The problem with most client-agency conversations
After nine years running a marketing agency, I've seen every type of client communication. The best relationships produce exceptional results. The worst turn into endless back-and-forth that helps nobody.
The difference often comes down to asking the right questions. When you know what to ask your Google Ads agency, you get better insights, clearer direction, and stronger performance. When you don't, you end up with surface-level updates that tell you nothing useful.
Most business owners default to asking about metrics they recognise rather than the insights that matter. This creates a cycle where agencies spend time explaining vanity metrics instead of focusing on optimisation.
Questions that actually improve your campaigns
What's driving our best conversions right now?
This question gets to the heart of performance. Your agency should identify specific keywords, audiences, or ad variations that generate your most valuable leads or sales.
Good agencies dig deeper than "search campaigns are working well." They'll tell you which exact search terms convert, what messaging resonates, and why certain audiences respond better than others.
When you understand what's working, you can double down on those elements and apply similar strategies elsewhere.
Where are we losing the most money?
Every account has inefficiencies. The best agencies actively hunt for wasted spend and eliminate it systematically.
Your agency should identify specific areas where budget gets consumed without generating results. This might be broad keywords that attract irrelevant traffic, poorly performing ad groups, or audiences that don't convert.
At Overtime, our AI agent continuously analyses spending patterns to identify and eliminate waste automatically. But with traditional agencies, you need to ask this question directly to ensure they're actively managing inefficiencies.
What assumptions are we testing this month?
Google Ads performance depends on constant testing. Successful agencies form hypotheses about what might improve results, then run structured tests to validate or disprove them.
Your agency should explain their current testing roadmap. They might be testing new ad copy angles, exploring different bidding strategies, or experimenting with audience targeting.
Agencies that can't answer this question probably aren't testing enough. They're likely making changes based on hunches rather than data.
How do our results compare to similar businesses?
Context matters enormously in paid advertising. A 3% conversion rate might be excellent in one industry and terrible in another.
Experienced agencies work across multiple industries and can provide realistic benchmarks. They should explain how your performance compares to similar businesses in your sector.
This helps you understand whether your results reflect strong performance or indicate room for improvement.
Questions that waste everyone's time
Daily performance updates
Google Ads data fluctuates constantly. Asking for daily updates creates noise without insight, especially for smaller accounts where daily sample sizes are too small to be meaningful.
Most agencies provide weekly or monthly reporting cycles that capture genuine trends rather than daily variations.
Why did spend increase yesterday?
Day-to-day spending variations are normal. Google's auction system adjusts constantly based on competition, search volume, and dozens of other factors.
Unless there's been a dramatic change or obvious error, daily spending fluctuations don't require explanation or action.
Can you guarantee specific results?
No legitimate agency guarantees specific conversion rates or cost-per-lead targets. Too many variables affect Google Ads performance, from market conditions to competitor activity.
Agencies can commit to best practices, consistent optimisation, and transparent reporting. But guaranteed outcomes aren't realistic in paid advertising.
Why aren't we number one for every keyword?
Top positions don't always deliver the best ROI. Sometimes lower positions generate more profitable traffic because they're less expensive and attract more qualified searchers.
Focus on conversion quality and cost-effectiveness rather than position rankings.
How to structure productive agency conversations
Set clear communication schedules
Establish regular check-ins rather than ad-hoc questions. Weekly or fortnightly calls work well for most businesses. This gives your agency time to gather meaningful insights between conversations.
Between scheduled calls, save questions unless they're urgent. This prevents the constant ping-pong of messages that disrupts workflow.
Focus on trends, not individual data points
Ask about patterns over time rather than specific daily metrics. "How has our cost-per-conversion changed over the last month?" generates more useful discussion than "Why was yesterday's CPC higher?"
Understand the 'why' behind recommendations
When your agency suggests changes, ask about their reasoning. Good agencies explain the logic behind their recommendations and the expected impact.
This helps you understand their strategic thinking and builds confidence in their approach.
Getting better results from your agency relationship
The strongest client-agency relationships combine clear communication with strategic focus. When you ask the right questions, you help your agency prioritise the work that matters most.
Remember that your agency's expertise is most valuable when applied to optimisation and strategy, not explaining daily fluctuations or defending guaranteed outcomes.
Effective Google Ads management requires this kind of strategic partnership. Whether you're working with an agency or considering alternatives like Overtime's AI agent, the focus should always be on systematic improvement rather than reactive management.
The questions you ask shape the service you receive. Ask better questions, get better results.