Choosing between a Google Ads agency and a freelancer can be difficult because both may offer campaign management while operating in very different ways.

A freelancer may personally manage your account, strategy, optimisation and communication.

An agency may have several specialists responsible for different areas of your advertising.

Neither option is automatically better.

The right choice depends on your advertising objectives, campaign complexity, budget, industry, required services and the level of ongoing support your business needs.

Before comparing providers, understand exactly what each option is offering.

If you are still determining the services you require, our guide to What Does Google Ads Management Include? explains some of the work that may be involved.

What Is a Google Ads Freelancer?

A Google Ads freelancer is an independent professional who provides Google Ads services directly to clients.

Depending on their experience and specialisation, they may provide:

• Account setup
• Campaign strategy
• Keyword research
• Search campaigns
• Display campaigns
• Shopping campaigns
• Performance Max campaigns
• Remarketing
• Conversion tracking
• Ad creation
• Bid management
• Budget management
• Negative keyword management
• Landing-page recommendations
• Campaign optimisation
• Reporting

Some freelancers specialise entirely in Google Ads.

Others provide Google Ads as part of a broader digital marketing service.

Because you are often working directly with the person managing the campaigns, communication may be relatively direct.

However, the exact level of service depends on the individual provider.

What Is a Google Ads Agency?

A Google Ads agency is a business that manages advertising campaigns using a team or group of specialists.

Depending on the agency, this may include:

• Google Ads specialists
• Account managers
• Paid media strategists
• Copywriters
• Designers
• Data specialists
• Conversion tracking specialists
• Landing-page specialists
• Reporting specialists

Not every Google Ads agency is large.

Some may consist of only a small specialist team, while others may manage accounts across several advertising platforms and departments.

The important question is not simply whether the provider is called an agency.

Understand who will actually manage your account and what services are included.

Google Ads Agency vs Freelancer: What Is the Main Difference?

The main difference is usually the structure behind the service.

A freelancer generally works independently and may personally manage most aspects of your campaigns.

An agency may divide responsibilities across several people.

This can affect:

• Communication
• Strategy
• Account management
• Capacity
• Availability
• Reporting
• Tracking
• Creative support
• Landing-page support
• Pricing
• Campaign complexity

However, these differences should not be assumed.

An experienced freelancer may manage highly complex advertising accounts.

A small agency may operate similarly to a freelancer.

Likewise, a larger agency may have specialists responsible for separate areas of the account.

Compare the actual provider rather than relying on the label alone.

Compare the Google Ads Services Included

Start by comparing exactly what each provider will do.

Google Ads management can involve considerably more than creating advertisements.

Ask whether the service includes:

• Initial account review
• Account setup
• Campaign strategy
• Keyword research
• Competitor research
• Campaign creation
• Ad group structure
• Ad copy
• Keyword targeting
• Negative keywords
• Audience targeting
• Location targeting
• Device targeting
• Bid management
• Budget management
• Conversion tracking
• Google Analytics integration
• Landing-page recommendations
• Ongoing optimisation
• Reporting
• Meetings
• Campaign testing

Two providers advertising “Google Ads management” may be offering very different levels of work.

For a detailed breakdown, see What Does Google Ads Management Include?.

Compare Campaign Experience

Google Ads includes several different campaign types.

These can include:

• Search
• Display
• Shopping
• Performance Max
• Video
• Demand Gen
• Remarketing
• App campaigns

Not every business requires every campaign type.

Likewise, not every provider specialises in all of them.

Ask the provider which campaign types they regularly manage and whether their experience aligns with your requirements.

A local service business running search campaigns may require a different approach from an ecommerce business using Shopping and Performance Max.

Compare Industry Experience

Relevant industry experience can sometimes be useful.

A provider who has managed campaigns in your industry may already understand:

• Typical search behaviour
• Competitive keywords
• Customer intent
• Common advertising challenges
• Seasonal demand
• Approximate advertising competition
• Typical landing-page requirements

However, industry experience should not be the only consideration.

A capable Google Ads specialist should also be able to research unfamiliar industries and develop campaigns based on actual account and market data.

Compare both relevant experience and the provider’s overall approach.

Compare Account Strategy

Ask how the provider determines campaign strategy.

Useful questions include:

• Which campaign types would you recommend?
• How would you structure the account?
• Which products or services would you prioritise?
• How would locations be targeted?
• How would keywords be selected?
• How would negative keywords be managed?
• How would budgets be distributed?
• How would conversions be measured?
• How would poor-performing campaigns be identified?
• How often would optimisation take place?

A provider should ideally be able to explain the reasoning behind the proposed approach.

Be cautious about strategies based entirely on generic templates without considering your actual business.

Compare Conversion Tracking

Google Ads performance cannot be evaluated properly without understanding what happens after someone clicks an advertisement.

Depending on your business, conversions may include:

• Contact forms
• Phone calls
• Quote requests
• Purchases
• Bookings
• Sign-ups
• Downloads
• Appointments
• Other valuable actions

Ask whether conversion tracking setup or review is included.

Also determine who is responsible for:

• Google Ads conversion tracking
• Google Analytics
• Google Tag Manager
• Website tracking implementation
• Call tracking where required
• Ecommerce tracking where applicable

Campaign data is far more useful when it reflects meaningful business activity rather than clicks alone.

Compare How Keywords Are Managed

Keyword management can have a significant effect on search campaign performance.

Ask how the provider handles:

• Keyword research
• Search intent
• Match types
• Search terms
• Negative keywords
• Brand keywords
• Competitor terms
• Location-related searches
• High-cost keywords
• Low-performing searches

Keyword lists should not simply be created once and forgotten.

Search-term data can help identify both useful opportunities and irrelevant traffic.

Compare Ad Creation and Testing

Ask who writes the advertisements and how they are improved over time.

The provider may test:

• Headlines
• Descriptions
• Calls to action
• Offers
• Messaging
• Landing pages
• Audience signals
• Assets
• Campaign settings

The objective is not simply to produce more advertisements.

Testing should help the provider learn which messages and approaches are most relevant to prospective customers.

Compare Landing-Page Support

Google Ads performance can depend significantly on what happens after a visitor reaches your website.

Ask whether the provider reviews landing pages.

They may consider:

• Relevance to the advertisement
• Page speed
• Mobile usability
• Clear calls to action
• Contact forms
• Trust information
• Service explanations
• Pricing information where appropriate
• Conversion tracking
• User experience

Some Google Ads providers only manage the advertising account.

Others may also provide landing-page recommendations or optimisation.

Determine what is included before comparing proposals.

Compare Communication

Communication structures can differ between freelancers and agencies.

With a freelancer, you may communicate directly with the person managing the account.

With an agency, you may communicate through an account manager while specialists work on the campaigns.

Neither approach is automatically better.

Ask:

• Who will manage my campaigns?
• Who will be my main contact?
• Can I communicate directly with the campaign specialist?
• How often will we speak?
• How quickly are questions normally answered?
• Are regular meetings included?
• How will campaign changes be communicated?
• Who approves major strategy changes?

You should understand how the working relationship will operate before the campaigns begin.

Compare Capacity and Availability

Consider the size and complexity of your account.

A small local campaign may require relatively limited management.

A larger account may include:

• Multiple services
• Numerous locations
• Large product catalogues
• Several campaign types
• High advertising budgets
• Multiple landing pages
• Extensive conversion tracking
• Frequent campaign changes

Ask whether the provider has sufficient capacity to manage your requirements.

Also understand what happens during holidays, illness or other periods when your main contact is unavailable.

Compare Reporting

Ask what reporting you will receive.

Reports may include:

• Advertising spend
• Clicks
• Impressions
• Click-through rate
• Average cost per click
• Conversions
• Conversion rate
• Cost per conversion
• Search terms
• Campaign performance
• Keyword performance
• Location performance
• Device performance
• Budget utilisation
• Changes completed
• Planned improvements

Reporting should ideally help you understand both what happened and what actions are being taken.

Large collections of advertising metrics are not automatically useful without context.

Compare Google Ads Management Fees

Google Ads management can be priced in several ways.

A provider may charge:

• A fixed monthly fee
• A percentage of advertising spend
• A setup fee
• An hourly rate
• A project fee
• A combination of these

Do not compare management fees without comparing the actual scope of work.

A lower fee may involve a more limited service.

A higher fee may include additional strategy, tracking, reporting or landing-page support.

For more information about advertising costs, see What Affects the Cost of Google Ads in Australia?.

Separate Management Fees From Advertising Spend

Google Ads management fees and Google advertising spend are separate costs.

Advertising spend is the amount allocated to Google for clicks or other advertising activity.

Management fees are what the provider charges for managing the campaigns.

For example, your total Google Ads expenditure may include:

• Campaign setup
• Monthly management
• Advertising spend
• Tracking setup
• Landing-page work
• Creative work
• Additional software or tools

Ask the provider to clearly explain each cost.

Compare Expected Cost Per Click Carefully

Cost per click can vary significantly.

Factors can include:

• Competition
• Keyword
• Location
• Industry
• Search intent
• Device
• Campaign settings
• Ad relevance
• Landing-page experience
• Auction conditions

There is no single fixed CPC that applies permanently to a particular keyword.

Actual costs can change from one auction to another.

You can read more in Google Ads Cost Per Click: What Affects CPC?.

Compare Account Ownership and Access

This is an important practical consideration.

Ask whether the Google Ads account will belong to your business.

Ideally, understand:

• Who owns the Google Ads account?
• Will your business have administrator access?
• Who owns the campaign data?
• Who owns tracking configurations?
• What happens if the management relationship ends?
• Can another provider access the account later?

Avoid unnecessary confusion by clarifying account ownership before work begins.

Compare Contract Terms

Before agreeing to ongoing management, understand the commercial arrangement.

Check:

• Minimum contract term
• Monthly commitment
• Cancellation notice
• Setup costs
• Management fees
• Advertising spend requirements
• Additional charges
• Reporting frequency
• Meeting frequency
• Account access
• Handover arrangements

Do not assume agencies always require contracts or freelancers always work month to month.

Compare the actual terms being offered.

Questions To Ask a Google Ads Agency or Freelancer

Before choosing a provider, consider asking:

1. Who will actually manage my account?
2. What Google Ads services are included?
3. Which campaign types do you manage?
4. How will you determine the campaign strategy?
5. Is keyword research included?
6. Are negative keywords regularly reviewed?
7. Is conversion tracking included?
8. Will you review my landing pages?
9. Who writes the advertisements?
10. How often will campaigns be optimised?
11. What reporting will I receive?
12. How often will we communicate?
13. What is your management fee?
14. Is advertising spend separate?
15. Are there setup fees?
16. Are there additional charges?
17. Will my business own the Google Ads account?
18. Is there a minimum contract?
19. How will performance be measured?
20. What happens if I change providers?

The answers make it easier to compare proposals on a like-for-like basis.

Should You Choose a Google Ads Agency or Freelancer?

There is no single answer that suits every business.

A freelancer may suit a business that values direct communication or wants to work closely with a particular specialist.

An agency may suit a business that requires broader resources, multiple specialists or support across several areas of paid advertising.

However, provider type alone should not determine the decision.

Compare:

• Experience
• Strategy
• Campaign expertise
• Tracking knowledge
• Communication
• Reporting
• Capacity
• Pricing
• Contract terms
• Account ownership
• Understanding of your business

The most suitable provider is the one whose proposed service aligns with your advertising requirements.

Compare Google Ads Providers Before Choosing

Whether you work with a freelancer or an agency, understand exactly what you are purchasing.

Compare the campaign management being proposed, who will complete the work, how conversions will be tracked, what reporting is included and how the fees are structured.

Compare Digital Services helps Australian businesses explore professional digital service providers and request quotes based on their project requirements.

COMPARE GOOGLE ADS SERVICES & GET FREE QUOTES

Frequently Asked Questions About Google Ads Agencies and Freelancers

Is a Google Ads Agency Better Than a Freelancer?

Not automatically. Agencies and freelancers can both provide professional Google Ads management. Compare their experience, service scope, strategy, tracking capabilities, communication, pricing and suitability for your requirements.

Is a Google Ads Freelancer Cheaper Than an Agency?

Not necessarily. Pricing depends on experience, campaign complexity, advertising spend, services included and the provider’s fee structure. Compare the actual scope rather than provider type alone.

Can a Freelancer Manage Large Google Ads Campaigns?

Some can. Experienced freelancers may manage substantial advertising accounts, while others specialise in smaller campaigns. Ask about relevant experience and current capacity.

Should My Business Own the Google Ads Account?

Your business should understand who owns and controls the advertising account and what access you will retain if the management relationship ends. Clarify account ownership before campaigns begin.

Is Google Ads Spend Included in the Management Fee?

Usually these are separate costs, but arrangements vary. Ask the provider to clearly explain the management fee, advertising budget and any additional charges.

How Often Should Google Ads Campaigns Be Optimised?

There is no universal schedule that suits every campaign. The appropriate level of management depends on campaign activity, spend, data volume, objectives and account complexity.

Should I Compare Several Google Ads Providers?

Comparing providers can help you understand differences in strategy, management scope, tracking, communication, fees and campaign experience.

What Should I Compare in Google Ads Management Quotes?

Compare campaign types, account setup, keyword research, conversion tracking, optimisation, reporting, communication, management fees, advertising spend, contract terms and any additional costs.