Keeping PPC InHouse vs using an Agency Team |
Posted: November 17, 2017 |
Once you’ve decided that a pay-per-click (PPC) campaign is the right way to grow your business, or you at least want to trial PPC to see whether it could work for you, the next step is to take a look at the different ways to put a campaign in place. The cheapest way to get started would be to create your own PPC campaign, but unless you have significant experience in this field, this is certainly not something we would recommend. Without professional know-how, you could easily waste your entire budget on a flawed campaign. So that brings you to the age-old dilemma: should you hire someone in-house, or outsource your PPC campaign to an agency team? Let’s take a look at the arguments for each, presented by Morgan Franklin of JTC Consultants. Expertise In-house - This is a generalisation but given the choice, it’s probably fair to say that most companies would prefer to keep as many business functions as they can in-house. In terms of PPC, they would have superior knowledge of the products and services they offer, which could translate into a more successful campaign. Agency - A specialist agency will understand PPC inside out, after all, that’s what you’re paying for. They will also invest in the latest technology, training and staff development and will keep up with the latest trends in the sector. By hiring an agency team, you’re essentially licensing that investment. Control In-house - Lots of small business owners like to be able to see exactly how the account is performing at all times. In-house PPC managers can dedicate 100 percent of their time to the account, albeit at a cost, making the smallest tweaks whenever necessary to fine tune the campaign. Agency – Although you will relinquish some of the control you have over the campaign, that can actually be a good thing. Once the agency understands your USPs and how you differentiate your products and services, they can use their expertise to create a successful campaign. This leaves you free to focus on growing the business and fulfilling the orders that come in. Costs In-house - The first and most obvious disadvantage of keeping your PPC campaign in-house is the cost. As a business owner, if you have some PPC experience and are trying to run the campaign yourself, that cost will be felt in terms of your time. PPC campaigns need regular interaction to manage, test and optimise them. If you employ a PPC manager in-house then their wages are likely to cost significantly more than you would spend on an outsourced team. Agency – In most instances, hiring an agency is far cheaper than increasing headcount within an organisation. An agency is also likely to improve your impressions, quality score, click through rate, cost per click and more as you will benefit from the work of an entire specialist team. Support In-house - A single PPC manager will not be surrounded by fellow professionals who can offer insight and support. There may also not be the same level of motivation to get results. After all, it’s just a job with a relatively low level of risk of being dumped for someone else. Agency – Any specialist agency worth its salt will regularly invest in staff training and give team members access to all the latest resources. A good agency will also have developed a working relationship with platforms like Google. That is not only a huge benefit in terms of issue escalation, but it can also give them access to insights that are not shared with other advertisers. Accountability In-house – If you hire a PPC manager in-house then any wasted spend will just have to be chalked up to experience as making any changes i.e. hiring a new PPC manager, will be expensive. Agency – As an outsourced supplier, it’s in the agency’s best interests to make the most of your budget. Fail to do so and you can easily go elsewhere. Which is right for you business? It’s essential you are aware of the pros and cons of each before you make a decision. Speaking to a few agencies to see what they can offer before taking your PPC campaign in-house is always a good idea. If you decide to go in-house, you can always outsource to an agency if you’re not getting the results you need.
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