Should You Hire a Google Ads Specialist? [Flowchart]

You're staring at your Google Ads dashboard, trying to understand what went wrong. You researched meticulously, followed every instruction to the letter, and employed Google's self-optimizing tools—and all you have to show for it is junk leads and spam conversions.

You could bring in a professional, but that means making a hefty up-front investment. On the other hand, if you keep trying to hack it yourself, you may wind up spending just as much on failed attempts, with just as little to show for it.

So should you hire a Google Ads specialist or tough it out on your own? That depends on your specific situation, business goals, and campaign complexity. In this guide, we'll help you determine whether hiring a Google Ads specialist makes sense for your business, or if you'd be better off managing campaigns yourself with the right support systems in place.

What Does a Google Ads Specialist Actually Do?

Before deciding whether to hire a specialist, it's important to understand what they bring to the table. A Google Ads specialist isn't just someone who knows how to set up campaigns—they're experts in creating, optimizing, and scaling paid search campaigns to maximize your marketing ROI.

The best specialists don't just focus on technical implementation. They develop strategies that align with your business objectives and constantly refine their approach based on performance data. They understand that the ultimate goal isn't just to generate clicks or even conversions, but to drive qualified leads that turn into revenue.

When You Don’t Need a Google Ads Specialist

Not every business actually needs the expertise that a Google Ads specialist brings to the table. In some cases, managing your campaigns yourself can be just as effective, especially if your situation fits into any of these scenarios.

Your Campaigns Are Simple and Performing Well

If you're running straightforward campaigns with a limited number of keywords, ad groups, and targeting options, you may not need specialized expertise. Simple campaigns are easier to manage and optimize, particularly if they're already delivering decent results.

For example, a small local business targeting a handful of location-specific keywords might be able to manage their campaigns effectively without specialized help. If your current setup is generating qualified leads at a reasonable cost, and you have a clear understanding of which campaigns are working and why, you may already have everything under control.

In that case, you should continue on your current path until your ad budget increases significantly or you no longer have time to manage your own campaigns, at which point you should revisit the idea of hiring an agency or specialist.

You Have Marketing Experience and Time to Learn

Google Ads has become increasingly user-friendly over the years, and there are lots of resources available to help you learn the platform. If you have at least some marketing experience and are willing to invest time in learning Google Ads, you can often manage campaigns effectively on your own.

This is especially true if you're using good tracking tools that provide clear insights into which campaigns are generating valuable leads. With a platform like WhatConverts, you can see exactly which keywords and campaigns are driving qualified leads, making it much easier to make informed optimization decisions even without specialized expertise.

Your Ad Spend Is Low

If you're spending less than $1,000 per month on Google Ads, hiring a specialist might not make financial sense. Many Google Ads professionals charge a percentage of ad spend (typically 10-20%) or a flat monthly fee that could consume a significant portion of your budget.

At lower spend levels, you might be better off investing in tools that help you track and optimize campaigns yourself. A good lead tracking platform can provide the insights you need to make smart decisions about your limited budget, ensuring every dollar works as hard as possible.

Read More: Agency Motivates PPC Budget Increase from $0 to $25k/mo [Case Study]

Signs You're in the "Middle Ground"

Many businesses fall into a middle category where they could either hire a specialist or manage campaigns themselves, depending on certain factors. Here's how to determine if you're in this situation.

Your Campaigns Are Moderately Complex

If you're targeting multiple services, locations, or customer segments with differentiated messaging, your campaigns have reached a moderate level of complexity. At this point, you could still manage them yourself, but you'll need to dedicate significant time to learning and implementing best practices.

With moderately complex campaigns, the right tools become increasingly important. Platforms that connect your lead data with your Google Ads campaigns can help bridge the expertise gap by showing you exactly which aspects of your campaigns are driving valuable leads. This level of insight makes it much easier to optimize even without specialized knowledge.

You Have Limited Time But Decent Marketing Knowledge

Many business owners understand marketing fundamentals but struggle to find time for hands-on campaign management. In this scenario, you have options:

You could hire a part-time specialist to handle the day-to-day operations while you maintain strategic oversight. Alternatively, you could leverage automation and smart tools to reduce the time commitment while keeping campaigns in-house.

For example, using lead tracking software with Google Ads integration allows you to automatically send qualified lead data back to Google's algorithm. This helps train Google's automated bidding to target higher-value prospects without requiring constant manual adjustments.

Your Budget Is Growing But Not Enterprise-Level

With monthly ad spends between $1,000 and $5,000, you're investing enough to make optimization worthwhile but perhaps not enough to justify a full-time specialist. At this level, the decision often comes down to opportunity cost—is your time better spent elsewhere in the business?

It may make the most sense to hire an outside consultant or an agency that provides PPC management services at scale, and therefore typically at a lower price than the cost of a full-time employee. If you do decide to bring on a full-time specialist at this level, investing in good tracking and attribution tools is essential to make sure that your PPC outcomes are worth the investment.

When You Definitely Need a Google Ads Specialist

In certain situations, hiring a Google Ads specialist becomes less of a choice and more of a necessity for maintaining competitive advantage and maximizing ROI. You can do this either by hiring a dedicated PPC agency or by adding a Google Ads expert to your in-house payroll.

Here are clear indicators that it's time to bring in professional help.

Your Ad Spend Is Substantial

When your monthly ad spend exceeds $5,000-$10,000, the stakes become much higher. At this level, even small inefficiencies can result in thousands of dollars in wasted spend, while proper optimization can yield significant returns.

Professional Google Ads specialists have the expertise to ensure every dollar of your substantial budget is working effectively. They can implement advanced strategies like:

• Detailed audience segmentation for more targeted messaging
• Sophisticated bid strategies based on lead value, not just conversion volume
• Complex testing frameworks to continuously improve performance
• Attribution modeling to understand the full customer journey

These advanced approaches become increasingly valuable as your budget grows, making specialist expertise a worthwhile investment rather than an added expense.

Read More: Advanced Reporting Helps Agency Earn $1M MRR for Client [Case Study]

Your Industry Is Highly Competitive

In industries with high competition and costly keywords—like legal services, insurance, or certain B2B sectors—amateur campaign management simply won't cut it. When you're paying $50+ per click, you need campaigns built and optimized by someone who deeply understands the platform.

Google Ads specialists who work in competitive industries bring experience with advanced optimization techniques as well as ad copywriting abilities that can generate clicks in crowded spaces. Their expertise becomes particularly valuable when combined with robust lead tracking that shows not just which clicks you're getting, but which ones are turning into valuable opportunities.

You're Experiencing Diminishing Returns

If your campaigns were once performing well but have plateaued or declined, it's a strong signal that you need expert intervention. This often happens when:

• You've picked the "low-hanging fruit" and need more sophisticated approaches
• The competitive landscape has changed, requiring new strategies
• Your campaigns haven't kept pace with Google's evolving features and algorithms
• Your business has grown more complex, but your campaign structure hasn't adapted

A Google Ads specialist can revitalize stagnant campaigns, finding new opportunities that might not be obvious to someone with less specialized expertise.

Making Your Decision: The Next Steps

Now that you understand the factors that should influence your decision, here's how to move forward:

If You're Keeping Google Ads In-House

If you've decided to manage Google Ads yourself, invest in the tools and knowledge that will help you succeed:

1. Implement robust lead tracking that connects marketing data with lead quality
2. Take time to learn Google Ads fundamentals through courses and resources
3. Start with simple campaign structures and gradually increase complexity
4. Focus on testing and measuring the impact of changes
5. Set aside dedicated time each week for campaign management and analysis

Remember that successful in-house management requires commitment. Campaigns that receive sporadic attention rarely perform as well as those with consistent oversight and optimization.

If You're Hiring a Google Ads Specialist

If you've determined that professional help is the right choice, approach the hiring process strategically:

1. Look for specialists with experience in your specific industry
2. Ask for case studies or examples of results they've achieved for similar businesses
3. Ensure they have a clear process for reporting and accountability
4. Discuss how they measure success beyond basic metrics
5. Clarify how they'll collaborate with your team and integrate with your existing systems

The right specialist should be willing to explain their approach and demonstrate how they'll measure success in terms of business outcomes, not just ad metrics.

If You're Still Unsure

If you're still on the fence, consider starting with a hybrid approach:

1. Implement better tracking and measurement tools to get clearer insights into your current performance
2. Consider working with a consultant on a project basis to audit your accounts and suggest improvements
3. Test professional management for a specific segment of your campaigns while keeping others in-house
4. Set clear performance goals and evaluate results after 3-6 months

This gradual approach allows you to experience the potential benefits of professional management without completely relinquishing control.

Making the Right Choice: Balancing Expertise, Budget, and Business Goals

The decision to hire a Google Ads specialist isn't one-size-fits-all. It depends on your budget, campaign complexity, competitive landscape, and internal resources. What matters most is ensuring that your Google Ads campaigns are driving qualified leads that convert into revenue—whether that's through in-house management or specialized expertise.

Regardless of which path you choose, investing in proper lead tracking and qualification is essential. Without visibility into which campaigns are generating valuable leads, even the most experienced specialist will struggle to optimize effectively. By focusing on lead quality and value rather than just volume, you'll ensure that your Google Ads investment delivers true business impact, no matter who's at the helm.

Ready to get more from your Google Ads campaigns? Start a free 14-day trial of WhatConverts and see how proper lead tracking can enhance your marketing attribution and help you make better decisions about your Google Ads management.