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
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
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
Agencies typically follow structured systems, which help coordinate large teams but can slow things down when changes are needed.
Even if your main contact is responsive, broader adjustments can take time to flow through.
Consultants offer a more bespoke service and can respond to changes without delay.
In fast-moving digital markets, that flexibility can be crucial.
Let’s say you want to tweak your PPC focus mid-campaign – a consultant can often do so quickly, while an agency might need to run it through internal processes.
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
Consultants are often more personally invested in your success, simply because their livelihood depends on it.
They’re not answering to a board or working across dozens of accounts – their attention is fully on your needs.
This often leads to a more attentive and dedicated service.
Where agencies may juggle dozens of clients, a consultant treats your success as their own win.
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 Tourism 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 Tourism PPC consultant…read more