Before you compare Google Ads fees, separate the costs on the quote
Compare Google Ads management fees separately from advertising spend and any setup or production work. Ask what the agency will manage, how changes are approved and how results will be assessed against suitable enquiries. A lower fee is only comparable when the responsibilities and exclusions are clear.
Put the advice into practice
Make your advertising work towards the right enquiry
Review the offer, destination, creative and measurement before deciding what to scale.
Discuss your campaign prioritiesWhich costs should the proposal distinguish?
Media spend pays for advertising delivery. The management fee covers the agency’s agreed work. A setup project, tracking repair, new landing page or substantial creative production may have a separate scope. Ask for those components to be shown clearly before committing to the engagement.
Google’s third-party transparency requirements require third-party advertising providers to disclose management fees clearly and distinguish them from Google advertising costs. Use that distinction as the starting point for your comparison.
What does the fee model tell you?
A proposal may use a fixed management fee, a percentage of spend or another agreed arrangement. The model explains how the fee is calculated. It does not, by itself, describe the quality or amount of work. Confirm any minimum fee, setup charge, spend band or change that alters the price.
| Quote component | Question to ask | Record before approval |
|---|---|---|
| Media spend | Who pays the platform and approves budget changes? | Account, budget and authorisation process. |
| Management | Which campaigns, reviews and reporting are included? | Scope, fee basis and review cadence. |
| Setup and measurement | What must be checked or repaired before launch? | Deliverables, dependencies and acceptance checks. |
| Landing pages | Are writing, design and development included? | Page owner and separate production costs. |
| Term and handover | What happens when the engagement changes or ends? | Notice, access and documentation arrangements. |
How should a lead-generation brief affect management?
Describe what makes an enquiry suitable: the service required, project fit, geography and any real qualification constraints. Explain how your sales team records what happens after the initial contact. Without that context, a campaign review may focus on a form completion that has little commercial value.
For a hypothetical specialist firm, a student request and a relevant procurement enquiry may arrive through the same form. The review needs a way to distinguish them. Discuss which feedback the agency will receive and which changes it can make in response, including search terms, messaging and the landing-page journey.
What should be checked before increasing spend?
Ask what the reported conversions actually represent and whether the relevant tracking has been checked. A proposal can include an initial measurement review, but it should explain the access needed and the boundary between campaign management and website changes.
Our Google Ads conversion audit guide provides questions for that review. Keep accepted enquiries, qualified opportunities and won projects separate when comparing results with your team.
Who should own the account and the decisions?
Confirm your business’s account access and the agency permissions needed to deliver the agreed work. Record who can approve new campaigns, significant budget changes and new claims in advertising. The arrangement should remain understandable when an employee or agency contact changes.
The advertising account handover checklist can help document those practical details. They matter throughout the engagement, rather than only when someone decides to leave.
Bring the whole enquiry journey to the proposal
Share your services, target market, current account, landing pages and the way enquiries are handled. Ask for a written scope that distinguishes recurring management from setup and additional production.
Review Grendesign’s Google Ads management service and current paid advertising package information to start the discussion with clear responsibilities.
