PPC Experts: How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Marketing Agency?

If you’re looking to optimise your marketing strategy, a digital marketing campaign is a priority for reaching the modern consumer. And an important feature of your digital marketing solution lies in using PPC experts. Alongside the expansive reach PPC advertising provides companies, they also get what they pay for. 

Here’s a high-level look at PPC marketing and what costs are involved. 

What is PPC marketing?

PPC – which stands for ‘pay-per-click’ – is a form of internet marketing whereby the advertisers only pay a fee once somebody has clicked on the advert. One prominent form of PPC advertising is search engine advertising where you pay for advert placement within a particular search engine’s sponsored links. Google, being the most prevalent search engine, is usually the first port of call for those seeking PPC options. 

What do PPC Experts do?

PPC marketing is a unique specialisation requiring the input of an agency with PPC expertise. Their role would be to analyse your organisation and collage the best PPC strategy for you to enjoy a solid return on investment (ROI). Once a marketing strategy has been established, the PPC specialists will oversee the online paid advertising efforts to ensure your brand is well-positioned. 

The approach of every PPC expert will be different as they have differing specialisations. While one might choose select online platforms – often being Google Ads or Facebook – others might choose to work across multiple platforms. It’s important to consider their PPC advertising style and decide what works for you. 

How much should you spend on PPC?

As mentioned, one of the major drawcards to PPC advertising for many companies is the ability to control the budget with daily limits put in place. But to determine how much your PPC marketing will cost, you need to understand the different pricing models and how these work. 

The 4 PPC pricing models

The cost of a PPC marketing agency really comes down to what pricing model they use, and your budget. You should be able to find an agency that fits your needs. 

1. Flat fee pricing model

In this model, a marketing agency is likely to quote you a flat rate that includes all work related to this particular campaign. This should include a clear itemisation of everything you’re being charged for. As the client, you can agree to the quote and then ask the agency to alert you as to whether it’s going over budget or not. This is suited to companies that require fairly static monthly campaigns as opposed to a once-off project, and those that work according to fixed monthly expenses. 

2. Percentage of ad spend pricing model

This is a very popular pricing model whereby you, as the client, will pay a pre-determined percentage of your advertising spend to the managing agency. The average is usually between 15 and 30% of ad spend, but this can be negotiated with the agency. This model is a great option for corporates that have a big advertising spend as it requires a minimum cost that is likely to make an impact. 

3. Management fee plus percentage of ad spend pricing model 

A PPC marketing agency might require a management fee to cover their overheads, in addition to claiming a percentage of the advertising spend. However, this is often the case with more traditional rather than emerging marketing organisations. This is also suited to larger enterprises with a bigger advertising budget, particularly those that want more control over the marketing. This fee should ensure there is budget for additional testing and tracking.   

4. Performance-based or CTA (call-to-action) pricing model 

Finally, in this model, you only pay the marketing agency when there are measurable results. This is determined by user engagement with the PPC advertising. This is best suited to smaller companies with limited advertising budgets.

What are the benefits of using a PPC marketing agency?

Some companies choose to implement this form of marketing strategy in-house. However, this will really only be effective if you have a PPC specialist on staff. Here’s why you should consider working with a qualified PPC agency. 

• Time requirements: PPC advertising is not simply a case of creating the campaign and letting it run its course. It requires ongoing maintenance for a PPC campaign to reach its potential – this is time your marketing team might not have. 

• Expert insight: Even with proper planning, your PPC campaign might not go as desired. When using a PPC specialist, you have someone on hand to tweak the campaign and get it back on track. They are also able to tailor the PPC advertising to your brand. 

• Cost savings: Sure, you’re having to pay for the PPC marketing agency, but your money is getting you expertise. This and a targeted marketing approach equates to real ROI. 

• Peace of mind: You have enough stress achieving your business goals! You don’t need to add more by trying to learn a whole new industry. Let the PPC experts handle your digital marketing strategy and start seeing the benefits of money well spent. 

What to ask when choosing a PPC marketing agency?

You need to find the right fit in your PPC marketing agency. This requires you to perform background research and ask the right questions. Here are a few to throw at any potential marketers. 

• What percentage of the ad spend goes towards agency fees?
• What metrics are used to determine the success rate of PPC marketing?
• Are you accredited with Google Partner?
• Do you have cross-platform capability (able to work across multiple PPC platforms)?
• How much experience do you have managing accounts in my industry?
• Do you have tools for competitor analysis and automation?
• If you want to scale the advertising up or down, is the budget adjustable?
• What, exactly, does the management fee cover?
• How can you access the data from the chosen PPC marketing platform – Google Ads, Facebook or other?

If you’re looking to connect with a specialised PPC marketing agency, then let the premier marketing platform, ClickTrain, get you there.