Not Getting Results from PPC? Here's How to Get Help That Actually Works

Before spending money on help, diagnose the problem. Most PPC issues fall into one of three categories:

1. Your setup is wrong. Bad campaign structure, wrong match types, no negative keywords, broken conversion tracking. This is fixable with a one-off audit and restructure. You might not need ongoing management — just someone competent to fix the foundation.

2. Nobody's managing it. The campaigns were set up months ago and nobody's touched them since. Search terms are full of junk, bids are stale, and Google has auto-applied a dozen recommendations that expanded your targeting. This needs either regular management or someone to teach you the weekly routine.

3. Your current agency isn't doing the work. You're paying for management but your cost per lead is going up, you can't get straight answers about what they're doing, and the “optimisations” in their reports are just bid adjustments Google recommended. This is the most frustrating scenario — you're paying twice (management fee + wasted ad spend).

Not sure which bucket you're in? Take our DIY vs Agency Quiz for a quick assessment.

DIY with training. Best for budgets under £3,000/month where you have 3-5 hours/week to dedicate. Get an audit to fix the foundation, then learn the weekly maintenance routine (search terms review, bid adjustments, ad testing). Cost: one-off audit fee (£300-£800) plus your time.

Freelance consultant. Best for businesses that need strategic guidance but can handle day-to-day management. A good consultant will audit your account, build a strategy, and check in monthly or bi-weekly. Cost: £500-£1,500/month depending on account size and complexity.

Specialist PPC agency. Best for budgets above £3,000/month where you want someone else to handle everything — strategy, execution, testing, reporting. A good agency gives you a dedicated account manager, weekly optimisations, and full transparency. Cost: £750-£3,000/month or 10-20% of spend.

For a detailed comparison of the trade-offs, read our guide on in-house vs agency PPC management.

Whether you're managing yourself or hiring someone, here's what should be happening every single week:

• Search terms reviewed — new negative keywords added, irrelevant traffic blocked
• Bid adjustments based on actual performance data, not Google's recommendations
• Ad copy testing — at least 3 responsive search ad variations per ad group
• Landing page performance monitored — bounce rates, conversion rates, page speed
• Budget allocation shifted towards best-performing campaigns and keywords

And every month:

• Performance review against agreed KPIs (cost per lead, not just clicks)
• Competitor analysis — who's showing for your keywords?
• Strategy adjustments based on what's working and what isn't
• Clear, honest reporting that shows leads and revenue, not vanity metrics

If your current agency or freelancer can't demonstrate they're doing these things, they're not managing your account — they're babysitting it.

1. “How often do you review search terms?” — The answer should be weekly at minimum. If they say monthly or don't know, walk away.
2. “Will I have full access to my Google Ads account?” — Always. Any agency that restricts your access to your own account is creating a dependency, not a partnership.
3. “What does your reporting look like?” — Ask to see a sample report. It should focus on leads, cost per lead, and conversion rates — not impressions and clicks.
4. “What happens if I want to leave?” — Your account, your data, your landing pages — everything should be yours. Watch out for agencies that build campaigns in their own MCC and won't transfer ownership.
5. “Can you walk me through the last 30 days of search terms for a current client?” — This separates agencies that do the work from those that just talk about it. Use our Agency Scorecard tool to evaluate any agency you're considering.

This is more common than you'd think. If your current agency isn't delivering, you're probably feeling stuck — frustrated with the results but unsure if switching will actually make things better.

We wrote a detailed guide on this: Should You Fire Your PPC Agency? It includes a decision framework and a checklist for what to look for in a replacement. You can also read our guide to choosing a PPC agency.

The short version: if they can't walk you through your search terms, explain their optimisation strategy, and show measurable improvement in cost per lead — it's time to move on.