5 Signs Your Google Ads Agency Isn't Performing Well

You've hired a Google Ads agency to manage your online advertising. You're paying monthly management fees and ad budget. But how do you know if your agency is actually delivering good work? For many business owners, Google Ads is a black box. They trust their agency but have no idea whether they're truly getting the maximum out of their budget.

In this article, we share five honest warning signs that indicate your agency isn't performing optimally. Not to badmouth agencies (there are many good ones) but to help you as a business owner ask the right questions.

Sign 1: You're Not Receiving Regular, Understandable Reports

The most obvious sign: your agency rarely or never reports. Or worse, you receive a monthly PDF full of graphs and jargon you don't understand, without concrete conclusions or recommendations.

What you should expect

• Monthly reporting with clear KPIs linked to your business goals
• Explanations in plain language, not hidden behind industry jargon
• Concrete action points explaining what the agency will do next month to improve results
• Cost transparency so you know exactly how much is spent on ads vs. management fees
• Proactive communication where your agency doesn't wait until you ask how things are going

Red flag

If your agency only reports when you ask for it, or if after reading the report you still don't know whether your campaigns are profitable, that's a problem.

Sign 2: You Don't Have Access to Your Own Account

This is one of the most serious red flags in the industry. Some agencies manage your campaigns in their own Google Ads account instead of an account in your name. This means:

• If you want to leave, you lose all your campaign data and history
• You can't independently verify what's happening
• The agency has full control, and you're dependent

What you should expect

• Your Google Ads account is in your name (your own Gmail or Google Workspace)
• The agency has admin access via a manager account (MCC), but you are the owner
• You can always log in and look along, even if you don't understand everything
• When you leave, you keep everything: campaign structure, history, conversion data, and audiences

What you can do now

Log in to ads.google.com with the email address that should be linked to your account. Can you see your campaigns? If not, request access immediately. A good agency will grant it without hesitation.

Sign 3: No Conversion Tracking Has Been Set Up

Your agency reports on clicks, impressions, and CTR (click-through rate). But when you ask how many leads or sales the campaigns are generating, things get vague. That's probably because proper conversion tracking hasn't been set up.

Without conversion tracking, managing Google Ads is like driving a car with your eyes closed. You don't know what's working, you can't optimize, and you're guaranteed to waste budget.

What you should expect

• All important conversions are being tracked: form submissions, phone calls, purchases, quote requests
• Enhanced conversions are set up for more accurate attribution
• Conversion values are assigned so you can calculate ROAS
• Google Analytics 4 is linked to Google Ads for more comprehensive insights
• Regular checks ensure tracking is working correctly, since tracking can break after website updates

How to check

Go to your Google Ads account → Tools → Conversions. Are there conversion actions listed here? Are recent conversions coming in? If the answer is no, you have a serious problem.

Sign 4: Your Agency Isn't Proactive

A good agency doesn't sit back and wait. They actively monitor your campaigns, respond to trends, and come up with ideas to improve. A bad agency sets up campaigns, hits "play," and doesn't look at them again until you call with complaints.

Signs of a reactive agency

• You only hear from them when it's invoice time
• They never suggest new campaigns, audiences, or strategies
• When performance drops, they wait until you notice
• They don't test new ad copy, landing pages, or bidding strategies
• Seasonal influences aren't proactively addressed

What you should expect

• Active account management with weekly optimizations, not monthly
• Strategic suggestions like "We see opportunities in these search terms/markets"
• A/B testing of ad copy and landing pages
• Seasonal planning so you're prepared for busier periods
• Market insights about what the competition is doing and what's changing in your market
• Budget advice such as "With additional budget on this campaign, we can generate X% more revenue"

Sign 5: The Results Are Unclear or Confusing

Your agency sends reports with impressive numbers: "10,000 impressions this month!" or "Your CTR has risen to 4.2%!" But the question that really matters, are these campaigns generating more than they cost?, goes unanswered.

Vanity metrics vs. real results

Vanity metrics (look good but say little):

• Impressions
• Clicks
• CTR (click-through rate)
• Average position

Real results (what actually matters):

• Conversions: how many leads/sales
• Cost per Conversion: what does a lead/sale cost
• ROAS: how much revenue per euro invested
• Conversion rate: what percentage of visitors converts
• Incremental revenue: what does Google Ads bring in addition to organic traffic

What you should expect

A good agency links advertising results to your business goals. They don't talk about clicks, but about customers. Not about impressions, but about revenue. They know what a lead is worth for your business and optimize accordingly.

What You Can Do: A Checklist

Before making hasty decisions, it's a good idea to have a conversation with your agency. Use this checklist:

1. Ask for account access if you don't have it yet
2. Ask about conversion tracking: which conversions are being measured and how?
3. Ask for a clear report focused on conversions and ROAS, not just clicks
4. Ask about their optimization process: what do they do weekly/monthly on your account?
5. Ask about their strategy for the next 3 months
6. Ask for a second opinion and have your account reviewed by another specialist

A professional agency welcomes these questions. They're transparent about their methods and can substantiate their results. If your agency reacts defensively or gives evasive answers, that says enough.

What Makes an Agency Actually Good?

To be fair: not every agency that shows one of these signs is necessarily bad. Sometimes it's a matter of communication or capacity. But an agency that deserves your trust:

• Gives you full ownership of your account
• Reports proactively and understandably
• Treats proper conversion tracking as an absolute priority
• Thinks strategically along with your business goals
• Measures success in euros and customers, not clicks
• Is Google Partner certified, demonstrating competence and active management

Next Step

Doubt whether your current agency is getting the most out of your Google Ads? At Saerens Advertising, we offer a free, no-obligation account audit. We review your campaign structure, conversion tracking, search terms, and performance, and give you an honest assessment, regardless of whether you decide to work with us afterward.

Request your free audit and get clarity on the performance of your Google Ads campaigns.