Are you getting the most from your Google Ads budget, or are you unknowingly burning money on clicks that don’t convert? Whether you manage your campaigns yourself or work with an agency, understanding the differences can be the key to success — or a drain on your budget.
In this post we’ll cover:
- The key differences between managed and unmanaged Google Ads campaigns
- Where digital agencies focus their efforts to maximise ROI
- Common pitfalls of unmanaged campaigns and how an agency can help businesses achieve their goals
What exactly are the key differences between a campaign that is managed vs a “set and forget” approach?
Running a Google Ads campaign comes with a wealth of data, metrics, and reports that offer valuable insights into performance and areas for improvement. But for those unfamiliar with Google Ads, all this information can be overwhelming. For an expert, however, it’s the key to making informed, strategic decisions.
A few examples…
The Setup Trap – Full Automation vs. Manual Control
When setting up a new Google Ads campaign, the platform nudges users toward fully automated settings. Google encourages broad match keywords, automated bidding strategies, and Smart campaigns, presenting them as the easiest and most effective options. While automation has its place, relying solely on it often leads to inflated costs and underperforming ads. For instance, broad match keywords can trigger ads for unrelated searches, and automated bidding can overspend on clicks that don’t convert. A specialist, however, configures campaigns with manual controls — choosing the right keyword match types, applying appropriate bid strategies, and structuring campaigns in a way that aligns with business goals rather than Google’s default recommendations.
Search Terms Report – Controlling Where Ads Appear
In a search campaign, an expert will analyse the search terms report to see which queries are triggering ads. Early on, it’s common to find search terms that don’t align with the intended audience, especially when broad match keywords are used. This can lead to ads appearing for loosely related searches, wasting budget. By regularly reviewing and updating the negative keyword list, an expert refines targeting, ensuring the campaign stays on track.
Cost Per Click (CPC) Management – Preventing Overspending
Some keywords are highly competitive, meaning multiple advertisers are bidding on them, driving up the cost per click (CPC). If a business has a $10 daily budget and a keyword costs $5 per click, the campaign won’t generate much traffic. An expert monitors CPC trends and adjusts bidding strategies, ensuring budget efficiency without sacrificing visibility.
These are just a few examples—but the differences between managed and unmanaged campaigns extend much further. Here’s a breakdown:
Managed Google Ads Campaigns VS. Unmanaged Google Ads Campaigns
| Managed | Unmanaged |
|---|---|
|
Active intervention in response to incoming data |
No intervention |
|
Consistent communication with client focused on recommendations and marketing opportunities |
Automated communication that generally promotes further spend |
|
Custom tailored reporting using Looker Studio |
No reporting – lacking insight into performance of campaigns |
|
Conversion tracking setup and monitored |
No automated option for conversion tracking. Needs human setup |
|
Keyword monitoring and click cost tracking |
No keyword monitoring – resulting in ads shown for irrelevant search terms |
|
Custom bid strategies aligning with marketing objectives without overspending on click costs |
Automated bid strategies that often overspend in areas irrelevant to business objectives |
|
Customised ad assets, aligning assets (like sitelinks) with search intent |
Randomised and automated assets that often misalign with search intent |
|
Controlled and optimised ad copy |
Randomised combinations of headlines and descriptions which may not always work well together |
|
Advanced optimisation strategies |
Basic adjustments, lack of knowledge / expertise |
|
Agencies up to date on latest Google Ads updates, including algorithm changes |
Campaigns don’t reflect latest updates / best practice etc |
|
Agencies have vast experience garnered from working with a variety of clients in different (or similar) verticals. |
Individuals often won’t know whether their campaign is performing to acceptable standards or not – nothing to determine what is good performance vs what isn’t |
As you can see, unmanaged campaigns come with significant gaps in oversight. That is not to say you cannot have a successful campaign without specialist management, but it does substantially lower the odds. An unmanaged campaign also has the risk of running into issues, some of which we cover below.
The pitfalls of unmanaged campaigns
Without frequent oversight from an experienced Google Ads specialist, Google Ads campaigns can quickly go off track. Here are four common issues businesses face:
Budget consumed on branded keywords
Google’s algorithm prioritises conversions, and an easy way to get them is by bidding on branded keywords. While this may seem like a win, many businesses already rank well in organic search, meaning they could be paying for clicks they would have received for free. A well-managed Google Ads account ensures branded keyword spend is intentional, not automatic.
Overspending on irrelevant keywords
Not all clicks are created equal. High-cost keywords can quickly drain your budget without delivering real results. Regular audits of keyword performance and cost-per-click trends help determine if certain keywords are worth the spend—or if adjustments are needed to keep campaigns efficient. Prices for keywords can fluctuate and if not managed effectively, can impact your campaign’s success.
Conversion tracking
Accurate conversion tracking is essential for measuring campaign success. Whether it’s a form submission, phone call, or purchase, tracking these actions provides valuable insights into what’s working. More importantly, it feeds critical data back to Google’s algorithm, helping refine ad delivery for better results. If conversions are flowing, the campaign is on track. If not, a deeper analysis is needed to identify and resolve any issues.
Poor audience targeting
Are your ads reaching new potential customers, or just being shown to people who already know your brand? Google Ads settings, such as audience targeting and bidding strategies, need to align with your business goals. If your campaign is primarily targeting existing customers through branded keywords, but your goal is to attract new leads, adjustments are needed. A well-managed campaign ensures your Google Ads campaign is optimised to find the right audience, not just the easiest one.
Bottom Line: Without proper oversight, campaigns can quickly waste budget and miss valuable opportunities. Proactive management ensures every dollar is working toward the right results.
How can an agency support businesses?
Digital marketing agencies offer a team of experts with a vast pool of knowledge and experience. Business owners and managers often have much of their time consumed with the day to day running of their business. They simply do not have time to keep up with rapidly developing advancements and changes that are occurring in the digital space. A business needs help with getting the right customers to find what they are offering. Google ads can be a powerful way to get those eyes looking at your business. Here are some key areas that an agency can assist.
Active management
An agency will assign a digital specialist to actively manage a Google Search campaign on the business’s behalf. The specialist will make various adjustments to the campaign in response to incoming data, working efficiently towards achieving the goal of the business, which in most cases is qualified leads or online sales. The manager of the business can then focus on other areas of the business while the specialist works diligently in the background. Active management safeguards the ads, ensuring they are running without interruption and in an optimised state.
Consistent communication
When a weak link is discovered, such as an ad landing page not working well or an opportunity is spotted to target a new or trending keyword, these need to be communicated to the client. This proactive approach with communication helps drive success in a dynamic environment. Changes in competitor activity in Google ads are also regularly monitored and reported along with recommendations on what needs to be done. This helps counteract and mitigate any impact this can have on conversions that are vital for the business.
Our Google Ads management follows a structured monthly cycle. At the start of each month, we provide clients with an interactive report detailing campaign performance from the previous month, along with insights on key results, recent adjustments, and strategic recommendations for the weeks ahead. Throughout the cycle, we continuously monitor key metrics, refine keyword lists, test new ad copy, and apply best-practice optimisations. This proactive approach keeps campaigns on track, maximising results while minimising wasted spend.
Where to start for Google Ads campaign management?
Getting started is simple. Partner with an agency that understands your industry and the challenges you face. An experienced team—like Limelight Digital—can apply proven strategies tailored to your niche, helping you get better results, faster. With over 20 years of experience and a track record of success across countless industries, we know what works.
Want to see how a managed Google Ads campaign could increase your leads and sales? Get in touch with Limelight Digital today — we’ll handle the details so you can focus on running your business.