What to Expect When You Outsource Your Paid Media

Whether a paid search program is brand new to you or it’s your most cherished revenue stream, it can be intimidating to start working with an outside agency. Before you ever fill out a lead form, it can be helpful to know what to expect when you outsource your paid media. 

Of course, every company has different needs and every agency has a different approach, but there are certain things that will always happen. 

How long before we really get started?

If you’re in a hurry, this can be almost instant. In most cases, however, allow some wiggle room. 

If you have existing campaigns that you just need a company to take over, this is done within a week of your first call. If you’re starting from scratch, allow an extra week to review and approve the creative. By week 3, ads are running. By week 4, you’re ready to see performance reports and get in a cadence of regular reviews and analysis. 

How often will we meet?

At Hawke, we like to meet with clients every other week. Over time, you may decide this is too frequent and isn’t necessary, in which case, we can adjust at any time. 

What happens first?

First, we’ll have a meeting about your brand’s experience in paid media including what has worked and what hasn’t, as well as your goals and ideas for the future.

Then, we’ll audit your current analytics. We’ll come back with a full report of what we see as the lowest barriers to improved performance to give you an idea of where we’ll start.

Do I need to sign something? 

Yes. For any agency, there’ll be paperwork. 

There are no long-term contracts at Hawke Media; we work month-to-month with a la carte services. So don’t worry about signing your budget away. Try it out for a month and see if it’s working. 

What should I have ready for our first meeting?

The agency will let you know if you need to have stuff prepared before your first call. Otherwise, just think about what’s important to you that you want to share. 

If you have specific competitors you’d like the agency to benchmark against, have those names ready (with social handles, when possible). You may also want to provide your brand guide and editorial guide.  

What does a paid search agency need access to? 

You’ll need to provide access to the channels themselves. If this makes you nervous, remember that most major platforms have ways to share this access without granting any superfluous permissions that would compromise data privacy. This is the only dealbreaker; if you can’t grant access to the channels, there’s no way for an agency to help. 

With many paid social media channels, the agency would need access to use the organic platforms. They won’t use them; it’s just how the social media platforms work. You never need to grant access to finance or admin systems, but plenty of clients do so that the agency can address needs as they arrive without having to reach out. 

You should also provide access to Google Analytics. The reps need to know what’s working and what’s not already. If you have any other ways of tracking performance, supply those. This can include your Shopify account and Google Tech Manager. These are all optional, but each wil helpl make your ads soar. 

How do I get ahold of my rep? 

At Hawke, the best way is by email. Shoot us a message any time and you’ll hear back within 24 hours. 

Now what?

Paid media is a non-negotiable in today’s marketing ecosystem. Whether you’re on Google, Meta, TikTok, or all of the above, paid media advertising is essential to success. At Hawke Media, our friendly experts take away the intimidation of working with an agency. And we’re the best at what we do.

Just look at our Cyber Week results, where Hawke clients saw an ROI 19% higher than their competitors.

If you’re ready to get started with a bigger and better media strategy, start with a free consultation today.