You're spending $2,000–$5,000 a month on Google Ads. Your agency sends you a report with impressions, clicks, and CTR. But you have a nagging feeling: is this actually working?
Here are 5 signs your agency might be burning your budget.
Sign 1: They can't show you a search term report
The search term report shows exactly what people typed into Google before clicking your ad. If your agency runs broad match keywords for "plumber," your ads might be showing for:
- "plumber salary" (job seekers, not customers)
- "plumber memes" (people looking for jokes)
- "how to fix a toilet yourself" (DIY — they're not hiring you)
- "plumber near me free estimate" (tire kickers)
You're paying for every one of those clicks.
What to do: Ask your agency to send you last month's search term report. If they hesitate or say they don't have it, that tells you everything.
Sign 2: You don't know your cost per lead
Your agency talks about impressions, clicks, CTR, and "conversions." But you need one number: how much does it cost to get a real lead?
Not a click. Not an impression. A human who called you or filled out a form and actually needs your service.
If your agency can't tell you this number, they're not tracking it. And if they're not tracking it, they can't optimize for it.
Benchmark for non-branded search: Plumbers: $130–$180 per lead. HVAC: $100–$170. Roofers: $150–$250. If your cost per lead is 2× these numbers or higher, your campaigns need work. (Branded search is much cheaper — often $30–$50 per lead — but doesn't bring in new customers.)
Sign 3: All your traffic goes to your homepage
Open your Google Ads account (or ask your agency) and look at where your ad clicks are landing. If every ad sends people to your homepage — that's a problem.
Your homepage talks about your company, your history, your team. A Google Ads landing page should do one thing: get the visitor to call you or fill out a form.
That means:
- Phone number at the top
- Short form (name, phone, problem)
- Service-specific headline ("Emergency Plumbing in Dallas")
- Social proof (reviews, badges)
- No navigation menu (don't let them wander)
The difference matters: A service-specific landing page typically converts at 8–12%. A generic homepage converts at 2–4%. Same ad spend, 3x more leads.
Sign 4: No call tracking
Most home service leads come by phone. If your agency hasn't set up call tracking, they literally cannot tell you how many leads your ads generated.
"But we can see form submissions!" — Sure. That's maybe 20% of your leads. The other 80% called. Without call tracking, your agency is flying blind.
What to do: Ask if call tracking is set up. Specifically, are phone calls recorded as conversions in Google Ads? If not, Google's algorithm can't optimize for what actually makes you money.
Sign 5: They report monthly but nothing changes
Good agencies adjust your campaigns based on data. Every month, they should be:
- Adding negative keywords (blocking irrelevant searches)
- Pausing underperforming keywords
- Testing new ad copy
- Adjusting bids based on what's converting
- Expanding into new service areas that work
If your monthly report looks the same every month and the strategy hasn't changed, you're paying a management fee for maintenance, not management.
The bottom line
Your agency works for you, not the other way around. You should be able to answer these three questions:
- What is my cost per lead? (not cost per click)
- What are people searching before they click my ad? (search term report)
- How many real leads did I get this month? (tracked calls + forms)
If you can't answer all three, your agency isn't giving you what you need.
What to do next
- Check your benchmarks: Use our free Google Ads calculator to see what your ads should cost
- Get a second opinion: Run a free audit of your Google Ads account and see exactly where your budget is going