8 Signs You Need a Google Ads Agency for Your Startup

Which search engine do you refer to whenever you want to search for something on the internet?

Without a doubt, it’s Google.

Google, as a search engine has become so popular, that people even have termed the act of searching as “googling”! Provided such popularity, this platform has always been the top choice for business visibility.

For startups, few tools offer the level of precision and scalability as Google Ads, which can connect your brand to your audience in moments. But as powerful as Google Ads is, harnessing its potential isn’t always straightforward. It requires a mix of strategy, technical knowledge, and continuous optimization — a trifecta most startups struggle to maintain.

The numbers speak for themselves: companies make an average of $2 for every $1 spent on Google Ads. But here’s the twist: these results aren’t generated automatically. Inadequately managed campaigns and unoptimized ads can quickly turn Google Ads into a cesspool of money, effort, and time. Especially if you don’t have a structured team with skilled marketers yet and a limited marketing budget, Google Ads can be a risky experiment.

But does that mean you shouldn’t explore it? Absolutely no!

There are numerous agencies that offer Google Ads management services.

But then again, how would you know that you need such services?

This blog explores the signs that your startup might need a Google Ads agency, the benefits of partnering with one, and what to expect from these specialized teams.

Here’s what you can expect from this article:

• What does a Google Ads agency do
• Clear knowledge about indications that your company needs a Google Ads agency
• Additional benefits of partnering with one
• Pitfalls you’d like to avoid

Let’s go through them all!

Signs you need a Google Ads agency

Navigating the intricacies of Google Ads requires a blend of expertise, time, and strategic experience. If you resonate with any of the following scenarios, it might be time to consider professional assistance:

1. Your campaigns aren’t delivering ROI

Ever wonder, even after doing everything by the book, why your return on ad spend isn’t reaching the goal?

Investing in ads without seeing proportional returns can be disheartening. This often stems from issues like suboptimal targeting, ineffective ad copy, or mismanaged bidding strategies. And, even after following multiple guides and tutorials, subtle tricks and hacks can make the ultimate difference. A seasoned agency will know all about it — thanks to their experience. They can conduct a thorough audit to identify and rectify pitfalls and transform underperforming campaigns into profitable ventures.

2. You're spending more time on ads than your core business

Let’s admit one thing: mastering the art of Google Ads campaigns is not for the faint of hearts. Or, at least for busy people.

The demands of setting up, monitoring, and optimizing Google ad campaigns can divert your focus from essential business operations. Collaborating with an agency will allow you to delegate these tasks, ensuring your marketing efforts are in expert hands while you concentrate on growth and innovation.

3. You’re struggling to understand or analyze the data

The analytical aspect of Google Ads is both its strength and complexity. Interpreting metrics like Quality Score, conversion rates, and cost-per-click requires specialized knowledge that comes from years of experience and training. The marketers working in an agency already have the analytical edge to transform these data into actionable strategies and enhance campaign performance.

Furthermore, some agencies, like Kaya, take this a step further by offering advanced ad intelligence and analytics tools with their services which simplify complex data into digestible insights. Kaya’s platform integrates data from multiple marketing channels, such as Google Ads, Facebook, and LinkedIn, into a single, centralized dashboard. This eliminates the hassle of manual data consolidation and provides a clear, real-time overview of performance across all campaigns.

For example, the platform enables businesses to track critical metrics like customer acquisition costs (CAC), return on investment (ROI), and channel-specific performance with ease. It also offers customizable dashboards tailored to your unique business goals, ensuring you can focus on the metrics that truly matter. Moreover, Kaya automates reporting, delivering regular updates via Slack or email, so your team stays informed without wasting time on manual tasks.

Kaya’s analytics tools provide actionable insights to maximize campaign performance. You can identify high-performing keywords, pinpoint bottlenecks in conversion funnels, and compare cross-channel performance to make data-driven decisions in real time. For instance, if a specific campaign underperforms, the system helps you adjust strategies immediately to mitigate losses and optimize results.

If these benefits and values are something you’re looking for, you should definitely work with a Google Ads agency like Kaya.

4. You lack expertise in optimizing ads

As a business owner who’s just starting with paid marketing, you might be able to create Google Ad campaigns and run them. This might make you think “Why do I need a marketer when I can do their job?” until… your ad performance starts faltering and they need optimization.

Effective optimization encompasses keyword selection, ad relevance, landing page experience, and more. Without a nuanced understanding, self-learned efforts may yield minimal improvement. Google Ads agencies bring a wealth of experience in fine-tuning these elements to achieve better results.

5. You’re unsure how to scale campaigns

Scaling campaigns on Google Ads requires a strategic approach to expand reach without escalating costs disproportionately. Even though you might be able to learn a thing or two by reading blogs or watching tutorials, practical experience is crucial to scale effectively and avoid costly mistakes.

Agencies specializing in Google Ads bring extensive experience in scaling strategies that maintain efficiency and ROI. They use techniques like advanced audience segmentation, bid strategy adjustments, and performance-driven ad optimizations to tap into new markets and demographics effectively. With their proven track record and expertise, they can provide the confidence and results needed to scale your campaigns successfully.

6. You’re wasting ad spend on the wrong audience

There are certain indications implying that you’re spending your ad budget targeting the wrong audience. Some common signs are:

• Your conversion rate is low.
• The sales team is disqualifying leads more than qualifying them.
• High impression but low Click-through-rate (CTR).

Google Ads agencies utilize advanced targeting techniques to ensure your ads reach the most relevant and receptive audiences, maximizing the effectiveness of your ad spend. Some of these advanced techniques include:

• Custom intent audiences: Targets users actively searching for products or services similar to yours based on their recent online behavior.
• In-market audiences: Connects with users who are actively considering purchasing products or services like yours.
• Demographic targeting: Filters audiences by age, gender, household income, and parental status for more precise ad delivery.
• Similar audiences: Expands reach by targeting users who share characteristics with your existing customer base.
• Remarketing lists: Reconnect with users who have previously engaged with your website or app.

By applying these methods, a Google Ads agency ensures that every dollar spent delivers value by focusing on the right audience.

7. You’re looking for domain expertise and culture fit

Even if you have an in-house team or are outsourcing tasks to a freelancer, a constant lack of understanding of your work process or content quality might be your sign to hire a Google Ads agency that meets your culture and industry requirements.

Google Ads agencies that have previous experience working with similar companies like yours, in terms of industry and culture, would be able to generate better results for you than other agencies.

Here’s a quick example: because we are the only Y-Combinator-backed startup marketing agency, other YC-backed startups easily rely on us for their Google Ads campaign management and other paid and growth marketing tasks.

8. You seek structured methods and expertise for better results

Successful paid marketing that will help you reach your revenue goals requires a lot of things. But most importantly, it requires access to the right tools for ad management and a proven structured method. However, both come with a steep learning curve.

Google Ads agencies come with all these benefits. They have marketers who’ve been in this game for years, which is why they already know the best way to run ads and use paid marketing tools, like SEMrush and SpyFu. Some of these agencies even come with their own proprietary tools. However, when choosing an agency for your campaigns, you should always focus on the real-life value that they have delivered before rather than the promises they make or the tools that they have access to. This ensures campaigns are running on proven strategies tailored to your business needs.

Think of it like choosing a doctor—two doctors may have different levels of tools, but the one who delivers the right diagnosis and treatment is the one you trust.

Tools like Kaya’s competitor analysis software or advanced reporting dashboards help, but they are part of a larger framework that delivers results.

Ultimately, the value of working with an agency isn’t just in access to advanced tools but in how they use these tools alongside expert processes to deliver superior results. By choosing the right partner, you skip the guesswork and focus on scaling your campaigns effectively.

Other benefits of partnering with a Google Ads agency

Partnering with a Google Ads agency extends beyond campaign management. It can offer a lot of more benefits:

• Ongoing campaign management and optimization: Continuous monitoring and iterative improvements are essential for sustained success. Agencies dedicate resources to ensure your campaigns evolve with market dynamics and consumer behavior.
• Industry insights and competitive benchmarks: With experience across various sectors, agencies offer valuable perspectives on industry trends and competitor strategies, informing more effective and informed decision-making.
• Faster problem resolution: In paid marketing, encountering challenges is inevitable, but quick resolution minimizes impact. Agencies have the expertise to troubleshoot and address problems quickly while maintaining campaign performance.

What is a Google Ads agency?

A Google Ads agency specializes in the strategic planning, execution, and management of Google Ads campaigns.

However, they go beyond merely running ads. There are lots of other things that they do for the smooth implementation of paid marketing that bring in results. Here’s what they typically offer:

• Campaign strategy & management: Developing custom strategies that focus on your target audience, budget, and desired outcomes, ensuring maximum return on investment.
• Domain expertise and culture fit: Applying the knowledge and expertise attained from serving companies in the same industry and of the same structure for maximum efficiency and efficacy.
• Copywriting and content creation: Crafting the most compelling ad copy and creatives by identifying the most effective keywords to target, ensuring your ads reach users actively searching for your products or services.
• Performance tracking & reporting: Using advanced analytics to monitor campaign performance, identify opportunities, and continually refine strategies for better results. Some agencies come with their own proprietary tools, like Kaya.
• Remarketing & retargeting: Re-engaging past visitors to your website with tailored messaging to drive conversions and nurture brand loyalty.

Because of all these functions, Google Ads agencies become extensions to your own team. They help align your advertising efforts with your business goals, making it easier to grow your brand and increase profits.

TLDR

Signs to hire a Google Ads agency:

• Your campaigns aren’t delivering ROI.
• You’re spending too much time managing ads.
• Data analysis feels too complex or overwhelming.
• You lack expertise in ad optimization.
• Scaling campaigns seems difficult without overspending.
• Ad spend is being wasted on the wrong audience.
• You want domain expertise and culture-fit from marketers.
• You want access to advanced tools and insights.