There are thousands of Google Ads agencies. Most of them are generalists who take on any client in any industry. For property businesses, that creates a specific problem: you end up working with someone who does not understand how your clients search, what a high-quality property lead looks like, or what conversion rates are realistic in your niche.
The specialism question
A generalist agency that manages Google Ads for a plumber on Monday and a luxury renovation company on Tuesday brings no accumulated insight from one to the other. A specialist in the property sector understands buyer intent patterns, seasonal search behaviour, pricing psychology in ad copy, and what makes a property landing page convert. That context is not transferable from other industries.
What to look for in a portfolio
Has the agency worked with property businesses similar to yours? Can they show real results: not just impressions and click-through rates, but cost per lead and revenue generated? Case studies that show clicks without conversion data are incomplete. Ask specifically: what was the cost per lead, and what happened to it over time? If they cannot answer that question clearly, they were not tracking it.
Account ownership is non-negotiable
Some agencies retain ownership of the Google Ads account. When you leave, you lose all historical data, conversion history, and audience lists. Always ensure the account is created under your own email address and that you have admin access before any work starts. Historical data has real value. It trains the algorithm. Losing it when you change agency is a cost that does not appear in the invoice.
How contracts work
Long contracts in Google Ads management are rarely in the client's interest. The first 90 days are when you find out whether an agency is genuinely performing. Month-to-month arrangements align incentives properly: the agency has to keep earning the relationship. Anything longer than a 90-day minimum commitment should be scrutinised for why it is necessary.
Red flags to watch for
- Guarantees of specific results: Google Ads cannot be guaranteed, only optimised
- No admin access to your own account
- Reporting that focuses on impressions and clicks rather than leads and cost per lead
- Inability to explain campaign structure in plain terms
- No mention of landing pages or conversion tracking in their proposal
Management fee structures
Fee structures vary. A percentage of ad spend creates an incentive to increase your budget whether or not performance justifies it. A flat monthly fee aligns incentives better: the agency earns the same regardless of what you spend, so the motivation is performance rather than volume. Ask how the fee is structured and what happens to it if you scale your budget.
If you want to understand how Colonnade approaches Google Ads management for property businesses, including how account access and reporting are structured, the about page covers the approach and the enquiry form is the starting point for a conversation.
Looking for a specialist, not a generalist?
Colonnade works exclusively with property businesses. Every account is owned by the client. Results are reported in leads and cost per lead, not clicks.