Why your Google Ads specialist should be thinking bigger
If you've ever paid someone to manage your Google Ads, you might have wondered what they actually do each month. Often the answer is a quick check-in: add a few negative keywords, nudge some bids, send a report.
That work matters. But on its own, it's housekeeping, not strategy. The best results come from someone who looks at the bigger picture of your business, not just the ad account.
After more than eight years working with 80+ Australian businesses, here's what I think separates a good Google Ads specialist from someone who's just keeping the lights on, and what to ask before you hire one.
Negative keywords are the basics, not the strategy
Negative keywords stop your ads showing for searches that will never turn into customers. A plumber doesn't want to pay for "plumbing apprenticeship" or "DIY drain cleaning" clicks. Cutting that waste is important, and any specialist should be doing it regularly.
The same goes for adjusting bids, pausing poor performers and checking search terms. These are the maintenance tasks of a healthy account.
The problem is when that's all that happens. An account can be perfectly tidy and still underperform, because the real issue sits somewhere else: the wrong offer, a landing page that doesn't convert, tracking that isn't measuring enquiries, or a campaign aimed at the wrong customers altogether. Tidying keywords won't fix any of that.
What looking at the bigger picture actually means
Understanding your business first
Before touching a campaign, a good specialist wants to know how your business makes money. Which services are most profitable? What's a lead worth to you? Are you busy in summer and quiet in winter? Do you want more jobs, or better jobs? The answers shape everything from keywords to budget.
Tracking what really matters
Clicks and impressions don't pay the bills. Calls, form enquiries, bookings and sales do. If conversion tracking isn't set up properly, Google is optimising in the dark, and so is your specialist. Getting this right is often the single biggest improvement in an account.
The landing page and the offer
Your ad's job is to get the click. Your website's job is to turn that click into an enquiry. A great specialist will tell you honestly when your landing page, your offer or even your phone answering is what's holding results back, rather than spending more on ads that land on a page that doesn't convert.
How Google Ads fits with everything else
Google Ads works best alongside your other marketing. That might mean Meta ads to build awareness before people search, SEO for long-term visibility, or retargeting to bring back people who visited but didn't enquire. Someone who understands the wider mix can tell you where each dollar works hardest.
Planning ahead, not just reacting
Strategy means thinking about the next three to six months: seasonal peaks, new services, expanding into new areas, or testing a new campaign type. Your specialist should be bringing ideas to you, not just responding when something goes wrong.
Questions to ask before you hire a Google Ads specialist
Who will actually manage my account? Some agencies sell you on a senior person, then hand your account to a junior. Ask who you'll be dealing with day to day.
What will you need to know about my business? If they don't ask about your margins, customers and goals, they're likely to run a generic campaign.
How will you track results? Listen for calls, enquiries and sales, not just clicks and impressions.
Will you look at my website and landing pages? A good specialist will give honest feedback, even if it's not strictly "ads work".
What does your monthly work include? Beyond maintenance, ask what strategic thinking and testing you'll get.
What will your reports show me? You should be able to understand them in a few minutes, and they should explain what's changed and why.
Do I own my Google Ads account? You should always have full ownership and access, so you keep your data if you ever move on.
Red flags to watch for
Guaranteed results or rankings. No one can promise a set number of leads from day one. Good specialists set realistic expectations.
Reports full of clicks and impressions, but no enquiries. If you can't see what your ads are bringing in, ask why.
No questions about your business. A specialist who launches campaigns without understanding your goals is guessing.
They own the account, not you. Your account history is valuable. Make sure it stays with you.
Silence between reports. If you only hear from them once a month, there's probably not much strategy happening in between.
Find someone who treats your budget like their own
The right Google Ads specialist does the housekeeping and thinks like a business partner. They keep your account clean, but they also ask the bigger questions: is this the right offer, the right audience, the right page, the right time?
At GW Marketing, every account is managed one-on-one by me. I take the time to understand your business, set up tracking that measures real results, and give you honest advice about what will move the needle, even when it's not more ad spend.
If you're wondering whether your current Google Ads are doing everything they could, book a free chat. I'll take a look and give you a straight answer.
