Question 1

How much does a PPC agency cost in the UK?

Accepted Answer

UK PPC retainers in 2026 split three ways. Boutique shops and freelancers manage smaller accounts for £300-1,500 a month. Mid-market agencies typically run £1,500-5,000. Network and enterprise specialists charge £5,000-20,000+, often as a percentage of ad spend. The percentage model usually lands between 10% and 20% of monthly media, with smaller budgets at the higher end and enterprise accounts at the lower end. London quotes around 30% above regional UK.

Question 2

How quickly do Google Ads start working?

Accepted Answer

Impressions and clicks usually arrive within hours of launch. Useful data takes longer. The first two to four weeks are a learning phase: tracking validation, search-term cleanup, and Smart Bidding gathering signals. Real optimisation runs from week two to week six, with meaningful trend reads at six to twelve weeks. Cost per acquisition typically stabilises around the three-month mark, longer for low-volume or long-sales-cycle B2B accounts.

Question 3

Should I pay percentage of ad spend or a flat retainer?

Accepted Answer

Flat retainers suit accounts with stable monthly budgets and clear scope. Percentage-of-spend (10-20%) suits accounts that scale up and down seasonally, but creates an incentive to grow media regardless of efficiency. The middle ground most credible UK agencies offer in 2026 is a hybrid: a base retainer of £1,500-2,500 plus a smaller percentage above a threshold. Whatever the model, ask the agency to commit to CPA or ROAS targets, not just spend.

Question 4

Should the agency own my Google Ads account?

Accepted Answer

No. Brands should own the Google Ads account, the Meta Business Manager, GA4, and any conversion pixels. The agency works inside via an MCC (My Client Center) link with admin or standard access. If an agency insists on running ads from their own account with no migration path back to the advertiser, walk away. Account portability is a basic trust signal. Google Ads policy supports advertiser ownership and the ability to revoke agency access at any time.

Question 5

How has PPC changed in 2026?

Accepted Answer

Three shifts. First, Performance Max and AI Max (Google's September upgrade to Dynamic Search Ads) now handle most cross-channel optimisation, so feed quality and creative assets matter more than keyword lists. Second, the cookieless transition has made first-party data central: Customer Match, CRM imports, and enhanced conversions are now table stakes. Third, Smart Bidding strategies like tROAS and tCPA outperform manual bidding in most accounts, provided the conversion data feeding them is clean.

PPC agencies for Automotive.

PPC agencies in other sectors.

Other services for Automotive.

What brands ask about ppc agencies.