Paid media agencies typically charge a flat retainer or 10-20% of ad spend, and campaigns can start driving clicks within days of launch (cost-efficient optimization takes a few weeks longer). Unlike SEO, results are fast - check whether the fee structure and channels covered (search, social, display) actually match what you need.
Paid media agencies (also called PPC agencies) manage paid advertising campaigns across platforms like Google Ads, Meta Ads, and other paid social or display networks, in contrast to SEO agencies which focus on unpaid organic rankings. Some agencies specialize in a single platform, like Google Ads search campaigns, while others run full-funnel paid media strategies spanning search, paid social, display, and video across multiple platforms at once. There are also agencies focused specifically on ecommerce paid media, built around product feed management and shopping campaigns. Reputable agencies manage accounts according to each platform's own published rules, such as Google Ads' official policies and support documentation, rather than tactics that risk an account suspension. Because Google Ads and Meta Ads require genuinely different skill sets and campaign structures, it's worth checking which specific platforms a listed agency actually manages before assuming broad paid media experience covers your particular channel. Creative testing cadence is one of the most overlooked factors when evaluating a paid media agency. Ad fatigue, where an audience becomes so used to seeing the same creative that performance declines, typically sets in within weeks on social platforms, faster than on search. An agency that refreshes creative on a defined schedule and can show past examples of A/B tests they've run is demonstrating an active management style, versus one that sets up a campaign once and checks in only monthly. It's also worth understanding how an agency handles underperforming campaigns. A reasonable agency should be able to describe specific optimization levers they'd pull, such as adjusting targeting, testing new creative, or reallocating budget between ad sets, rather than a vague answer about monitoring closely. Asking for a recent example of a campaign they turned around, and what specifically they changed, is a more useful signal than any pitch deck.
A paid media agency (also called a PPC agency) manages paid advertising campaigns on behalf of a business across platforms like Google Ads, Meta Ads, and other paid social or display networks, in contrast to an SEO agency which focuses on unpaid organic rankings.
The terms are often used interchangeably, but "paid media" can include paid social, display, and video in addition to search PPC. Check each listing's services for the exact channels covered.
This varies by agency. Some charge flat retainers, others take a percentage of ad spend, commonly in the 10 to 20% range. Ask for this breakdown before signing.
Much faster than SEO. Campaigns can start driving clicks within days of launch, though optimizing for cost-efficiency typically takes a few weeks.
Minimums vary by agency. Some work with smaller budgets focused on tight targeting, while others require a larger spend to justify their management fee, so check individual listings for specifics.
Ad fatigue on social platforms typically sets in within a few weeks, faster than on search. An agency actively managing your account should have a defined creative refresh cadence rather than leaving the same ads running indefinitely.
Ask what specific levers the agency would pull - targeting adjustments, new creative, or budget reallocation between ad sets - and ask for a past example of a campaign they turned around and what exactly they changed.