Having crappy consulting calls with a PPC agency you've hired to help you think through your account performance isn't fun for anyone. At ZATO, we offer hourly PPC consulting services (we think it's the best Google Ads consulting out there, but hey, we're biased), and we have identified these three things as elements of the best calls we have: preparation, trust, and expertise. Let's dig into each.

Optimizing Your Google Ads PPC Consulting Calls: 3 Keys for Success

1. Come Prepared with an Agenda and Specific Questions

Being prepared is the foundation of a good consulting call. Having a clear agenda and specific questions ensures you cover all important topics efficiently. Since you are the one who is wanting to learn, the onus is on you to communicate what you are interested in learning from this particular call. Even if that is "teach me everything you know about Google Ads" at least you are communicating an initial agenda!

Example: Let’s say you run an online store and are gearing up for a consulting call. Your agenda might look like this:

• Spend time communicating your goals and overview of the account and your brand
• Ask for specific help on any specific issues you are troubleshooting
• Ask for insights into a specific area on the account

Specific questions could be:

• “Why did my Performance Max campaign suddenly drop in performance?"
• “What new keyword opportunities do you see for us?”
• “How should we adjust our budget for our upcoming holiday sale?”

Bonus points for outlining your goals and questions beforehand, by the way, as this can allow your consultant to prepare and make your time even more profitable.

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2. Trust The Google Ads Consultant You Chose to Hire

Trust is crucial in any consultant-client relationship. It is as simple as this: if you don't trust them, don't hire them. If you've hired a consultant, it’s important to trust their expertise and recommendations. This trust boosts their confidence and creates a more collaborative environment, and you'll be more likely to actually get "the good stuff". I find "the good stuff" is often the brainstorming idea that someone may not share if they do not believe it to be a safe space to share, since brainstorming ideas are not guaranteed solutions. Yet, these are the ideas that so often lead to the best outcomes.

Obviously, this means you should do a great job of vetting a potential consultant before hand. But importantly, it doesn't mean you shouldn't keep your eyes open for potential scheisters who somehow made it past your hiring process! But it does mean that having a primarily adversarial relationship doesn't actually lead to better insights for you.

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3. Make Sure the Agency Knows Their Stuff

This is tricky, and is why spending time digging into the consultant you bring on is crucial... though you may simply want to hire them for an hour to test it out and see if they're good. Any consultant worth their salt can give you some insights in that first hour, so if you walk away not feeling like you learned much or it was actually, practically helpful, than don't call them for a second hour. Well, unless you didn't give them the chance to talk and share their knowledge in that first hour, of course ;) 

But it goes without saying, the success of your consulting calls depends on the agency’s expertise in Google Ads. Working with true experts ensures you get solid, strategic advice that can tangibly improve your PPC performance.

How to Spot a Google Ads Expert:

These are just some examples of ways you can spot a Google Ads expert, but: 

• Experience: Look for consultants with a proven track record of managing successful campaigns across different industries. Years of hands-on experience often translate to better insights and strategies. Admittedly, everyone says they have experience, so I see this more as the floor than the ceiling... but you do need at least this (BTW, when you hire ZATO for hourly consulting, we put 2-3 senior level people on each consulting call, each with over a decade of PPC experience!).
• Referrals: While many agencies or consultants have testimonials and reviews, I find a good ole fashioned referral is still the best way to find someone good. If someone you trust (that's key!) says this person is solid, then it's definitely worth that first call!
• Thought Leadership: This can be a tricky one, since someone can be loud-mouthed and foolish, but overall those individuals who churn out solid content around Google Ads will likely be solid in consulting. I don't mean drivel of course, but if you have a favorite author or YouTube expert who consistently helps you find solutions in Google Ads, then they'll probably be able to help you on a consulting call as well. This isn't always true, but another benefit is that Thought leaders tend to stay on top of trends and innovations in the field.
• Customized Strategies Geared Around Questions: An expert won’t rely on a one-size-fits-all approach. They should offer tailored strategies that suit your specific business needs and goals. The best consultants ask a lot of great questions before making suggestions.
• They Sometimes Say I Don't Know: This is crucial, since nobody is all knowing. If you are on a call with a know-it-all who has the answer for every single thing without thinking... you should be suspicious. Even the best PPCers keep learning, so someone who acts like they know it all might lead you down the wrong path to prove their own ego. Beware!

Conclusion

A good consulting call with your Google Ads PPC agency boils down to being prepared, trusting your consultant, and working with true experts. By coming to each call with a clear agenda and specific questions, trusting their recommendations, and ensuring they’re (actually) good at Google Ads, you’ll turn routine check-ins into powerful sessions that can drive your PPC campaigns to new heights.

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