Is DIY PPC Management Worth the Savings? Weighing Costs and Benefits

Do-It-Yourself (DIY) PPC management can be a cost-effective way to advertise in a platform like Google Ads. It could save you thousands each year and allow you to learn the platform as you work on your campaigns.

However, it has some challenges. Firstly, there is a learning curve and that can take months and even years to master and could cost a lot of money. Also, it can take up a lot of time which you could use to work on your business or do other important tasks.

So, you should think carefully about managing your campaigns in-house and not outsourcing.

In this article, I’ll share with you some benefits of DIY PPC management, its costs and other important facts to take into consideration.

 

Benefits of DIY PPC management

1. Cost savings

One of the benefits of DIY PPC management is that it saves you some money because you won’t hire a PPC specialist. This means you’ll have full control of the campaigns and will monitor and optimise them based on your knowledge and experience and not have to pay anyone to do so.

PPC management fees start from £300 per month + VAT. So, over a 12-month period, you’ll pay at least £3,600 + VAT. And this can be significantly more for larger accounts and can be over £1,500 per month. So, the benefit of DIY PPC management means you’ll not have to pay these fees, which can save you thousands of pounds each year.

Also, by eliminating PPC agency fees, you can allocate your budget entirely to ad spend. And this can be particularly beneficial if you are a start-up or small business with a limited marketing budget.

However, PPC advertising requires constant monitoring, optimisation, and analysis. And this will take up a lot of your time and could be detrimental to other areas of your business.

2. Direct control

Managing your PPC campaigns in-house means you have direct control over every aspect of your advertising in Google Ads. So, you make all the changes and decide what needs updating and optimising including putting limits on traffic volumes and spend.

This allows you to make real-time adjustments that take immediate effect, and also experiment with different strategies and closely monitor the performance of your ads.

Overall, it makes for quick decision-making, allowing you to adapt to changes in your industry and the market.

3. In-depth knowledge

A major benefit to doing PPC management is you gain a lot of knowledge in the process. This forces you to learn platforms like Google Ads and the various features and controls you’ll need to target your market segments.

And this knowledge is valuable in helping you understand your target audiences and what products or services they are interested in.

It also helps to improve your marketing strategies and you’ll be able to develop new ones that align with your PPC goals.

4. Get help from the Google team

If you decide to manage the campaigns yourself, you’re not totally left on your own.  Google has a team of PPC strategists who offer help when you create your account and throughout your advertising efforts.

You can reach out to them at any time but often they will contact you early to help you in any way.

Some of these strategists are highly experienced, however, they will change regularly and you won’t be working with the same person all the time.

Also, some of their advice will not align with your goals, especially when it comes to the budget amount you should be spending. And that’s particularly true when they are encouraging you to increase your spend when you don’t have the money to spend.

 

Costs of DIY PPC management

1. Time and expertise

DIY PPC management can be time consuming, especially if you lack expertise. Without the skills and expertise necessary to run effective campaigns, it will take you longer to manage your campaigns and to correct mistakes you’ve made.

Your campaigns require constant monitoring, optimisation, and analysis. So, you’ll need to learn the intricacies of your account and stay updated with the latest trends and strategies which will be a significant investment of your time.

2. Learning curve

The PPC learning curve can be expensive. That’s because by the time you fully master it, you may have spent and wasted a lot of money.

Because of its complexity, there’s a steep learning curve associated with it. You’ll need to understand keyword research, ad copywriting, bid management, landing page optimisation and more.

Without a solid understanding of these elements, your campaigns may underperform and waste your budget.

3. Missed opportunities

A big cost of DIY PPC management is the missed opportunities in your campaigns. This is true if you lack the experience to manage them or just don’t have enough time to monitor and optimise them.

Your campaigns will require continuous analysis and optimisation. And if you don’t have the tools, skills, and experience to identify opportunities for improvement and capitalise on them, this will result in missed opportunities.

 

Costs to hire a PPC management expert

If you decide to hire a PPC management expert instead, then it would be a good idea to know what you’re likely to pay. The fees vary and depend on a number of factors, but as mentioned earlier, this usually starts from £300 + VAT per month.

And the amount will depend on the PPC pricing model which could be based on your ad spend, a flat fee, performance-based and so on.

What’s important is to know what you get for the PPC management fee that you’re charged.

 

Finding a balance

Considering the costs and benefits, it becomes evident that DIY PPC management may not be suitable for every business. It requires a significant investment of time and effort to gain the necessary expertise, and even then, there are risks of missed opportunities or suboptimal performance. However, for businesses with limited budgets or those seeking direct control over their campaigns, DIY PPC management can be a viable option.

To strike a balance, consider a hybrid approach. You can seek assistance from PPC professionals or agencies to set up your initial campaigns and provide guidance on strategy. Once you have a solid foundation, you can take over the day-to-day management while relying on periodic consultations or audits to ensure you’re on the right track.

 

Conclusion

To decide if DIY management is the right solution for your business, it’s important to start with your resources, goals, and expertise. With a limited budget, simple campaign goals and a little time on your hands, DIY PPC management may be a viable option. But if you lack the expertise and have some budget, then hiring a PPC expert could be the best investment you could make.

Find out how a PPC expert could help you set up and manage effective Google Ads campaigns. Contact me today to discuss.