When hiring a Google Ads agency, look for five things: proof of Google Partner status, experience in your industry, transparent pricing, full account ownership for you, and reporting tied to leads and revenue, not clicks. For a chiropractic practice, add two more: experience with healthcare ad policies and call tracking that shows which ads produce booked new patients.
This guide gives you a practical checklist, the questions to ask on a sales call, the red flags to avoid, and what to expect from Google Ads for chiropractors specifically.
What does a Google Ads agency actually do?
A Google Ads agency plans, builds, runs and improves your paid search campaigns so more of your ad budget turns into customers. The core work includes:
- Keyword research and campaign structure
- Writing ads and building landing page recommendations
- Setting up conversion tracking (calls, forms, bookings)
- Managing bids, budgets and negative keywords
- Regular reporting and testing
The ad spend itself goes to Google. The agency’s fee pays for the strategy and the ongoing management.
The 7-point checklist for hiring a Google Ads agency
1. Verified Google Partner status
A Google Partner badge means the agency meets Google’s requirements for certification and account performance. Ask for the agency’s Partner listing and check it yourself. PPC Expertz is a certified Google Partner agency, and any agency you consider should be able to show the same kind of proof.
2. Relevant industry experience
Ask for examples from businesses like yours. A local service business, an ecommerce store and a law firm all need different campaigns. Request case studies with real numbers, and check whether an agency publishes client results you can review.
3. Transparent pricing
You should know exactly what you pay and what it covers. Common models are:
| Pricing model | How it works | Watch out for | |—|—|—| | Flat monthly fee | Fixed price for management | Make sure the scope is written down | | Percentage of ad spend | Fee rises with your budget | Can reward spending more, not performing better | | Performance-based | Fee tied to leads or sales | Define what counts as a lead | | Setup fee + monthly fee | One-time build, then ongoing | Ask what the setup includes |
Always ask: is the ad spend separate from the fee, and are there any extra costs for reporting, landing pages or call tracking?
4. You own your account
Your Google Ads account, conversion data and history should belong to you. The agency should work inside your account or through a manager account that you can leave at any time. If an agency insists on running ads in its own account and won’t hand over data, that is a serious risk.
5. Clear contract terms
Ask about the minimum commitment, the notice period and what happens when you leave. Good agencies are comfortable explaining this in plain language. [Confirm PPC Expertz’s current contract terms before signing: placeholder]
6. Reporting that measures business results
Clicks and impressions are not outcomes. Ask to see a sample report. It should show:
- Cost per lead or cost per acquisition
- Conversions by campaign and keyword
- Call volume and call quality
- Lead-to-customer or revenue data where you can share it
A good agency also explains what changed and why, in plain English.
7. A real strategy for your goals
Ask what they would do in the first 30, 60 and 90 days. A credible answer covers tracking setup first, then search term cleanup, then testing ads and landing pages. Be wary of anyone promising specific rankings or results before seeing your account.
Questions to ask before you sign
Use these on a first call:
- Who will manage my account day to day, and how many accounts do they handle?
- How do you set up conversion tracking, including phone calls?
- How do you decide on my budget and expected cost per lead?
- How often will we talk, and what will reports include?
- What do you do when a campaign underperforms?
- Can I see an audit of my current account before I commit?
On that last point, an audit is a low-risk way to judge an agency’s thinking. PPC Expertz offers a free audit on its SEO services page; ask the team whether the same offer covers your Google Ads account.
Red flags when choosing a PPC agency
- Guaranteed results. Nobody controls Google’s auction.
- No access to your account. You should always see your own data.
- Vague reports. Only vanity metrics like impressions.
- One-size-fits-all packages. Campaigns copied from other clients.
- Pressure to sign quickly. Good agencies let you compare.
- No mention of tracking. Without tracking, optimisation is guesswork.
What to look for in Google Ads for chiropractors
A chiropractic practice is a local, high-intent, health-related business. That changes what a good agency does.
Local, high-intent keywords
Patients searching "chiropractor near me" or "back pain chiropractor [city]" are ready to book. A good agency builds campaigns around these terms, targets your actual service area and excludes irrelevant searches, such as people looking for chiropractic jobs or schools.
Call and booking tracking
Most chiropractic leads arrive by phone or online booking. Ask the agency how it tracks calls from ads, how it separates new-patient enquiries from existing patients, and whether it can connect that data to booked appointments.
Healthcare ad policy awareness
Google applies rules to health-related advertising, including limits on personalised ads based on sensitive health information. Rules change, so ask the agency how it keeps campaigns compliant and how it handles remarketing. Never share patient information with an agency or put it into ad platforms.
Landing pages that convert
Ads that send people to a generic homepage waste budget. Look for a dedicated page with your location, hours, a clear phone number, a booking button and trust signals such as reviews. If your site needs work, an agency that also offers web development can fix this alongside the ads.
Work out your numbers first
Before you hire anyone, know:
- The average value of a new patient over time
- How many enquiries become booked patients
- The maximum you can pay for a new patient and still profit
For example, if a new patient is worth [your average patient value] and you book [your booking rate] of enquiries, you can calculate a target cost per lead. An agency should help you do this math.
How to compare two or three agencies
Score each agency from 1 to 5 on these points:
- Google Partner proof
- Relevant examples
- Pricing clarity
- Account ownership
- Reporting quality
- Communication
- Quality of their audit or proposal
Choose the agency that explains its reasoning best, not the one with the lowest price or the boldest promise.
Don’t forget AI search
More people now ask ChatGPT, Gemini and Google’s AI Overviews to recommend local providers. Paid ads capture people ready to act today, while organic and AI visibility builds long-term trust. If you want both, look for a team that handles paid search alongside AI and LLM SEO optimization.
Next step
Gather your current Google Ads account details, your monthly budget and your new-patient numbers. Then ask two or three agencies, including PPC Expertz, for an audit and a 90-day plan. Compare them using the checklist above.
FAQs
What should I look for when hiring a Google Ads agency?
Look for verified Google Partner status, experience in your industry, transparent pricing, ownership of your own account, and reports based on leads or revenue. Ask for a sample report and a 90-day plan before you sign.
How do I know if a Google Ads agency is legitimate?
Check the agency’s Google Partner listing, ask for case studies with real numbers, and speak to the person who will manage your account. Be cautious if they guarantee results or won’t give you access to your account.
Do chiropractors need a special Google Ads agency?
Not necessarily, but they need one with local service and healthcare advertising experience. The agency should understand health ad policies, call tracking for new patients and location-based targeting.
How much does a Google Ads agency cost?
Fees depend on the pricing model: a flat monthly fee, a percentage of ad spend, performance-based pricing or a setup fee plus monthly fee. Your ad spend is paid to Google separately, so ask for a written quote of all costs. [Add PPC Expertz pricing here]
Should I ask for an audit before hiring a PPC agency?
Yes. An audit shows how an agency thinks and what problems it finds in your account or market. PPC Expertz offers a free audit with its SEO services; ask the team about a Google Ads audit for your account.