When you hire someone to run online advertising, you pay for two different things. Mixing them up leads to disappointment on both sides. This guide explains the difference and the questions worth asking before you sign.
Platform ad spend
Ad spend is the money paid to the advertising platform, such as Meta or Google, to show your ads. It is set by your budget and the platform's pricing. The service provider does not keep it. Ask whether the ad account is in your business's name and who pays the platform, because that decides who controls the account and the data.
Agency or service work
The service fee pays for people's time: planning the audience and offer, setting up campaigns, monitoring them, adjusting them and reporting. It is charged whether you spend a little or a lot on ads, although larger or more complex campaigns usually need more work.
Creative production
Images, short videos and copy are a separate piece of work. Ask how many creatives are included, who writes the copy, how many revisions you get and whether photography or video production is part of the fee or an extra cost.
Landing pages
Ads send people somewhere. If that place is a slow or confusing page, the spend is wasted. Ask whether landing pages or lead forms are included, or whether they are a website task priced separately.
Tracking
Without conversion tracking, you only know clicks, not enquiries. Ask what will be tracked: form submissions, phone calls, WhatsApp clicks, orders. Also ask who owns the tracking accounts so that you keep the history if you change provider.
Reporting
A useful report shows spend, the actions that matter to your business and what to do next. Ask how often you receive reports, what they contain and who explains them to you.
Questions to ask before starting
- What is the service fee, and what exactly does it cover?
- Who pays the platform charges, and from which account?
- Which platforms, creatives and content are included?
- Who owns the advertising and tracking accounts?
- How are enquiries measured and reported?
- How do approvals work before ads go live?
- What happens if I want to stop?
No honest provider can promise sales, followers or a fixed return on ad spend, because results depend on the market, your offer and the platform. A good proposal states the activities and the reporting you can hold them to. Read how we structure this on our Digital Marketing page, or talk to us about your marketing.
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