Why a PPC agencies strategy framework keeps paid search honest

Why put the decisions on paper?

A written PPC framework records the objective, budget, channel responsibilities, measurement rules and review dates. It gives the client and agency a dated reference for explaining activity and results, while making clear who approves each decision.

IAB UK reported that UK search advertising spend reached £15.7bn in 2024, up 12% from 2023. The strategy and planning guide for 2027 describes the broader planning cycle, while a paid search framework records the decisions that should steer campaign work.

Which result should my paid search plan prioritise?

Choose one measurable primary objective for the next 12 months and connect it to a business result, such as qualified leads, revenue or margin. You can record other aims, but they should not compete with the main objective for the same budget.

The chosen objective defines what acceptable performance means. A lead-volume plan might tolerate a higher cost per lead, whereas a focus on margin must exclude segments that are not profitable. Giving two aims equal priority sends the same budget in competing directions and leaves no clear basis for deciding how to allocate it.

Who makes decisions, and when can the plan change?

The client should own the business objective and budget, while the agency manages the channel plan and its execution. Recording those responsibilities makes accountability visible and helps prevent decisions from being delayed while work is under way.

Set the framework for 12 months and include dates for reviewing it. If the business objective changes, document the change formally and make that change only once during the year. Reset the budget split at the next review, preserving a clear basis for judging performance.

What purpose should each channel serve?

Give every channel a distinct role: brand search can protect existing demand, non-brand search can capture intent, and paid social can create demand when search volume is limited. LinkedIn advertising may suit considered B2B buying; use the getting started guide for LinkedIn advertising when preparing an initial campaign.

Write one line beside each channel to explain its purpose. Leave a channel out if its contribution cannot be explained. This ties the mix to the business objective and prevents a channel from remaining in the account without a clear reason for keeping it.

How should I set the budget for each channel?

Use last year's actual cost per acquisition for each channel as the basis for allocating spend, rather than relying on a rule-of-thumb percentage. Add funding where conversions meet the target, restrict the rest, and reserve roughly 10% of total spend to test keywords, audiences and creative.

For example, if the available budget is £10,000 and a channel's CPA is 20% above target, reduce that channel's allocation by 10% and move the £1,000 to a channel meeting or beating its target. The ninety day plan: data and sources identifies data feeds to collect before setting figures.

How will we agree what success means?

Agree which actions count as conversions, the conversion window and who can approve changes. Record the settings in Google Ads and Microsoft Advertising, then compare platform reports with GA4. Google Tag Manager can manage tracking tags; small reporting differences between systems are normal, but record them.

For UK activity, check the CAP Code, administered by the ASA, and apply UK GDPR and PECR when personal data or tracking technologies are involved. Consult platform documentation for tracking requirements and use your own analytics to reconcile results. Name an accountable person for weekly pacing checks, monthly performance reviews and quarterly framework reviews.

How do we turn an annual plan into regular work?

Keep the framework annual and organise delivery into 90-day blocks. Give each block one or two priorities, with an owner, a budget line and a success measure for every priority. This makes progress assessable against the wider plan.

Use this sequence to prepare each delivery block:

Formal learning such as CIM strategy and planning training covers objective setting and planning habits that transfer to paid search. IAB UK's search advertising creative best practice addresses relevance, clarity and format, giving teams a baseline for defining effective creative.

What should I agree with an agency before starting?

Request a written plan naming the primary objective, proposed spend and measurement rules. Ask who will manage the account day to day, not only who presents the pitch. Set out responsibilities and decision-making expectations before account work begins.

Agency fee models differ: an agency may charge a percentage of spend, a fixed retainer or a performance-based fee. Ask how the fee is calculated, retain access to the advertising accounts, and agree a defined exit period before signing so both parties understand the terms.

Build transparency protections into the contract. Require client access to Google Ads and Microsoft Advertising, reports that separate media spend from agency fees, and disclosure of rebates or commissions. Specify audit rights for account records and invoices, plus account ownership, approval duties, and arrangements for access and data handover when the relationship ends.

Shortlist two or three agencies, then assess fit with a paid audit or small project before entering a long contract. Before making a longer commitment, check the proposed work against the written objective, spending plan and measurement rules.

How many channels can I afford to run well?

Choose only channels that can receive adequate funding. Two or three well-funded channels are preferable to five underfunded ones, because every channel needs a defined role and enough budget to justify its place in the plan.

What should I do first?

Start by recording one measurable objective for the next 12 months, then use it to set channel roles, budgets and measurement rules. Put the decisions, responsible people and review dates in writing before campaign work begins.