Unfortunately, many advertisers looking for help with Google Ads management struggle to find out what the true cost of this is.
Of course there are many factors that go into the cost of Google Ads management. And different Google Ads experts will charge differently and use their own methods for calculating their fees.
However, this should not be a hindrance to you knowing what you’re likely to be charged. And it’s a good idea to know what fees you’re likely to be charged before reaching out to a Google Ads freelancer or agency.
I’ll be sharing in this article insights into what Google Ads management costs to expect as you reach out to different experts to request a quote.
Factors that determine Google Ads management cost rates:
What’s their hourly rate?
The hourly rates for Google Ads services differ considerably. This ranges from $20 per hour to over $300 per hour depending on experience and location.
The most experienced experts will charge the most. So, what they charge will be a good indication of what experience they have. And if a Google Ads expert charges $300 per hour for example, you should check what experience they have.
Check if they have reviews and case studies and any in-depth information on their website about the experience they have.
They’ll have an excellent knowledge of the Google Ads platform and how to tailor it to your business requirements. And they’ll have a lot of experience setting up and managing campaigns.
So, you need to check this as you look to find out about Google Ads management costs. The average hourly rate for Google Ads experts is $80 per hour. And this depends on whether they’re a Google Ads freelancer or agency and below I’ll talk about the cost differences.
The reality is that many Google Ads experts that charge less than $100 per hour are the least experienced. You’ll find these mainly on freelance websites like Upwork and many don’t provide full management services. They’ll help with setup and management but will usually not provide the full range of services like Google Ads strategy, planning and goal setting.
How many hours of management you’ll require each month will depend on a few factors. This includes how many campaigns you have that need management and how many of the management services will be required. The management includes the following:
– Campaign & Ad Group Optimization – this includes the structure and budget and locations and bid strategies and making sure these settings are the best to reach the targets
– Ongoing Keyword Research – do some initial keyword research to setup the ads effectively and this should be done regularly
– Negative Keyword Research – use the search terms report to identify irrelevant searches and block them
– Ad Testing – testing ads and landing pages and go with the best performing ones
– Landing Page Review – includes a review of the pages and Google Analytics to advise you on engagement and performance and what changes to make
– Quality Score Improvement – quality scores are important and these need to be worked on regularly to try to get them to 10/10 for the keywords
– Conversion Rate Improvement – conversion rates are tied to the leads and enquiries and only search queries that are performing well will be kept
– Reducing CPC Rate – CPC rates affect how much you spend and an update as often as is practical would be good
– Google Analytics Reporting & Optimization – regular reporting to check on the progress.
What’s your average monthly spend?
Generally, the more you spend on ads each month, the more work is required to manage them. This takes up more time because it often requires more campaigns to setup, manage and monitor.
For example, an account that spends less than $2,000 per month will almost always require less management time than one that spends over $10,000 per month.
Also with a large budget, more experience is required to allocate it effectively. The Google Ads expert should have experience allocating your budget effectively.
Which campaign types need management?
There are many different campaign types in Google Ads. These include Search, Shopping, Display, Remarketing, and others. The management of each of these differs and the amount of time to manage each will vary too.
Search campaigns are the most popular. But they are also some of the most difficult to manage. With Search you’ll pick keywords to bid on and create targeted ads for them. And some of the work involves checking the search queries that your campaigns are getting and if they are in line with your keywords.
How they’re structured also determines how they will be managed and how much work will be required.
Are they a freelancer or agency?
When looking for a Google Ads specialist, you have two main options to choose from: a freelancer or agency.
There are many pros and cons to working with a freelancer or an agency. And one of the main ones to consider is their charging rates.
Freelancers are cheaper on average. That’s because they have little or no overheads and don’t employ anyone, so they don’t usually charge high rates to cover these expenses and costs.
Average freelancer rates are $80 per hour. Many freelancers charge less than this and you’ll find some that charge $30 per hour, and you’ll find these on sites like Upwork and other freelance websites.
The level of service you’ll get from such freelancers will be basic. It will include basic keyword research, setting up ads and monitoring them.
And there are a few specialist Google Ads freelancers that you can hire for over $200 per hour. These freelancers are highly experienced and will be able to identify opportunities to help you achieve a good return on ad spend. And they will not just focus on setting up and managing campaigns, but will help you create a PPC strategy, set targeted goals, do keyword and competitor research, setup and manage the ads, implement Google Analytics and a lot more.
So, they will work closely with you to fully understand your business, competitors and more. And they will create a Google Ads PPC strategy to reach your potential customers effectively.
The number of hours you’ll need each month will also depend on the range of services to be offered. This can be from 5 to 15 hours per month. And the Google Ads management cost will range from $500 per month to about $1500 per month or more, depending on a few other factors mentioned in this article.
These charges will be included in the proposal you receive. However, there may be additional charges, like if you want to create new campaigns which requires more work.
With a Google Ads agency, this can be considerably more, and the fees for management will be over $1500 per month. Again, this will depend on your budgets and how much time the management will take. So, it’s a good idea to find out what is included in their Google Ads service, like new campaigns that you may need later.
What skills or experience do they have?
Working with an expert that specializes in Google Ads has many benefits. They’ll have a lot of experience in the tools and features in Google Ads and they’ll likely have worked with many other businesses in your industry.
So, check to see if they have reviews, case studies and so on, online and on their website. These Google Ads specialists will have experience working with businesses that are already running ads and are looking for management and optimization mainly.
Their rates will vary, and this could range from $500 to over $1500 per month. This will depend on factors such as your budget, campaign type and so on.
Is a contract required?
Some Google Ads specialists will require a contract and that could range from 3 months to 12 months. This is likely to be more expensive because you’re tied into the contract regardless of how the ads are performing.
That’s mostly the case if you’re working with a Google Ads agency. But not so much with a freelancer that manages and updates the ads themselves. But some form of agreement will be in place that lays out what the strategy and goals are and the optimization work to be done.
The cost of Google Ads management for an annual contract will range from $6,000 to about $25,000. And this depends on many factors as I’ve outlined in this article. And it can cost more for larger accounts that have multiple campaigns and that require many updates. But this doesn’t include research and setup costs if new campaigns are to be created.
The lower rate of $6000 is usually for the smallest accounts that have one or two active Search campaigns. These don’t need daily optimization updates, but more on a weekly basis.
Will you require Google Ads campaign setup?
Sometimes it makes sense to setup new campaigns rather than manage current ones. That’s best when the campaigns have not been set up correctly and are spending the budget and bringing in poor results.
So, setting up new campaigns that are well researched will make a big difference. However, that will increase the cost of the Google Ads service because research will need to be carried out and new ads and keywords created.
Set up costs for a Search campaign vary between $450 to $1000 one-off depending on the complexity. And sometimes full research is required if you have no campaigns at all and this could be about $1,000 one-off.
This is similar for Shopping ads too. But setting up Shopping ads takes more time because you need to create a feed first and then submit it to your Google Merchant Center account. The costs will depend on how many products you have, and if they are a few then that can be quick. But if it’s hundreds or thousands, then it could take longer and cost more.
And costs to setup the feed and the Merchant Center products and account will cost over $1000 – excluding any research. This will be a one-off cost.
However, managing Shopping campaigns can be easier at times. That’s because there is no keyword selection involved, and you mostly focus on the search queries you’re getting. But if you have many disapprovals or product pages need to be updated regularly, then that could cost more.
The cost of managing a Google Ads shopping account and campaigns starts from about $500 per month to about $1500 for most small businesses.
Conclusion
I hope this has helped you to gain a better understanding of costs associated with Google Ads management. There are several factors as outlined here that determine what you’re likely to pay for the management.
However, it’s still important to contact a Google Ads specialist to discuss your requirements and get a proposal and quote.
Reach out to me to find what I charge for Google Ads management and to receive a proposal.
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