How to choose a Google Ads agency, and what management fees depend on

Questions to ask the agency you trust with your ad budget, account ownership, fee models and what to expect in the first month.

In Google Ads money goes two ways: the ad budget you pay Google and the management fee you pay the agency. If the second is handled badly, the first disappears in days. Searching "Google Ads agency Istanbul" brings up dozens of options with similar sentences on their sites. This article explains what really matters when choosing, how fees are set and what you should see after the first month.

Rule one: the account is in your name

Ask this before anything else. The Google Ads account must be opened under your Google account, with the agency added as a manager. If the account belongs to the agency, years of data, conversion history and campaign structure stay there when you leave, and you start from zero. The same applies to Analytics and Tag Manager. Be wary of an agency that "manages from its own account".

Fee models

• Fixed monthly fee: a set amount for a defined scope, independent of budget. The clearest model for small and mid-sized businesses.
• Percentage of budget: common with large budgets, but it can tempt the agency to push spend upwards.
• Performance-based: a fee per call or sale. Sounds good, but disputes arise unless "result" is defined precisely and measurement is solid.

Whichever model, the quote must show ad budget and management fee on separate lines. In an "all-inclusive" quote you cannot see how much actually reaches Google.

What sets the management fee

• Number and type of campaigns: one search campaign versus search, shopping, YouTube and Performance Max together.
• Target area and language: a service advertising only around Gaziosmanpaşa versus a store selling nationwide.
• Ad creative: will the agency produce visuals, video and copy? Is a landing page needed?
• Measurement setup: conversion tracking, call tracking and Analytics links in month one, often a separate setup fee.
• Reporting frequency.
• Product feeds for e-commerce: Merchant Center and feed management is extra work.

Questions for the agency

1. Whose name is the account in, and what happens when I leave?
2. Are ad budget and management fee separate in the quote?
3. Do you launch ads before conversion tracking is in place? (Correct answer: no.)
4. How do you manage negative keywords and spot budget going to irrelevant searches?
5. Will you review the landing page and suggest a dedicated one if needed?
6. What will the report show: clicks, or calls and form submissions?
7. What have you done in my sector? Can you show a search terms report?
8. Contract length and exit terms?
9. How many hours a month does my account get, and who looks after it?
10. If you think ads are not working for me, will you say so?

Warning signs

• "We guarantee X calls a day." Estimates are possible, guarantees are not.
• Measurement setup postponed to "later".
• Reports made only of impressions and clicks.
• No access to the account for you.
• Ads sent to the home page, so someone searching "plumber" lands on "about us".
• A price quoted before asking about budget and sector.

What to expect in month one

Month one is setup and learning. The account is opened, conversion tracking installed, keywords and ad copy prepared, and ads go live after Google's approval. In the first weeks cost per click fluctuates and some irrelevant searches appear and are added to the negative list. From month two it becomes clear which keywords make the phone ring and budget moves there. Switching off after week one is the most common mistake. See how much to spend on Google Ads for budgeting.

Thinking of managing it yourself?

The interface is open to everyone and a small search campaign can be set up alone. But without negative keywords, a bidding strategy, conversion tracking and regular optimisation, budget disappears fast. A simple test: if the agency fee is less than the budget you would waste alone, the agency makes sense. On very small budgets Instagram ads may fit better; see our comparison.

How Softio works

We open the account in your name, never launch before measurement is in place, and list budget and fee separately. Monthly reports show calls, WhatsApp messages and forms, not impressions. We run district-level campaigns for local businesses around Gaziosmanpaşa and shopping campaigns for stores selling nationwide. See Google Ads management or call +90 534 974 66 80.