GOOGLE ADS AGENCY OR DIY? AN HONEST BREAKDOWN.

Full disclosure: I run Google Ads for a living, so you might expect this article to end with "hire me, obviously." It does end with that. But not before I tell you honestly when you shouldn't.

Because the truth is, some businesses are better off running Google Ads themselves, at least for a while. Others are lighting money on fire every month by trying to. Here's how to tell which one you are.

Section 01When doing it yourself makes sense

• Your budget is small, say under $1,000 a month, so a management fee would eat a big chunk of it.
• You offer one or two services in one area. Simple account, simple job.
• You actually enjoy this stuff and have a few hours a week to learn and check on it.
• You're willing to read the boring parts, like setting up tracking and checking search terms weekly.

If that's you, go for it. The Ultimate Guide to Google Ads is exactly how I'd start.

Section 02When hiring someone pays for itself

• You're spending a couple thousand a month or more. At that level, a 20% improvement is worth more than most management fees.
• You're busy running the business. Learning Google Ads at 11 p.m. after a full day of jobs isn't a plan.
• It's "kind of working." Leads come in, but you've got a feeling it could be a lot better. It usually can.
• You're in a competitive market like a big city or a high-ticket industry, where mistakes get expensive fast.

Think of it like your taxes. You can do them yourself. But at some point, the cost of a mistake is bigger than the cost of an accountant.

Section 03What management actually costs

Typical ranges quoted by Canadian agencies for 2026.

I charge a flat fee, separate from ad spend, because I never want "spend more" to be advice that pays me. If I tell you to raise your budget, it's because the numbers say so.

Section 04Red flags when hiring someone

• They own your ad account. If you leave, you lose your data and history. Always make sure it's in your name.
• Long contracts. 6 or 12 months locked in usually means they're not confident you'll want to stay.
• Reports with clicks and impressions, but no leads. Charts are pretty. Phone calls pay the bills.
• You never talk to the person running your account. Just an account manager reading off a script.
• They "guarantee" first-page rankings or a set number of leads. Nobody honest can promise that.

Section 05Questions to ask before you sign

1. "Will the ad account be in my name?"
2. "Is there a contract, and how do I cancel?"
3. "Who actually works on my account day to day?"
4. "What will your monthly report show me?" (You want leads, cost per lead and what changed.)
5. "How do you track calls and form leads?"
6. "What do you do in a typical week on my account?"

A good manager answers all of these without blinking. If you get vague answers or a lot of jargon, keep looking.

Section 06What a good manager actually does each week

So you know what you're paying for:

• Reviews search terms and adds negative keywords.
• Moves budget toward what's producing leads.
• Tests new ad copy and landing page ideas.
• Checks tracking is still recording properly.
• Listens to call recordings to judge lead quality.
• Sends you a plain-English update on what changed and why.

FAQQuick answers