When it comes to paid search companies — there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach.

Different businesses and clients have different needs. If you are serious about hiring a quality team — as you should be — make certain you’re dealing with a reputable company with experience in paid search by answering these questions about the agency.

Are They Transparent?

Believe it or not, many large and “well-respected” agencies do not allow their clients access to their AdWords accounts. Consider this, if you don’t have access to your account, you don’t know how much is being spent on ads, as compared to management fees. Plus, historical account data is valuable. There is absolutely no reason that you shouldn’t have full access to your PPC campaign if you’re a franchise or a different type of business, even if you choose to end the relationship with an agency.

Not having an all-access pass to your account should raise a red flag.

Are You Getting a Team or just a Guy?

While having your own dedicated “guy” may sound good, think of it this way – having just one paid search manager is like having just one baseball player. He may be the best in the world, but you’d still have zero chance of competing against a full digital marketing team.

Whether in baseball or internet marketing, having a team means access to multiple skill sets and ideas. Paid search involves a number of different functions that all must work together like gears in a machine, a team approach just makes more sense.

Paid Search Team Members Include:

• Writers who write compelling ad copy
• Designers who create display ads and landing pages
• Developers who implement pages and tracking code
• AdWords experts who dream in spreadsheets
• Strategists who pull the whole plan together

Do They Have Dedicated Google & Bing Resources?

Google and Bing both have partnership programs that companies can enroll in. When companies are a part of this partnership, their employees become accredited by taking multiple examinations ensuring that the agency follows industry best practices. The accreditation process evaluates capability and knowledge in the field of paid search marketing, display marketing, web analytics, optimization and testing. While accreditation alone doesn’t mean that a specific agency is right for your needs, it does ensure a certain level of competency and experience.

In addition, larger agency partners get their own dedicated Google and Bing teams which give them exclusive access to industry insights, live training events, promotional offers, beta test opportunities, additional support and much more. The company has the ability to use all of these resources to ensure that your Adwords & Bing campaigns are running optimally at all times.

What’s Their Level of Expertise?

Does the agency you’re considering have experience managing multiple paid search accounts?

Do they specialize in working with industries similar to yours?

Are you an e-commerce enterprise or do you need to generate leads?

For more information on a paid search company with a full in-house team and loads of experience, look no further, contact us today or for more information on How To Hire a Paid Search Agency and our worksheet for evaluating your options, download our eBook today.