A couple weeks ago, Hanapin released our annual State of PPC report. The report covers the usuals of where marketers are spending their PPC budgets, how that compares to last year, what they are going to do with budget next year, the hottest trends, what’s been important, etc.
But this year, we added in something new. As you may (or may not) know, Hanapin Marketing (the producers of this blog and Hero Conf) is a PPC agency. And we work with big brands like The Weather Channel, Home Depot, American Eagle, NPR and Icelandair. We wanted a better pulse on what attributes brands consider the most important things when working with an agency, as well as the things they wish their agencies were better at.
So we asked! And here are the results….(drumroll please)
#1 Their level of expertise
#2 They grow my top line revenue.
#3 They are responsive to me and my needs.
#4 They are transparent.
#5 They proactively find and execute new opportunities.
I’m guessing none of these are a big surprise to you (and honestly, they shouldn’t be), but we still find ourselves having discussions with potential prospects about how their current agency won’t give them transparency (read: access) to their PPC accounts, how weeks go by before a needed tactic gets discussed or implemented, or how their accounts are stagnant – the agency isn’t working to get them new opportunities and is always reactive to situations.
Expertise and being proactive go hand-in-hand. You have to know PPC & your client’s business to find relevant opportunities. Be an expert & proactive. That’s how revenue comes. Click To Tweet
So, as a fellow agency, here’s some quick tips:
- Be transparent – don’t lock your clients out of their own accounts & communicate updates regularly
- Be proactive not reactive – don’t wait until you find yourself in a pickle, look for the potential problems and get ahead of them before they happen
- Look ahead for new opportunities and expansions – the PPC world rapidly changes and clients need your help to stay on top of the things that will impact their business. Help them be a superhero at their company!
Check out this article for more tips: 6 Pro Tips for Managing PPC Client Relationships.
Onward to the rest of the rankings:
#6 They will make my job easier
#7 (We had a tie!) They are innovative & I will get better insights about my campaigns.
#8 They will save me time.
#9 (Another tie!) They can scale account resources as my budget grows & Are available when I need them.
#10 Have a clear vision of the future.
#11 (Tie!) Reduce my stress and anxiety & Working with them will provide us with opportunities for professional development and growth.
#12 Fewer hassles for me to deal with.
41% of brands say they wish their agencies were better at innovative techniques. Click To Tweet
We also asked what things brands wish their agencies were better at and innovation was the big winner here. 41% of brands said they wish their agencies were better at innovative techniques – making sure the brand is advertising in the right platforms and using the right tools for efficiency and growth.
This is a very small portion of what you can find in this year’s State of PPC. You’ll also find trends and benchmarks to help you and your clients stay up-to-date on how advertisers are feeling about their PPC campaigns, where they are spending their budgets, what ad formats are most and least effective, what’s been an important trend and thoughts and predictions about the future.