If your brand has reached the point that mere in-house PPC campaign strategies are no longer sufficient, then you probably understand the stress that comes with finding a professional solution. With so many agencies and entities out there promising this, that and the other, it can be difficult to filter through the noise and determine who is telling the truth. PPC firms can bring plenty of professional solutions to the table for brands who are growing in a variety of ways, but they’re not miracle workers. With so many options to consider, we’ve put together a list of three warning signs to look out for so that you can eliminate the less-than-serious contenders from consideration.

Guarantees and Promises of Success

PPC campaigns are tricky little things. Perhaps the best example of how PPC campaigns can perform is to look at the financial industry. Many top-notch firms have delivered phenomenal results during some periods, only to fall flat on their faces with other investments and at other times. No PPC agency can guarantee a set level of performance or success; there will always be risk involved. As such, notable PPC campaigns that are honest with brands will reference past performance and explain that their work generally produces success within a given set of parameters. Any promises or guarantees of success can be written off as hot air, and you’ll probably want to start pinging search engines for other potential agencies and firms.

Lack of Interest in Your Brand

Every good PPC agency will take into account small details and valuable tid-bits that relate to your brand’s existence. From understanding audience habits to learning more about your products, there is value in exploring what brands do and how they interact with audiences. A PPC firm that is not interested in a variety of metrics that relate to conversions, targeting and customer interactions is a firm that is likely trying to take your money and nothing else. In order to provide the best PPC services possible, firms must interact with brands and learn more about the day to day minutiae that compromises its operation. From this data, the PPC firm will be able to craft a more effective long-term campaign strategy.

Hidden Details

All PPC agencies and firms have proprietary tactics that they wish to keep secret from their competitors. This isn’t a bad thing, but an overly-quiet firm may be a clear warning sign of lacklustre performance. Firms in general should be capable of outlining from the beginning some tentative strategies and methods for how they will turn your PPC efforts around. While in-depth study of the situation will be required before an exact series of strategies can be determined, any knowledgeable firm will have the ability to answer questions and proactively outline what strategies look ideal for the brand’s situation. Whether they intend to be pinging search engines and/or soliciting customers via social media, there should be some idea from their end on what will need to be done to get the most out of each campaign in the future.