Managing PPC campaigns or multiple ad campaigns across different skews can be time-consuming, frustrating, and costly. That’s why paying a PPC management agency is a good idea. Overpaying is not, however.
Determining what you should pay and the type of agency or services you want will require many different considerations about your business, your willingness to spend on PPC advertising, and how much effort you want to have to put in yourself.
Most PPC agencies have different pricing model’s based on different needs and the scale of pricing can vary wildly, it’s only one of the reasons clients have issues with their PPC agency. The upside is that a good agency can get you much more of an ROI than a typical marketer is capable of.
It’s a given that you’ll have to spend money on advertising in order to draw in customers, but much of that money can be wasted with ineffective PPC campaigns. The right PPC management will keep your Google ads fresh, well-targeted, and ever-evolving to consistently engage your market.
The core of figuring out how much to pay will be determined by the type of strategy that works for you and how much you can afford to spend in return for managing your ad campaign.
There are three standard pricing model’s that each work differently and are best suited for different types of businesses as well as additional fees and services that you may want to consider.
We’ll detail each model and then discuss the optimal situation where that pricing model would work to give you an idea of what’s best for your business and campaign strategy.
The way these models of pricing work, is that companies pay an agency a set percentage of whatever their base ad spending is. The company then manages the ad campaigns based on regular ad spend percentages.
In many cases, the more campaigns the agency manages, the lower the percent paid gets. This means by volume the agency makes more money but the business pays less. This is not the case for every agency but is standard practice for many of them.
This is generally the most common pricing model used and does not include additional fees and services provided by the agency. One caveat that comes with these pricing model’s is that they typically require a minimum amount of ad spend to operate regardless of the overall budget.
The percentage is also set by the agency and once locked in, can be difficult to renegotiate, especially mid-campaign. This means that fees are locked for a period of time regardless of return or tracked performance unless otherwise stipulated. Knowing the conditional stipulations that apply to your PPC management contract will help to avoid unnecessary costs.
These types of pricing contracts are best reserved for big businesses with big PPC advertising or ppc ads budgets. This is mainly due to the minimum required spending that accompanies these pricing plans.
Small to medium-sized businesses may not be able to afford the price point of these plans and the required minimums.
Additionally, larger businesses that run more campaigns or that have large ad portfolios will benefit more from the decreased fees associated with higher workloads on these price plans.
Larger businesses also have the ability to absorb the cost over the term of a contract if the ROI is not as high as it may have been forecast. Businesses with minimal budgets or that cannot absorb extra costs would not be well suited to these models due to the lack of control overpricing.
This is a fixed fee model that is determined by the associated costs and scope of managing a client’s static ad campaign. The fees and assessments for managing a business’s ad campaigns are all built into one payment.
This provides a set range of PPC management services for static campaigns and covers all associated monthly fees. This provides businesses with a set cost for a set run of ad campaigns.
The one typical downside to this type of payment model is that it is not easily modified and the scope of services may be less than other pricing models. Performance is also not guaranteed. The PPC management fee’s are paid regardless of how the Google ads campaign perform unless otherwise stipulated in the contract.
This type of setup can be a double-edged sword for businesses as the simplistic structure and flat fees are beneficial, but the range of services and performance may be limited. It’s best to discuss exact details before deciding on this type of payment model to ensure the services are what you need.
Though this type of pricing model is not as common as the percentage of ads spend model, it can be beneficial for businesses that run a set of standard, static ad campaigns on a regular basis and simply need them managed in some capacity.
Smaller businesses that prefer to pay a flat fee may also choose this model over others so that they have more control over the exact price they pay. The simplified pricing and limited PPC management services also serve smaller less complex ad campaigns better.
Larger businesses or businesses that run constantly changing ad campaigns, seasonal Google ads, and other promotions would not benefit from this type of pricing. The fee structure is based on static ad campaign costs and the PPC management and oversight level is less than that of other plans.
This means essentially that complex ad campaigns will not receive the PPC management and attention to detail that they need to capitalize on their potential and will therefore have diminished ROI. Even if the cost is lower, in these cases the loss of potential revenue may cost even more. It’s like buying a cheaper product to save money and then having it break two days later.
These models are much less prevalent than the previous two and are tailored to less traditional campaigns that rely on leads generation to close sales. In general, this model is used for campaigns such as e-mail marketing, cold calling, B2B sales marketing, and other types of direct sell campaigns.
Agencies typically manage these campaigns and collect a fee-based either on overall performance or per lead that closes in a sale. Though the niche for these types of campaigns is smaller, the costs associated are also much more mitigated than other options.
This option works exceedingly well for eCommerce, direct sales, and referral models.
As we’ve discussed, this model is rarer than others due to the niche nature of the campaigns that use it. However, businesses that market directly or use conventional sales tactics can make great use of this as a leads-generation service to drum up sales.
The basic idea is that you only pay when they bring you a client. This makes the cost relative to client acquisition a worthy exchange in most cases. Linkedin campaigns, B2B campaigns, and direct-to-consumer sales would benefit greatly from this model.
Traditional marketing tactics, ad campaigns, and site-driven sales would not benefit from this model as the overall benefit would be lower compared to the cost per customer.
The plans we’ve listed are the top 3 that are most common, agencies may include other plan options as well as PPC management fee.
Typically, PPC management services fees are flat, static, and applied on top of standard pricing plan rates. The benefit of agencies that offer these fees is that the level of service is usually higher. In particular, services offer more control over ad campaigns, including automatically rotating or updating ads, managing dynamic ad campaigns, updating copy and other elements, and monitoring performance.
The fees for these services aren’t cheap, typically ranging from $500 to $5000, but the benefits are great for businesses with large campaigns who can afford the added cost and want more precise control of their PPC campaigns.
Before you decide on a plan, having a full understanding of your needs will help you determine what you need and what you should pay in terms of required services, changes, and other issues. It’s not enough to say “well, I can afford this much, so that’s what I’ll pay.”
First of all, take a look at your business’s PPC advertising or ppc adsstructure. Look at your base performance, decide what you want to improve. If you don’t have a dedicated PPC advertising/ppc ads program or budget, try to get an idea of what you want so that you don’t go into negotiating with an agency blind.
This is why larger businesses can afford to pay large premiums, they already have the ad budget and the return on ad spend usually covers any costs associated with using an agency.
Once you have a budget in mind, you can begin to decide on what plan would work best. This includes considering whether you want to pay for additional PPC management services.
The fees on percent ad spend plans are fairly standard and don’t leave much room for negotiation, but performance-based models and flat fee structures usually leave room for negotiation in terms of service and price. The larger and more complex your ad campaigns, the more you’ll spend overall, but you can also expect a higher ROI in these cases, with a good agency.
Before you sign the contract, make sure you have a PPC audit performed and go over any and all particulars so that you know where you stand. Having stipulations in your contract that cover you in case of downturns in business, poorly performing Google ads, or dynamic ad campaigns will allow you more control over your campaigns and protect you from the unexpected.
To help you figure out how much you’ll be spending, we’ll break down some of the standard industry fee structures.
Estimating is key to success in Google Ads.
Startup Fees are essentially assessment fees that are paid at the start of the contract. These are usually paid regardless of whether you start a long-term contract or are month to month. They can range from a couple of hundred dollars to several thousand depending on the agency and the scope of the PPC management services needed.
You’re paying these fees up-front for the agency to put together a plan for your ad campaigns and the PPC management services requirements. What you get for these fees, however, depends on the agency, so don’t expect a guaranteed level of service just because the startup fees are higher.
Contracts typically come in three types when you sign with an agency. Depending on your situation or budget, choosing one type over another may have more benefits.
Some agencies offer month-to-month contracts that allow you to change or alter services on a monthly base or quit the contract after the next 30 day period if you so desire. If you’re uncertain about your need or want to test out the agency before committing to a long-term contract this is a good option.
Though rare, some agencies offer a no-contract option. This allows you to end service at any time. Fees may be applied, but this may be a good option if you face financial difficulties or find that the service you are using isn’t working out. Those who don’t like commitment may prefer this option as well.
The standard option for most agencies is a term contract. These typically range from 3 to 12 months. These contracts can include performance minimums and expected services as well as all minimums and fees associated with payment. Payment is typically made on a monthly basis and can include the contract fee as well as PPC management fee’s.
There are three components to PPC management agency fees: Monthly click budget minimums, the standard monthly base fee, and the percentage of ad spend fee.
The first component and one that you should be aware of before signing is the monthly click budget minimums. These are the minimum ad spend budgets that an agency will work with. This is especially important if the agency takes a percentage of ad spend as part of their fee. If you don’t meet these minimums, you may need to change agencies or renegotiate the terms of your contract. This can determine a lot of the expense. Smaller businesses with tighter ad budgets may want to shy away from agencies with high minimums.
The second component is the base fee. This can be structured in a number of ways, but the base fee can be considered the minimum you will pay the agency for their work each month. Some agencies charge this as a flat rate or have flat-rate plans that don’t add additional charges.
Some require a base fee, plus hourly expenses based on workload. Others have a base fee based on keyword count, tiered fee structures, or fees associated with each service, as an a la carte service.
The normal practice is to charge a base fee, plus a percentage of either ad spend, or a percentage of the total PPC advertising budget, both of which can become quite hefty and can range from a low of 15% and a high of 50% of ad spend.
You should assess your financial health and your overall marketing budget when deciding on the type of payment structure and agency to choose.
Understanding the benefits and costs of a PPC marketing agency allows you to make more educated decisions on what to pay. What that number is for you will be dependent on a lot of factors.
The best answer we can give you is to do a hard inventory of your business’s finances and marketing budget and determine what you can afford to spend, even if things don’t go your way.
In general, you can expect a great return on your investment, and using a PPC management agency is a fantastic resource, but you shouldn’t over-leverage your advertising budget in case your conversion rate drops or your business suffers a downturn.
The rule is: pay what you can afford for the services you need most. Even a big business needs to be smart about where it puts ad dollars in order to maximize profits. Paying for things you don’t need is never a good idea.
Hopefully, this post has given you everything you need to know about PPC management agencies, how they work, their fees, and what you can expect to spend.
If you’re thinking of hiring a PPC agency or firing your existing PPC agency, get in touch!
Now you’ll have a better idea of what it’ll cost you and what you should and shouldn’t pay the agency you choose.
%201.svg){kind=logo}
When this apartment complex client partnered with PPC.co, their goal was clear: generate more qualified leads through Google Ads. In just 60 days—from January to March 2025—we transformed their paid acquisition performance. Total conversions more than tripled, jumping from 10 to 32, while the overall conversion rate soared by over 300%. At the same time, we drove down the cost per conversion by 44%, delivering significantly more leads at a much lower cost.
By strategically combining Performance Max and high-intent Search campaigns, we not only increased lead volume but improved overall efficiency and ROI. This rapid and measurable improvement underscores the value of data-driven optimization and expert campaign management.
This case study is a testament to what can happen when a well-structured campaign meets expert strategy and continuous optimization. Whether you're launching a new property or looking to boost occupancy in a competitive market, PPC.co delivers real results—fast.
Ready to grow your leads and lower your cost per conversion?
Contact us today to schedule a free audit and discover how we can help you achieve similar results.
Click on the following link if you would like to see more PPC case studies!
Whether you’re a life coach or a business coach, you need a steady flow of leads to stay profitable. It’s not enough to post on social media. No matter how popular you become, being well-liked and even loved doesn’t guarantee clients.
For coaching businesses, pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns can be a powerful way to attract high-intent leads – people actively looking for transformation, accountability, and clarity. But you can’t just throw some ads up on Google and expect results. You need a strategy that uses the right targeting, messaging, and structure to avoid expensive lessons in trial and error.
In this guide, we’ll break down the essentials of building cost-effective PPC campaigns designed specifically for coaches who want conversions, clients, and growth.
The first step to creating any high-performing PPC campaign is identifying what your potential clients are searching for online. PPC ads show up in search results (Google, Bing) and social media feeds (Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok) based on the phrases users type into the search bar when looking for content.
To get your ads seen by your ideal clients, you’ll need to tap into their innermost thoughts – like a burned out executive searching TikTok at 2:00 a.m. for “how to find my purpose” or “how to get a promotion.” You’ll want to target searches that indicate the user is unhappy and is looking for a solution that coaching can help them achieve.
Not all keywords are equal. You’ll get more leads that convert by targeting keywords that indicate a user is ready to take action. Use tools like Google Keyword Planner, Semrush, and Ubersuggest to find keywords with strong intent. High-intent searches might include phrases like:
· Business coach for entrepreneurs
· Life coaching to reduce stress
· Life coaching to find my purpose
· How to grow my small business fast
· Career transition coaching
These and similar phrases related to your coaching business will be the foundation for your paid ad campaign on any platform.
The customer journey consists of three stages that lead someone into the buying stage:
· Stage 1: Awareness. The prospect is aware they need help, but they don’t know exactly what they need or how to get it.
· Stage 2: Consideration. The prospect has named their problem and are actively looking for a solution.
· Stage 3: Decision. The prospect knows they want to work with a coach, and they’re in the process of deciding who to work with.
If you’re running a full marketing campaign with email marketing, you’ll want to run ads that address leads in all three stages. The people you capture in stages one and two will need to be nurtured over time through email. Leads you capture in stage 3 can be more easily turned into a paying client faster. If you aren’t capturing emails yet, only target leads in stages two and three for the best results.
No matter what type of coach you are, your ideal clients will have a variety of goals and pain points. Not everyone will share the same concerns or desires. For example, some business owners want to grow their business and open new locations, while others want to build a stronger team or increase their revenue. Some life coaching clients want better relationships while others want to find their life purpose. When you run ads, your target market needs to think, “this ad is for me.” Generic copy won’t cut it.
You’ll need to run a different ad campaign aimed at each client avatar. To get the most conversions, you’ll need to reach one avatar at a time. Speaking to one avatar in your ads and landing page copy allows you to go deep into their needs, fears, hopes, worries, and concerns. The more specifically you can connect with people, the more likely they are to convert.
To figure out what your ideal clients want, think about their struggles and the potential keywords they might be searching on various platforms. For example, a lot of people are unhappy at work. In this case, potential keywords they might be searching for include:
· How to find a job that doesn’t suck
· How to handle conflict at work
· How to win respect at work
Once you know the pain points you want to target, craft your messages so they speak to emotional triggers. People respond to a sense of urgency (“Burned out? Don’t wait”), personal growth promises (“Find your life purpose in 90 days”), and emotional relief (“Stop second-guessing yourself”). Speak to where your ideal client is right now and show them you can take them where they want to be.
Using this information, you’ll craft ads with headlines, copy, and corresponding landing page copy that speaks directly to your ideal clients. For example, your ads might look like this:
Problem/Keyword search: How to find a job that doesn’t suck
Ad headline: Hate Mondays? Let’s Fix That.
Ad copy:
You spend 90,000 hours of your life at work. Shouldn’t more of them feel fulfilling? Learn how to reconnect with purpose and enjoy what you do. Book your free clarity call now.
Problem/Keyword search: How to handle conflict at work
Ad headline: Tired of Office Drama? Here’s Your Way Out
Ad copy:
Learn strategies to set boundaries and manage work conflict like a pro. Click for a free strategy session.
Problem/Keyword search: How to win respect at work
Ad headline: Feel Invisible at Work? Let’s Change That
Ad copy:
You’ve got the skills. You put in the hours. But the recognition never follows. Sound familiar? Respect isn’t about being louder – it’s about confidence, clarity, and strategy. Book your free consultation and finally be recognized for your full value.
Just like each of your ads target a specific avatar, your landing pages need to do the same. Don’t send traffic to your homepage. Your landing page should reflect exactly what your ad promised.
If your ad says, “Executive Coaching for Burnout Recovery,” then the landing page should address burnout, speak directly to executive professionals, and offer a call-to-action (CTA) for a discovery call.
Effective landing pages consist of the following elements:
· A dedicated page made just for your ad
· A seamless transition from ad to landing page
· A clear headline that addresses the pain point directly
· Testimonials or results from real clients if possible
· A strong CTA, like “Book your free 30-minute breakthrough session”
· A clickable phone number or link to book a call immediately
Remember, you’re not selling coaching services. You’re selling a better version of your prospect’s life. Make sure your copy reflects that.
Coaches often underspend on ads, thinking they can game the system with just $5/day. That’s not an effective strategy. What you may not realize is that setting a low budget actually reduces the number of people who see your ad. Your ad visibility increases the more you spend.
Start with a modest, but meaningful budget of at least $1,500-$2,000 per month. The good news is your cost per click (CPC) will be significantly lower than other industries, like legal and insurance. However, if you’re not sure how to set a PPC budget or handle bidding strategies, hire a professional PPC agency to manage your ads. It’s the easiest way to avoid costly mistakes.
Your ads should target the right people at the right time.
First, think about your ideal client who is looking for your services.
Who hires coaches? Usually, it’s:
· Entrepreneurs who feel stuck or overwhelmed
· People who want to start a business, but don’t know where to begin
· Mid-level professionals seeking career growth
· High achievers facing burnout
· People at a personal crossroads (divorce, job loss, mid-life crisis, etc.)
Once you pinpoint who might be looking for your services, you’ll need to choose the right advertising platforms. Your main options are:
· TikTok Ads
· Instagram Ads
· Pinterest Ads
Advertising on each of these platforms comes with pros and cons – some are specific to coaching services. For example, while Pinterest is likely cheaper than Google, Pinterest leads might not be committed. However, TikTok and YouTube users frequently search for solutions to specific problems.
You might be surprised to learn that TikTok is a gold mine for coaching businesses. It’s not just an app for teens. Over 71% of TikTok’s users are between 18-34 years old, and 32% are 25-34 years old.
Unlike other platforms, TikTok doesn’t function like a typical social media platform where the purpose is to build a community. It’s more like an outreach platform and people are constantly discovering new content creators. The algorithm’s goal is to get as many people watching content for as long as possible. To achieve this, users are given content based on their interests, not just from people they follow. You don’t need followers or viral content to get seen. Each video stands alone in the algorithm and has an equal chance at getting attention.
People use TikTok to find insights and advice on just about everything you can imagine, including personal and business-related situations. While you can run ads on TikTok without a following, it helps to have an established account with solid content. You’ll build more momentum this way, and you can boost your native content to earn more trust across the platform.
Additionally, TikTok ads can target users based on hashtag interactions. People use hashtags on TikTok to find content more than any other platform. If you’re not advertising on TikTok, you’re missing out on clients.
Coaching clients aren’t impulse buyers, and they need to see your face and personality to know if they want to work with you. Wherever you run ads, you can expect people to click on your account to check you out. You’ll get more conversions by publishing short, engaging videos that show your authenticity and provide inspiration and support.
Whichever platform(s) you choose to advertise on, make use of custom audiences to target your potential leads as specifically as possible.
Everyone wants clarity, but not everyone wants to pay for it. That’s why you need to block certain searches using negative keywords. You don’t want your ads to show up for people who are just curious, looking for freebies, or looking for unrelated services. They’ll just click on your ads, waste your ad budget, and potentially waste your time if they sign up for a free call.
Suggested negative keywords for coaches include:
· Free coaching session
· Coach training program (these people want to be coaches, not hire one)
· Sample coaching questions
· Coaching worksheets pdf
Defining these and similar negative keywords will keep your clicks high-quality and your cost per lead low.
It can be exciting to see how many people are viewing and clicking on your ads, and there is a time and place to assess impressions and clicks. However, unless you’re focused on optimizing your ads, forget click-through rates (CTR) and look at how many calls you’re getting booked, how many contact forms are being submitted, and how many email addresses you’re collecting through your lead magnet downloads.
It’s crucial to know which campaigns are bringing you results so you can cut the ones that aren’t working.
People don’t usually buy high-ticket coaching packages the first time around. They need time to research, investigate, and consider their options. You might get some clicks and email signups from your ads that don’t turn into paying clients right away. That’s where remarketing comes in.
Set up ads on Google and Facebook to follow users who have already clicked on your ads and visited your website. Since these ads will be displayed only to people who have already interacted with your brand, you can use different value points to engage them, like testimonials, free guides, and limited-time offers.
Facebook retargeting options are pretty specific compared to other platforms. Since Facebook and Instagram are both owned by Meta, you can target people who have interacted with your Instagram page, too. You can even upload a list of your existing email subscribers from your segment that hasn’t yet converted and target them with relevant ads.
At PPC.co, we help life and business coaches run PPC campaigns that turn clicks into clients. Whether you’re scaling a coaching business or launching your first coaching program, we’ll help you connect with the people actively searching for your services.
Contact us today for a free digital marketing consultation and let’s start turning your ads into paying clients.
