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:

  1. Variety of Skills
  2. Cost-Effectiveness
  3. Resources
  4. Adaptability
  5. Communication
  6. Personalised Service
  7. 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

Agencies can provide competitive rates, but it’s worth remembering they also carry the costs of office premises, management teams, and support staff.

Independent consultants generally avoid these overheads. You’re paying for their skills and experience, not the extra layers that come with an agency structure.

All things considered, PPC consultants often represent the more economical choice.

3. Resources

Winner: Agency

Thanks to their team-based structure, agencies are often ideal for handling more complex or high-volume projects.

They have the capacity to assign various specialists to different areas of your PPC simultaneously.

So, if your campaign demands a coordinated team effort, an agency could be the more suitable option.

4. Adaptability

Winner: Consultant

Because agencies juggle multiple people and projects, they often depend on pre-set processes to keep everything on track.

This structure can sometimes delay updates or changes to your campaign setup.

Consultants, on the other hand, are nimble. They tailor their approach and can pivot as your priorities shift.

In a dynamic digital space, that kind of adaptability is a real strength.

For example, if you need to shift gears halfway through a campaign, a consultant can typically act straight away, while agencies may need more time to get everyone aligned.

5. Communication

Winner: Consultant

Working with a consultant offers the comfort of a single point of contact – someone who’s with you every step of the way.

This helps avoid the confusion that can come from rotating account managers or high staff turnover in agency settings.

Consultants bring a more direct and personal communication style, as they’re the ones actually delivering the work.

That kind of consistency enhances collaboration and builds stronger rapport over time.

6. Personal Service

Winner: Consultant

Consultants rely on strong results and client satisfaction to sustain their business, so they’re often more personally invested in your success.

They don’t have directors or departments pulling them in different directions – their energy is focused squarely on helping you achieve your goals.

That level of personal accountability can make a big difference.

Whereas agencies may divide their focus, consultants treat each client as a top priority.

7. Quality of Work

Winner: Equal

You can receive excellent PPC services from both consultants and agencies.

Agencies might offer access to various experts, though this often means parts of the work are given to less experienced team members for development.

Consultants tend to handle everything themselves, offering a more consistent and detail-focused approach.

Final Score

  • Agency: 3
  • Consultant: 5

Conclusion

Both Plumber 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 Plumber PPC consultant…read more