In digital marketing, Google Ads are one of the most reliable ways to get the word out about your brand across many audiences—especially audiences actively searching for your business and products. But Google Ads can sometimes be complicated, so I recommend leaving them to the experts if you’re unfamiliar with them. And if you don’t know where to start, I’ve rounded up the seven best Google Ads agencies for small businesses below.
- Straight North: Overall best Google Ads marketing agency for small businesses
- WebFX: Best Google AdWords marketing agency
- Fiverr Pro: Best for a la carte Google Ads services
- LYFE Marketing: Best for Google Shopping Ads
- SEO Discovery: Best for industry-specific Google Ads
- Thrive Agency: Best for driving conversion rates
- SmartSites: Best for optimizing existing Google Ads campaigns
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Best Google Ads Agencies at a Glance
Starting Management Cost | Google Ads Covered | Offers Individual Services | Our Rating out of 5 | |
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$1,000/month of 15% of your marketing budget | Search, Display & Shopping Ads | X | 4.94 | |
Search, Display, Shopping & Local Services Ads | X | 4.87 | ||
Depends on freelancer; from around $100/project | Search, Display, Shopping & Local Services Ads | ✓ | 4.69 | |
Custom; approx. less than $10,000/project | Search & Shopping Ads | X | 4.65 | |
Custom; approx. less than $10,000/project | Search, Display, Shopping & Local Services Ads | X | 4.46 | |
Custom; approx. more than $10,000/project | Search, Display & Shopping Ads | X | 3.80 | |
Custom; approx. less than $10,000/project | Search, Display, Shopping & Local Services Ads | X | 3.62 | |
Straight North: Overall Best Google Ads Marketing Agency
We’ve evaluated many digital marketing agencies before, and Straight North has always been one of the most reliable for a number of reasons. Most of all, Straight North takes a comprehensive, top-to-bottom approach to all its marketing services, meaning the team will handle everything about your campaign, from planning your ad strategy to reporting its results. That also holds true for its Google Ads campaigns.
Straight North also has a lot of experience doing digital marketing for small businesses, using both paid and organic strategies, so it has the experience to back it up. Altogether, I recommend Straight North as a good option if you’re completely new to Google Ads and want an agency that can handle everything for you for a completely hands-off approach on your end.
Another thing I like about Straight North is that while it takes a comprehensive approach to marketing, it also lets you avail services for Google Ads as a whole, or just Search, Shopping, or Display Ads independently. This is especially helpful if you only need help in one of those areas, for example, if your strategy focuses specifically on ranking on Google. Straight North can help you either way.
Straight North Case Study Results
- AmCraft Manufacturing: 168% increase in leads from pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns
- Celerant: 21% increase in organic leads and 170% increase in paid leads from PPC and SEO campaigns
- GoShip: 113% increase in yearly revenue from Google Search Ads
Our Expert Opinion
There aren’t many Google Ads agencies that offer the same services as Straight North and with the same transparent pricing. But what particularly ranks it high on our list is its digital marketing expertise and its experience with small businesses. It has a lengthy roster of success stories, with many former clients reporting over 100% increases in leads and significant decreases in costs. It’s overall one of the most experienced and credible digital marketing agencies.
WebFX: Best Google AdWords Marketing Agency
When it comes to Google Ads, Straight North and WebFX are often neck-and-neck. They’re two of the most experienced digital marketing agencies with the most comprehensive Google Ads services. But while Straight North has the upper hand in small business experience, we give WebFX the edge when it comes specifically to Google AdWords, aka Google Search Ads.
This is primarily because WebFX has one of the most comprehensive processes for setting up your Google Search Ads, from finding the right keywords to targeting the right audience and analyzing your industry. It’ll also track your campaign performance later on. WebFX has a lot of experience with digital advertising—it’s been around since 1995, making it around the same age as Google, so it’s a leader in all things Google-related.
Like Straight North, WebFX also has tiered plans for the level of Google Ads you need. The Lite plan includes Google Search and Display Ads, and the Pro plan includes those two, along with Google Local Services and Shopping Ads. It’s worth mentioning that Straight North doesn’t provide Google Local Services Ads, so in that regard, WebFX has the upper hand.
But where WebFX really shines above all is in Search Ads, as, aside from the aforementioned services, the team will also target anywhere between 2,000 and 10,000 keywords for your ad depending on your plan. Then, once your Google Ads campaign is set up, the WebFX team will continue adjusting your ad keywords to make them even more effective, which is essential for your online brand presence.
WebFX Case Studies
- Furbo: 76% increase in return on ad spend (ROAS) and 348% increase in conversion volume from Google Shopping Ads
- MarketView Liquor: 95% revenue increase and 67% ROAS increase from Google Shopping Ads, social media ads, and SEO
- Maryland Sunrooms: 670% increase in ad conversions and 327% increase in website sessions from ads, SEO, and content marketing
Our Expert Opinion
If you aren’t a complete beginner to Google Ads and want to be more involved in your campaigns, WebFX has long been one of the most reliable agencies. This is especially true if you want your ads placed on top of search engine results—WebFX is the best Google Ads agency (and the most experienced) to help you get there.
Fiverr Pro: Best for a la Carte Google Ads Services
While it technically isn’t a Google Ads PPC agency, we still recommend Fiverr Pro as a low-cost alternative for small businesses, especially if you only need specific services, say ad retargeting or keyword optimization, and not a full-service agency. If you’re unfamiliar with Fiverr Pro, it’s an online freelancer hiring platform with hundreds of qualified professionals offering individual services for hire.
Particularly, Fiverr Pro is the more advanced version of Fiverr that exclusively has freelancers rated 4.7 and above, so you can guarantee that they’re the best of the best, and you can look specifically for freelancers with skills for your specific needs. Because they’re freelancers, costs are also much lower than those of a full-scale agency (most range between approximately $100 and $500 per service).
But Fiverr Pro’s flexibility can also be its drawback, as you’ll need to take the time and effort to look for the best freelancer for your needs, evaluate their work, and set up your meetings. You’ll also need to manage them by yourself. Therefore, I don’t always recommend Fiverr Pro if you’re new to Google Ads and don’t know exactly what you need. With Fiverr Pro, you’ll need a clear idea of the services and outcomes, and you need to communicate them clearly with freelancers.
Fiverr Pro Case Studies
Case studies on Fiverr Pro vary with each freelancer. Here are a select few:
- Honolulu Fish Company: 1,200% increase in return on ad spend (ROAS) from Google Ads
- Tesco E-Bikes: $500,000 in recorded conversions across Google and Facebook Ads
Our Expert Opinion
If you only need an individual Google Ads service, prefer more control over your campaign, and don’t want the hassle and cost of hiring a full-scale agency, Fiverr Pro is where the best marketing freelancers are. Just be sure to find the right professionals for your needs and to communicate your project details and desired outcomes clearly.
Most Fiverr Pro freelancers also showcase their past work, so you can have a look at their previous experiences before reaching out to them.
LYFE Marketing: Best for Google Shopping Ads
Small business advertising in today’s digital landscape isn’t just about getting the word out about your business. Digital ads can also lead people to your online store and even drive conversions, primarily through Google Shopping Ads. These ads specifically target end-of-funnel customers, aka customers at the very end of the sales funnel, and are one step away from making a purchase.
Google Shopping Ads also take specific expertise to set up, so if you’d rather hand them off to experts, one of the best Google advertising agencies specializing in them is LYFE Marketing.
If you own an ecommerce business, Google Shopping Ads are a must-have to get online audiences clicking on and buying your products. Unfortunately, LYFE Marketing doesn’t publish its Google Shopping Ads services pricing on its website.
However, its social media services start at $600 a month, and it has extensive experience working with small businesses, so you can expect its price range to be in the same ballpark.
For more accurate pricing, contact the team for a quote and a custom proposal.
LYFE Marketing Case Studies
- Indique Hair: Revenue increase of over $189,000 over 12 months from Google Shopping Ads
- DermaJEM: 300% increase in site traffic and 200% increase in sales from PPC ads
Our Expert Opinion
LYFE Marketing may be better known for its social media marketing services, but it also offers full-scale management for Google Shopping Ads, which includes everything from creating your account to setting up your ads to tracking your campaign results. In short, it takes care of everything for you, so if you’re new to Google Shopping Ads, LYFE Marketing can be a good option. The team will also keep you in the loop with regular meetings and updates.
SEO Discovery: Best for Industry-specific Google Ads
One of the best things about Google Ads is that they can be targeted to reach a specific audience, for example, people in a specific industry. And for that particular use case, the best Google Ads management agency is SEO Discovery.
Like the other agencies on this list, SEO Discovery offers top-to-bottom Google Ads services (as well as other digital marketing services). What makes it different is that it targets your ads to specific industries, like healthcare, finance, or real estate. This is why I also recommend it for B2B businesses, as you can target your ads to reach people in your particular industry.
Conversely, however, SEO Discovery only covers finance, education, healthcare, ecommerce, lifestyle, and real estate, so if your business is outside of those, it won’t be much help.
However, SEO Discovery services the entire Google Ads network, including Search, Display, Shopping, and Local Services Ads, and it makes a full-service approach. From our experience, SEO Discovery also has some of the best customer service—the team will work with you one-on-one with thorough reports on your campaigns, and they’re generally easy to communicate with.
SEO Discovery Case Studies
- Rolla Academy: 923 new conversions and over 60% decrease in cost per conversion (CPC) from Google Search Ads
- NI Climbing Frames: 3,002 new conversions and a more than 60% decrease in CPC from Google Search Ads
Our Expert Opinion
SEO Discovery has been one of our top-recommended digital marketing agencies for a while now, and it doesn’t let down on its Google Ads services. Its main expertise may be in SEO, but the team is well-versed in all things Google and has a long positive track record with other small business clients.
The biggest drawback is it doesn’t offer individual services for your Google Ads like Straight North or Fiverr Pro, but it stands out for offering industry-specific services. So, if your goal is to get noticed by people in a specific industry, SEO Discovery has the expertise and services to get you there.
Thrive Agency: Best for Driving Conversion Rates
All of the agencies above can help you set up a stable Google Ads campaign. But if you’re looking specifically to drive conversions, whether to capture leads or drive more sales from your Google ads, Thrive is a good Google Ad marketing agency to look into.
While Thrive also offers full-service campaigns, it focuses specifically on driving conversions. For example, it also offers landing page design, ad retargeting, and even a Google Ad testing environment—all of which are essential for driving conversions (and aren’t offered by most other Google Ads agencies).
Thrive’s process also includes conversion tracking to identify your ads’ most effective audiences and ROI analysis to fine-tune your ad’s keywords and landing pages and make them more effective. In short, it does everything possible to make sure your Google Ads get your budget’s worth—not just in reaching new audiences, but in getting them to take action.
Unfortunately, Thrive doesn’t offer Local Services Ads, which is a considerable drawback if you have a physical store and want to capture buyers from your local area. It’s Thrive’s biggest drawback by far as a Google Ads marketing agency. But it still offers Search, Display, and Shopping Ads, which can still get you discovered online.
Thrive Agency Case Studies
- Hunter Vision: 1,400% increase in conversions and 64.75% decrease in cost per click from PPC ads
- Max Mechanical HVAC: 763% increase in qualified leads and 19.70% increase in page views from PPC ads and SEO
Our Expert Opinion
There aren’t many other agencies with the same laser focus on driving conversions as Thrive Agency. And while the lack of Local Services ads is a drawback, it’s still a worthy option if you want to capture an online audience and get them to follow your call to action, for example, to generate signups for an upcoming event or to promote sales for your ecommerce business.
According to former clients, projects can cost upwards of $10,000, which is higher than average compared with the other agencies on this list, but if you want to set up Google Ads that convert customers, Thrive Agency is a good bet.
SmartSites: Best for Optimizing Existing Google Ads Campaigns
All Google Ads agencies can help you set up a campaign from scratch. But if you already have a campaign and just need to refresh it with expert help, the best ad agency to help you is SmartSites. SmartSites has services specifically for improving existing Google Ads campaigns, which involve a full audit of your campaigns, developing a strategy, and fully managing your Google Ads.
It’s a good option if you want to hand off your Google Ads to experts instead of managing them yourself. I also recommend it if you don’t want to go through the entire trial-and-error process of testing your Google Ads and finding the right formula. SmartSites’s experts can do all that for you. And you can trust the team, too—they have a track record of working dozens of businesses, big and small, and a few accolades to boot.
The primary drawback with SmartSites as an agency is its lack of transparency. Unless you reach out to the team, you won’t know their exact services, only that they’ll handle everything for you. However, to its credit, SmartSites has one of the most extensive case study rosters, and it’s one of the highest-rated agencies on review sites.
Finally, SmartSites also offers a free PPC analysis with no commitment. This means the team can run a full audit of your existing Google Ads campaign at no cost and formulate an action plan, and you can decide if their strategies fit your needs and goals.
SmartSites Case Studies
- Allied Glass and Mirror: 300% increase in conversions and a 16% decrease in CPC from PPC ads
- Boardroom Socks: 43% increase in conversions and 257% increase in monthly sales from ecommerce and PPC ads
Our Expert Opinion
SmartSites is one of the most well-reviewed digital marketing agencies, so you can rest assured that you’ll get quality services from seasoned experts. While it isn’t very transparent with its services or pricing, you’ll only need to contact the team for a free audit of your existing Google Ads and an action plan of the services they’ll do before committing full-time.
How We Evaluated the Best Google Ads Agencies
There are many digital marketing agencies on the market, and we’ve looked into a good many. However, for this guide, we looked specifically for agencies offering Google Ads services, and even more specifically, agencies with a good track record of them. We evaluated these agencies based on their cost, services, support, and our expert experience to inform our scoring. Find out more about our criteria below.
25% of Overall Score
All agencies cost money, but they shouldn’t have to make a sizable dent in your marketing budget. Aside from affordability, our pricing is also evaluated based on whether each agency has clear and transparent pricing plans, month-to-month contracts, a free trial or consultation, and an additional setup fee.
30% of Overall Score
Above all, the agencies above should have comprehensive Google Ads services, including full-scale campaign management (bonus points if they also offer individual services). Agencies with services for the entire Google Ads network (Google Search, Display, Shopping, and Local Services Ads), were also graded higher.
20% of Overall Score
Aside from the Google Ads basics, we also give extra credit to agencies that go the extra mile and provide services that improve your ad campaign. These services include bidding management for your ads, ad copywriting and design, competitor analysis, ad retargeting, and conversion rate optimization.
15% of Overall Score
A hallmark of any good marketing agency is good customer support, especially with Google Ads, which can be complicated for the uninitiated. We wanted agencies with adequate customer service hours and support sources, and graded them accordingly.
10% of Overall Score
We also take into account our personal experience and research on each agency and how they stack up against other agencies based on their features, value for money, and how easy they are to work with. We also looked at each agency’s reviews from former clients on review sites like Clutch.co and G2.com to round out our expert score.
5 Reasons to Hire a Google Ads Agency
Above all, hiring a Google Ads agency for small businesses can get you the expert help you need to place your ads on the biggest search engine in the world. But aside from that, Google Ads are also effective at bringing your ads specifically to the people that matter to your business. Here are five reasons to partner with an agency and get your Google Ads up and running:
- Google has a 90% search engine market share as of September 2024. This means that of the entire online population that uses a search engine, 90% use Google. While this guarantees a lot of views, it doesn’t always mean the right views from the right audience. An experienced agency can also help you cut through the noise and get your ads in front of the right people that matter.
- Over 64% of people with high purchase intent click on Google Ads when purchasing an item online. Google Ads effectively capture people at the very end of the sales funnel, and a good Google Ads agency can place your ads at exactly the right place and time to convert them.
- Google estimates that every $1 spent on Google Ads brings in $8 in return. But to get the most out of Google, you’ll need to create ads and landing pages that really capture your audience’s attention and, crucially, get them to follow your call to action. This is also known as conversion rate optimization, which some agencies specialize in to make your ads more effective.
- Google Search Ads have an average click-through rate (CTR) of 3.17%. However, this varies quite drastically by industry and changes every day according to the ad market. While you can set up your Google Ads by yourself, agencies have professionals who are experts in the dynamic ad industry and can navigate it for you.
- Google Search Ads can increase top-of-mind brand awareness by 80%, according to a landmark study. There’s no doubt that advertising on Google can get you the exposure your brand needs, but digital ads work differently from traditional ads and require specific expertise. Most Google advertising agencies also have Google accreditation, meaning they’re verified by Google itself.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The cost differs for each agency, but you can expect a price range within the ballpark of $1,000 to $10,000 a month for a full-service agency, plus your ad spend. Most agencies offer custom pricing depending on the services you need.
However, some agencies, like Straight North, offer a flat fee of a certain percentage of your overall budget. A less expensive option is to hire individual services from freelancers through platforms like Fiverr, where services can start at $100 per project.
To select the right Google Ads agency, first evaluate your specific needs. For instance, do you need to build a Google Ads campaign from scratch or just need a specific service, like conversion rate optimization? Then, evaluate your overall ad budget, both for your ads themselves and their management. Evaluate each agency’s former work on review sites like Clutch.co and set up a call with each agency before finalizing your decision.
A Google Ads agency is a marketing agency that offers services for setting up and managing Google Ads. Its services often include auditing your business’s marketing needs, doing keyword research for your ads, analyzing your industry and competition, and creating, setting up, and launching your ads. Some agencies also offer continuous monitoring and analysis of your ads’ performance, optimizing them to perform better.
Bottom Line
No two Google Ads agencies are the same, but the best ones can help you set up, launch, and optimize your ads to accurately reach your target audience even in Google’s massive user base. Because each agency specializes in a different service, evaluate your specific needs first. And, do your due diligence—research each agency’s past work and set up calls with each agency to ensure you choose the best one for your small business.