Hiring the wrong Google Ads agency is expensive in a way that is easy to miss until months in: budget keeps flowing, reports keep arriving, and performance still does not move. Most of the damage happens before the contract is signed, in the questions that never got asked. Here is what to actually ask a Google Ads agency before you hire them, based on what experienced buyers and agency-side reviewers consistently flag as the difference between a good hire and a wasted quarter.
Start With Proof, Not Promises
Ask for examples of past campaigns in your industry or a comparable one, along with specific outcomes such as cost per lead, conversion rate, or revenue growth rather than vague claims of “great results.”[1] Any agency that has run paid search for a year or more should be able to produce a case study with real numbers, not just a client logo wall. If they cannot show you a before-and-after on at least one metric that matters to your business, treat that as a signal, not an oversight.
It is also worth asking whether the account manager pitching you is certified. A Google Ads manager should be certified through Google’s Skillshop program, which confirms they have passed a scored assessment on the platform rather than learned it informally.[2] See our guide to Google Ads certification requirements if you want to know exactly what that credential does and does not prove. Certification alone will not run your campaigns well, but an agency that cannot produce certified staff on your account is missing a baseline most competitors clear easily.
Find Out Who Actually Touches Your Account
The person in the sales pitch is rarely the person who will manage your campaigns day to day. Ask to meet the actual strategist or account manager before you sign, and ask directly how many other accounts that person currently manages.[1] An overloaded account manager juggling twenty or more accounts is one of the most common, and most preventable, causes of underperforming paid search programs, because optimization work simply does not happen at the frequency it needs to.
Questions Worth Asking in the First Call
- How many accounts does my day-to-day manager currently handle?
- Can you share a case study with a specific, measurable outcome?
- Who pays Google directly for ad spend, my business or your agency?
- What tools do you use beyond Google’s built-in keyword and bidding tools?
- What does your reporting cadence look like, and can I see a sample report?
- What is the minimum contract length, and what does exiting early look like?
Check Their Expertise and Specialization
A capable Google Ads agency should have people focused on keyword research and account structure, others on ad copywriting and creative testing, and ideally an analytics function that interprets performance data and recommends changes rather than just reporting numbers back to you.[1] A one-person shop is not automatically a red flag for a small account, but a large budget managed by a single generalist usually is, since no one can be excellent at strategy, copy, and analysis at once.
Ask what platforms they use for keyword research, competitor analysis, and reporting. An agency relying solely on Google’s own built-in tools may be missing data that third-party platforms surface, and it is a reasonable proxy for how much they invest in their own capability.[1]
Understand How Money Moves
Confirm that you, not the agency, pay Google directly for the cost of your clicks. If the agency pays Google on your behalf and bills you afterward, they can mark up costs without your visibility into what Google actually charged.[1] Direct billing between your business and Google is standard practice among reputable agencies and is worth insisting on if a prospective vendor pushes back.
| Red Flag | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| No certified staff on your account | Suggests limited formal platform training[2] |
| Agency pays Google on your behalf | Removes visibility into real ad spend[1] |
| Long mandatory contract term | Reduces your leverage if results lag[3] |
| Account manager handles 20+ accounts | Limits time available for optimization[1] |
Protect Your Ability to Leave
Do not sign a long-term contract with a new agency. You should be able to leave if results are not materializing after a reasonable evaluation period, typically framed around 60 to 90 days for paid search to show a real read on performance.[3] A confident agency will not need a year-long lock-in to prove its approach works, and month-to-month or short initial terms are common among agencies that are comfortable being judged on results.
How This Connects to Your Broader Marketing Program
Paid search rarely performs in isolation from the rest of your marketing. An agency that only thinks about Google Ads in a vacuum, without visibility into your organic search performance, landing page quality, or brand presence, will hit a ceiling on what paid spend alone can fix. If you are evaluating a paid media partner, it is worth asking how they coordinate with whoever owns your organic search program, since landing page relevance and site authority both affect Quality Score and, in turn, what you pay per click.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I only hire a Google Partner agency?
Google Partner status is a reasonable signal since it requires certified staff and minimum spend and performance thresholds, but it is not a substitute for checking case studies and talking to the specific person who will manage your account.[2]
How many accounts should one account manager handle?
There is no universal number, but ask directly and compare it against the complexity of your account. A manager juggling dozens of accounts across different industries has less time for the ongoing testing and optimization that paid search performance depends on.[1]
Who should pay Google for ad spend, me or the agency?
You should. Paying Google directly gives you full visibility into actual click costs and prevents an agency from marking up media spend without your knowledge.[1]
What contract length is reasonable for a new agency relationship?
Month-to-month or short initial terms are common among confident agencies. Avoid long mandatory lock-ins before you have evidence the relationship is working.[3]
Does agency size matter more than specialization?
Specialization in your channel and industry typically matters more than headcount. A smaller team with dedicated keyword, copy, and analytics functions can outperform a larger generalist shop.[1]
Sources:
[1] Protocol 80, “Thinking About Hiring a Google Ads Agency? Ask These 11 Questions First”
[2] Google Ads Help, “About Google Ads certifications”
[3] ROI Minds, “Top 10 Questions To Ask Before You Hire A Google Ads Agency”
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Alex Carter leads SEO and content strategy at MV3 Marketing, specializing in generative engine optimization, technical SEO, and AI-driven content systems for B2B companies.
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