- Who will own the accounts? Your ad accounts, Business Profile, domain, website and tracking should be in your business's name. If an agency won't agree to that, walk away.
- How is ad spend handled? Ask whether spend goes directly from your card to Google or Meta, or through the agency. Direct billing means you always see exactly what was spent.
- How will we know what's working? Ask which numbers they report, how calls are tracked, and whether you get your own login. Impressions and clicks aren't the same as customers.
- What exactly do I get each month? Get a list of the work included, not a vague package name.
- Who will work on my account? Find out who your contact is, how quickly they reply, and whether the work is done in-house or passed to someone else.
- What happens if I want to leave? Ask about notice periods, what you keep, and how the handover works.
- Do you guarantee results? Be cautious with anyone who guarantees rankings or a fixed number of leads. Nobody controls Google's results or your local competition.
- Have you worked in my industry? Industry experience helps, but the better question is whether they understand how your customers choose. Ask them to describe it.
- What would you fix first, and why? A good answer will be specific to your business after they've looked at your profile, reviews, site and ads.
- What do you need from me? Every good engagement needs some of your time: approvals, photos, access and feedback on lead quality. Ask how much they'll need.
Published October 2026 by A2B. Platform features change, so check Google's own help pages for the latest rules.