Ecommerce PPC / 7 warning signs when looking for PPC services

7 warning signs when looking for PPC services

Andy Thorne
7 warning signs when looking for ppc services

When you are looking for pay-per-click (PPC) services, there are certain warning signs to look out for. Here, we will be exploring seven things to look out for before you decide on the right agency for you.

Choosing a PPC service

illustration for choosing a ppc service

Choosing someone to manage your PPC services is a big decision.

Choosing someone to manage your PPC services is a big decision that can have a large impact on your business. The financial investment is substantial, and choosing the correct service can help your business achieve better success.

It can be difficult to know what to look for – so read on to find out more.

1. Check certifications

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Check what certifications the digital agency has.

When speaking to an agency regarding PPC services, you will want to make sure you can check their certifications.

There is a Google Partners certification which is great for digital agencies to have if they are offering PPC services. It is possible that some agencies may display the logo you get from this even if they do not hold the certification.

You will be able to check this by clicking the logo and being taken to the listing on Google. If this does not happen, it may well be a fake.

2. Verify claims

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Make sure to verify any claims the digital agency makes.

Be cautious of claims an agency makes about special relationships. If they say they have such a relationship with Google that can help you with your SEO, this may not be entirely true.

While an agency might be part of the Google Partners program, it does not mean that they can claim a “special relationship”. Being a Google Partner means that they are up to date with any new features or changes that may be coming up.

3. English skills are important

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Having excellent English copywriting skills helps your organisation build trust with customers.

While you may not initially believe this is an important factor, checking the English copywriting skills of the agency as a whole is a vital part of finding the right fit.

Something as seemingly basic as excellent spelling and grammar is essential – you can review this on their website and communications.

Having flawless ad copy will make your business appear more trustworthy and professional, so if you spot errors, this could be a serious issue.

4. Be careful with your information

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Be careful with what login information you share.

You may not know what the boundaries should be with your agency, but if they ask you for your login information to access Google AdWords, this is a red flag. This should not be needed as you can give permission for them to link accounts entirely without providing those details.

5. Beware of guarantees

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No digital agency can 100% guarantee a first-place position in the search results.

It can be tempting to get swept up in amazing guarantees, especially if you don’t know very much about PPC services.

However, if your potential agency is claiming that you will definitely gain a first-place position, then this is completely false.

No one can guarantee that you will rank in first place. As we have mentioned before, SEO is a long-term game.

6. Over-promising can be a red flag

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If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Are you speaking to an agency that is promising great things?

When they look at your proposal, they may claim great things such as immediate turnaround with orders doubling overnight!

This is highly unlikely to be true.

Remember that old adage that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is – and ask more questions about any seemingly unachievable promises when it comes to PPC services.

7. Retain your access

illustration of retaining your success

Make sure you always retain access to your accounts and are aware of what permissions the digital agency has.

While many of these red flags can be discussed and explained, there is one that you should never, ever ignore. If the agency blocks or limits access to your Google Ads account, this is highly suspicious behaviour.

You should always retain this access and you should know in advance who will have access to your account and what kind of permissions they may have. This information should always be completely clear and present, and any changes should be explained to you upfront.

These warning signs are all important to look out for – over-promising results is a major giveaway that the service is offering more than they can provide, and you should always have access to your own account.

Any one of these signs should be enough to prompt you to at the very least do further research into the service offered.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding PPC services, get in touch with Factory Pattern – we can help with a range of marketing services to give your business a greater chance of success.