How to Start a Pay-Per-Click Ad Agency

Recently, out of nowhere, my wife said, “We need to get haircuts.”

This threw me off guard because it was 7:00 pm on a Saturday.

“What would even be open this time of night?” I asked.

“No clue, but you need one badly haha,” She responded with a smile. She started frantically looking on Google Maps for local barbershops.

Despite this slightly hurtful comment, we found an in-home stylist who said we could arrive at 9:00 pm.

This woman intrigued me because she had her salon for over 20 years. 

“Impressive,” I thought as I entered her salon and saw an award from 2002. “I wonder how she's been able to stay open for so long.”

This topic naturally came up in our conversation while she was cutting my hair.

“Google Ads and word of mouth are the only way that I get new customers.” The Stylest said.

“Really? Why would you use that over your Facebook?” I inquired

“Because I only really pay when I book an appointment.” She replied, “I put in my monthly budget, and Google Ads does the rest.”

What Is Pay-Per-Click Advertising?

A pay-per-click (PPC) is an advertisement displayed on a webpage, search engine, or social media page, and the business that runs the campaign will only pay when a person clicks through to the ad's landing page.

Here are some of the different advertisement types to consider.

1. Search Ads: 

This Text ad appears at the top or bottom of Google search results when people type in specific keywords.

For example, if someone searches “plumber near me,” your plumbing service ad can appear.

These are good when increasing awareness somewhat more naturally for your company, because a potential consumer will search for a topic and come upon your website.

2. Display Ads

These are Image-based ads shown on websites within the Google Display Network (GDN), which includes millions of sites, apps, and videos.

These are ideal for Brand awareness campaigns or retargeting visitors who didn’t convert.

This could be A fitness coach's ad on a blog about healthy living.

3. Video Ads (YouTube Ads)

These are relatively self-explanatory. Ads that play before, during, or after YouTube videos.

These can be used for almost every company. And still be useful. These can be effective because it give validation to the product or service. 

Example: A 15-second ad promoting your digital templates plays before a productivity video.

4. Native Ads

Native Ads come when an advertisement is shown as if it were a post recommended to the individual.

These are ideal when wanting to raise awareness as it comes of more organic than other advertisements.

Example: A sponsored post advertising a clothing brand appears after scrolling on the main feed of Facebook

5. Shopping Ads

Product-based ads that show an image, price, store name, and reviews directly in Google Search results.

These are ideal for e-commerce businesses that sell physical products. These help companies that sell products because they give potential customers access to all the information that they would need to make a decision, practically streamlining the customer journey 

Example: If someone searches “custom journals,” your product ad shows a thumbnail with pricing and store info.

Why the Pay-Per-Click Model Works So Well 

The essence of marketing will always come down to one effort: putting the pitch in front of those interested in the product or service.

With traditional marketing, a company would put an ad on a TV channel, radio, or billboard and have virtually no control over who sees the advertisement.

However, with digital marketing, specifically PPC, the advertiser can choose what type of individuals see the ad.

The marketer can program Google to only show the advertisements to those who fit a specific demographic.

For example, if I am a bike shop in Edmonton, Alberta, for a display ad, I would specifically target the 18-45 age range and choose mothers with young kids. This demographic would mainly be interested in buying bikes for their kids.

This control over who gets shown your advertisements becomes one of the biggest strengths for digital marketing over traditional marketing. 

This model is also less risky than other models because a business will only pay when a consumer does a desired action. 

This is why many local businesses use Google Ads, because, like my hair stylist said, she only really pays when a customer calls her to set up an appointment.

How you can use Google Ads for your business 

Google advertisements can be very effective in driving traffic to your business when done correctly.

Before running any Ad campaign, you should always consider the following questions:

1. What do I want to get out of this ad campaign? (Awareness, purchases, increasing email list, etc…)

2. What solution am I offering through this ad? Have I expressed that effectively? 

3. Who would be the most Interested in this ad? (What demographics should I target)

4. How does this represent my brand?

These questions ensure and help offer direction to your campaign.

After answering these questions, choose the ad type that will display. (Search, display, video, etc…)

As a rule of thumb, the more you think through a customer's journey from start to finish through the advertisement, the more effective it will be.

As you run your ad, keep in mind the key indicators you will you use to determine the success of the campaign.

How to start a PPC Agency.

First, I would get a certification in Google Ads. Google Ads offers a free course! It is very helpful when learning to create advertisements and how to run Google Ads 

Afterward, I would approach small local businesses offering free advertising, and mention that I want to learn how to advertise. 

After getting enough business, you are running advertisements where you can’t find the time to do it all for free, offering a price, and many companies will agree to do it at a price.

I found a YouTube video helpful for starting a digital marketing agency.

Conclusion 

Starting a PPC ad agency is about connecting people with the solutions they seek. 

Whether it’s a seasoned hairstylist growing her clientele through Google Ads or a student offering their first ad services to a local shop, PPC creates real opportunities for growth and connection.

With the ability to target specific audiences and only pay when someone engages with your ad, PPC is one of the most cost-effective ways to market in today’s digital world.

 So, whether you're looking to grow your own business or help others do the same, now’s the perfect time to dive in, get certified, and start testing the waters. 

The demand is there! Sometimes even at 9:00 pm on a Saturday.

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