u003Cp>Finding quality marketing talent internationally requires knowing where to look. The platforms and approaches that work for local hiring often don't translate.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>Specialised job boards and communities:\u003C/p>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>We Work Remotely and Remote OK attract marketing professionals specifically looking for distributed roles\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>GrowthHackers and Superpath have job boards focused on marketing and growth talent\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>PPC Chat and similar Slack communities often have channels where specialists post availability\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Regional platforms like NoFluffJobs (Poland), Getonbrd (Latin America), or JobStreet (Southeast Asia) access local markets directly\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003C/ul>\u003Cp>Agencies and marketplaces:\u003C/p>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Specialised agencies like The Remote Company or Terminal can handle sourcing and vetting\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Mayple and Adpulse connect you with vetted paid advertising specialists\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Upwork and Contra work for contractor relationships, though require more hands-on vetting\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003C/ul>\u003Cp>LinkedIn still works (if you use it right):\u003C/p>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Search by skill + location, not just by current company\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Look for people with English-language certifications (\u003Ca href=\"https://clicktrain.com/blog/the-9-to-5-of-a-google-ads-specialist/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Google Ads\u003C/a>, Meta Blueprint) from target markets\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Join international PPC groups and engage before recruiting\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Use LinkedIn Recruiter's filters for location, language skills, and remote work experience\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003C/ul>\u003Cp>The referral advantage:\u003C/p>\u003Cp>Once you hire one strong international specialist, their network becomes your best source. Top talent knows other top talent, regardless of location.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>Pro tip: When posting roles, be explicit about time zone requirements. \"Must overlap 4 hours with EST\" is clearer than \"must be available during US business hours\" and opens up more of the world.\u003C/p>\u003Ch2>Evaluating Global Marketing Talent: Interview & Assessment\u003C/h2>\u003Cp>Hiring internationally means you can't rely on \"gut feel\" from an in-person interview or someone's reputation in your local market. Your evaluation process needs to be more structured and \u003Ca href=\"https://clicktrain.com/blog/measuring-ppc-expertise-the-role-of-skills-tests-in-ppc-hiring/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">skills-focused\u003C/a>.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>Structure your interview process:\u003C/p>\u003Col>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Initial screening (15-20 min): Communication skills, basic culture fit, availability/logistics\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Technical interview (45-60 min): Deep dive into PPC knowledge, campaign strategy, problem-solving\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Practical assessment: Real work sample or case study\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Final interview (30 min): Team fit, work style, expectations alignment\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003C/ol>\u003Cp>What to test for specifically:\u003C/p>\u003Cp>Technical competency. This should be non-negotiable and thoroughly tested:\u003C/p>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https://clicktrain.com/blog/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Campaign structure\u003C/a> and account organisation principles\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Bidding strategy knowledge (when to use different approaches)\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Understanding of attribution and conversion tracking\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Platform-specific knowledge (Google Ads, Meta, LinkedIn, etc.)\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Analytics and reporting capabilities\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003C/ul>\u003Cp>Use practical scenarios: \"Walk me through how you'd structure a campaign for [specific client scenario]\" or \"How would you diagnose why CPAs increased 40% last week?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp>Communication skills. For distributed teams, this matters more than in-office roles:\u003C/p>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Can they explain complex PPC concepts clearly?\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>How's their written communication (since most will be async)?\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Do they ask clarifying questions or make assumptions?\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Can they present data and insights effectively?\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003C/ul>\u003Cp>Practical assessment examples:\u003C/p>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Audit an existing Google Ads account and present optimisation recommendations\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Build a campaign structure for a hypothetical client (provide a brief and a budget)\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Analyse a dataset of campaign performance and present insights\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Write ad copy variations for a specific product/service\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003C/ul>\u003Cp>Red flags to watch for:\u003C/p>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Vague answers about past campaign results (\"we achieved great performance\")\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Inability to explain why they made certain optimisation decisions\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Limited understanding of business objectives beyond channel metrics\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Poor grasp of testing methodologies and statistical significance\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Resistance to your processes or \"my way or the highway\" attitudes\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003C/ul>\u003Cp>The language factor: If English isn't their first language, focus on professional communication skills, not accent or perfect grammar. Can they write a clear client email? Explain campaign performance on a call? That's what matters for most roles.\u003C/p>\u003Ch2>Legal & Compliance Considerations for International Hiring\u003C/h2>\u003Cp>This is where many agencies hesitate, and for good reason. International employment law is complex, and getting it wrong can be expensive.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>Three main options for legal setup:\u003C/p>\u003Cp>1. Hire as independent contractors\u003C/p>\u003Cp>The simplest starting point: engagement agreements, invoice-based payments, no employment relationship.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>Pros: Simple, fast, minimal legal overhead\u003C/p>\u003Cp>Cons:\u003C/p>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Misclassification risk in many countries (especially EU)\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Less control over work arrangements\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Contractor may not feel committed long-term\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Benefits and taxes are their responsibility\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003C/ul>\u003Cp>Best for: Project-based work, part-time specialists, testing a new market\u003C/p>\u003Cp>2. Establish a local legal entity\u003C/p>\u003Cp>Set up a subsidiary in the country where you're hiring.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>Pros: Full control, proper employment relationships, best for large teams\u003C/p>\u003Cp>Cons:\u003C/p>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Expensive (legal fees, registration, accounting)\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Slow (3-6 months in many countries)\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Ongoing compliance burden\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Only makes sense if hiring multiple people in one location\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003C/ul>\u003Cp>Best for: 5+ employees in the same country, long-term market presence\u003C/p>\u003Cp>3. Use an Employer of Record (EOR)\u003C/p>\u003Cp>A third-party service that becomes the legal employer, while you manage the day-to-day work.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>Pros:\u003C/p>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Fast (hire in days, not months)\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Compliant (they handle local employment law)\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Cost-effective for small teams\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Provides proper employment contracts and benefits\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>No need to set up entities\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003C/ul>\u003Cp>Cons:\u003C/p>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Monthly per-employee fees (typically $300-600/month)\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Less customisation of benefits/contracts\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Adds a third party to the relationship\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003C/ul>\u003Cp>Best for: 1-10 employees across multiple countries, agencies wanting proper employment relationships without entity setup\u003C/p>\u003Cp>Most agencies we work with start with contractors, then transition to an\u003Ca href=\"https://employsome.com/glossary/what-is-employer-of-record-eor/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> \u003C/a>\u003Ca href=\"https://employsome.com/glossary/what-is-employer-of-record-eor/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Employer of Record\u003C/a> once they're confident in the hire and want to offer a proper employment relationship. The EOR route is particularly appealing when hiring in countries with strict labor laws (most of Europe, Latin America), where contractor misclassification risks are high.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>Other legal considerations:\u003C/p>\u003Cp>Data protection and GDPR. If hiring in the EU or handling EU client data, your team members need to comply with GDPR. This includes:\u003C/p>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Proper data processing agreements\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Training on data handling\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Systems with appropriate security measures\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003C/ul>\u003Cp>IP and confidentiality. Ensure your contracts (employment or contractor) include:\u003C/p>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Work-for-hire clauses\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>IP assignment\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Confidentiality and non-disclosure terms\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Non-compete provisions (where legally enforceable)\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003C/ul>\u003Cp>Tax implications. Depending on your setup:\u003C/p>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Permanent establishment risk (could trigger corporate tax obligations)\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Withholding requirements\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>VAT/GST obligations for contractor payments\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Local tax registrations\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003C/ul>\u003Cp>Don't skip legal counsel. Have an international employment lawyer review your setup, especially for your first few hires. The upfront cost ($1,500-3,000) beats the potential exposure of getting it wrong.\u003C/p>\u003Ch2>Onboarding Your Distributed PPC Team\u003C/h2>\u003Cp>A strong onboarding process is non-negotiable for distributed teams. Without the osmosis of office proximity, you need explicit systems.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>Pre-day-one:\u003C/p>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Send equipment if needed (laptop, monitor, etc.) or provide stipend\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Grant access to tools and systems\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Share team handbook, processes, and documentation\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Set up communication channels (Slack, email, etc.)\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Schedule first week's meetings\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003C/ul>\u003Cp>Week one focus: Context and connection\u003C/p>\u003Cp>Day 1-2: Company and client context\u003C/p>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Company overview, mission, how you work with clients\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Meet the team (1:1s with key people)\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Tour of tools and where to find information\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Review of first client account they'll work on\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003C/ul>\u003Cp>Day 3-5: Processes and first tasks\u003C/p>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Deep dive into your PPC workflow\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>How you structure accounts, naming conventions, reporting cadence\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>First small task: audit a campaign, review an account, optimize ad copy\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Daily check-ins to answer questions\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003C/ul>\u003Cp>Month one: Building confidence and competence\u003C/p>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Assign a buddy/mentor (not their direct manager)\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Gradually increase responsibility\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Weekly 1:1s with manager\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Review work closely and provide detailed feedback\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Include in client calls/meetings as observer\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003C/ul>\u003Cp>The documentation principle: If you're explaining something for the second time, document it. Build a knowledge base that covers:\u003C/p>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>How you approach different campaign types\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Quality standards and checklists\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Client communication protocols\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Reporting templates and requirements\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Common problems and solutions\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003C/ul>\u003Cp>Cultural integration matters: Distributed doesn't mean disconnected:\u003C/p>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Include in team meetings and casual conversations\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Celebrate wins (individual and team)\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Regular video calls, not just text\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Team \"doughnut calls\" (random coffee chats)\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Annual or semi-annual in-person meetups if possible\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003C/ul>\u003Cp>The goal: By day 30, your new hire should be able to manage a client account independently with minimal oversight.\u003C/p>\u003Ch2>Tools & Systems for Managing Remote Marketing Teams\u003C/h2>\u003Cp>The right stack makes distributed teams feel less distributed. Here's what actually matters:\u003C/p>\u003Cp>Communication and collaboration:\u003C/p>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Slack or Microsoft Teams for daily communication (async-first, meetings second)\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Loom for screen recordings (replace many meetings)\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Notion or Confluence for documentation\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Google Workspace for docs, sheets, and basic collaboration\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003C/ul>\u003Cp>PPC-specific tools:\u003C/p>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Supermetrics or Funnel.io for centralised reporting\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Optmyzr or Adalysis for\u003Ca href=\"https://clicktrain.com/blog/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> \u003C/a>\u003Ca href=\"https://clicktrain.com/blog/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">optimization workflows\u003C/a>\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Google Ads Editor for bulk changes\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Databox or Google Data Studio for client dashboards\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003C/ul>\u003Cp>Project and workflow management:\u003C/p>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>ClickUp, Asana, or Monday.com for task management\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Productive or Forecast for capacity planning (if running an agency)\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Toggl or Harvest for time tracking (if needed)\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003C/ul>\u003Cp>Client management:\u003C/p>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Your standard CRM (HubSpot, Pipedrive, etc.)\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Calendly for scheduling across time zones\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Shared Slack channels with clients for async communication\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003C/ul>\u003Cp>Knowledge management:\u003C/p>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Notion or Guru for a central knowledge base\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Miro or Figma for strategy maps and visual collaboration\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>GitHub or Bitbucket if managing tracking implementation or scripts\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003C/ul>\u003Cp>The fewer tools principle: More tools ≠ , better management. Choose a focused stack and use each tool well. Every additional tool is another login, another place to check, another thing to train people on.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>Async-first workflows: Design your processes to minimise required synchronous time:\u003C/p>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Daily written updates instead of daily standups\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Loom videos for campaign reviews instead of live meetings\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Clear documentation so people aren't waiting on answers\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Defined response time expectations (not everyone needs instant replies)\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003C/ul>\u003Cp>This doesn't mean zero meetings. Human connection matters. But make meetings intentional (decision-making, brainstorming, relationship-building) rather than defaulting to sync for everything.\u003C/p>\u003Ch2>Making It Work: Best Practices from Leading Agencies\u003C/h2>\u003Cp>After talking with dozens of agencies running distributed teams, these patterns separate those who thrive from those who struggle:\u003C/p>\u003Cp>1. Hire for autonomy and communication, not just technical skills\u003C/p>\u003Cp>The best distributed PPC specialists are self-directed, communicate proactively, and don't need hand-holding. These traits matter more at a distance than raw technical ability (which you can train).\u003C/p>\u003Cp>2. Establish clear ownership and accountability\u003C/p>\u003Cp>Every campaign, client, or project should have a clear owner. Distributed teams need this clarity more than co-located ones. Ambiguity about \"who's handling this\" is painful when you can't just tap someone's shoulder.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>3. Over-communicate in the early days, then calibrate\u003C/p>\u003Cp>New hires need more frequent check-ins initially. Daily for the first two weeks, then every other day, then weekly. Once they're running independently, trust them. Micromanagement kills remote work.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>4. Time zone overlap matters, but isn't everything\u003C/p>\u003Cp>Aim for 3-4 hours of overlapping work time for real-time collaboration when needed. Beyond that, async workflows handle the rest. Some agencies successfully work with team members 12+ hours apart.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>5. Document everything, assume nothing\u003C/p>\u003Cp>\"How we do things here\" needs to be written down, not assumed or passed down verbally. This helps new hires and scales better as you grow.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>6. Invest in relationships\u003C/p>\u003Cp>Budget for annual in-person meetups if possible. The strongest distributed teams meet face-to-face at least once a year. Two or three days together builds rapport that lasts months.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>7. Pay fairly, regardless of location\u003C/p>\u003Cp>While you can pay market-adjusted rates, the agencies keeping the best talent aren't paying the absolute minimum. Pay competitively for the market you're hiring in, and increase compensation as people prove valuable. Top talent has global options.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>8. Create career paths\u003C/p>\u003Cp>Great specialists want \u003Ca href=\"https://clicktrain.com/blog/the-ppc-career-path-explained/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">career growth opportunities\u003C/a>. Can they become team leads? Senior strategists? Account directors? If your only path up is \"move to our office,\" you'll lose people.\u003C/p>\u003Ch2>Getting Started: Your First International Hire\u003C/h2>\u003Cp>If you're new to hiring globally, start small and learn:\u003C/p>\u003Cp>For your first hire:\u003C/p>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Choose one role to fill (senior PPC specialist is often the best starting point)\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Pick a region based on time zone overlap and talent density\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Start with a contractor arrangement to test the relationship\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Focus on hiring someone with proven agency experience\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Budget 4-6 weeks for the hiring process (don't rush it)\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Invest heavily in onboarding and documentation\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003C/ul>\u003Cp>Success indicators in the first 90 days:\u003C/p>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>They're managing 1-2 accounts independently\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Communication is smooth (they're proactive, clear, responsive)\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Client feedback is positive\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>You're not spending more time managing them than you would a local hire\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>They're contributing ideas and optimisations, not just executing tasks\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003C/ul>\u003Cp>If month three feels good, you've validated the model. Scale from there.\u003C/p>\u003Ch2>Recap\u003C/h2>\u003Cp>Building a distributed PPC team isn't just about filling positions. It's about accessing a global talent pool that local hiring can't match. The agencies getting this right aren't treating international team members as \"remote workers.\" They're building global-first operations where talent is distributed.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>The complexity is real, but manageable. The legal considerations, communication challenges, and process adjustments are one-time investments that unlock ongoing access to exceptional marketing talent. For agencies looking to scale without the constraints of local talent markets, distributed teams aren't just an option. They're becoming the default.\u003C/p>",{"image":16,"profilePic":17,"imageBlur":18,"profileBubble":19},"https://a.storyblok.com/f/289446931860097/1536x1024/df7ba78f2f/vdrkycfck9rmt0cvd788padpe8.webp","https://static.clicktrain.com/img/vector/mono_icon.svg",false,"Blog Article",{"link":21,"buttonText":22},"/blog/building-a-distributed-ppc-team/","Read More",[24,37,41,55],{"id":25,"type":5,"uri":26,"location":7,"title":27,"description":28,"date":10,"readTime":29,"author":30,"content":31,"contentHtml":32,"header":33,"button":35},"0ec28d84-a5c8-4166-ab15-6711f49ce30e","/how-is-asum-ad-spend-under-management-calculated/","How is ASUM (Ad Spend Under Management) Calculated?","A team can “touch” $1M/month and still run chaotic accounts with weak governance, messy tracking, and inconsistent change control. To calculate ASUM in a way that actually signals trust, you need to define scope (managed vs advised), choose a time window, normalise everything into USD, and exclude local taxes, then interpret the number through the lens that matters: how responsibly that spend is being stewarded, not just how large it is.",9,[],"Ad spend under management (ASUM) is a phrase every performance marketer has heard, yet few can consistently explain it.  Agencies and vendors often tout millions or even billions in “ad spend under management,” but the metric can mean very different things depending on who uses it. This guide breaks down the nuances of ASUM for  performance marketers,  whether you’re evaluating partners, reporting your own capabilities or designing a fair billing model.  It draws on ClickTrain’s formalisation of ASUM as both a spending figure and a stewardship score, and complements this with examples from real‑world performance‑marketing reports. What is ASUM? A dual concept: spend and stewardship ClickTrain describes ASUM in two layers: Spend figure (How much?)  – The aggregate media budget actively managed by a team or agency.  This is typically expressed as a monthly figure (e.g., $50k/mo, $250k/mo, $2m/mo) .  It should capture all channels where the team is responsible for campaign setup, budget control and optimisation—Google Ads, Meta, Amazon, TikTok, LinkedIn, Microsoft Ads, etc. . Stewardship score (How well?)  – ClickTrain builds a 0–100 composite score that goes beyond volume to evaluate maturity and governance.  Signals include structural discipline, conversion tracking hygiene, ongoing monitoring, certifications, and verified reviews.  Two teams can manage identical budgets but have very different stewardship scores depending on how they run campaigns. These two dimensions answer different questions: the spend figure reflects scale, while the stewardship score reflects capability.  Without both, the term “ASUM” can become a vanity metric. Why the baseline calculation is tricky The naive formula— ASUM (monthly) = Σ platform‑reported spend across all managed accounts —breaks down quickly in practice.  Performance marketers must make explicit choices about: What counts as ad spend?   Is it the platform’s media spend (Google Ads/Meta/TikTok), the invoiced amount paid by the client (which may include tax or credits), or the net/gross difference in programmatic deals?  Most teams choose platform‑reported spend because it is comparable across accounts and not distorted by billing artefacts. What counts as “under management”?   ASUM should include only those accounts where the team has ongoing operational responsibility for budgets, structure, targeting, measurement and QA.  Read‑only access or advisory roles do not constitute management.  If a client handles the execution and the agency only provides guidance, that spending is influenced, not managed. Which time window is used?   ASUM is typically reported monthly, but a trailing 30‑day or three‑month average may better reflect ongoing capacity by smoothing one‑off launches or seasonality. Failing to define these boundaries leads to inflated or non‑comparable ASUM claims. Choosing the right spend source Selecting a spend source is the first step to consistency.  Options include: Platform spend  – The amount reported by advertising platforms (Google Ads, Meta, Amazon, TikTok, etc.).  This is usually the preferred source because it represents actual media buying and is comparable across accounts and currencies. Invoice spend  – The amount billed to the client, which may include taxes, service fees or rounding adjustments.  Using invoice data can inflate or deflate ASUM depending on invoicing rules. Gross vs. net programmatic spend  – Programmatic buying often involves gross media cost and net media cost after fees.  Decide whether to count gross or net to avoid double-counting. When comparing or reporting ASUM, clearly state which spend source you used.  For example,  Tinuiti’s Q2‑2025 Digital Ads Benchmark states that its reports  are based on anonymised data from advertising programs “with annual digital ad spend under management totalling over $4 billion”.  This figure reflects platform spend aggregated across clients. Defining “under management\" Not all influenced spending should count toward ASUM.  A practical definition includes: Ownership of budgets and execution  – The team controls bids, budgets and campaign structure. Responsibility for tracking and measurement  – The team sets up conversion tracking, ensures data integrity and integrates with analytics systems. Change control and QA  – The team is accountable for campaign changes, naming conventions and documentation. Edge cases: Advisory or read‑only roles  – If you only provide recommendations while the client executes changes, the spend is influenced rather than managed. Creative‑only or landing‑page‑only work  – Contribution to outcomes does not equal budget stewardship; we advise advertisers to exclude this spend from ASUM as it lowers their activity score. Time windows and averaging Monthly ASUM is common, but it can be misleading for accounts with bursts or heavy seasonality.  Consider: Calendar month  – Simple and aligns with billing cycles. Trailing 30 days  – A rolling window that reflects the most recent activity, useful for dynamic accounts. Averaging over several months  – Averaging the last three or six months offers a more stable view of typical spend and avoids overstating capacity due to one‑off campaigns or seasonal spikes. For example, an agency may claim $2 m in ASUM for a peak month, but the three‑month average is only $1 m.  Being transparent about both figures provides a fairer view of capability. Aggregating spend across platforms When summing spend across multiple channels and geographies, ensure apples‑to‑apples comparisons.  For the ClickTrain ASUM calculation:  all spend is reported in USD , and  local taxes (e.g. VAT, GST) are excluded  from the spend figure.  This ensures consistency across clients and markets and avoids inflating ASUM with tax components. Currency normalisation  – Convert all spend to  USD  using a fixed FX rate for the month or daily rates for more precision.  This standardises the spend figure across markets. Tax and billing differences  – Exclude local taxes (such as VAT or GST) when calculating ASUM.  By excluding taxes, you measure only the media budget the team controls, ensuring comparability and preventing inflated figures. Credits and adjustments  – Ad credits, invalid activity refunds and make‑good credits can affect platform spend.  These are excluded where possible. Beyond the spend: the stewardship score A key insight from ClickTrain is that scale alone does not guarantee quality.  Two operators can both manage $500k per month but show very different levels of control: One might have rigorous naming conventions, detailed change logs and consistent conversion tracking. The other might allow ad hoc edits, inconsistent budgets and missing attribution. ClickTrain’s stewardship score (0–100) rewards operational maturity and penalises disorganised management.  Signals include: Ad spend management signals  – Organised account structure, tracking health, budget discipline and governance. Activity signals  – Evidence of ongoing monitoring and participation over time. Skills verification  – Certifications or tests proving platform competence. Reviews and reputation  – Recent reviews ware eighted more heavily to capture current performance. This dual‑layer approach prevents “big spend, low control” operators from appearing equivalent to disciplined teams managing smaller budgets. ASUM vs. performance metrics (ROAS, CPA) It is important not to confuse ASUM with outcome metrics: ROAS (Return on Ad Spend)  measures the revenue generated per unit of spend. CPA (Cost per Acquisition)  measures the cost per conversion or sale. ASUM  measures stewardship capacity—how much budget a team manages and how mature its practices are. A team might report high ROAS or low CPA by gaming attribution or prioritising short‑term gains, while still lacking fundamental tracking hygiene.  ASUM, especially when paired with a stewardship score, emphasises the underlying management quality. Best practices for reporting ASUM To make ASUM meaningful and comparable, define it explicitly.  A robust ASUM report should specify: Spend source  – Platform spend vs. invoice spend. Time window  – Calendar month, trailing 30 days or multi‑month average. Scope rule  – Accounts counted as “under management” based on operational responsibility. Currency and tax normalisation  – Specify that spend is reported in  USD  and that local taxes are excluded from the spend figure. Allocation rule  – How shared accounts or channels are attributed to operators or teams. Optional stewardship layer  – A composite score based on governance, tracking, activity, certifications and reviews. Providing this context turns ASUM from a vague brag into a metric decision‑makers can trust. How agencies use ASUM today Performance‑marketing agencies routinely cite “ad spend under management” as a signal of credibility.  For example: Tinuiti’s Q2‑2025 Digital Ads Benchmark report  notes that its analyses are based on programmes “with annual digital ad spend under management totalling over  $4 billion ”.  The phrase signals scale but does not disclose how spending is defined or allocated. WordStream’s pricing guide  observes that agencies’  PPC spend‑under‑management  is on the rise and that management fees often range from  10 % to 20 % of ad spend  .  In a percentage‑of‑spend fee structure, the amount a client spends on PPC ads directly affects the agency’s fee.  Hybrid fee models combine flat retainers with a variable percentage to account for workload. These examples illustrate how widely the term is used, with no clear boundaries.  Agencies should adopt the best practices above when reporting ASUM to avoid misunderstanding. Key takeaways for performance marketers Separate scale from capability.   ASUM should include both a spend figure and, ideally, a stewardship score.  Big budgets do not automatically imply good management. Define “under management” precisely.   Only include accounts where you control budgets, structure and tracking.  Influenced or advisory‑only accounts should be excluded. Choose and disclose your spending source.   Decide whether to use platform spend, invoice spend or gross/net programmatic spend, and stick to it. Normalise and allocate consistently.   Convert currencies, handle taxes uniformly and allocate shared accounts to avoid double-counting. Report time windows transparently.   Monthly figures are easy to understand, but multi‑month averages provide a more accurate picture of capacity. Use ASUM responsibly in pricing.   If you bill based on a percentage of spend, ensure your clients understand how you define spend and what is under management.  Combine it with objective evidence of stewardship to justify your fees. Understanding ASUM in this nuanced way helps performance marketers evaluate partners, benchmark teams and structure fair pricing models in a rapidly evolving advertising landscape.","\u003Cp>Ad spend under management (ASUM) is a phrase every performance marketer has heard, yet few can consistently explain it.  Agencies and vendors often tout millions or even billions in “ad spend under management,” but the metric can mean very different things depending on who uses it.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>This guide breaks down the nuances of ASUM for performance marketers, whether you’re evaluating partners, reporting your own capabilities or designing a fair billing model.  It draws on ClickTrain’s formalisation of ASUM as both a spending figure and a stewardship score, and complements this with examples from real‑world performance‑marketing reports.\u003C/p>\u003Ch2>What is ASUM?\u003C/h2>\u003Ch3>A dual concept: spend and stewardship\u003C/h3>\u003Cp>ClickTrain describes ASUM in two layers:\u003C/p>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Spend figure (How much?) – The aggregate media budget actively managed by a team or agency.  This is typically expressed as a monthly figure (e.g., $50k/mo, $250k/mo, $2m/mo) .  It should capture all channels where the team is responsible for campaign setup, budget control and optimisation—Google Ads, Meta, Amazon, TikTok, LinkedIn, Microsoft Ads, etc. .\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Stewardship score (How well?) – ClickTrain builds a 0–100 composite score that goes beyond volume to evaluate maturity and governance.  Signals include structural discipline, conversion tracking hygiene, ongoing monitoring, certifications, and verified reviews.  Two teams can manage identical budgets but have very different stewardship scores depending on how they run campaigns.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003C/ul>\u003Cp>These two dimensions answer different questions: the spend figure reflects scale, while the stewardship score reflects capability.  Without both, the term “ASUM” can become a vanity metric.\u003C/p>\u003Ch2>Why the baseline calculation is tricky\u003C/h2>\u003Cp>The naive formula—ASUM (monthly) = Σ platform‑reported spend across all managed accounts—breaks down quickly in practice.  Performance marketers must make explicit choices about:\u003C/p>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>What counts as ad spend?  Is it the platform’s media spend (Google Ads/Meta/TikTok), the invoiced amount paid by the client (which may include tax or credits), or the net/gross difference in programmatic deals?  Most teams choose platform‑reported spend because it is comparable across accounts and not distorted by billing artefacts.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>What counts as “under management”?  ASUM should include only those accounts where the team has ongoing operational responsibility for budgets, structure, targeting, measurement and QA.  Read‑only access or advisory roles do not constitute management.  If a client handles the execution and the agency only provides guidance, that spending is influenced, not managed.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Which time window is used?  ASUM is typically reported monthly, but a trailing 30‑day or three‑month average may better reflect ongoing capacity by smoothing one‑off launches or seasonality.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003C/ul>\u003Cp>Failing to define these boundaries leads to inflated or non‑comparable ASUM claims.\u003C/p>\u003Ch2>Choosing the right spend source\u003C/h2>\u003Cp>Selecting a spend source is the first step to consistency.  Options include:\u003C/p>\u003Col>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Platform spend – The amount reported by advertising platforms (Google Ads, Meta, Amazon, TikTok, etc.).  This is usually the preferred source because it represents actual media buying and is comparable across accounts and currencies.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Invoice spend – The amount billed to the client, which may include taxes, service fees or rounding adjustments.  Using invoice data can inflate or deflate ASUM depending on invoicing rules.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Gross vs. net programmatic spend – Programmatic buying often involves gross media cost and net media cost after fees.  Decide whether to count gross or net to avoid double-counting.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003C/ol>\u003Cp>When comparing or reporting ASUM, clearly state which spend source you used.  For example, \u003Ca href=\"https://tinuiti.com/research-insights/research/digital-ads-benchmark-report-q2-2025/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tinuiti’s Q2‑2025 Digital Ads Benchmark states that its reports\u003C/a> are based on anonymised data from advertising programs “with annual digital ad spend under management totalling over $4 billion”.  This figure reflects platform spend aggregated across clients.\u003C/p>\u003Ch2>Defining “under management\"\u003C/h2>\u003Cp>Not all influenced spending should count toward ASUM.  A practical definition includes:\u003C/p>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Ownership of budgets and execution – The team controls bids, budgets and campaign structure.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Responsibility for tracking and measurement – The team sets up conversion tracking, ensures data integrity and integrates with analytics systems.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Change control and QA – The team is accountable for campaign changes, naming conventions and documentation.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003C/ul>\u003Cp>Edge cases:\u003C/p>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Advisory or read‑only roles – If you only provide recommendations while the client executes changes, the spend is influenced rather than managed.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Creative‑only or landing‑page‑only work – Contribution to outcomes does not equal budget stewardship; we advise advertisers to exclude this spend from ASUM as it lowers their activity score.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003C/ul>\u003Ch2>Time windows and averaging\u003C/h2>\u003Cp>Monthly ASUM is common, but it can be misleading for accounts with bursts or heavy seasonality.  Consider:\u003C/p>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Calendar month – Simple and aligns with billing cycles.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Trailing 30 days – A rolling window that reflects the most recent activity, useful for dynamic accounts.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Averaging over several months – Averaging the last three or six months offers a more stable view of typical spend and avoids overstating capacity due to one‑off campaigns or seasonal spikes.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003C/ul>\u003Cp>For example, an agency may claim $2 m in ASUM for a peak month, but the three‑month average is only $1 m.  Being transparent about both figures provides a fairer view of capability.\u003C/p>\u003Ch2>Aggregating spend across platforms\u003C/h2>\u003Cp>When summing spend across multiple channels and geographies, ensure apples‑to‑apples comparisons.  For the ClickTrain ASUM calculation: all spend is reported in USD, and local taxes (e.g. VAT, GST) are excluded from the spend figure.  This ensures consistency across clients and markets and avoids inflating ASUM with tax components.\u003C/p>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Currency normalisation – Convert all spend to USD using a fixed FX rate for the month or daily rates for more precision.  This standardises the spend figure across markets.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Tax and billing differences – Exclude local taxes (such as VAT or GST) when calculating ASUM.  By excluding taxes, you measure only the media budget the team controls, ensuring comparability and preventing inflated figures.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Credits and adjustments – Ad credits, invalid activity refunds and make‑good credits can affect platform spend.  These are excluded where possible.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003C/ul>\u003Ch2>Beyond the spend: the stewardship score\u003C/h2>\u003Cp>A key insight from ClickTrain is that scale alone does not guarantee quality.  Two operators can both manage $500k per month but show very different levels of control:\u003C/p>\u003Cp>One might have rigorous naming conventions, detailed change logs and consistent conversion tracking.\u003C/p>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>The other might allow ad hoc edits, inconsistent budgets and missing attribution.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003C/ul>\u003Cp>ClickTrain’s stewardship score (0–100) rewards operational maturity and penalises disorganised management.  Signals include:\u003C/p>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Ad spend management signals – Organised account structure, tracking health, budget discipline and governance.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Activity signals – Evidence of ongoing monitoring and participation over time.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Skills verification – Certifications or tests proving platform competence.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Reviews and reputation – Recent reviews ware eighted more heavily to capture current performance.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003C/ul>\u003Cp>This dual‑layer approach prevents “big spend, low control” operators from appearing equivalent to disciplined teams managing smaller budgets.\u003C/p>\u003Ch2>ASUM vs. performance metrics (ROAS, CPA)\u003C/h2>\u003Cp>It is important not to confuse ASUM with outcome metrics:\u003C/p>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) measures the revenue generated per unit of spend.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>CPA (Cost per Acquisition) measures the cost per conversion or sale.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>ASUM measures stewardship capacity—how much budget a team manages and how mature its practices are.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003C/ul>\u003Cp>A team might report high ROAS or low CPA by gaming attribution or prioritising short‑term gains, while still lacking fundamental tracking hygiene.  ASUM, especially when paired with a stewardship score, emphasises the underlying management quality.\u003C/p>\u003Ch2>Best practices for reporting ASUM\u003C/h2>\u003Cp>To make ASUM meaningful and comparable, define it explicitly.  A robust ASUM report should specify:\u003C/p>\u003Col>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Spend source – Platform spend vs. invoice spend.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Time window – Calendar month, trailing 30 days or multi‑month average.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Scope rule – Accounts counted as “under management” based on operational responsibility.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Currency and tax normalisation – Specify that spend is reported in USD and that local taxes are excluded from the spend figure.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Allocation rule – How shared accounts or channels are attributed to operators or teams.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Optional stewardship layer – A composite score based on governance, tracking, activity, certifications and reviews.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003C/ol>\u003Cp>Providing this context turns ASUM from a vague brag into a metric decision‑makers can trust.\u003C/p>\u003Ch2>How agencies use ASUM today\u003C/h2>\u003Cp>Performance‑marketing agencies routinely cite “ad spend under management” as a signal of credibility.  For example:\u003C/p>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https://tinuiti.com/research-insights/research/digital-ads-benchmark-report-q2-2025/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tinuiti’s Q2‑2025 Digital Ads Benchmark report\u003C/a> notes that its analyses are based on programmes “with annual digital ad spend under management totalling over $4 billion”.  The phrase signals scale but does not disclose how spending is defined or allocated.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2015/07/15/ppc-agency-pricing\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">WordStream’s pricing guide\u003C/a> observes that agencies’ PPC spend‑under‑management is on the rise and that management fees often range from 10 % to 20 % of ad spend .  In a percentage‑of‑spend fee structure, the amount a client spends on PPC ads directly affects the agency’s fee.  Hybrid fee models combine flat retainers with a variable percentage to account for workload.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003C/ul>\u003Cp>These examples illustrate how widely the term is used, with no clear boundaries.  Agencies should adopt the best practices above when reporting ASUM to avoid misunderstanding.\u003C/p>\u003Ch2>Key takeaways for performance marketers\u003C/h2>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Separate scale from capability.  ASUM should include both a spend figure and, ideally, a stewardship score.  Big budgets do not automatically imply good management.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Define “under management” precisely.  Only include accounts where you control budgets, structure and tracking.  Influenced or advisory‑only accounts should be excluded.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Choose and disclose your spending source.  Decide whether to use platform spend, invoice spend or gross/net programmatic spend, and stick to it.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Normalise and allocate consistently.  Convert currencies, handle taxes uniformly and allocate shared accounts to avoid double-counting.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Report time windows transparently.  Monthly figures are easy to understand, but multi‑month averages provide a more accurate picture of capacity.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Use ASUM responsibly in pricing.  If you bill based on a percentage of spend, ensure your clients understand how you define spend and what is under management.  Combine it with objective evidence of stewardship to justify your fees.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003C/ul>\u003Cp>Understanding ASUM in this nuanced way helps performance marketers evaluate partners, benchmark teams and structure fair pricing models in a rapidly evolving advertising landscape.\u003C/p>",{"image":34,"profilePic":17,"imageBlur":18,"profileBubble":19},"https://a.storyblok.com/f/289446931860097/1536x1024/788e6ce245/90yzy42pfdrmr0cvd7g9rxzet0.webp",{"link":36,"buttonText":22},"/blog/how-is-asum-ad-spend-under-management-calculated/",{"id":4,"type":5,"uri":6,"location":7,"title":8,"description":9,"date":10,"readTime":11,"author":38,"content":13,"contentHtml":14,"header":39,"button":40},[],{"image":16,"profilePic":17,"imageBlur":18,"profileBubble":19},{"link":21,"buttonText":22},{"id":42,"type":5,"uri":43,"location":7,"title":44,"description":45,"date":46,"readTime":47,"author":48,"content":49,"contentHtml":50,"header":51,"button":53},"95081da4-3829-4a1f-95b7-163b96eafbbb","/ppc-uk-vs-sa-salary-differences/","PPC in the UK vs South Africa: Roles & Salary Differences","PPC is a global discipline, but the way roles are structured, campaigns are run, and performance is measured can vary significantly by country. This guide compares PPC roles in the UK and South Africa, highlighting differences in market maturity, career progression, salary expectations, and skill focus, helping both candidates and hiring managers make informed decisions.","January 2026",8,[],"PPC is a global marketing strategy, but its applications and functions can vary from one country to the next. For PPC professionals looking for new roles, being aware of these differences is vital to ensuring you end up in the role you expected. In this post, we’re going to take a closer look at how PPC roles can vary, paying particular attention to South Africa and the UK. If you’re based in one and looking for a job in the other, or you’re a hiring manager looking to recruit from the international market, then the following information should keep you on the right track. Understanding the UK PPC Market The UK’s PPC market is massive. It’s comfortably the largest in Europe and among the largest in the world. In fact, the UK spends more than twice as much on advertising as Germany, Europe’s next biggest spender. Unlike in other countries, you’ll find PPC campaigns in the UK for all types of sectors and industries. e-Commerce, retail (brick-and-mortar stores with an online presence), brand awareness campaigns, and performance campaigns all feature prominently. UK PPC campaigns run across a wide range of platforms. Google leads the way, but billions of pounds are also spent on Bing and social media PPC advertising, particularly on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. If you can run a PPC campaign on it, the UK has a significant presence. The UK marketing industry is always looking forward, which is why platforms like TikTok can suddenly become major PPC players in a relatively short time. In all, you can think of the UK as a PPC specialist. The digital infrastructure, budgets, and specialised skills and tools are all there, making it one of the most advanced advertising markets on the planet. Understanding PPC in South Africa PPC South Africa campaigns function a little differently from those in the UK, for a number of reasons. First, there’s the intention behind campaigns. In the UK, virtually all online (and many offline) businesses invest in PPC campaigns to drive potential customers to make a purchase. In South Africa, PPC campaigns are used to target customers at different phases of their buying journey. Rather than encouraging a person to make a purchase, PPC campaigns typically focus on lead generation: say, getting a potential customer to request a quote, fill out a form, or submit an inquiry. Particularly popular in the financial services, education, telecoms, and property sectors, PPC campaigns lay the groundwork for sales. PPC campaigns drive lead generation, and a human employee then closes the sale. This is mostly down to market maturity. While the UK is one of the world’s most advanced digital markets, South Africa’s market is still developing. As such, there is currently a limited number of large-scale eCommerce platforms. In addition, the majority of South Africans still prefer to shop offline, which means there is less incentive to invest in a consumer-focused PPC campaign. PPC Career Progression in the UK and South Africa Working as a PPC professional in both the UK and South Africa can be lucrative, with both countries providing opportunities for career growth. However, how they provide those growth opportunities differs. The UK: Standardised Career Development In the UK, there’s a standardised career development pathway for  PPC professionals . Band Title United Kingdom South Africa %  Difference 1 Digital Marketing Intern £18,000 - £21,000 £3,500 - £6,000 ~75% 2 PPC Executive £22,000 - £28,000 £8,000 - £12,000 ~60% 3 Senior Executive £28,000 - £45,000 £12,000 - £18,000 ~59% 4 Senior Paid Media Manager £45,000 - £60,000 £18,000 - £30,000 ~54% 5 PPC Team Lead Manager £55,000 - £65,000 £30,000 - £45,000 ~37% 6 Head of Performance £65,000 - £95,000+ £45,000 - £60,000 ~34% PPC Executive This is the entry-level position for PPC professionals. These roles involve researching keywords, setting up campaigns, and adjusting bids. The role is supervised by a more senior team member. PPC Senior Executives PPC Specialists have more independence and freedom to run campaigns on their own. By this stage, they’ve likely also specialised in one particular type of account (for example, Google Ads or Facebook Ads). Senior PPC Manager / Paid Media Manager PPC Managers are responsible for the marketing budget, developing strategy, and supervising the work of more junior team members (such as the two roles listed above). PPC Team Lead Manager This is a leadership position that oversees PPC campaigns across all channels and the rest of the team. Head of Performance The Head of Performance is a senior leadership role responsible for defining and owning the overall paid media and performance marketing strategy. At this level, the focus shifts away from day-to-day campaign management and toward commercial impact, forecasting, and cross-functional alignment. South Africa: Less Standardised Career Development PPC job  titles in South Africa differ a little. They’re less standardised and broader. In the UK, PPC professionals tend to work exclusively with PPC. In South Africa, they can wear many different marketing hats. Also, note that the PPC executive's meaning is mostly non-existent in South Africa. The role is entry-level in the UK, which can be confusing in South Africa because the title suggests a more senior role. PPC Salaries, Cost of Living, and Real Earning Power While headline PPC salaries in South Africa appear significantly lower than those in the UK, this comparison becomes far more nuanced once cost of living and seniority are taken into account. In many cases, the cost of living in South Africa is 40–45% lower than in the UK, particularly outside major city centres. As PPC professionals progress into senior and leadership roles, this gap narrows considerably. At the Lead, Manager, and Head of Performance levels, South African professionals can often achieve real purchasing power equal to or greater than that of their UK counterparts. This effect is amplified by the fact that senior PPC roles increasingly operate remotely or in hybrid environments. At this level, compensation is driven less by geography and more by commercial impact, retention, and performance outcomes. In practical terms, once a PPC professional reaches a leadership or specialist level, South African talent is often cost-efficient rather than “cheap” delivering comparable performance with lower overheads and stronger long-term retention. How Skill Focus Differs in UK and South Africa PPC Roles While the broad skills required for PPC roles in the UK and South Africa are the same, the two markets require slightly different specialist skills. In the UK, PPC roles require the ability to manage campaigns across multiple platforms, understand attribution, experiment with different strategies, and demonstrate return on investment.  In South Africa, the goal is to get high-quality leads (rather than just quantity) into the sales funnel. Campaigns must also integrate with CRMs for tracking. The key metric is cost-per-lead, which is the cost to generate a qualified lead. Talent Quality, Retention, and International Experience One factor often missing from UK vs South Africa salary comparisons is the quality of candidates and their retention. Many South African PPC professionals have worked on international accounts throughout their careers, frequently managing UK, European, US, or Australian clients. This exposure builds strong communication skills, platform fluency, and an understanding of global performance benchmarks. By contrast, many UK-based PPC professionals have worked only in the domestic UK market. From an employer’s perspective, retention is another key difference. South African PPC professionals typically demonstrate longer average tenure, particularly in senior roles, where stability and continuity are critical to performance. In contrast, the UK PPC market is highly competitive, with frequent job movement driven by salary inflation and agency churn. For hiring managers, this often means a simple trade-off: lower attrition and global experience versus higher local salary pressure. Increasingly, agencies and in-house teams are choosing to hire the best available candidate, regardless of location, especially where face-to-face client contact is minimal, and performance outcomes are strong. Client Perception and Offshore Teams A common concern when hiring internationally is whether clients will push back on offshore or remote teams. In practice, this is far less of an issue than many expect. Across performance-led agencies, client satisfaction is driven by results, communication, and consistency, not geography. When expectations are clearly set and performance is strong, offshore PPC teams, including those based in South Africa, are rarely challenged by clients. In fact, many agencies report preparing objection-handling responses for offshore hiring, only to find that client resistance never materialises once performance improvements are delivered.   Looking for your next PPC role in the UK or South Africa? Show hiring managers your expertise and regional experience with ClickTrain today.","\u003Cp>PPC is a global marketing strategy, but its applications and functions can vary from one country to the next. For PPC professionals looking for new roles, being aware of these differences is vital to ensuring you end up in the role you expected. \u003C/p>\u003Cp>In this post, we’re going to take a closer look at how PPC roles can vary, paying particular attention to South Africa and the UK. If you’re based in one and looking for a job in the other, or you’re a hiring manager looking to recruit from the international market, then the following information should keep you on the right track. \u003C/p>\u003Ch2>Understanding the UK PPC Market\u003C/h2>\u003Cp>The UK’s PPC market is massive. It’s comfortably the largest in Europe and among the largest in the world. In fact, the UK spends more than twice as much on advertising as Germany, Europe’s next biggest spender.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>Unlike in other countries, you’ll find PPC campaigns in the UK for all types of sectors and industries. e-Commerce, retail (brick-and-mortar stores with an online presence), brand awareness campaigns, and performance campaigns all feature prominently.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>UK PPC campaigns run across a wide range of platforms. Google leads the way, but billions of pounds are also spent on Bing and social media PPC advertising, particularly on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. If you can run a PPC campaign on it, the UK has a significant presence. The UK marketing industry is always looking forward, which is why platforms like TikTok can suddenly become major PPC players in a relatively short time.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>In all, you can think of the UK as a PPC specialist. The digital infrastructure, budgets, and specialised skills and tools are all there, making it one of the most advanced advertising markets on the planet. \u003C/p>\u003Ch2>Understanding PPC in South Africa\u003C/h2>\u003Cp>PPC South Africa campaigns function a little differently from those in the UK, for a number of reasons. \u003C/p>\u003Cp>First, there’s the intention behind campaigns. In the UK, virtually all online (and many offline) businesses invest in PPC campaigns to drive potential customers to make a purchase.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>In South Africa, PPC campaigns are used to target customers at different phases of their buying journey. Rather than encouraging a person to make a purchase, PPC campaigns typically focus on lead generation: say, getting a potential customer to request a quote, fill out a form, or submit an inquiry. Particularly popular in the financial services, education, telecoms, and property sectors, PPC campaigns lay the groundwork for sales. PPC campaigns drive lead generation, and a human employee then closes the sale.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>This is mostly down to market maturity. While the UK is one of the world’s most advanced digital markets, South Africa’s market is still developing. As such, there is currently a limited number of large-scale eCommerce platforms. In addition, the majority of South Africans still prefer to shop offline, which means there is less incentive to invest in a consumer-focused PPC campaign. \u003C/p>\u003Ch3>PPC Career Progression in the UK and South Africa\u003C/h3>\u003Cp>Working as a PPC professional in both the UK and South Africa can be lucrative, with both countries providing opportunities for career growth. However, how they provide those growth opportunities differs.\u003C/p>\u003Ch3>The UK: Standardised Career Development\u003C/h3>\u003Cp>In the UK, there’s a standardised career development pathway for \u003Ca href=\"https://clicktrain.com/ppc-specialists/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">PPC professionals\u003C/a>. \u003C/p>\u003Ctable>\u003Ctable>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>Band\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>Title\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>United Kingdom\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>South Africa\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>% Difference\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003C/tr>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>1\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>Digital Marketing Intern\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>£18,000 - £21,000\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>£3,500 - £6,000\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>~75%\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003C/tr>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>2\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>PPC Executive\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>£22,000 - £28,000\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>£8,000 - £12,000\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>~60%\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003C/tr>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>3\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>Senior Executive\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>£28,000 - £45,000\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>£12,000 - £18,000\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>~59%\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003C/tr>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>4\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>Senior Paid Media Manager\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>£45,000 - £60,000\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>£18,000 - £30,000\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>~54%\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003C/tr>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>5\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>PPC Team Lead Manager\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>£55,000 - £65,000\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>£30,000 - £45,000\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>~37%\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003C/tr>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>6\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>Head of Performance\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>£65,000 - £95,000+\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>£45,000 - £60,000\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>~34%\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003C/tr>\u003C/table>\u003C/table>\u003Ch3>PPC Executive\u003C/h3>\u003Cp>This is the entry-level position for PPC professionals. These roles involve researching keywords, setting up campaigns, and adjusting bids. The role is supervised by a more senior team member.\u003C/p>\u003Ch3>PPC Senior Executives\u003C/h3>\u003Cp>PPC Specialists have more independence and freedom to run campaigns on their own. By this stage, they’ve likely also specialised in one particular type of account (for example, Google Ads or Facebook Ads).\u003C/p>\u003Ch3>Senior PPC Manager / Paid Media Manager\u003C/h3>\u003Cp>PPC Managers are responsible for the marketing budget, developing strategy, and supervising the work of more junior team members (such as the two roles listed above).\u003C/p>\u003Ch3>PPC Team Lead Manager\u003C/h3>\u003Cp>This is a leadership position that oversees PPC campaigns across all channels and the rest of the team. \u003C/p>\u003Ch3>Head of Performance\u003C/h3>\u003Cp>The Head of Performance is a senior leadership role responsible for defining and owning the overall paid media and performance marketing strategy. At this level, the focus shifts away from day-to-day campaign management and toward commercial impact, forecasting, and cross-functional alignment.\u003C/p>\u003Ch3>South Africa: Less Standardised Career Development\u003C/h3>\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https://clicktrain.com/jobs/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">PPC job\u003C/a> titles in South Africa differ a little. They’re less standardised and broader. In the UK, PPC professionals tend to work exclusively with PPC. In South Africa, they can wear many different marketing hats.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>Also, note that the PPC executive's meaning is mostly non-existent in South Africa. The role is entry-level in the UK, which can be confusing in South Africa because the title suggests a more senior role. \u003C/p>\u003Ch3>PPC Salaries, Cost of Living, and Real Earning Power\u003C/h3>\u003Cp>While headline PPC salaries in South Africa appear significantly lower than those in the UK, this comparison becomes far more nuanced once cost of living and seniority are taken into account.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>In many cases, the cost of living in South Africa is 40–45% lower than in the UK, particularly outside major city centres. As PPC professionals progress into senior and leadership roles, this gap narrows considerably. At the Lead, Manager, and Head of Performance levels, South African professionals can often achieve real purchasing power equal to or greater than that of their UK counterparts. This effect is amplified by the fact that senior PPC roles increasingly operate remotely or in hybrid environments. At this level, compensation is driven less by geography and more by commercial impact, retention, and performance outcomes.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>In practical terms, once a PPC professional reaches a leadership or specialist level, South African talent is often cost-efficient rather than “cheap” delivering comparable performance with lower overheads and stronger long-term retention.\u003C/p>\u003Ch3>How Skill Focus Differs in UK and South Africa PPC Roles \u003C/h3>\u003Cp>While the broad skills required for PPC roles in the UK and South Africa are the same, the two markets require slightly different specialist skills.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>In the UK, PPC roles require the ability to manage campaigns across multiple platforms, understand attribution, experiment with different strategies, and demonstrate return on investment.\u003Cbr>In South Africa, the goal is to get high-quality leads (rather than just quantity) into the sales funnel. Campaigns must also integrate with CRMs for tracking. The key metric is cost-per-lead, which is the cost to generate a qualified lead.\u003C/p>\u003Ch3>Talent Quality, Retention, and International Experience\u003C/h3>\u003Cp>One factor often missing from UK vs South Africa salary comparisons is the quality of candidates and their retention.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>Many South African PPC professionals have worked on international accounts throughout their careers, frequently managing UK, European, US, or Australian clients. This exposure builds strong communication skills, platform fluency, and an understanding of global performance benchmarks. By contrast, many UK-based PPC professionals have worked only in the domestic UK market.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>From an employer’s perspective, retention is another key difference. South African PPC professionals typically demonstrate longer average tenure, particularly in senior roles, where stability and continuity are critical to performance. In contrast, the UK PPC market is highly competitive, with frequent job movement driven by salary inflation and agency churn.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>For hiring managers, this often means a simple trade-off: lower attrition and global experience versus higher local salary pressure.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>Increasingly, agencies and in-house teams are choosing to hire the best available candidate, regardless of location, especially where face-to-face client contact is minimal, and performance outcomes are strong.\u003C/p>\u003Ch3>Client Perception and Offshore Teams\u003C/h3>\u003Cp>A common concern when hiring internationally is whether clients will push back on offshore or remote teams. In practice, this is far less of an issue than many expect.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>Across performance-led agencies, client satisfaction is driven by results, communication, and consistency, not geography. When expectations are clearly set and performance is strong, offshore PPC teams, including those based in South Africa, are rarely challenged by clients.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>In fact, many agencies report preparing objection-handling responses for offshore hiring, only to find that client resistance never materialises once performance improvements are delivered.\u003Cbr>\u003Cbr>Looking for your next PPC role in the UK or South Africa? Show hiring managers your expertise and regional experience with ClickTrain today. \u003C/p>",{"image":52,"profilePic":17,"imageBlur":18,"profileBubble":19},"https://a.storyblok.com/f/289446931860097/1536x1024/db0b51c0f3/kggj363ttxrmy0cvd7e8swbqd0.webp",{"link":54,"buttonText":22},"/blog/ppc-uk-vs-sa-salary-differences/",{"id":56,"type":5,"uri":57,"location":7,"title":58,"description":59,"date":46,"readTime":60,"author":61,"content":62,"contentHtml":63,"header":64,"button":66},"ec9dddb8-756a-49d8-b177-1bd77e6f48a4","/the-ppc-career-path-explained/","The PPC Career Path Explained: From Junior PPC to Head of Performancee","Looking to build a career in PPC? This article explains the PPC career progression from junior and executive roles to senior leadership positions, covering responsibilities, skill requirements, and salary expectations in the UK and beyond.",7,[],"If you are looking for a rewarding and dynamic career as a professional who enjoys data-driven decision making, creativity and measurable impact, the world of pay-per-click advertising is there for you. As more businesses invest in performance marketing, demand for skilled PPC specialists in the UK continues to rise, offering strong earning potential and diverse career paths. The PPC career track A career in PPC often follows a clear and structured progression. Every stage adds new carriages of skill and responsibility to your professional journey. Although job titles can vary between companies, the core pathway typically includes the following roles. Career Stage Typical Title(s) Core Focus Graduate Digital Marketing Intern Gaining their first exposure to digital marketing Entry Level PPC Assistant/Junior PPC Executive Learning platform fundamentals, supporting campaign setup and reporting. Mid-Level PPC Specialist/PPC  Senior Executive Managing live campaigns, optimisation, and client communication. Senior Level Senior PPC Specialist/Senior Paid Media Manager Leading larger accounts, developing strategy, and mentoring juniors. Managerial PPC Team Lead/Performance Marketing Manager Overseeing multiple campaigns or team members, and strategic planning. Leadership/Consultancy Head of Performance/Head of Growth Shaping overall performance strategy, advising senior stakeholders, or managing multiple clients. Each step you take along this progression usually brings not only higher responsibility, but also a meaningful increase in salary and influence within the business. PPC salary ranges in the UK as of 2025. Salaries in PPC vary according to experience, location and specialisation. London and other major cities like Edinburgh, Manchester and Bristol tend to offer higher pay due to competition and cost of living. A realistic guideline to current market averages across the UK is listed for you below. Band Title United Kingdom 1 Digital Marketing Intern £18,000 - £21,000 2 PPC Executive £22,000 - £28,000 3 Senior Executive £28,000 - £45,000 4 Senior Paid Media Manager £45,000 - £60,000 5 PPC Team Lead Manager £55,000 - £65,000 6 Head of Performance £65,000 - £95,000+ Digital Marketing Intern Profile: Students or career switchers gaining their first exposure to digital marketing. Typically supporting senior team members with research, data entry, and basic campaign tasks. Skills in focus: Introduction to Google Ads & Meta Ads interfaces, potentially other platforms too. Progression signal: Demonstrates reliability, attention to detail, and curiosity. Can independently complete basic tasks and explain campaign fundamentals. PPC Executive Profile: Entry-level professionals learning to build and optimise campaigns under supervision. Skills in focus: Google Ads fundamentals, keyword research, Excel reporting, and copywriting basics. Progression signal: After 12-18 months of consistent learning and campaign exposure, many juniors move into a full PPC Specialist role. PPC Specialist / Senior Executive Profile: Mid-level professionals managing campaigns independently, optimising budgets, and reporting on results. Skills in focus: Conversion tracking, bid management, A/B testing, and strong platform knowledge (Google Ads, Meta Ads, etc.). Progression signal: Specialists who demonstrate measurable improvements in return on ad spend (ROAS) and multi-platform capability are often fast-tracked to senior positions. Senior PPC Specialist/ Senior Paid Media Manager Profile: Experienced professionals responsible for strategic direction on key accounts or managing large budgets. Skills in focus: Data interpretation, advanced targeting, automated bidding strategies, and leadership mentoring. Progression signal: Consistently strong results, eCommerce experience, and analytical depth can open doors to management or consultancy roles. PPC Team Lead Manager/Performance Marketing Manager Profile: Managers lead teams, allocate budgets across multiple platforms, and integrate PPC into wider marketing strategy. Skills in focus: Team leadership, cross-channel strategy, attribution modelling, and client or stakeholder management. Progression signal: Success at this level depends on demonstrating both strategic vision and measurable business outcomes. Head of Performance / Head of Growth Typical salary: per year (consultants may earn more depending on contracts) Profile: Senior professionals setting the strategic roadmap for paid media or advising multiple clients. Skills in focus: Full-funnel strategy, budget forecasting, cross-department collaboration, and advanced analytics. Progression signal: Leaders at this stage influence not just campaigns, but entire business performance - often shaping how organisations invest in growth. Note : These figures represent market averages in 2025 and may fluctuate depending on industry, company size, and region. Factors that influence PPC earning potential. While seniority and years of experience play a significant role, salary growth in PPC often depends more on skill depth, impact, and specialisation. Some factors that tend to raise earning potential across all levels include the following: Proven ROI improvement. Employers and clients value measurable results, and if you can show those with return on ad spend or reduced cost per acquisition, it's a strong salary driver. Professionals with multi-platform expertise, skilled across platforms such as Google, Meta, LinkedIn, TikTok, and Microsoft Ads, are in higher demand. The ability to integrate campaigns across platforms shows strategic maturity. e-Commerce and large-scale account experience. High-budget accounts or complex e-Commerce structures add credibility. By understanding product feeds, shopping ads, and data integrations, you'll find premium pay opportunities available. Analytical and technical proficiency. Knowledge of Google Analytics for conversion, tracking data layers and attribution modelling can significantly increase your value. Leadership and communication skills. At mid-senior levels, soft skills become key. The ability to clearly explain data-driven insights to non-technical stakeholders or to lead a team confidently can justify a substantial pay increase. Verified capability. Professionals who demonstrate verified skill levels through independent platforms such as ClickTrain can add credibility to their profiles. This type of transparent validation can help to strengthen career confidence and salary negotiation. Contract, freelance and day rate options. In addition to full-time employment, many  PPC professionals  pursue freelance or contract work, offering flexibility and the potential for high earnings, though with greater self-management variability. Engagement Type Typical Rate (UK) Notes Freelance PPC Specialist £200 - £400 per day Best suited for mid-level to senior professionals managing small to medium accounts. Senior Freelance Consultant £400 - £650 per day For high-level strategy, audits, or interim leadership roles. Contract PPC Manager (3-6 months) £250 - £500 per day Common in agencies or during company transitions. Answers will often charge based on scope, whether it's a monthly retainer or a percentage of ad spend. Those considering this route should focus on building a strong portfolio, maintaining clear reporting systems, and managing capacity effectively to avoid. Regional variations and industry differences. Salaries in PPC vary by region and sector. London: Typically 10-20% higher salaries due to competition and cost of living. Regional UK: Strong markets include Manchester, Bristol, Leeds, and Edinburgh, where salaries are competitive but often slightly lower. Industry sectors: Finance, SaaS, and eCommerce often offer higher pay due to the complexity of tracking and ROI measurement. Public sector or non-profit PPC roles usually pay less but may offer job stability and clear working hours. As remote work becomes more common, salary differences between regions are gradually narrowing, giving PPC professionals more flexibility in where they live. The long term outlook for PPC careers. The demand for skilled professionals remains strong across the UK, and it's driven by the continued growth of digital advertising and the complexity of platform algorithms. According to industry reports, digital advertising spend in the UK continues to rise annually, and businesses increasingly seek data-literate, performance-focused talent. Career growth opportunities are broad, with PPC specialists moving into: Strategic roles (Head of Performance, Growth Director) Consultancy (freelance advisory or auditing services) Cross-functional roles (combining PPC with analytics, CRO, or SEO). Success in PPC is rarely about the title alone. It's about the impact you make in the confidence you build. Through skill, data and performance. PPC professionals can enjoy a stable, high-potential career track that continues to progress.","\u003Cp>If you are looking for a rewarding and dynamic career as a professional who enjoys data-driven decision making, creativity and measurable impact, the world of pay-per-click advertising is there for you. \u003C/p>\u003Cp>As more businesses invest in performance marketing, demand for skilled PPC specialists in the UK continues to rise, offering strong earning potential and diverse career paths.\u003C/p>\u003Ch2>The PPC career track\u003C/h2>\u003Cp>A career in PPC often follows a clear and structured progression. Every stage adds new carriages of skill and responsibility to your professional journey. Although job titles can vary between companies, the core pathway typically includes the following roles.\u003C/p>\u003Ctable>\u003Ctable>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>Career Stage\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>Typical Title(s)\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>Core Focus\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003C/tr>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>Graduate\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>Digital Marketing Intern\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>Gaining their first exposure to digital marketing\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003C/tr>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>Entry Level\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>PPC Assistant/Junior PPC Executive\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>Learning platform fundamentals, supporting campaign setup and reporting.\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003C/tr>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>Mid-Level\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>PPC Specialist/PPC  Senior Executive\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>Managing live campaigns, optimisation, and client communication.\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003C/tr>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>Senior Level\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>Senior PPC Specialist/Senior Paid Media Manager\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>Leading larger accounts, developing strategy, and mentoring juniors.\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003C/tr>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>Managerial\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>PPC Team Lead/Performance Marketing Manager\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>Overseeing multiple campaigns or team members, and strategic planning.\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003C/tr>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>Leadership/Consultancy\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>Head of Performance/Head of Growth\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>Shaping overall performance strategy, advising senior stakeholders, or managing multiple clients.\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003C/tr>\u003C/table>\u003C/table>\u003Cp>Each step you take along this progression usually brings not only higher responsibility, but also a meaningful increase in salary and influence within the business.\u003C/p>\u003Ch2>PPC salary ranges in the UK as of 2025.\u003C/h2>\u003Cp>Salaries in PPC vary according to experience, location and specialisation. London and other major cities like Edinburgh, Manchester and Bristol tend to offer higher pay due to competition and cost of living. A realistic guideline to current market averages across the UK is listed for you below.\u003C/p>\u003Ctable>\u003Ctable>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>Band\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>Title\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>United Kingdom\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003C/tr>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>1\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>Digital Marketing Intern\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>£18,000 - £21,000\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003C/tr>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>2\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>PPC Executive\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>£22,000 - £28,000\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003C/tr>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>3\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>Senior Executive\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>£28,000 - £45,000\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003C/tr>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>4\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>Senior Paid Media Manager\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>£45,000 - £60,000\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003C/tr>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>5\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>PPC Team Lead Manager\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>£55,000 - £65,000\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003C/tr>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>6\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>Head of Performance\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>£65,000 - £95,000+\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003C/tr>\u003C/table>\u003C/table>\u003Cp>Digital Marketing Intern\u003C/p>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Profile: Students or career switchers gaining their first exposure to digital marketing. Typically supporting senior team members with research, data entry, and basic campaign tasks.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Skills in focus: Introduction to Google Ads & Meta Ads interfaces, potentially other platforms too.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Progression signal: Demonstrates reliability, attention to detail, and curiosity. Can independently complete basic tasks and explain campaign fundamentals.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003C/ul>\u003Ch3>PPC Executive \u003C/h3>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Profile: Entry-level professionals learning to build and optimise campaigns under supervision.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Skills in focus: Google Ads fundamentals, keyword research, Excel reporting, and copywriting basics.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Progression signal: After 12-18 months of consistent learning and campaign exposure, many juniors move into a full PPC Specialist role.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003C/ul>\u003Ch3>PPC Specialist / Senior Executive\u003C/h3>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Profile: Mid-level professionals managing campaigns independently, optimising budgets, and reporting on results.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Skills in focus: Conversion tracking, bid management, A/B testing, and strong platform knowledge (Google Ads, Meta Ads, etc.).\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Progression signal: Specialists who demonstrate measurable improvements in return on ad spend (ROAS) and multi-platform capability are often fast-tracked to senior positions.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003C/ul>\u003Ch3>Senior PPC Specialist/ Senior Paid Media Manager\u003C/h3>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Profile: Experienced professionals responsible for strategic direction on key accounts or managing large budgets.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Skills in focus: Data interpretation, advanced targeting, automated bidding strategies, and leadership mentoring.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Progression signal: Consistently strong results, eCommerce experience, and analytical depth can open doors to management or consultancy roles.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003C/ul>\u003Ch3>PPC Team Lead Manager/Performance Marketing Manager\u003C/h3>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Profile: Managers lead teams, allocate budgets across multiple platforms, and integrate PPC into wider marketing strategy.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Skills in focus: Team leadership, cross-channel strategy, attribution modelling, and client or stakeholder management.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Progression signal: Success at this level depends on demonstrating both strategic vision and measurable business outcomes.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003C/ul>\u003Ch3>Head of Performance / Head of Growth\u003C/h3>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Typical salary: per year (consultants may earn more depending on contracts)\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Profile: Senior professionals setting the strategic roadmap for paid media or advising multiple clients.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Skills in focus: Full-funnel strategy, budget forecasting, cross-department collaboration, and advanced analytics.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Progression signal: Leaders at this stage influence not just campaigns, but entire business performance - often shaping how organisations invest in growth.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003C/ul>\u003Cp>Note: These figures represent market averages in 2025 and may fluctuate depending on industry, company size, and region.\u003C/p>\u003Ch2>Factors that influence PPC earning potential. \u003C/h2>\u003Cp>While seniority and years of experience play a significant role, salary growth in PPC often depends more on skill depth, impact, and specialisation. Some factors that tend to raise earning potential across all levels include the following:\u003C/p>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Proven ROI improvement. Employers and clients value measurable results, and if you can show those with return on ad spend or reduced cost per acquisition, it's a strong salary driver.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Professionals with multi-platform expertise, skilled across platforms such as Google, Meta, LinkedIn, TikTok, and Microsoft Ads, are in higher demand. The ability to integrate campaigns across platforms shows strategic maturity.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>e-Commerce and large-scale account experience. High-budget accounts or complex e-Commerce structures add credibility. By understanding product feeds, shopping ads, and data integrations, you'll find premium pay opportunities available.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Analytical and technical proficiency. Knowledge of Google Analytics for conversion, tracking data layers and attribution modelling can significantly increase your value.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Leadership and communication skills. At mid-senior levels, soft skills become key. The ability to clearly explain data-driven insights to non-technical stakeholders or to lead a team confidently can justify a substantial pay increase.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Verified capability. Professionals who demonstrate verified skill levels through independent platforms such as ClickTrain can add credibility to their profiles. This type of transparent validation can help to strengthen career confidence and salary negotiation.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003C/ul>\u003Ch2>Contract, freelance and day rate options.\u003C/h2>\u003Cp>In addition to full-time employment, many \u003Ca href=\"https://clicktrain.com/ppc-specialists/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">PPC professionals\u003C/a> pursue freelance or contract work, offering flexibility and the potential for high earnings, though with greater self-management variability. \u003C/p>\u003Ctable>\u003Ctable>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>Engagement Type\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>Typical Rate (UK)\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>Notes\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003C/tr>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>Freelance PPC Specialist\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>£200 - £400 per day\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>Best suited for mid-level to senior professionals managing small to medium accounts.\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003C/tr>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>Senior Freelance Consultant\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>£400 - £650 per day\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>For high-level strategy, audits, or interim leadership roles.\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003C/tr>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>Contract PPC Manager (3-6 months)\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>£250 - £500 per day\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003Ctd>\u003Cp>Common in agencies or during company transitions.\u003C/p>\u003C/td>\u003C/tr>\u003C/table>\u003C/table>\u003Cp>Answers will often charge based on scope, whether it's a monthly retainer or a percentage of ad spend. Those considering this route should focus on building a strong portfolio, maintaining clear reporting systems, and managing capacity effectively to avoid.\u003C/p>\u003Ch2>Regional variations and industry differences.\u003C/h2>\u003Cp>Salaries in PPC vary by region and sector.\u003C/p>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>London: Typically 10-20% higher salaries due to competition and cost of living.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Regional UK: Strong markets include Manchester, Bristol, Leeds, and Edinburgh, where salaries are competitive but often slightly lower.\u003C/p>\u003Ch3>Industry sectors: \u003C/h3>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Finance, SaaS, and eCommerce often offer higher pay due to the complexity of tracking and ROI measurement.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Public sector or non-profit PPC roles usually pay less but may offer job stability and clear working hours.\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003C/ul>\u003Cp>As remote work becomes more common, salary differences between regions are gradually narrowing, giving PPC professionals more flexibility in where they live.\u003C/p>\u003Ch2>The long term outlook for PPC careers.\u003C/h2>\u003Cp>The demand for skilled professionals remains strong across the UK, and it's driven by the continued growth of digital advertising and the complexity of platform algorithms. According to industry reports, digital advertising spend in the UK continues to rise annually, and businesses increasingly seek data-literate, performance-focused talent.\u003C/p>\u003Cp>Career growth opportunities are broad, with PPC specialists moving into:\u003C/p>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Strategic roles (Head of Performance, Growth Director)\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Consultancy (freelance advisory or auditing services)\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Cross-functional roles (combining PPC with analytics, CRO, or SEO).\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003C/ul>\u003Cp>Success in PPC is rarely about the title alone. It's about the impact you make in the confidence you build. Through skill, data and performance. PPC professionals can enjoy a stable, high-potential career track that continues to progress. \u003C/p>",{"image":65,"profilePic":17,"imageBlur":18,"profileBubble":19},"https://a.storyblok.com/f/289446931860097/1536x1024/342f63c1be/j1batpczq9rmy0cvd7etwf9cww.webp",{"link":67,"buttonText":22},"/blog/the-ppc-career-path-explained/"]