A poorly managed ad account can burn through your budget fast, with little to show for it. Explore vetted PPC agencies in the US on DesignRush and compare providers by platform expertise, campaign results, and pricing to find the right fit for your business.
List of the Best PPC Agencies in the US
10 Companies-Rankings updated: September 06, 2026
DesignRush vets every pay per click agency based on professional qualifications and verified client feedback to help you choose confidently. Some listings may include paid placements.
Award WinnerRecipient of a Best Design Award for outstanding work.
Creative Websites That Convert.
We specialize in creating meaningful digital experiences infused with emotion, driven by innovation, evoking a sense of awe and wonder...
Top Services:
Web Design
Web Development
UI/UX Design
Branding
eCommerce Development
Show more
Location
New York City, New York
Number of Employees
Under 49
Average Hourly Rate
$150/hr
Minimal Budget
$25,000 - $50,000
Portfolios Count
4 Projects Listed
Buzzworthy Studio Services
Web Design
Web Development
UI/UX Design
Branding
eCommerce Development
SEO
PPC
Digital Marketing
Social Media Marketing
Email Marketing
Data sourced from the agency's DesignRush profile, its website, and other relevant accounts
WeWork
Betches
All Pro Team Sports
Bareburger
Story & Verse
GetSnooze
O Positive Films
ModernMD
SlingShot Intergalactic
Helias
Data sourced from the agency's DesignRush profile
Buzzworthy Studio Reviews & Testimonials
Lewis Herrin Jr
CEO at Sling Shot Intergalactic
5.0★
Web Development Review from Lewis Herrin Jr
Working with Buzzworthy Studios was exceptional. They designed and developed our custom website from initial concepts to launch.
**Scope of Work and Key Deliverables:**
The project involved collaborative ideation with a mood board and discussions on themes and messaging, followed by design, development, and iterations for visuals, layout, and functionality. This included responsive coding, multimedia integration, performance optimization, and SEO.
Key deliverables:
- Mobile-responsive, visually stunning website.
- Custom graphics and assets.
- CMS tool for basic in-house updates.
- Testing, debugging, and maintenance docs.
**Measurable Outcomes:**
- Traffic up 45% in first 3 months (Google Analytics).
- Session duration rose from 1.5 to 3.2 mins; bounce rate dropped 65% to 42%.
- SEO: Page 1 rankings on key terms, 60% organic leads boost.
- Load speed
Celyn Matienzo
Marketing Strategist at Be the Buzz
5.0★
Web Design Review from Celyn Matienzo
Working with the Buzzworthy team on a website design and development project has been a fantastic experience with the expertise and creativity they bring to the table. Anyone can design and develop a basic, functional site that looks good. But the Buzzworthy team doesnt just take orders and pull something together that just meets what you think are your basic requirements.
The team took the utmost care to get to know what makes our products and services unique so they could create a visually compelling website that communicated our key value proposition to help us stand out in a crowded market. The page layouts, visual elements, and even the smallest details on the site all work together. It takes true mastery of their craft to balance visually stunning sites with functionality both in technical execution and as a part of an overarching sales and marketing strategy.
Buzzworthy is truly a valuable collaborative partner that wed be glad to work with again on future projects!
Craig Yeomans
Head of Accounts at BlueStateRed
5.0★
Web Design Review from Craig Yeomans
The whole Buzzworthy team was attentive to our wants and needs, and integrated our vision into the site design in a way that was so much better than we had ever hoped it could look. This is a very important cause to us and the team at Buzzworthy treated it with the care it deserved and delivered enormous value with an absolutely gorgeous website. I would recommend them to anybody!
Reviews verified by DesignRush and sourced from the agency's profile
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ioVista is a full-service eCommerce development agency renowned for its expertise in creating and building exceptional eCommerce websites on leading platforms like Magento, Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Yahoo Stores, and WordPress...
Top Services:
Digital Marketing
Web Design
SEO
Social Media Marketing
UI/UX Design
Show more
Location
Dallas, Texas
Number of Employees
50 - 99
Average Hourly Rate
$100/hr
Minimal Budget
$25,000 - $50,000
Portfolios Count
18 Projects Listed
ioVista Services
Digital Marketing
Web Design
SEO
Social Media Marketing
UI/UX Design
Digital Strategy
Data sourced from the agency's DesignRush profile, its website, and other relevant accounts
Riders Biker Supply
Blue Jean Baby
ISW Menswear
Christmas Designers
Blue Goose Cantina
Junk Guruz
Dallas Paint Disposal
469 DFW Locksmith
RolArt
PhotoStat
Data sourced from the agency's DesignRush profile
ioVista Reviews & Testimonials
Chris Root
Review from Google
5.0★
Chris Root's Review Sourced from Google
A great experience that included a custom website on Adobe Commerce Cloud with ERP NetSuite Integration. Custom UI/UX with a focus on speed and performance of both the customer and admin side. SEO, PPC and content marketing with continued growth of visitors and 10x+ ROAS. Our site was completed early with all deliverables being done on time and to satisfaction. IO Vista is a welcome addition to any team looking to grow.
Jim Storhok
Review from Google
5.0★
Jim Storhok's Review Sourced from Google
IoVista has been a wonderful partner in helping my partner and I launch our regenerative wellness business. Harsh has been attentive, detailed, and very punctual in helping us launch on very short notice! We are very pleased with ioVista’s professionalism and final product! Highly recommend!
Clay Smith
Review from Google
1.0★
Clay Smith's Review Sourced from Google
One of the worst companies I have ever worked with. Feel free to reach out to me for my experience before you choose this company for any web design or web work.
Reviews verified by DesignRush and sourced from the agency's profile
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SEO, SEM & AIO Experts, Bay Area Website Design Agency
Boomcycle Digital Marketing is a B2B Search Engine Optimization and Search Engine Marketing agency. We specialize in getting your message in front of your ideal prospects through our proven Intelligent Web Design and SEO processes. We are headquartered in the San Francisco East Bay, and work with clients here...
Top Services:
Digital Marketing
SEO
PPC
Web Development
Web Design
Show more
Location
San Ramon, California
Number of Employees
Under 49
Average Hourly Rate
$175/hr
Minimal Budget
$25,000 - $50,000
Boomcycle Digital Marketing Services
Digital Marketing
SEO
PPC
Web Development
Web Design
Social Media Marketing
Content Marketing
Data sourced from the agency's DesignRush profile, its website, and other relevant accounts
CCC Holdings, Ltd.
Health Analytics
King Retail Solutions
Denali Data Systems
TrebleHealth.com
Data sourced from the agency's DesignRush profile
Boomcycle Digital Marketing Reviews & Testimonials
Katharine Mason
Executive Director at Child Advocates of Contra Costa County
4.8★
Web Design Review from Katharine Mason
David at Boomcycle is professional and responsive. When we were recently hacked, David helped us to restore all our website features, and he even provided us with information to help us to identify how we may have been hacked. I recommend Boomcycle; they care for their clients and are very helpful.
Eric Barnett
Review from Google
5.0★
Eric Barnett's Review Sourced from Google
I've had the opportunity to work with many agencies over the years; Boomcycle Digital Marketing stands in a league of its own. From sharp, modern web designs, to real SEO expertise that visibly moves the needle for search rankings. They also educated me as to techniques to make sure AI searches show up in ChatGPT that I wasn't aware of. They are knowledgeable, communicative, and genuinely invested in client success.
Katharine Mason
Review from Google
5.0★
Katharine Mason's Review Sourced from Google
Boomcycle Digital Marketing's support team provided timely and effective guidance, helping us achieve our online goals with their top-notch digital marketing services. From SEO services to custom web design, their knowledgeable team was always available to answer our questions and drive our brand's online success.
Reviews verified by DesignRush and sourced from the agency's profile
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VerifiedVerified by the DesignRush team for authenticity and credibility.
Let's Get Digital!
Real Marketing Solutions is an award-winning digital marketing agency providing full-service marketing support for government agencies, corporations and small business owners. Through our comprehensive suite of marketing services, we help increase visibility, expand reach, and build awareness with target...
Top Services:
Digital Marketing
SEO
Content Marketing
Social Media Marketing
Graphic Design
Show more
Location
St. George, Utah
Number of Employees
Under 49
Average Hourly Rate
$130/hr
Minimal Budget
$25,000 - $50,000
Portfolios Count
4 Projects Listed
Real Marketing Solutions Services
Digital Marketing
SEO
Content Marketing
Social Media Marketing
Graphic Design
Email Marketing
PPC
Digital Services
Public Relations
Data sourced from the agency's DesignRush profile, its website, and other relevant accounts
American Pacific Mortgage
Oregon SBDC
Shaw HR Consulting
Montana State Library
Umatilla County Housing Authority
Well-Designed Home
Recovery and Wellness Center of Eastern Washington
Magnet Co is a Cincinnati-based, independent digital agency founded in London in 2004. With a compact team of designers, developers and strategists, it crafts thoughtful, high-converting websites and growth-driven marketing solutions for clients spanning education, corporate, retail, media and the sciences...
Top Services:
Web Design
Web Development
eCommerce Development
SEO
PPC
Show more
Location
Cincinnati, Ohio
Number of Employees
Under 49
Average Hourly Rate
$160/hr
Minimal Budget
$25,000 - $50,000
Magnet Co Services
Web Design
Web Development
eCommerce Development
SEO
PPC
Data sourced from the agency's DesignRush profile, its website, and other relevant accounts
UCLA
Ikea
Explore Org
McGraw Hill
Expedia
HGTV
AOL
Cox
DirecTV
Annenberg Foundation
Data sourced from the agency's DesignRush profile
Magnet Co Reviews & Testimonials
Courtney Miller
Review from Google
5.0★
Courtney Miller's Review Sourced from Google
The whole Magnet team was so incredible to work with! They were all super friendly, collaborative, innovative, and creative. The team was engaged throughout the entire process and really listened to our objectives and made it come to life. We are so proud of our new website -- highly recommend, 10/10!
Chris Hensley
Review from Google
5.0★
Chris Hensley's Review Sourced from Google
Gavin and his team did an amazing job with our site, they took the time to listen to our desires and worked tirelessly to bring them to life. We at BSI Engineering, couldn't be happier with the result. A true professional team at a great value!
Monica Prather
Review from Google
5.0★
Monica Prather's Review Sourced from Google
We couldn’t be more thrilled with the work Magnet did on our new website! From the initial consultation to the final launch, their team was professional, creative, and incredibly responsive. They took the time to understand our brand, goals, and audience, translating our vision into a stunning, user-friendly website.
The design is modern, the functionality is seamless, and the attention to detail is evident in every aspect of the site. Not only did they exceed our expectations visually, but they also optimized performance and usability, ensuring a smooth experience for our visitors.
If you're looking for a web design company that truly cares about quality and client satisfaction, Magnet is the one to choose. We highly recommend them and look forward to working together again in the future!
Reviews verified by DesignRush and sourced from the agency's profile
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Beautifully Crafted Websites and Digital Solutions.
Blennd is an award-winning digital marketing and web design agency based in Denver, Colorado. We partner with ambitious businesses to deliver strategy, web design, web development and digital marketing that connects and converts...
Top Services:
Web Design
Web Development
Digital Marketing
Branding
SEO
Show more
Location
Denver, Colorado
Number of Employees
Under 49
Minimal Budget
$25,000 - $50,000
Portfolios Count
5 Projects Listed
Blennd Services
Web Design
Web Development
Digital Marketing
Branding
SEO
PPC
Social Media Marketing
Email Marketing
Data sourced from the agency's DesignRush profile, its website, and other relevant accounts
Dataprise
Western Colorado University
Communicus
TrackVia
Orangetheory Fitness
Peakview Communications
Monvigliero Villas
H&H Labs
Science Interactive Group
GQR - Talent Vault
Data sourced from the agency's DesignRush profile
Blennd Reviews & Testimonials
Elizabeth Franco
Review from Google
5.0★
Elizabeth Franco's Review Sourced from Google
Blennd is a great company! Their team is professional, responsive, and friendly. I highly recommend Blennd to anyone looking for a reliable and talented web design and branding team
Suzy Broz
Review from Google
5.0★
Suzy Broz's Review Sourced from Google
Blennd did a fantastic job refreshing my organization's website to reflect an updated mission and strategy. The team was great to work with and we were very happy with the design and development of the our finished website. Highly recommend!
ART Marketing Team
Review from Google
5.0★
ART Marketing Team's Review Sourced from Google
Project manager was extremely responsive and easy to communicate with. The site was designed beautifully and has met all of our expectations!
Reviews verified by DesignRush and sourced from the agency's profile
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Three29 is a B2B digital marketing agency based out of Sacramento, CA and Jacksonville FL...
Top Services:
Web Design
Web Development
WordPress Website Design
SEO
PPC
Show more
Location
Sacramento, California
Number of Employees
Under 49
Average Hourly Rate
$150/hr
Minimal Budget
$25,000 - $50,000
Portfolios Count
6 Projects Listed
Three29 Services
Web Design
Web Development
WordPress Website Design
SEO
PPC
Branding
Digital Marketing
CRO
Data sourced from the agency's DesignRush profile, its website, and other relevant accounts
Cobram Estate US
Sacramento Kings
Coterie Insurance
Bogle Family Vineyards
Basalite
iHeart Media
Jiffy Lube
Mitsubishi
Safe Credit Union
Sacramento State University
Data sourced from the agency's DesignRush profile
Three29 Reviews & Testimonials
Holly DeFazio
Review from Google
5.0★
Holly DeFazio's Review Sourced from Google
We could not be happier with the service we received from Dedicated Designs/Three29. Josh and Courtney were absolutely delightful to work with. We had the pleasure of working with both Josh and Courtney on the redesign of our website. They both came with a wealth of information, creative ideas and patience. They took the information we gave them and came back with a finished out, easy to navigate website design that flows seamlessly. We could not be happier! We continue to work closely with them on edits and updates to our website today. We highly recommend them for any of your website needs.
The CLTRE Team
Tami Louis-Olesen
Review from Google
5.0★
Tami Louis-Olesen's Review Sourced from Google
We just finished working with Josh and Michelle at Dedicated Designs and we LOVE our new logo! Michelle is a talented graphic artist. She took our ideas, suggestions, and feedback, and created a logo that will level up our marketing and branding. I'm so grateful!
Tami Louis
Review from Google
5.0★
Tami Louis's Review Sourced from Google
We just finished working with Josh and Michelle at Dedicated Designs and we LOVE our new logo! Michelle is a talented graphic artist. She took our ideas, suggestions, and feedback, and created a logo that will level up our marketing and branding. I'm so grateful!
Reviews verified by DesignRush and sourced from the agency's profile
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Blink Advertising is a full-service marketing and communications agency specializing in integrated B2B and B2C solutions that help businesses strengthen their brands, engage audiences, and achieve measurable growth. For more than a decade, the agency has combined strategic thinking, creative execution, and...
Top Services:
Advertising
Digital Marketing
Digital Strategy
Media Buying
PPC
Show more
Location
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Number of Employees
Under 49
Average Hourly Rate
$125/hr
Minimal Budget
$25,000 - $50,000
Portfolios Count
1 Project Listed
Blink Advertising Agency Services
Advertising
Digital Marketing
Digital Strategy
Media Buying
PPC
Video Marketing
Video Production
Web Design
Social Media Marketing
Graphic Design
Data sourced from the agency's DesignRush profile, its website, and other relevant accounts
Mac Bid
UPMC
Guardian Protection
Gerard Plumbing and Heating
Carnegie Museum of Natural History
DePaul School for Hearing and Speech
Advanced Basement Solutions
Guardian Storage
Armstrong Comfort Solutions
Rome Monument
Data sourced from the agency's DesignRush profile
Blink Advertising Agency Reviews & Testimonials
steve drizos
Review from Google
5.0★
steve drizos's Review Sourced from Google
I had the pleasure of meeting with Jeff Swartz recently, and I couldn't be more impressed with Ethic’s level of professionalism and dedication to their clients. From the moment I reached out to them, I knew I was in good hands.
What sets Ethic Advertising apart is their genuine willingness to listen and understand the unique needs of your business. They don't believe in one-size-fits-all solutions; instead, they take the time to customize their marketing strategies to perfectly fit your goals and objectives.
I highly recommend Ethic Advertising for your marketing needs. Their stellar reputation is well-deserved, and I look forward to our partnership in the future.
Greg Leach
Review from Google
5.0★
Greg Leach's Review Sourced from Google
We talked to numerous marketing firms across the US and most were either inept or wouldn’t talk to us because we’re a startup.
When I initially contacted Ethic, I was so used to having a bad experience with other marketing firms, I bluntly said “we’re a startup that needs a lot of help with brand recognition, but we’re on a very limited budget. Can you help?”. The owner Jeff said “let’s talk”. We spent the next hour discussing our business operation and different marketing strategies. We then had a follow up call in which Jeff came prepared with a full presentation and spent the afternoon explaining each line item step by step of how to execute our short term marketing goals. He did all this on his own time for nothing in return. We do not have an agreement in place and there's no guarantee of future business when working with a startup.
I can't thank Jeff and the Ethic team enough. They will be our “go to” for all our future marketing needs but it's not because of the free time they gave us, but rather their level of expertise. Our company launched service in January 2023 and currently has 400 app downloads. I will give a follow up review in one year to showcase the value of this experience. If you’re looking for a high level marketing company contact Ethic.
Candice Puzak
Review from Google
5.0★
Candice Puzak's Review Sourced from Google
We've been working with Ethic for about a year and a half, using various forms of online advertising and strategy. They have been great partners - always quick to respond, thorough in their approach and knowledgeable in the ever changing digital ad space. Their ability to scale their services to fit our needs and budget has been extremely beneficial as well. We highly recommend Ethic to anyone looking for a quality digital partner.
Reviews verified by DesignRush and sourced from the agency's profile
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Honest Digital is revolutionizing the automotive industry's digital landscape. Frustrated by stories of dealerships being let down by SEO and digital marketing agencies, Honest Digital is committed to a different approach...
Top Services:
SEO
Digital Marketing
Social Media Marketing
Public Relations
PPC
Show more
Location
Asheville, North Carolina
Number of Employees
Under 49
Average Hourly Rate
$200/hr
Minimal Budget
$25,000 - $50,000
Honest Digital Services
SEO
Digital Marketing
Social Media Marketing
Public Relations
PPC
Data sourced from the agency's DesignRush profile, its website, and other relevant accounts
Alliance is an award winning digital marketing agency, SE0, web design and website maintenance services. Since 2003, our team specializes in helping brands generate growth that matters. The team has extensive background in working with B2B's, service firms, nonprofits and many more...
Top Services:
Web Design
WordPress Website Design
Web Development
eCommerce Development
UI/UX Design
Show more
Location
Washington DC, Washington DC
Number of Employees
Under 49
Average Hourly Rate
$150/hr
Minimal Budget
$25,000 - $50,000
Portfolios Count
3 Projects Listed
Alliance Interactive Services
Web Design
WordPress Website Design
Web Development
eCommerce Development
UI/UX Design
Digital Marketing
SEO
Content Marketing
Email Marketing
PPC
Data sourced from the agency's DesignRush profile, its website, and other relevant accounts
World Bank
George Mason University
Aurality
Data sourced from the agency's DesignRush profile
Alliance Interactive Reviews & Testimonials
Sarah McKinley
Review from Google
5.0★
Sarah McKinley's Review Sourced from Google
For the past 20 years, our company has been honored to help some of the world's best firms restructure sales and marketing divisions.
We had engaged Alliance Interactive to redesign a 200-page website with functionality improvements; the scope of work was massive.
At the time, our website ranked well and with sufficient conversion rates, but it needed to be modernized.
However, it was imperative that conversion rate, branding and search engine results be maintained.
Therefore, we began looking for digital marketing companies to assist with a complete redesign.
For context, we budgeted about $35,000 for the website redesign and overhaul project. Therefore, we had many digital marketing firms to choose from.
After interviewing about a dozen, we ended up choosing Alliance Interactive. They blew away expectations.
Our project manager was extremely smart and innovative. He learned our business advantages very quickly and made great suggestions. Alliance Interactive made our site look very creative, yet kept it user-friendly.
The visual layout was artistic, yet professional. We could not have been happier. Very smart investment on our part and thank you to the Alliance Interactive team.
Christian M
Review from Google
5.0★
Christian M's Review Sourced from Google
Adam and the team did a great job for Sodexo. They created great website, powerpoint and document designs. Good team. Great work. Awesome Value.
Michael McLain
Review from Google
5.0★
Michael McLain's Review Sourced from Google
Our existing website was constantly breaking and had plenty of issues whenever you wanted to update it. Alliance Interactive redesigned our website, switched our hosting provider and helped optimize the speed of the site. Our operations are running much smoother.
Reviews verified by DesignRush and sourced from the agency's profile
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What services does a pay per click agency in the US provide?
Pay per click agencies in the US offer a full spectrum of specialized services that integrate paid media into the broader marketing and revenue strategy and enable businesses to acquire more customers and grow demand on targeted channels.
Guided by data to make spend decisions, eliminate waste, and maximize return on investment (ROI), the role of these specialists is to make each advertising dollar accountable.
As part of its portfolio, a PPC agency provides campaign planning, keyword research, ad creation, copywriting, bid management, budget allocation, A/B testing, and performance tracking.
Professional PPC services are greatly sought after, as the majority of companies (60%) outsource PPC managementto agencies, while 20% work with freelancers, and only one in five businesses maintains an in-house paid media team.
How much does a pay-per-click agency charge in the US?
PPC companies in the US typically charge from $100 to $150 per hour. In addition to hourly-based models, these agencies operate on the following pricing models:
Fixed monthly fee or a subscription: Ranges from $1,500 to $10,000, depending on the campaign size and scope
Percentage of ad spend: Typically falls between 10-30%, with the percentage often decreasing as ad spend increases
Performance-based pricing: Payment is tied to results, such as the number of leads or conversions generated
Project-based pricing: Entails a one-time fee for a specific project, unaffected by ad spend
Predominantly, agencies price their services based on a % of monthly ad spend, with over 50% of PPC companies using this model as their primary. Following closely at 33%-35% are agencies charging a flat monthly fee.
What do US pay-per-click agencies charge that most buyers don't expect?
Setup fees, creative production, tracking implementation, and tool costs rarely appear in the proposal. Here’s what to expect:
Add-on
Typical range
One-time setup fee
$500 – $2,500
Conversion tracking setup
$300 – $1,500
Ad creative production
$300 – $1,500/month
Tool subscriptions
$100 – $500/month
Early termination fee
1 - 3 months retainer
Before signing, ask for a sample first invoice from a client at your scope level.
How do I know if I'm hiring the right pay per click company in the US for my budget?
Most PPC agencies have an effective minimum. Below roughly $3,000 in monthly ad spend, there is not enough data volume for the bidding algorithm to optimize, and not enough margin for the agency to staff the account with anyone senior. If an agency is willing to take any budget without flagging this, that is worth noting.
Budget fit also affects how you should think about pricing. An agency charging a percentage of ad spend earns more when you spend more. Considering that, at lower budgets, misalignment is manageable, but above $20,000 a month, it becomes a real incentive problem.
Before signing, ask directly how their fee structure changes as your spend scales.
What is a realistic timeline to see results from a PPC agency, and what should I expect week by week?
A well-run PPC engagement should show directional movement in cost-per-conversion within three months.
Here is what the agency should be delivering at each stage:
Days 1 to 30: Conversion tracking confirmed, campaign structure built, baseline CPA or ROAS established, and a documented hypothesis about what will move performance and why.
Days 30 to 60: Active testing underway with ad copy variants, audience segments, and match type adjustments. You should be able to see what is being tested and what the agency expects to learn from it.
Days 60 to 90: Early performance data available. The agency should be able to tell you what did/didn’t work and what changes are planned for the strategy going forward.
How can I tell if my current PPC strategy is underperforming before I hire anyone?
Check these five things before you brief a single agency:
Conversion tracking is recording the wrong events. If your campaigns are optimizing toward page views or session starts instead of form fills, calls, or purchases, every performance number in your account is built on a bad signal.
Your search terms report is full of irrelevant queries. If you are paying for clicks from searches that have nothing to do with what you sell, your negative keyword strategy is either absent or neglected.
Cost per conversion has been climbing with no change in targeting. Gradual CPA increases without a plausible explanation usually mean the account has not been actively managed; automated bidding running on its own is not optimization.
Your best-performing campaigns have never been tested. If ad copy, landing pages, and audience segments have been static for more than 90 days, the performance is not being optimized; it is merely running.
You have no visibility into which campaigns are driving revenue. If your reporting stops at leads or clicks and does not connect to closed business, you cannot tell what is working.
What are the red flags when evaluating PPC agencies in the US?
Here are some common warning signs to watch out for PPC agencies in the US:
They guarantee specific results. PPC runs on an auction. No one controls what competitors bid, how the algorithm weights signals, or how your landing page converts.
Their reporting lives in a proprietary dashboard you cannot export. If your performance data only exists inside their platform, you own nothing when the relationship ends.
They have never worked in your vertical. Industry context affects keyword intent, competitor behavior, and conversion patterns. An agency learning your space on your budget is a real cost.
They push to increase the budget before the current spending is profitable. Scaling an unprofitable account spends more money at the same losing rate.