Look at the campaign structure first
Do not only ask about outcomes. Ask how campaigns are actually built. A specialist who clearly explains how search intent, ad groups and landing pages connect is usually thinking far beyond loose optimisations.
If an agency only talks about clicks, impressions or quick scaling without explaining how lead quality is protected, that is often a sign the foundation is still too shallow.
- How are keywords grouped?
- Is there a clear conversion tracking setup?
- How is waste reduced through exclusions and search term control?
Transparency is not a bonus, but a baseline
You want to know whether work is being done inside your account, how decisions are made and what priorities are on the table for the month ahead. That sounds obvious, but in practice many parties stay surprisingly vague.
Good collaboration happens when you do not have to guess what is going on. Transparency also keeps an account transferable and controllable over time.
Check whether strategy and execution actually connect
A specialist does not need to do everything, but they do need to understand how ads connect to the offer, landing pages and follow-up. Otherwise Google Ads stays too isolated as a channel.
Businesses that want growth usually benefit most from a partner who looks beyond bids and keywords alone.