The Short Answer
The best PPC agencies have Google Partner status, offer transparent reporting with full account access, charge fair flat fees without long lock-in contracts, and can demonstrate proven results through case studies. If an agency ticks all of these boxes, you're off to a strong start.
1. Google Partner Status
Google Partner status is one of the most reliable indicators that an agency knows what it's doing. To earn the badge, agencies must meet certification requirements, manage a minimum level of ad spend, and demonstrate consistent performance across their client accounts.
There are two tiers: Google Partner and Premier Google Partner. Premier status is reserved for the top 3% of agencies in each country, so it's a meaningful differentiator.
Always verify an agency's Partner status directly on the Google Partners directory. Some agencies display outdated or fabricated badges.
2. Transparent Reporting
A trustworthy agency provides clear, jargon-free reports that show exactly where your money is going and what results it's generating. At minimum, reports should cover:
- Spend vs budget
- Impressions, clicks, and click-through rate
- Cost per click and cost per conversion
- Conversion volume and conversion rate
- Return on ad spend (ROAS)
- Key changes made and their impact
- Recommendations for the coming period
If an agency sends you a one-page PDF with vanity metrics and no context, that's a warning sign. Good reporting tells a story — what happened, why, and what's next.
3. Industry Experience
PPC strategies vary significantly across industries. An agency that excels at ecommerce Google Shopping campaigns may struggle with lead generation for professional services. Look for an agency with demonstrable experience in your sector or, at minimum, in a similar business model (B2B lead gen, ecommerce, local services, etc.).
Ask specific questions: What average cost per lead do you achieve for businesses like ours? What conversion rates are typical? What campaign types work best in our industry? An experienced agency will answer these confidently with real numbers.
4. Proven Case Studies
Any agency worth hiring should have detailed case studies showing real results for real clients. Look for:
- Specific numbers (not vague claims like "increased traffic")
- Before-and-after comparisons
- The strategy used and why
- Timeframes for achieving results
- Client testimonials or references you can verify
Be cautious of agencies that only share percentage improvements without context. A 200% increase in conversions sounds impressive, but if it went from 1 to 3, it's less meaningful.
5. Fair and Transparent Pricing
How an agency charges tells you a lot about their incentives. The three main pricing models are:
Flat Monthly Fee (Recommended)
Predictable costs that don't increase as your ad spend grows. The agency has no incentive to inflate your budget — their profit comes from delivering results that keep you as a client.
Percentage of Ad Spend
Typically 10-20% of your monthly ad spend. The concern here is that the agency profits from higher spend, regardless of whether that spend delivers better results.
Performance-Based
Pay based on results (leads, sales, ROAS). Sounds ideal but can lead to short-term optimisation at the expense of long-term growth. Often combined with a base fee.
Whatever the model, ensure there are no hidden costs. Ask about setup fees, reporting charges, and what happens if you need to scale up. See our transparent pricing for an example of how it should work.
6. Reasonable Contract Terms
A 3-month initial commitment is reasonable — it gives the agency enough time to audit your account, restructure campaigns, and start delivering results. After that initial period, look for month-to-month flexibility.
Avoid agencies that require 12-month contracts. If they're confident in their ability to deliver results, they shouldn't need to lock you in. Long contracts protect the agency, not you.
Also check: What happens if you need to pause? What's the notice period for cancellation? Do you retain ownership of your account and data?
7. Clear Communication Frequency
Before signing, agree on exactly how and when the agency will communicate with you. At minimum, expect:
- Monthly performance reports with written commentary
- Monthly or fortnightly strategy calls
- Email response within one business day
- Proactive communication about significant account changes
Some agencies offer weekly check-ins or real-time Slack channels. The right frequency depends on your preferences, but the key is that it's agreed upfront and consistently delivered.
8. A Dedicated Account Manager
You should know exactly who is managing your campaigns and be able to speak to them directly. Be cautious of agencies where you only deal with a sales person or account director who doesn't touch the actual campaigns.
Ask: Who will be doing the day-to-day work on my account? How many other accounts do they manage? Can I speak to them directly? The answers will tell you whether you'll get meaningful attention or be lost in a queue.
At PPC Chief, we ensure every client has a direct line to the specialist managing their campaigns — no layers of account managers in between.
9. Conversion Tracking Expertise
Accurate conversion tracking is the foundation of effective PPC management. Without it, neither you nor your agency can tell what's actually working. A good agency should:
- Audit your existing tracking setup before making changes
- Implement proper Google Ads conversion tracking and Google Analytics goals
- Set up offline conversion imports if applicable (e.g., CRM integrations)
- Configure enhanced conversions for improved attribution
- Regularly validate that tracking is firing correctly
If an agency doesn't prioritise conversion tracking from day one, question whether they can truly optimise your campaigns for results.
10. Ongoing Optimisation (Not "Set and Forget")
PPC is not a one-time setup. Effective management requires continuous optimisation — adjusting bids, testing ad copy, refining audiences, adding negative keywords, and adapting to competitor activity and seasonal trends.
Ask the agency to describe their typical optimisation cycle. What do they do weekly? Monthly? Quarterly? A good agency should be able to articulate a clear process:
- Weekly: Bid adjustments, search term reviews, budget pacing
- Monthly: Ad copy testing, audience refinement, performance reporting
- Quarterly: Strategy reviews, account restructuring, new campaign opportunities
If they can't explain what they'll be doing on an ongoing basis to improve performance, they're likely a "set and forget" agency — and your results will plateau.
11. Full Access to Your Google Ads Account
This is non-negotiable. You should always own your Google Ads account and have full admin access at all times. The agency should manage your campaigns through a manager account (MCC) linked to your account — not run your ads from their own account.
Why this matters: If the relationship ends, your campaigns, historical data, and Quality Scores stay with you. If the agency owns the account, you lose everything and have to start from scratch.
Any agency that refuses to give you access to your own account is a major red flag. Walk away.
Red Flags: When to Walk Away
Long lock-in contracts (12+ months)
Good agencies don't need to trap you. Results should keep you, not a contract.
No access to your Google Ads account
You should always own your account and data. No exceptions.
Guaranteed results or specific ranking promises
No agency can guarantee specific CPA or ROAS figures. Anyone who does is either lying or planning to manipulate the numbers.
Vague or jargon-heavy reporting
If you can't understand the reports, you can't hold the agency accountable. Good agencies explain things clearly.
No case studies or client references
If they can't show proof of results, they probably don't have any.
The sales person is very different from the delivery team
If a senior expert sells you but a junior manages your account, you're not getting what was promised.
They manage hundreds of clients with a small team
Each account needs meaningful attention. If one person manages 50+ accounts, yours won't get the focus it needs.
They won't explain their strategy
Secrecy isn't a sign of a proprietary method — it's usually a sign of a lack of strategy.
Your PPC Agency Checklist
Use this checklist when evaluating any PPC agency:
- Google Partner or Premier Google Partner status
- Transparent, jargon-free performance reporting
- Proven experience in your industry or business model
- Detailed case studies with real numbers
- Fair pricing model (ideally flat fees)
- Reasonable contract terms (3-month max initial commitment)
- Agreed communication frequency and format
- Named, dedicated account manager you can contact directly
- Conversion tracking expertise and audit capability
- Clear ongoing optimisation process
- Full admin access to your own Google Ads account
Why PPC Chief Ticks Every Box
We built PPC Chief around the principles in this checklist. Here's what you get:
- + Google Partner agency with certified specialists
- + Transparent flat-fee pricing — no percentage of spend
- + No long-term lock-in contracts
- + Full access to your Google Ads account at all times
- + Direct access to the specialist managing your campaigns
- + Detailed monthly reporting with clear commentary