Key takeaways
- B2B search volumes are small and clicks are expensive, so wasted spend adds up fast.
- The right agency measures pipeline and revenue from your CRM, not just form fills.
- Ask how they handle long sales cycles, offline conversions and lead quality.
- You should own the ad account and all the data.
Why B2B Google Ads is different
B2B buyers search less often, compare more options and rarely buy on the first visit. A single deal might involve several people over months. Campaigns that work for ecommerce, built to maximise conversions at a low cost, can fill a B2B pipeline with students, job seekers and competitors.
A good B2B Google Ads agency plans around that: tight keyword lists, careful negatives, content offers that suit each stage, and tracking that connects ad clicks to opportunities in your CRM.
8 questions to ask a B2B Google Ads agency
1. How do you measure success?
Look for answers about qualified leads, opportunities and revenue, not clicks or click-through rate.
2. Can you import offline conversions from our CRM?
Feeding closed deals back into Google Ads lets bidding learn from real customers. Ask how they set this up with your CRM.
3. How do you filter out low-quality leads?
Expect answers about negative keywords, form qualification questions and excluding personal email domains where appropriate.
4. What will you do with a small search volume?
Good agencies combine search with retargeting, LinkedIn or Microsoft Ads where it makes sense, and are honest when volume is too low.
5. Who will manage our account?
Ask to meet the person doing the work, not only the salesperson.
6. How often will you review the search terms report?
In B2B, weekly reviews are the minimum. Irrelevant clicks are expensive.
7. Do we own the account?
The account should be in your name with you as admin.
8. Can you show B2B examples?
Ask for anonymised examples of how they improved lead quality or cost per opportunity.
Red flags
- Guaranteed lead numbers before they have seen your data
- Reports that only show impressions, clicks and CTR
- Reluctance to give you admin access
- Long contracts with no performance review points
If an agency talks about “conversions” without asking what happens after a form is submitted, keep looking.
How we approach B2B PPC
We build B2B campaigns around high-intent searches, qualify leads before they reach sales, and connect results to your CRM so you see cost per opportunity. Learn more about our Google Ads management, or, if you are an agency, our white-label PPC.
Want a second opinion on your B2B Google Ads?
We will audit search terms, tracking and lead quality and send you a prioritised fix list.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Google Ads good for B2B?
Yes, for capturing buyers who are actively searching, as long as targeting and tracking are built for lead quality.
What is offline conversion tracking?
Importing outcomes from your CRM, such as qualified opportunities or closed deals, back into Google Ads so bidding can learn from them.
Should B2B companies also use LinkedIn Ads?
Often, especially for targeting by job title or company. Search and LinkedIn tend to work best together.
Written by Abhishek Bansal, founder of SEO PPC Services
Abhishek manages SEO and Google Ads campaigns for businesses in India, the US, UK, Canada, Australia and the UAE. Read our editorial policy or learn more about us.