Requesting a Quote from a Paid Search Agency: What to Prepare and What to Expect

Why a structured quote matters

When you request a quote from a paid search agency, you’re not only buying media management - you’re buying a growth system. Well-structured proposals translate into predictable CAC, clearer attribution, and faster path-to-profitability. Agencies should show a plan across strategy, build, test, scale, and reporting, with measurable milestones tied to revenue, not just clicks.

What agencies need from you

• Monthly ad spend ranges (current and target) and primary platforms (Google, Microsoft, Meta, TikTok).
• Key business metrics: average order value (AOV), gross margin %, LTV estimates, current CAC, and target MER or ROAS.
• Existing tracking setup: GA4 property, Google Tag Manager, server-side tagging, and CRM or ecommerce platform (Shopify, WooCommerce).
• Access level expectations and existing creative assets or testing cadence.

Provide concrete, US-centred numbers where possible: examples like "$30,000 monthly ad spend, AOV $95, gross margin 45%" let agencies produce realistic forecasts rather than vague ranges. If you prefer a quick intake, agencies often use a discovery form or request a short audit first.

Initial documents to include with your quote request

• Access or screenshots of current account performance (last 90 days by channel).
• Recent conversion data from GA4 and server-side endpoints where available.
• Creative examples, landing pages, and any existing audience/CRM segments.

If you need a model to benchmark proposals against, a short discovery audit (paid or complimentary) helps. For more on how integrated services and technical tracking come together, see our services overview and our approach on the homepage.

How agencies typically price paid search engagements

Common models you’ll see in the US market include:

These figures are estimates for US-based advertisers and will vary by agency experience, vertical complexity, and included services (e.g., server-side tagging, creative production, or data engineering).

What a high-quality proposal includes

A strong paid search quote breaks down deliverables into Strategy → Build → Test → Scale → Report. Expect line items for account structure, tracking and attribution setup (GA4 + server-side), creative testing cadence, and dashboards that map to revenue metrics like MER and CAC.

Example funnel and attribution expectations

A proposal should show how the agency will measure conversions across the funnel: TOF (awareness and broad prospecting), MOF (retargeting and engagement), BOF (purchase intent and direct response). They should specify attribution windows and how server-side tracking will reconcile platform conversions with backend order data to reduce over/under-attribution.

Questions to vet an agency during the quote process

• How will you measure incremental revenue and align with our LTV/CAC goals?
• What does your reporting cadence look like, and which KPIs link to profitability?
• What are required permissions, expected timelines, and handover documents?
• Can you provide a sample roadmap for the first 90 days?

How to compare apples-to-apples between proposals

Normalize proposals by aligning on: included platforms, deliverables (tracking, creative testing, audience builds), success metrics (revenue, CAC, MER), and reporting frequency. A side-by-side comparison table helps; ensure all proposals use the same attribution assumptions for fairer forecasts.

If you want an example of Prebo Digital’s structured growth process and how we combine analytics, CRO, and paid media, learn about our team and approach on the About page. When you’re ready to move from quotes to action, many clients start by requesting a scoped audit or schedule a call via our contact page.

Deliverables and timelines (sample)

Next steps

When you submit a quote request, include the items listed earlier and ask for a sample 90-day roadmap. Compare proposals on profit impact, not just percentage lifts. If you’d like a framework to evaluate incoming quotes, consider requesting a scoped growth audit or booking a strategy call with agencies that prioritise clean attribution and revenue-driven testing.

Sources

• Google Ads Help - Best practices for account structure
• Google Analytics 4 - Measurement and conversion tracking
• Shopify Help - Tracking and storefront considerations