If you’re a business owner who has just opted to outsource the handling of their Google and/or Facebook ads, then you’re not alone! Marketing is the lifeblood of any enterprise, which is why according to onrec.com almost half of UK businesses are handing this crucial activity over to external agencies.
Many enterprises outsource for a variety of reasons whether it’s your preference to have industry experts work on a carefully developed strategy, to improve your ROI and save yourself time or to scale your current marketing strategies. However, one of the most pressing justifications is that managing a business Ad account not only requires an in-depth level of knowledge, but it also becomes incredibly overwhelming for business owners who are juggling other persistent responsibilities. Whether it’s trying to understand the analytics, evaluate the numbers, run reports, or make sense of your latest campaign results, it doesn’t take much for our digital confidence to take a hit.
Handing over these responsibilities to a reputable and reliable Ads agency simply makes sense. But how can you be sure that you, your marketing strategies, and your business are in safe hands? As a business owner, you’ll want total peace of mind, so, let’s explore some straightforward indicators that your Ads agency is doing a good job.
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You Can See Changes Are Being Made Every Day in Your Account History
While many business owners turn to outsourcing their Ad accounts to streamline their expenses, having an external agency take care of your marketing is still a significant expenditure that needs to be justified with functional results. Therefore, if your account managers are seemingly sitting on their hands and making very few changes to your dashboard and active campaigns, then alarm bells may start to ring.
Of course, if your current campaigns are getting results, there may not be a lot of account history or activity to explore, however, if you’re seeing minimal activity without positive outcomes, then you may want to raise a few questions. Ideally, your Ad account dashboard will show patterns of optimisation behaviours and actions, such as new ads being created, turned off and on again all within the last 30 days. This testing activity illustrates that your Ads agency is consistently reviewing your campaigns and adjusting them where necessary, all in the hope of getting you the results you need.
Remember, if you’re seeing positive results, less action on your account history is normal, however poor results should highlight more changes and testing action on your dashboard.
You Can Check Your Results at Any Time
Knowing that your Ads are updated regularly and are frequently adjusted for optimisation goals is certainly reassuring for anyone who’s relying on an Ad agency to scale their current marketing strategies. But now, you need to know that your finely tuned ads are getting you the results you need with regular, uninhibited access to your dashboard.
When you have a strong relationship with your Ad agency, access to your historical performance data, visibility of the metrics of your ads and the option to change and tweak your ads are positive signs of a transparent partnership between your business and your chosen Ad agency. Full access to your dashboard and the ability to check results at any time means you’re always in the loop, and you’re able to question the data that is being gathered freely and without resistance.
Any Ad agency that is uncomfortable about sharing your metrics with you, or giving you full access to your ad accounts, is a sign that things might not be going as well as you’d hope.
You Can See Tests Are Being Done in the Account
As we’ve mentioned above, active testing is a strong indication that your Ads agency is doing a good job of managing your Ad account. When testing is being actively carried out, it not only demonstrates that your Ads agency understands the importance of a strong testing strategy, but also that they’re vigorously pushing your business forward and trying to maintain that lead on your competitors.
Failing to run regular tests, means that your Ads agency won’t be able to develop the winning combination for your ad strategy. Gathering feedback from consumer responses, their feedback and their subsequent behaviours gives your Ad agency the data they need to reach your Ad goals, whether you’re highlighting a new product, driving more traffic to your site, pushing an existing product, or building on your brand awareness. So, if they’re not testing, you’re less likely to see the results you want.
A simple check of your campaigns will let you know whether your Ad agency is taking testing seriously and running regular tests within your account. If the testing data is in a code, you’re not familiar with – speak with your agency for clarification.
Remember, if there is no evidence of testing, then alarm bells should ring.
Communication Is Clear & They’re Proactive
Handing over your Ads account to an external agency, doesn’t mean you should lose control of your marketing. Using an Ads agency is more of a collaboration between your enterprise and their experienced teams, which means that strong levels of communication, clarity and contact should come as standard.
If you’re unhappy with the way a campaign is moving, you’ve seen copy and edits to ads that you’re not happy with, then speak up to discuss what could be changed or what their plans for optimisation are. The more information you have the better you’ll understand your own ROI and their specific approach. A productive and successful Ads agency should be more than happy to schedule calls, supply updates and keep you involved (or as much as you wish to be) within your account. Communication should be clear and the levels of productivity on your account should be easy to see.
However, it’s worth remembering that communication goes both ways.
And if you’re making changes to your goals, tweaking your campaigns, or changing your targets, then this should be communicated clearly and as early as possible. Otherwise, your Ads agency is only going to miss the mark.
You Can See the Difference In Results
So, you understand the importance of testing and can see that your Ads agency is incredibly communicative and proactive. However, the best way to know if your Ads agency is doing a good job of managing your Ad account is within the results.
Have you experienced an increase in traffic to your website and a boost in sales? Are the purchase numbers on those specific products rising? These simple signals suggest whether your Ads agency is bringing in the results you need and will highlight the efficacy of your chosen agency.
While the results speak for themselves, and a positive outcome as early as week one is exciting, it’s worth remembering that successful Ad management – including testing and ad edits – can take between 1-3 months to become fully effective. At this time, you should be proactive and explore your Ad dashboard so you can see an accurate representation of how things are progressing. A stronger understanding of your sales numbers, site traffic and your budgets will enhance communication between yourself and your Ad agency, ensuring stronger results and a better relationship.
Now It’s Your Turn…
Recognising the signs of a competent Ad agency, who is successfully managing your Ad account, can prevent you from wasting time with the wrong agency and potentially damaging your brand and success. If you have already outsourced to an Ad agency, consider these points to ensure they’re handling your account effectively.
Need me to take a deeper dive into your account performance? Check out my service for this here. You can also click and read more about how to evaluate a digital marketing agency