Hiring a Google Ads agency: your questions, answered.
Short, straight answers to what Australian business owners ask before hiring a Google Ads agency. Each one links to the full guide to choosing a Google Ads agency, which covers everything in one place.
How much does Google Ads management cost in Australia?
Australian agencies commonly charge around A$800 to A$2,000 a month to manage Google Ads for a small business, ex GST, on top of the ad spend you pay Google. Some charge 10 to 20 percent of spend instead. Scalepoint’s Google Ads management is A$990/month + ad spend, ex GST, with no setup fee.
Read the answer →Is a percentage of ad spend or a flat fee better for Google Ads?
A flat monthly fee suits most small and medium businesses, because your cost stays predictable and the agency gains nothing by pushing your budget up. Percentage-of-spend pricing, usually 10 to 20 percent, is more common on large accounts, where it should come with a cap or a minimum you agree in writing.
Read the answer →Do Google Ads agencies charge a setup fee?
Some do and some do not. Where Australian agencies charge one, it typically runs from nothing up to around A$2,000 and covers account structure, keyword research, ad writing and conversion tracking. Scalepoint charges no setup fee for Google Ads: the build is part of the A$990/month + ad spend, ex GST.
Read the answer →Who should own the Google Ads account, me or the agency?
You should. The Google Ads account, the billing, the conversion tracking and Google Analytics should all be in your business’s name, with the agency given access as a user or through its manager account. That way you keep the campaigns and years of performance data if you change agencies.
Read the answer →How much ad spend do I need before hiring a Google Ads agency?
As a rough guide, a management fee starts to make sense once you can spend around A$1,500 a month or more on ads. Below roughly A$1,000 a month, the fee can be a large share of the total, and a simple self-managed account or a one-off review may be the better first step.
Read the answer →What are the red flags in a Google Ads agency proposal?
The main red flags are guaranteed leads or costs per lead before the agency knows your market, accounts held in the agency’s name, ad spend paid through the agency with a markup, long lock-in contracts, vague monthly work, and reports that show clicks and impressions but not enquiries.
Read the answer →What questions should I ask a Google Ads agency before signing?
Ask whether the fee is separate from ad spend and includes GST, who owns the account and data, which conversions will be tracked and how, what work happens each month, what results are realistic in the first 90 days, and what it takes to leave. Specific answers are the sign of an agency worth hiring.
Read the answer →How long does it take for Google Ads to bring in leads?
Google Ads can bring in the first enquiries within days of going live, because your ads show as soon as they are approved. Expect the first month to be a learning period while the agency cuts wasted searches and tests ads, with a steadier cost per lead from the second or third month.
Read the answer →What does a Google Partner badge mean for an agency?
A Google Partner badge means the agency has met Google’s thresholds for account performance, ad spend across the accounts it manages, and staff certifications. It shows the agency is active and certified. It does not prove the agency is good for a business like yours, or that it will put your interests ahead of spend.
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