[ Paid search · Full playbook ]
// 17 / 20The buyer's playbook.
The working reference behind Google Ads Agency Pricing & Buyer Guide 2026: what to ask, what to watch and how to run the first 90 days.
← Back to the guide[ RFP questions ]// 01
Questions that reveal real capability.
Ask for a relevant example, the decision made, the result or learning, and the person who would own the work.
- 01Who owns the Ads, Analytics, Tag Manager and merchant accounts?
- 02Which actions count as primary conversions?
- 03How will offline qualified and closed outcomes be imported?
- 04How are brand, non-brand, Performance Max and remarketing separated?
- 05What landing-page and creative testing is included?
- 06How are fees, media and third-party costs reported?
- 07How will incrementality and cannibalization be tested?
- 08What happens to campaigns, data and audiences at termination?
[ Risk ]// 02
Make failure visible before signature.
| Risk | Early warning | Control |
|---|---|---|
| Agency-owned account | No direct admin access | Client ownership |
| Low-quality conversions | Platform leads only | CRM feedback |
| Brand inflation | Easy branded sales dominate | Segment reporting |
| Spend incentive | Fee rises without marginal return | Economic thresholds |
| Tracking gaps | Duplicate or missing events | Measurement QA |
[ Value case ]// 03
Measure outcomes—not activity.
01Qualified lead or sale volumeBaseline ________
90-day target ________
90-day target ________
02Cost per qualified outcomeBaseline ________
90-day target ________
90-day target ________
03Conversion value and marginBaseline ________
90-day target ________
90-day target ________
04Search impression shareBaseline ________
90-day target ________
90-day target ________
05Landing-page conversionBaseline ________
90-day target ________
90-day target ________
06Incremental liftBaseline ________
90-day target ________
90-day target ________
[ First 90 days ]// 04
Move from evidence to operating rhythm.
01
Days 1–30
Ownership, tracking audit, economics and campaign baseline
Exit evidenceBaseline, owners, approved requirements and risks
02
Days 31–60
Restructure priorities, landing pages and conversion feedback
Exit evidenceWorking outputs, evidence and decision record
03
Days 61–90
Scale by marginal return, test incrementality and document learning
Exit evidenceMeasured result, operating owner and next backlog
[ Reference desk ]// 05
Speak the same language.
| Term | Plain-language meaning |
|---|---|
| Media spend | Money paid directly for advertising inventory. |
| Primary conversion | Action used for bidding and core reporting. |
| Offline conversion | CRM outcome sent back to the ad platform. |
| Quality Score | Google diagnostic of ad and landing relevance. |
| Incrementality | Outcomes caused beyond what would happen anyway. |
| Search term | Actual query that triggered an ad. |
[ Playbook in hand? ]