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 are often composed of a multi-talented team, bringing together PPC technicians, coders, strategic planners and writers.
Their collective know-how is particularly useful for complex digital initiatives.
For firms looking to cover multiple bases with one partner, agencies are an attractive choice.
That said, for more focused projects centred solely on PPC or SEO, the full scope of agency resources may be unnecessary.
2. Cost-Effectiveness
Winner: Consultant
Agencies can offer competitive pricing, but those figures usually account for office rentals, managerial salaries, and administrative costs.
Most consultants work without such overheads. Your money is directed at their know-how rather than the infrastructure behind the scenes.
PPC consultants are frequently the more cost-efficient route.
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
One of the clear benefits of choosing a consultant is consistency – you’ll deal with the same person throughout your project.
Unlike agencies, where staff changes and account handovers are more common, consultants provide stability.
You’re in touch with the individual doing the actual work, not a middleman.
That makes communication simpler and helps to build a more genuine working relationship.
6. Personal Service
Winner: Consultant
Because their income and reputation are closely tied to performance, PPC consultants are usually highly invested in getting results for their clients.
Agencies tend to work within larger teams, which can sometimes dilute individual focus.
Consultants, on the other hand, are laser-focused on you and your success.
They often see your achievements as a direct extension of their own work.
7. Quality of Work
Winner: Equal
High-quality PPC can come from either an agency or a consultant.
Agencies might offer a wider skillset across teams, but this can sometimes result in work being passed to junior members for training.
Consultants typically do the work themselves, ensuring everything is handled with care and consistency.
Final Score
- Agency: 3
- Consultant: 5
Conclusion
Both Pub 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 Pub PPC consultant…read more