DIYing your Google Ads seems so easy: you set up an account, set your budget, create an ad, choose some keywords to target and you’re away. The sales should start rolling in, right?
Well, that’s not exactly the case.
If you’ve done any research into the ins and outs of effective advertising on Google, you’ll know that getting good returns on your ads is not as simple as throwing a few ads together. You need to understand the platform and have a general advertising strategy in mind.
Like any skill, Google Ads can be learned. But is it worth the time, opportunity cost, and effort to manage your own ads? Let’s explore whether you should DIY your Google Ads or outsource your Google ad management to an expert.
Should You DIY Your Google Ads?
As a business owner, it is natural to want to handle the marketing of your business. After all, it is an essential element in bringing in new customers and increasing sales. And paid advertising options like Google Ads are probably a big part of your marketing strategy.
But, is DIYing those Google Ads the best use of your time?
Marketing is a complex and strategic exercise. In order to get it right and achieve the returns you want, you’ll have to invest a lot of time and energy into planning, creating and executing.
Sure, it’s certainly possible to do all that. But, the time it takes could be better spent focusing on the aspects of your business that only you can handle. Especially when you consider you’ll have to factor in even more time to test, tweak and maintain your ads to ensure they are still working as they should.
Google Ads Is Constantly Changing
As well as the time commitment to create those ads, if you want to DIY, you’ll need to consider the ongoing time investment required. That’s why it may be easier to engage with an expert for your Google ad management.
Adwords is an ever-evolving beast, and navigating this beast when you don’t already have the expertise can be daunting. Staying on top of changes is a constant process. To get the best results, you should be constantly tweaking your ads based on their performance.
A Google Ads professional already has all of the skills and knowledge to make your ad campaign a success from the start. It’s their job to stay up to speed on the changing landscape of Google Ads and make sure your ads are as effective as possible.
What’s The ROI?
A common argument for DIYing Google Ads is that the money you pay an agency is a reduction in the amount of money you can put into ad campaigns.
It is true that there will be a fee involved when working with an ad management agency. However, we think it’s more important to think about the return on investment you could see. A well-formed and targeted ad campaign is much more likely to yield the results you’re looking for. If you want to get there quickly, a Google Ads professional can help you do it.
So, while your spending on ads might be lower when you work with an agency, the return on investment is likely to be much higher. Also, if you choose to work with us here at Four Stripes Digital, our fees probably aren’t anywhere near as expensive as you’re probably thinking they are!
There Are Only 24 Hours In A Day
We’ve covered the financial gains of outsourcing your Google Ads, but what about the time investment? We’re not saying you can’t learn how to run an effective Google Ads campaign yourself, but is the time spent learning the skills really worth it?
Learning Adwords can be complex and time-consuming. Google Ads is a constantly evolving platform, so you would need to stay on top of the latest updates and trends to continue having success with your DIY Google Ads.
Hiring a professional will mean you don’t have to keep working on your ads continuously. Obviously, this will save you time so you can get back to the parts of your business that you’re best at.
Do Google Ads Work?
Yes, Google Ads do work! In fact, they can work really well and be an excellent source of leads for your business. But, you may not be so sure about that. Maybe you’ve heard that Google Ads are a waste of time and money that show very little return. But we’d wager the people telling you that have probably dabbled in DIY ads, not seen the results they were looking for and given up.
When done correctly, Google Ads can be a very effective tool in your marketing strategy.
In saying that, there are some business-related niches that we don’t recommend advertising on Google. We offer free advice regarding this, and can instead help you to find new channels or products that are up and coming and will get you better results.
Should You Outsource Your Google Ads Management?
So, should you DIY those ads or seek help from an experienced marketing agency?
A Google Ad management agency can work with you to figure out your requirements, do keyword and competitor research, and build and manage your campaigns so that you see results from the start.
Good agencies will also track and report on the success of your ad campaigns so they can make tweaks to them over time for continued results.
When choosing an agency, make sure you check that they’re Google Ads Certified and can demonstrate their skills with case studies on previous work. It’s also worth asking to see examples of their ongoing reports so you know what you’ll be getting moving forward.
Outsourcing To Four Stripes Digital
As you can see, while it’s completely possible to DIY your Google Ads it’s probably not the best use of your time, money, or effort. If you’re interested in knowing what working with an agency would look like, it is important to choose the right one for your needs.
Here at Four Stripes Digital, we understand that every business has different requirements and that is why we offer a range of different ad management services. We can take on the entire process for you, tweak what you already have or simply give you support and advice to make sure your ads are done right.
