How Useful is That “Free” External PPC Account Audit?

by Pauline Jakober
November 23, 2017
PPC Management

If you’re a business owner or marketing manager, you’ve probably been approached multiple times with offers of a “free” audit of your company’s paid search accounts.

You might be tempted to accept one of these offers. After all, what have you got to lose?

And you’re right, getting a free outside audit isn’t exactly high risk. But it’s not exactly free, either. Inevitably, you’ll have to spend some time making arrangements and reviewing the final report. (You can also expect a sales pitch once the report is submitted. In this case, “free” comes with strings.)

If you do decide to move forward with a free PPC account audit, it’s worth the extra effort to make sure the end product is useful. And as I outline in a recent Search Engine Land column, that means making sure your PPC auditor is asking the right questions.

Because if your external auditor doesn’t have a strong understanding of your business—and the context of your paid search strategy—he/she is basically flying blind.

And in the end, you’ll get what you paid for.

TAGS: PPC account audit

Chris Case

Their mix of creativity, data driven solutions, and transparency sets them apart.
"When we started working with Group Twenty Seven, we were ready to spend more in order to make more — but we weren’t sure how to do it strategically. Pauline and her team came in and tested new approaches and strategies that are taking our results to new levels. At the same time, they stay aligned with our goals and keep us well informed. It’s this mix of creativity, data driven solutions, and transparency that sets them apart. I highly recommend them."
—Christopher Case, CMO, My Foot Shop
Client since December 2019

Couldn’t be happier with the results.
“I’ve worked with a variety of PPC/search companies over the years, and Pauline and her team, continue to be outstanding. We are in a very difficult position bidding against some of the larger cancer organizations out there, and Pauline and co continually find great ways to compete without breaking the bank.

We’ve been working with Group Twenty Seven for about four years, and I couldn’t be happier with the results. We meet with their team on a weekly basis and review status and performance. They are very responsive to our needs and always think outside of the box, as you know it’s an ever-changing field.”
—Peter Anton, VP of Marketing, International Myeloma Foundation
Client since February 2017

Jessica P Proxibid

A partner in every sense of the word.
“Pauline and her entire team at Group Twenty Seven have been amazing to work with. They’re smart, organized and always on top of new trends and platform updates. We initially contacted them to fill a void until we could make an internal hire, but given the value they’ve brought us, we’ve kept them on board for over three years. They are truly an extension of our team with a high level of collaboration and understanding of our unique business.

We are not a traditional e-commerce company with unique inventory rotating on and off our site daily and they have gotten creative, analytical, and thoughtful to test out new ways to drive results. They are always looking for new ways to optimize our campaigns and collaborate with us to ensure we are able to demonstrate ROI. Most importantly they will let us know when something isn't working so we can decide to iterate or take a different approach. They are thoughtful of our budgets and make sure we always get the most out of every click. Group Twenty Seven is a partner in every sense of the word asking the right questions and driving results through their work.”
—Jessica Polmanteer, Senior Director of Marketing, Proxibid
Client since March 2018

Scott Flynn Best Corporate Events

Group Twenty Seven delivers.
“Simply put, in the past ten years, Pauline and Group Twenty Seven have helped me grow a small start-up team building company into the largest corporate event company in America. Since then, I’ve enlisted Pauline to handle another one of my start-ups, with two more launching this year. Any company can say they can manage your PPC marketing, but Group Twenty Seven delivers.”
—Scott Flynn, CEO, Best Corporate Events
Client since January 2010

Bryan Burns SmartHunts

Steady increase in ROI year over year.
“The Group Twenty Seven team is at the core of our success with PPC management. They are a vital partner in our business and always exceed our expectations. We have been working with Pauline and her team for almost 5 years! We have enjoyed a steady increase in ROI year over year.”
—Bryan Burns, Founder, SmartHunts
Client since January 2015

Better ROI on Google Ads dollars.
“The Group Twenty Seven Team knows their stuff when it comes to Google Ads. They were able to overhaul my advertising account to provide a similar rate of conversions at substantially less cost. They are great communicators, friendly and pleasant to work with. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Group Twenty Seven to anyone looking for better ROI on their Google Ads dollars.”
—Molly Owens, CEO, Truity Psychometrics
January 2021

Professional knowledge guiding our PPC campaigns.
“After managing our own AdWords account for several years with limited success and an ever increasing budget, we decided it was time to find someone to help us better manage and analyze our campaigns. We’ve been working with Pauline and her dedication of time and energy to our campaigns has been a huge weight lifted off our shoulders. Pauline keeps us well informed and truly cares about the quantity and quality of leads her team is driving to our site. We are thrilled with the services she offers our company and are thankful to have her honest opinion and professional knowledge guiding our PPC campaigns.”
—Alyson Arnold, Marketing Director, Conklin Office Furniture
Client since May 2012

Focused on increasing sales.
“Working with Group Twenty Seven has been tremendously valuable for our PPC goals. They are constantly bringing fresh ideas to the table and are focused on increasing our sales. The personal touch and flexibility they provide has made working with them not only a great experience, but also our ROI continues to grow. I will continue to refer the talented Group Twenty Seven!”
—Matt Grimm, Ecommerce Director at Red Star Traders
Client since January 2012

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