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 bring together a broad team of professionals, including PPC experts, developers, strategists, content writers and more.
This range of talent enables them to manage multifaceted projects that demand collaboration across different specialisms.
For companies seeking comprehensive digital support, an agency often serves as an all-in-one partner.
That said, not every project requires the full suite of services. Sometimes only one or two disciplines, such as PPC or SEO, are needed.
2. Cost-Effectiveness
Winner: Consultant
Although agencies can offer competitive pricing, their fees often reflect the costs of running offices, employing managers, and supporting admin teams.
Consultants, on the other hand, operate with leaner setups. Your investment goes directly into their hands-on expertise, not into funding a larger operation.
For budget-conscious businesses, PPC consultants tend to offer better value.
3. Resources
Winner: Agency
Agencies are often the better choice for large or complex PPC work because they can tap into wider internal resources.
Tasks can be distributed across the team, so various campaign activities progress at the same time.
If your project calls for that level of team involvement, an agency may be the most suitable solution.
4. Adaptability
Winner: Consultant
Agencies, by nature of having multiple teams of people, often rely on standardised systems and processes.
This means that while individuals within teams can be highly adaptable, the setup of your account and other staff on your account may take time to update and adapt.
Consultants, on the other hand, can tailor their approach to your unique needs and pivot quickly if your business priorities change.
This flexibility can be a major advantage in a fast-moving digital landscape.
For example, if you need to adjust your PPC strategy mid-project, a consultant can implement changes at short notice, whereas an agency may take longer due to internal processes, approvals and the number of people involved.
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
You can get excellent PPC support from both agencies and independent consultants.
Agencies often involve a range of specialists, but that sometimes means the work is distributed to junior staff for training.
Consultants tend to manage every detail themselves, resulting in a more consistent and focused execution.
Final Score
- Agency: 3
- Consultant: 5
Conclusion
Both Travel 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 Travel PPC consultant…read more