What a PPC agencies selection checklist means for England buyers

What to take away

Creative and claims evidence now sits at the top of the checklist, because the ASA's CAP guidance on claims and testimonials expects proof to exist before an ad runs.
Platform policy belongs on the listYouTube ad rules sit inside the Google Ads ecosystem, so a provider that ignores them risks disapproved campaigns.
Score people, process and proof rather than headline fees alone.
A weighted score forces you to compare evidence rather than presentation style.
Set your weights before the first call, using the parent pillar on PPC agencies: reviews and comparison methods for 2027 as your starting structure.

Scored checklist (weight 1 to 3, where 3 matters most)

Are search, shopping and Performance Max named in scope? (3)
Which channels are explicitly excluded? (2)
Who writes ad copy and who approves it? (3)
Who edits landing pages and who owns the changes? (2)
What happens when you add a campaign type or market? (2)
Is there a written change process with turnaround times? (3)
Which pricing model appliespercentage, flat retainer or blend? (3)
What does the fee include and what costs extra? (3)
How much notice is required to leave? (2)
Is media spend billed separately from management? (2)
Who holds the ad account and can you retain access? (3)
Which person runs the account day to day? (2)
Does that person change when the contract renews? (2)
How are performance claims substantiated before launch? (3)
Is there a sign-off log for creative and claims? (3)
Who monitors YouTube and Google Ads policy changes? (2)
How quickly do they act on a policy update? (2)
What conversion definitions appear in the sample report? (3)
Which attribution window is used and why? (3)
Does the report separate branded from non-branded demand? (2)
How often are results reviewed with you? (2)
What are the contract notice period and exit terms? (2)
Do data processing terms meet UK GDPR requirements? (3)
Is there a named escalation contact? (2)
Can you see three months of change logs? (2)

Scope, pricing and the questions to ask

The checklist starts with scope. Write down what you want managed: search, shopping, Performance Max, or all three. Confirm which account access you keep, who writes the ad copy, and who handles landing page changes. If the answer is vague, that is a red flag.

Pricing models compared

Percentage of spend

Rewards higher budgets: Yes
Can hide extra work: No
Covers ad copy: Confirm
Media billed separately: Confirm

Flat retainer

Rewards higher budgets: No
Can hide extra work: Yes
Covers ad copy: Confirm
Media billed separately: Confirm

Blended

Rewards higher budgets: Partly
Can hide extra work: Partly
Covers ad copy: Confirm
Media billed separately: Confirm

Scope questions before signing

What channels are managed
Who owns the account
Who writes ad copy
Who changes landing pages
Who runs it daily
How additions are priced
Change process in writing

Ask who will run the account day to day, and whether that person changes when the contract renews.

Scope creep is the quiet cost. Ask what happens when you add a campaign type or a second market. A provider that prices each addition separately is not necessarily expensive, it is at least transparent.

Match the pricing model to the work

Ask whether fees are a percentage of spend, a flat retainer, or a blend. Percentage models reward higher budgets; flat retainers can hide extra work.

Request the fee schedule, the notice period and whether media spend is billed separately. For example, a team paying £400 a month in management fees should know whether that covers ad copy, landing page advice and monthly reporting, or just bid changes.

Typical UK retainers for a single paid-search channel are often quoted between £500 and £1,500 a month, or as a percentage of ad spend in the 10 to 20 per cent range. A blended model might combine a lower retainer with a percentage above a spend threshold.

The right band depends on account complexity, number of campaigns and reporting depth.

Benchmark at least three quotes against the same scope. Ask each provider to price an identical set of channels, so the cheapest headline number does not simply reflect a narrower service.

Test the creative and claims process

Ad copy that makes performance claims needs evidence. The ASA's CAP Code, the UK advertising rulebook, covers claims, endorsements and testimonials and expects proof to exist before an ad runs. For creative formats, the IAB UK search principles for creative best practice give a useful benchmark on relevance and clarity.

Checklist area	What good looks like	Evidence to request
Scope	Named channels and exclusions	Written scope statement
Pricing	Model plus inclusions	Fee schedule and change process
Creative	Claims checked before launch	Sign-off log or checklist
Platform policy	Team knows YouTube and Google Ads rules	Named policy owner
Reporting	Metrics tied to business aims	Sample dashboard

Platform policy and measurement evidence

A provider that runs video or display alongside search needs to know platform rules. The advertising policies for YouTube explain what is restricted and what is banned, and they apply to campaigns bought through Google Ads. Put this on your checklist and ask who monitors policy changes.

Policy knowledge has a commercial edge. A disapproved campaign wastes spend and delays launch. Ask the agency to name the person who reads platform updates, and how quickly they expect to act on a change.

Interrogate the sample dashboard

Ask for a sample report from a comparable account. Look for conversion definitions, attribution windows and cost per acquisition. If the report is all impressions and clicks, the agency is not managing to outcomes. Agree the review cadence too.

If the agency sets conversion values without your input, the numbers will flatter the channel rather than the business.

Push on the definitions. Ask which conversions count, how long the window runs, and whether lead quality data appears anywhere. A dashboard that cannot separate branded from non-branded demand will make budget decisions harder later.

Assemble the due diligence file

Due diligence means documents, not assurances. Ask for the last three months of change logs, a named account lead, and a contact for escalations. If you are comparing shortlisted providers side by side, the PPC agencies product comparison in England sets out a like-for-like structure you can reuse.

Keep the paper trail in one folder. Contracts, data processing terms, fee schedules and change logs should sit together, because that is what you will reach for when a result is disputed. The ICO enforces UK GDPR, which requires a written contract between controller and processor.

Common questions

How many questions should a selection checklist contain?

Enough to cover scope, pricing, creative, policy, reporting and people. Most buyers need 20 to 30 scored questions. Fewer than 15 usually leaves gaps.

Should I score agencies or just interview them?

The scoring method at the top of this article shows how to weight evidence.

What single document matters most?

The written scope and fee schedule. Everything else, including reporting and creative process, depends on knowing exactly what is included and what is extra.

Does a checklist replace legal review?

No. It prepares the questions. Contracts and liability still need proper review before signature.