When considering PPC services for your business, one decision you will have to make on the way is choosing between a PPC agency and consultant (in fact, you most likely clicked on this article to help with that exact decision!).
While both agencies and consultants aim to drive profitable leads and revenue through paid advertising, their approach, structure, and relationship with clients differ significantly.
- PPC agencies typically consist of multiple people skilled in PPC, account managers, developers, admin staff and directors.
- PPC consultants on the other hand are just the person skilled in PPC, covering admin duties themselves.
To help you decide between the two, I’ll compare both against seven key factors that are important to businesses deciding between choosing an agency or a consultant:
- Variety of Skills
- Cost-Effectiveness
- Resources
- Adaptability
- Communication
- Personalised Service
- Quality of Work
1. Variety of Skills
Winner: Agency
PPC agencies, by nature, typically have a broad team of experts including PPC specialists, developers, account strategists, copywriters and more.
This diversity allows agencies to handle projects requiring multiple skill sets across teams.
For businesses needing a wide range of services, an agency can provide a one-stop solution.
However, this breadth of skills may not always be necessary for projects requiring only 1-2 skill sets (e.g. PPC/SEO).
2. Cost-Effectiveness
Winner: Consultant
While agency quotes can be cost-effective, they often build in expenses for physical premises, leadership staff, and admin personnel.
With consultants, you bypass all of that. You’re investing in their knowledge, not a corporate hierarchy.
Consequently, PPC consultants typically prove the more economical option.
3. Resources
Winner: Agency
Agencies are generally well-suited to manage larger projects thanks to their access to a wider team.
They’re able to assign different people to various parts of your PPC campaign at the same time.
If your business needs input from several individuals all at once, an agency could be the right fit.
4. Adaptability
Winner: Consultant
By design, agencies often depend on structured systems and standardised ways of working to coordinate their teams.
Although individual team members might be flexible, updates to your account setup or approach can be slower to roll out.
A consultant, in contrast, can personalise their service and shift direction rapidly when your priorities change.
That responsiveness can be a real asset in the constantly evolving digital space.
For instance, if a new opportunity arises mid-campaign, a consultant can usually respond immediately, while agencies may be delayed by processes and multiple layers of sign-off.
5. Communication
Winner: Consultant
Having one consistent contact is one of the big advantages of choosing a consultant.
Agencies often rotate staff or assign different managers, which can disrupt progress and communication.
With a consultant, you get direct updates from the expert actually carrying out the work.
This straightforward setup makes for faster responses and a closer working relationship.
6. Personal Service
Winner: Consultant
With PPC consultants, you often get a deeper level of commitment – their business thrives on results and happy clients.
Agencies, by contrast, typically work within larger structures where client focus can be diluted by internal priorities.
Consultants, working independently, are driven to deliver great outcomes.
For them, your success directly reflects on their own – which often leads to a more dedicated partnership.
7. Quality of Work
Winner: Equal
Agencies and consultants alike can deliver impressive PPC outcomes.
Agencies may provide access to specialist teams, although that structure can involve delegating work to junior staff members for development.
With consultants, the same person typically oversees all aspects of your PPC, offering a hands-on and consistent approach.
Final Score
- Agency: 3
- Consultant: 5
Conclusion
Both Clothing PPC agencies and consultants have their strengths.
While agencies bring extensive resources and a variety of skills, consultants may offer a more cost-effective, adaptable, and personalised approach.
If you’re ready to experience the benefits of working with a Clothing PPC consultant…read more