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 tend to be built around a multi-disciplinary team, comprising PPC specialists, developers, copywriters and client service professionals.
Their varied expertise makes them ideal for delivering complex projects involving several areas of digital marketing.
For organisations in need of a full-service solution, an agency can prove highly effective.
However, for more targeted needs, such as a standalone PPC or SEO campaign, a consultant may be more appropriate.
2. Cost-Effectiveness
Winner: Consultant
Whilst agencies can offer competitive pricing, but their rates are often inflated by office-related expenses, management layers, and admin teams.
Freelance consultants usually sidestep these costs. You’re engaging directly with an expert, minus the extras.
As a result, PPC consultants often provide a more affordable alternative.
3. Resources
Winner: Agency
When it comes to large-scale PPC work, agencies often shine due to having a wider team available.
They can deploy several people to manage different parts of your campaign simultaneously.
If your business needs that kind of capacity, choosing an agency may be the best move.
4. Adaptability
Winner: Consultant
Because agencies manage large teams, they usually rely on fixed processes and frameworks to maintain consistency.
Even if team members are adaptable, updating your account or making changes often requires navigating internal systems.
Consultants bring a more tailored approach and can adjust course with minimal delay when your business needs evolve.
That level of flexibility is hugely beneficial in a fast-changing digital environment.
So, if you find yourself needing to shift strategy mid-project, a consultant can respond more swiftly than an agency, which may need to work through several internal steps.
5. Communication
Winner: Consultant
One of the most significant benefits of working with a consultant is having a single, consistent point of contact.
This eliminates the frustration of being passed between account managers or dealing with staff turnover, which can be common in agencies.
With a consultant, communication is often more straightforward, efficient, and personal as you will be talking to the person actually doing the work, not an account manager or new member of the team.
Clear communication not only saves time but also helps to build a stronger working relationship.
6. Personal Service
Winner: Consultant
PPC consultants have a personal stake in your success, as their reputation and income rely directly on the results they deliver and your satisfaction.
Unlike agencies, where responsibilities are often spread across teams and overseen by senior management, consultants are focused solely on you.
This usually results in a higher level of care and commitment.
While an agency might view you as just another account, a consultant sees your growth as a direct measure of their own performance.
7. Quality of Work
Winner: Equal
Consultants and agencies both have the ability to deliver strong PPC campaigns.
Agencies may draw on a mix of experts, but that often involves delegating tasks to more junior staff as part of their development.
Consultants, however, usually manage the full project themselves, which means your strategy benefits from a more personal, detail-oriented approach.
Final Score
- Agency: 3
- Consultant: 5
Conclusion
Both Mortgage Broker 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 Mortgage Broker PPC consultant…read more