Google Ads Management Cost: How Agencies Charge and What to Ask

Google Ads management cost is the fee you pay a person or agency to run your campaigns, on top of what you pay Google for the ads. Agencies charge in three main ways: a flat monthly fee, a percentage of your ad spend, or a hybrid with a minimum. Which one is fair depends on what the fee actually covers.

The three ways agencies charge

• Flat monthly fee. One price for running your campaigns. Easy to budget and does not grow just because spend grows.
• Percentage of ad spend. The fee scales with your budget. Simple, but the agency earns more when you spend more, whether or not results improve.
• Hybrid. A base fee plus a percentage above a certain spend. Common with larger accounts.

Some agencies also charge a one-time setup fee to build the account, tracking and first campaigns.

What the management fee should cover

• Conversion tracking that counts real leads and sales, set up with Google's conversion tracking
• Keyword and search term reviews, with wasted searches blocked as negatives
• Ad copy testing, and landing pages that match the promise in each ad
• Budget and bid changes based on results, not habit
• A monthly report on cost per lead or sale, not just clicks

Questions to ask before you hire

1. Will the account be in my name, and will I keep it if we stop?
2. How do you count a conversion, and can I see it?
3. Who actually works on my account each week?
4. What will you change in the first 30 days?
5. How do I cancel?

Clear answers to those five tell you more than any price sheet. If you want to talk through your account, book a short call.

Common questions