How to hire a Google Ads expert

Google Ads (formerly known as Google AdWords) can play an integral role in reaching your desired audience online.

With a Google Ads campaign that’s properly set up, you can keep track of everything.

You can target your core audience using variables such as lifestyle, location, and language. You can even fine-tune your settings to choose what types of devices your ads appear on, as well as at what time of day and how often they appear. 

While setting up a Google Ads account is straightforward, crafting and maintaining an effective Google Ads campaign requires an expert touch.

It’s a good idea to hire a Google Ads expert to ensure you get the best possible results. 

But how do you identify the right candidate for your organization?

In this article, we cover the responsibilities and necessary skills of a Google Ads expert and the guidelines you should follow during the hiring process.

What does a Google Ads expert do?

A Google Ads expert manages your Google Ads campaigns, fine-tunes every detail to make sure you target the correct audience and keeps track of the results to optimize and refine your marketing strategy. 

No two experts will use the same techniques, so it’s important to identify your expectations before hiring a Google Ads expert.

Here are a few things a Google Ads expert can do for you:

• Set up a Google Ads account: The first step is to create a Google Ads account or optimize an existing account. The expert will be responsible for every aspect of your organization’s ad campaigns. 

• Keyword research: Keywords are the lifeblood of online advertising. A Google Ads expert can curate a list of appropriate keywords using the Google Ads keyword planner and create a match type and bid strategy based on your desired outcome and budget. 

• Ad creation: A skilled Google Ads professional can craft ads for your campaign using techniques that increase conversation, attract clicks, and achieve your campaign goals. 

• Conversion optimization: Setting up a campaign is just half the battle. The other half is analyzing and optimizing the campaign to increase return on investment (ROI) and decrease costs. This includes regularly performing split tests and custom experiments to figure out how to improve a campaign. 

• Develop PPC strategies: In addition to optimizing pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns, a good Google Ads specialist will develop strategies to increase your organization’s online visibility. 

What skills should a Google Ads expert have?

Beyond the obvious requirements such as a digital marketing degree or similar, below are some important qualifications and skills to keep in mind when you hire a Google Ads expert: 

• Google Ads certification: Google offers professional accreditation to individuals who want to demonstrate proficiency with Google Ads. Six certifications are available for free via Skillshop, and a Google Ads expert should have them all. 

• Understanding of SEO and SEM: Search engine optimization (SEO) and search engine marketing (SEM) are fundamental parts of any good online marketing strategy. SEO affects organic traffic, while SEM is crucial for targeted ads. Knowledge of both is valuable for a Google Ads expert.

• Knowledge of Google Analytics: Google Ads can only give you so much information about your target audience. For a fuller picture of what people are doing on your website, you need Google Analytics. A Google Ads expert can link your Analytics account to Google Ads for more seamless tracking, analyzing, and reporting between campaigns. 

Steps to hire a Google Ads expert

Now that you know what skills to look for, it’s time to focus on the hiring process.

Below are two steps to follow to hire a Google Ads expert. 

1. Describe what you want using a clear job description

The first step is to write an attractive job description that describes your business and what you require a Google Ads expert to accomplish.

Consider some of the following factors when writing your job description: 

• What type of Google Ads expert do you need? A pure Google Ads expert would be appropriate if you want someone to maintain a campaign using your data. However, you may need someone with SEO and digital marketing experience if you want them to perform keyword research and campaign planning. 

• In-house, contractor, or agency? This comes down to what your organization requires. Opt for an independent freelancer if you want someone to fill a single talent gap in your organization. Alternatively, opt for an agency if you require an expert team to assist your organization’s ad campaign. 

2. Filter candidates through a skills assessment test

Getting prospective candidates to perform a Google Ads assessment is a great way to quickly evaluate their skills and identify suitable matches for your requirements. It reduces time to hire and filters out candidates who don’t meet the role’s demands. 

TestGorilla’s Google Ads test can assess your candidates’ understanding of the Google Ads platform. It will also test their knowledge of search and paid campaigns, as well as general terminology and concepts.

The test is robust and accessible enough that even a non-technical recruiter can accurately test candidates’ technical skills.

Find the right Google Ads expert for your organization

Google Ads is an excellent tool for growing a business online. Google’s conservative estimate for ROI on Google Search and Ads is an average of $2 in revenue for every $1 spent on Google Ads. 

These metrics can vary depending on the strategy used, marketing goals, and most importantly, the skills of whoever is in charge of your Google Ads campaign. 

By combining a great job description with pre-employment tests, you can quickly and effortlessly assemble a pool of capable Google Ads experts.

Gone are the days when hiring managers have to manually review CVs and interview every applicant before finding the perfect match. 

With TestGorilla, recruiting a Google Ads expert is simpler, faster, and much more efficient. Get started for free today to find the right talent for your organization’s needs without stress or bias!