Understanding the Process of Working with a Paid Search Agency

Why clarify the process of working with a paid search agency?

Many founders and marketing leaders ask: what does the process of working with a paid search agency actually look like? Understanding the process of working with a paid search agency helps you set expectations around timelines, measurement, and profit-focused outcomes rather than vanity metrics. This guide focuses on US ad platforms (Google Ads, Microsoft Ads) and practical tracking considerations for Shopify and WooCommerce stores.

Typical engagement phases

• Discovery & audit: baseline metrics, account health, and data gaps.
• Strategy: bidding, audience, creative, and attribution approach.
• Build & tracking: campaign setup, creatives, and server-side tracking.
• Test & optimise: experiments across TOF → MOF → BOF funnels.
• Scale & report: budget allocation, reporting cadence, and attribution clarity.

How agencies align on goals and KPIs

A clear brief ties paid search activity to revenue outcomes: target CAC, acceptable CPA ranges, lifetime value (LTV) assumptions, and MER (marketing efficiency). Agencies that prioritise the process of working with a paid search agency will map each campaign to a funnel stage and a monetised KPI, not just clicks or impressions.

Conversion tracking diagram (high-level)

Below is a simple conversion tracking flow commonly reviewed during onboarding to highlight where attribution discrepancies occur.

Early onboarding checklist

• Grant-level access to ad accounts and analytics.
• Audit existing tracking: GA4, GTM, server endpoints.
• Confirm billing, conversion values, and LTV windows.
• Identify audiences and product feed readiness.

If you want to compare how paid search fits into a broader growth system, review the agency service mix on the services overview. For a summary of Prebo Digital’s approach to performance and attribution, see the about page, which explains our technical-first methodology.

Execution: strategy, build, and testing

Once discovery is complete, the process of working with a paid search agency moves into execution. Strategy documents define campaign structure (brand, non-brand, product-specific), bidding strategy, ad creative templates, and audience segmentation. Agencies should present a hypothesis for each test and a success metric tied to revenue.

Funnel breakdown: TOF → MOF → BOF

• TOF (Top of Funnel): awareness and interest-lookalike and prospecting with low CPA targets.
• MOF (Middle of Funnel): consideration-remarketing, product comparison, higher engagement KPIs.
• BOF (Bottom of Funnel): purchase-dynamic remarketing, coupon/checkout incentives, highest intent audiences.

Testing cadence and reporting

Expect a structured test plan: one variable per test, predetermined sample sizes, and a 2-6 week evaluation window depending on traffic. Reporting should include both platform metrics and server-side consolidated attribution so you can reconcile platform-reported conversions with your revenue ledger.

Common US compliance and tracking pitfalls

• Cookie consent mismatch: ensure consent tools don’t block necessary measurement scripts.
• CCPA/CPRA disclosures: provide opt-out for California residents where required.
• Payment data handling: server-side order events should not include sensitive payment details in analytics calls.

Technical partners often implement server-side tagging to reduce signal loss and improve attribution accuracy for US audiences. A consolidated data pipeline (GTM server container, GA4, and ad platform conversion imports) helps align reported ROAS with actual revenue.

Example timeline for a typical 90-day engagement

How to evaluate agency performance

Beyond platform ROAS, evaluate whether the agency improved attribution accuracy, reduced CAC relative to revenue, and created a repeatable testing framework. Look for transparent reporting and an ability to explain discrepancies between platform conversions and server-consolidated revenue.

If you’d like to compare process documents or see how paid search integrates with wider growth initiatives, visit the Prebo Digital homepage. When you’re ready to start an exploratory conversation about paid search processes for your store or SaaS, review the contact options on our contact page.

Practical tips from experience

• Insist on a shared measurement plan: what counts as a conversion and why.
• Prioritise server-side event reconciliation before scaling budget.
• Agree a reporting cadence and a single source of truth for revenue attribution.

Sources

• Google Ads: Conversion tracking guide
• Google Analytics Help: GA4 measurement
• California Department of Justice: CCPA overview