How to Choose the Right LinkedIn Ads Agency

Hiring a LinkedIn ads agency is a no-brainer for the busy organization looking to boost their lead generation through the power of PPC (pay-per-click) ads.

But when you hire an external agency or consultant, it is not dissimilar from taking on a new employee. They need to be interviewed/vetted, have a proven track record of successful LinkedIn Ads campaigns, and be trustworthy in order to nurture a fruitful, promising business rapport.

There is a lot of competition out there and it can be overwhelming trying to choose the right ads agency for you. To make the process quicker, simpler, and foolproof, I've put together a guide to help you make an informed decision - and how to find out if an agency is the right option for you.

What to Consider When Choosing a LinkedIn Ads Agency

All advertising agencies know how to talk the talk, but can they walk the walk? Here’s how to conduct your research to find the right agency for you.

1. Seek Industry Recommendations

A failsafe way to hire a good LinkedIn ads company is to ask a trusted industry contact if they can personally recommend a company that they have used before and have seen good results from.

Be mindful that every company is as unique as a snowflake, so what works for one brand may not work for another, but as you’re asking other industry players, you can rest in the knowledge that you’re on the road to PPC success.

1. Ask for a Portfolio

Any diligent, experienced ad agency will have a body of work that proves they know what they’re doing, so when shopping about, ask to look at their portfolio. This should give you an idea of how they approach and execute their strategies, and how successful they are. Any well-seasoned agency that doesn’t have a portfolio is a red flag.

1. Check Out Their Fee Structure

Every agency’s fee structure is different, and it’s important you get some clarity on this before you open your wallet.?

The right agency for you often depends on your budget, especially if they demand a percentage of your advertising spend.?

1. Decide On Your Monthly Minimum Ad Spend

Budgeting is an essential part of any marketing strategy, but it is particularly applicable to PPC ads, because each ad depends on a daily or monthly ad spend in order to perform.

Based on this, your agency will then have a monthly minimum ad spend in mind, so once you’ve provided them with the budget figures, see what they have to say about a monthly ad spend - and whether it ties in nicely with your overall budget.

1. Browse Their LinkedIn Page

Assuming they have one - which they should, as a LinkedIn ads marketing agency - check the company/companies you’re considering out on LinkedIn. The platform is as good as a résumé when it comes to viewing the experience, skills, and professionalism of a business.

It is also the ultimate way to witness their marketing skills, as they will be using the platform to market their own brand. Look at the quality of the pictures. Are they clear and well-pixelated? How about the text - any bad grammar or unprofessional remarks? These factors speak volumes.

1. Quiz Them

Never go into a business liaison blindly; always pepper any prospects with questions! These are the questions I recommend you quiz an agency with:

• Can you provide case studies/testimonials? (If these are not on their website).
• Can you provide some examples of similar companies you’ve worked with?
• Walk me through the strategies you created for them.
• Do you exclusively create new campaigns, or are you happy to scale existing ones?
• Do you have a plan B if the campaign doesn’t garner the desired results?
• Do you work on social media ads too, if this is something we’d like to look into in the future?
• Do you have any certifications or awards?
• How often do you monitor campaign KPIs?
• When can we expect to start seeing results from your strategy once launched?
• Walk me through your fee structure and be transparent about ALL charges.
• What methods do you use to report results?

Don’t be afraid to grill them. You deserve to know exactly what you’re getting for your money. At Getuplead, our LinkedIn ads agency is very transparent with all these aspects.

When It’s Time to Hire: 4 Top Tips

Once you’ve done ample detective work, you should then have a firm idea which agency is the right one for your organization.?

But before you embark on the hiring process, there are a couple of things to bear in mind before any paperwork is signed.

1. Affirm a Main Point of Reference for Communication

The waters of communication become very muddied when emails are pinging back and forth with an organisation, instead of one main point of contact.

If the chosen agency is any good, it’s likely they will have appointed an account manager who will be your main point of reference and the person who will be working on your strategy with whom you can build a strong professional rapport with.

1. Remember Who is Boss

This is code for ‘own your accounts’ - especially new ones on new platforms.?

Even after thorough vetting, if an unethical agency has managed to gain your trust enough to work with them, they will consider themselves the account owner, so make sure YOU (or your marketing team) set up the accounts and hold onto the details.

1. Be Careful How Long You Invest

When orchestrating a contract with your agency, find the ‘sweet spot’ of contract time, meaning don’t invest for too long or too short a time period.

Too short may mean that you won’t be able to continue the relationship after the set period of time, as they will likely have other commitments lined up. This can be vexing if you wish to continue working with the agency on a long-term basis.

Conversely, too long (for example, a 12-month contract) may mean you’re locked in, which can be problematic if it turns out the agency isn’t the right match for you. Aim for a month-by-month contract or something like a 3-6 month contract.

1. Consider the Added PPC Expenses

Potential PPC profits can seem very appealing, but take into consideration that the agency will need paying!?

Be prepared that in the beginning, the profits may not be as great as you’d hoped. This will be down to the expense of hiring a PPC agency/consultant, as well as any fine-tuning needed to optimize your campaign for better results.?

If you’d like to learn more about how we help B2B SaaS and Tech companies grow their MRR through LinkedIn advertising,?contact us online ?or send us an email today [email protected]?to speak with someone on our team.