Freelance Google Ads Specialists vs. In-house Teams: Which Is Right for You?

Freelance Google Ads specialists or in-house teams are the two main options available to businesses that need help with their Google Ads campaigns.

There are pros and cons to both. So, you must evaluate which approach aligns best with your business goals and resources.

In this article, we’ll explore the key factors to consider when choosing between freelance Google Ads specialists and in-house teams for managing your Google Ads campaigns.

 

1. Expertise and experience

Freelance Google Ads specialists are industry experts with in-depth knowledge in the Google advertising platform. They’ll have many years’ experience working with small to medium-sized businesses working on diverse campaigns.

And because they specialise, they’ll have in-depth knowledge of Google Ads strategies, best practices, and the latest industry trends. And they’ll bring fresh insights and ideas to managing your campaigns.

The one disadvantage is that it can be a challenge to know if they are working with your competitors too, so it’s a good idea to check this.

Building an in-house team has the advantage of dedicated professionals who are solely focused on your ad campaigns. They’ll use their experience and expertise to work on your campaigns only and not a competitor and this will help them to continue developing their skills.

They’ll have a deep understanding of your brand, products or services and your target audiences. And you’ll have direct access to experts who can align their strategies and tactics to your goals and objectives.

The one disadvantage is that when they leave your business, they go with the expertise and experience that they have built up over the months and years.

 

2. Cost Considerations

Freelance Google Ads specialists typically charge on a project or contract basis. This allows you to have control over your budget and how much you spend in total. You can negotiate fees, and this is particularly beneficial if you have a very limited budget or are looking to scale gradually.

The average hourly rate for freelance Google Ads specialists is £56 per hour and that goes up to about £86 per hour with agencies.

The main benefit of hiring a Google Ad specialist is that you’ll almost always pay less than employing someone or a team in-house. But a disadvantage here is that there can be additional costs as you require more services like setting up many new campaigns.

With an in-house team there are very few cost advantages compared to a freelancer. That’s because you have to make a substantial financial investment from the beginning, and it can take months or years before you reap the benefits. And it’s not easy to terminate any employee, which can be very expensive.

While it offers long-term stability and accessibility, the initial costs and ongoing expenses can be much higher compared to hiring a Google Ads freelancer. You need to consider expenses such as salaries, benefits, training, software tools and more.

The disadvantages of building an in-house team can be many. In fact, the starting salary for a Google Ads specialist is £30,000 for a junior and can be over £50,000 for experienced specialists.

 

3. Scalability and flexibility

Freelance Google Ads specialists offer great scalability and flexibility. That means they can easily adapt to your campaign’s needs, performance results, budgets and more. And they can recommend insights due to their experience working with other clients.

However, one of the challenges of working with freelance Google Ads specialists is that when they are busy and take on more clients, this can affect the time they allocate to manage your campaigns. So, always check their availability.

With an in-house team of Google Ads specialists, you have a dedicated team that can be scaled up or down based on your business needs. So, you’ll have full control over the skills, processes and experience of your team and make quick decisions on how to use these resources.

However, it can prove challenging to reduce all costs because they are employed and will have to be paid a salary regardless of how the campaigns are performing. So, you need to consider this option carefully and have a solid plan in place in case you need to stop advertising.

 

4. Collaboration and communication

To collaborate and communicate with a freelance Google Ads specialist, you need to have a system in place to do this effectively. And you should discuss this at the beginning of the contract so you can both know what to expect during the relationship.

As an external Google Ads consultant, they require clear communication channels to understand your goals and objectives, so they can work effectively. And regular updates and communication ensure that transparency is maintained throughout the project.

The challenge with working with a freelancer is that communication can be slow at times. But make sure you agree on expectations beforehand and try to hire a Google Ads specialist that’s in the same time zone.

One of the benefits of having an in-house team or expert is that collaboration and communication delays are less of a problem. And that’s true even if they are working remotely because they are dedicated to working on your campaigns only.

This is a dedicated resource that can be scaled up or down based on your business needs. And you have full control of the skills, workload distribution, management processes and so on.

However, the challenge is that all this costs money. And it can be very expensive if campaigns consistently underperform but you still must pay salaries.

 

5. Access to advanced tools and resources

Both freelance Google Ads specialists and in-house teams have access to the leading industry tools and resources. These are usually third-party tools designed to help Google Ads specialists to run effective campaigns.

Some of these include keyword research tools, competitor research tools, PPC forecasting tools, reporting tools, analytics tools, and bidding tools. And some are free, and some are paid but they offer a lot of features for both PPC and SEO work.

Some in-house teams eventually build their own tools that are customised to their requirements. And they later make these available to the wider industry for a fee. Freelancers rarely create their own tools, but they have a wide range of tools available to them, to run effective campaigns in Google Ads.

 

Conclusion

To run effective campaigns in Google Ads you need expertise, a great strategy and continuous optimisation. And hiring a freelance Google Ads specialist or in-house team will help you to achieve your goals.

I hope this article has helped you to find the right solution between the two, for your business.

Contact me if you have any questions and if you would like to discuss a proposal or quote for your business.