Google Ads helps over 7 million businesses generate more leads, sales, and customer every year.
But itâs not an easy platform to master.
In the beginning, you may have managed campaigns yourself.
Tinkered with ads.
Dabbled in different campaigns.
Not seeing the results you were hoping for.
And before long, thereâs a huge sense of overwhelm because it feels like youâre juggling too many balls at once.
You start to lose traffic, customers, and sales and come to the realisation that you need someone to take over the account.
More specifically, why you should hire a Google Ads specialist vs an agency.
So in this article, Iâll explain why itâs perhaps a good idea to hire a Google Ads specialist to reclaim your time and freedom to focus on your business.
First of all, there are different types of Google Ads Specialists
Option 1: Freelancers
These are hired guns that presumedly have deep knowledge and understanding of how Google Ads works.
When you hire a freelancer, itâs crucial that you review their case studies or portfolio.
Because there are many charlatans out there that claim to be âexpertsâ and have never run a successful campaign before.
Option 2: Agencies
Instead of opting for one personâs expertise, you can hire a Google Ads agency thatâll get you a team of 2-3 people managing your account.
This team is usually made up of a:
- Account manager (sales-oriented project manager)
- PPC strategist (they decide how to structure your account)
- PPC specialists (they follow orders from the PPC strategist)
That said, agencies are heavily driven by profitability.
So itâs usually the case that theyâll set and forget your campaigns⌠usually by an inexperienced junior.
Although vetting an agency can be difficult if you donât know what youâre looking for, here are a few questions Iâd ask them:
- How many hours do you usually spend in accounts?
- Do you outsource your work?
- Will I get someone experienced managing my account?
- What results have you achieved in the past for my industry?
Option 3: In-house ad managers
Depending on the size of your business, it might make sense to hire an in-house ad manager.
Theyâll be able to understand your brand and product better than anyone else since theyâre so closely involved with it.
That said, this will require a larger upfront investment because youâll have to pay their salary, holiday pay and sick leave.
So a majority of businesses that are in the 6-7 figure range will likely choose option 1 and option 2 due to budget constraints.
Now that Iâve laid out your options letâs get into the reasons why Option 1 is best for most businesses.
Reason 1: theyâre T-Shaped marketers

Sounds like a bunch of mumbo jumbo.
Let me explain.
A T-Shaped Marketer is someone with broad knowledge in many areas, but they mainly specialise in one area the most.
For example, a Google Ads specialist may have some basic knowledge about SEO and content marketing, but their expertise lies in running Google Ads campaigns.
The reason why this is so important is that they can offer holistic advice that takes other areas into account.
Typically speaking, people that only specialise in one thing are limited by their perception of reality.
So T-Shaped Marketers who are Google Ads specialists can advocate whatâs best for your business and not limit you to Google Ads suggestions just to line their pockets with your cash.
Reason 2: because their reputation is on the line
Unlike in-house employees, Google Ads specialists have a lot on the line.
Like you, theyâre running a business.
And that means that reputation means everything.
If they do terrible work, not only would you not hire them again, but itâs likely youâd leave them a bad review because they over-promised and underdelivered.
So because of this, Google Ads specialists usually put in 110% effort to make sure that you get the results you need, going beyond the scope of work in some cases.
Reason 3: theyâre more affordable than other options
Letâs face it, agencies have a lot of overhead costs.
And in-house employees come with a slew of financial burdens (tax reporting, payslips, holiday leave, sick pay, you get the idea).

Google Ads specialists are the middle-ground between cost and expertise.
Theyâll usually charge a flat rate per hour or project that works out to be more affordable than agency retainers and employee wages.
Reason 4: thereâs no middleman
A lot of the time, when you work with agencies, theyâre just middlemen.
They donât actually do the work, they outsource it to someone else.
And in those cases, youâll never know whoâs doing your work and what experience they have.
Whatâs more annoying, the agencies are just account managers or sales reps that are relaying your grievances in a game of passing the parcel, often losing its meaning.
Solo ads specialists are usually freelancers, so thereâs no middleman â youâre communicating directly with them every step of the way.
Reason 5: theyâre always upskilling
Google Ads is constantly changing, requiring marketers to keep up with the latest trends.
The common issue I see with ads teams (employees) is that once theyâve learned something, they think they know everything.
Itâs just human conditioning.
Ego at play.
And there are very few people out there that are humble enough to admit that they donât know everything.
So that brings me to upskilling.
Google Ads specialists are constantly learning, taking courses, reading industry news, and expanding their knowledge.
This is so important because it helps ensure that your campaigns are constantly running at an optimal level, something you wonât get with a static in-house ads team.
Reason 6: You get a fresh set of eyes
Thereâs a reason why think tanks exist.
To give you fresh perspectives to solve issues.
Sometimes when you look at something long enough, you start to get tunnel vision.
Thatâs why hiring an ads expert to come in and audit your ads is a good idea.
Theyâll be able to quickly identify whatâs working and whatâs not â something that you may have overlooked.
Now, this isnât always the case.
You may find that ads specialists can overlook things too.
And thatâs why itâs important to vet them first by understanding their thought process.

Ask them to explain the campaign strategy, how they plan on optimising it, and what metrics theyâll be tracking.
This will help you determine if theyâre a good fit for your business and that they have the right intentions in mind.
Reason 7: You donât have to worry about training them
Trying to find the right in-house ads team can be a long and arduous process.
You need to hire, train (with standard operating procedures), manage, and ultimately fire them if it doesnât work out.
With ad specialists, you donât have to concern yourself with any of that.
They come in with their own toolkit and experience, so all you have to do is let them do their job.
Because letâs face it, many business owners get in their own way, micromanaging every detail.
They had trusted others in the past to do something, and the agencies or employees either:
- Failed to deliver results
- Failed to uphold standards
- Missed important details
- Forgot specific instructions
- Failed to report on results
- And failed to put the effort in
Thatâs why itâs different with marketing mercenaries.
As per Reason 2, their reputation is on the line.
Reason 8: they learn lessons from other clients
Ads specialists bring a ton of experience to the table.
More importantly, the mistakes and learnings from other client projects.
If theyâve seen something that worked well with another client, it may work for you too.
And in many cases, ads specialists can help you avoid making costly mistakes because they know what to watch out for.
Itâs like having an experienced coach for your advertising â one who knows the ropes and can help you navigate the often-confusing world of Google Ads.
So, where do I hire a Google Ads specialist?
If you want to hire someone to help with marketing for your business, a Google Ads freelancer is a good way to go.
I recommend using these platforms to find one:
- OnlineJobs.ph â extremely affordable offshore option
- Upwork â higher quality than the above, more expensive
- Local agencies â type âGoogle Ads agency near meâ into Google
- JRR Marketing â visit my Google Ads page here
Before you go into a recruiting frenzy, look carefully at the people who apply and ensure they have done similar work before.
When you find the right person, youâll be able to free up time, save money, and get more value from your ads budget quickly.




