Choosing the right AdWords management agency for your business is no easy task. And just to make things more confusing, a lot of the agencies out there may not be quite as valuable as they let on. While an AdWords management agency should make your life easier, some of them make some big mistakes that will not only waste your time but your budget as well. If you’ve hired an agency or are looking at hiring an agency that exhibits any of the red flags listed below, it may be time to look elsewhere.
1. They’re Not Realistic With You
We all want to be successful. But it’s an AdWords management agency’s job to be honest with you about the potential of your campaigns. While it may seem like a good sign to have an agency that agrees to everything you say with a gung-ho, yes man attitude, it can also be a red flag that they’re just telling you what you want to hear. This is not to say that the agency should not be optimistic and enthusiastic about your campaigns, but they should be able to provide you with realistic goals and be able to explain their reasoning for them. If an agency agrees with you right away, ask them to elaborate and tell you exactly what their plan of action would be. The idea is that you need to ensure they’re thinking their answers through.
2. They Don’t Ask Any Questions
A good agency will not just leave the questions to you. Instead, they’ll ask thoughtful questions about your brand, what marketing techniques you currently have in place, whether or not you’ve used an AdWords management agency in the past, what your goals and your budget are, etc. If the agency asks you questions, it’s a good sign that they’re evaluating you as a potential client and figuring out exactly how they’ll be able to help you. An agency that doesn’t ask questions and is only eager for you to sign on the dotted line is likely just in it for money.
3. They Don’t Keep You Updated
When it comes to your AdWords campaigns, you should never be left in the dark. Furthermore, you shouldn’t have to hound them for this information either. A good AdWords management agency will make it part of their services to send you weekly or monthly reports to update you about the status of your campaigns. If an agency doesn’t send you updates, especially when you ask for them, that’s definitely a red flag that your campaigns aren’t going so well.
4. They’re Not Willing to Change the Plan
Paid advertising is all about monitoring the progress of your campaigns and adjusting them in order to make improvements. This is why any agency worth its salt will A/B test every creative they run. If your AdWords management agency has noticed that your campaigns aren’t going as well as they should be and they still refuse to adjust their strategy, their stubbornness is going to end up costing you a lot of money.
5. They Don’t Measure Success by Conversions
If your agency sends you a message that your campaigns are going really well and then gives you a report that consist of just click-through-rate and impressions, you’ve got yourself another red flag. While a high click-through-rate is definitely not a bad thing, it doesn’t really give you a realistic idea of how your campaigns are actually affecting sales. You need an AdWords management agency that tracks conversions so that they can tell you exactly how many people saw your ad, clicked through, and actually bought the product or service. Everything else is just peanuts.
6. They Don’t Know Your Industry
It’s always in your best interest to hire an AdWords agency that not only understands your industry but who has also worked with other clients in your industry before. Furthermore, the agency should be able to show you proof of how they were able to help those clients achieve their goals. If an agency is adamant that they can get the job done even without relevant experience, then you should ask them hard-hitting questions about why you should choose them. Unless they have a supremely convincing and detailed plan, it’s probably best to look elsewhere.
7. You Just Don’t Get Along
If you don’t like an agency or the people who will be managing your campaigns, it’s not such a great idea to hire them. Keep in mind that you’re going to be doing business with these people. Think of it as if you were hiring an employee for your own office. You don’t want to choose an agency that doesn’t communicate well with you, understand you and your preferences, etc. Ask to meet your account manager before you commit to anything. But remember, you don’t have to jump ship immediately. Reach out and see whether or not it’s possible to switch account managers first.
8. They Don’t Like Constructive Criticism
If you offer constructive criticism to your agency and they just recoil and get defensive, that’s a red flag. Just remember that, theoretically, they are the experts—so if they don’t fully agree with your criticism, it’s not necessary a red flag. But even if your suggestion may not be effective or possible for a campaign, they should be able to explain the reason to you without getting their feathers ruffled. If they can’t, that’s the red flag.
Get Ready to Narrow Down Your Choices…
If any of these points sounded familiar to you, then the agency you’ve hired or are thinking of hiring may not be the best fit. Evaluating your options using this information can help you identify the right agency that will be able to get real results from your campaigns. Our knowledgeable team at SevenAtoms would love to speak with you about your campaigns and find out how we can help. Contact us today to set up a free consultation.
