How to Choose a Google Ads Agency in Singapore: 14 Questions to Ask Before You Hire

Hiring someone to manage your Google Ads is a trust decision. You are handing over a budget that goes straight out of your bank account, and you are relying on someone to turn it into customers. A good agency can save you months of mistakes. A bad one can quietly burn your budget for half a year while sending reports full of impressive-looking numbers.

This guide gives you 14 questions to ask, what a good answer sounds like, what a warning answer sounds like, a scoring sheet to compare agencies and a message you can send before any call. The same questions work for freelancers and small teams too.

On this page:

• The Short Answer
• Before You Start: Know Your Own Numbers
• Question 1: Will the Google Ads account be in my name?
• Question 2: Do I pay Google directly for the ad budget?
• Question 3: How exactly do you charge, and what is included?
• Question 4: How does GST apply to your fees and my ad budget?
• Question 5: What is the minimum contract, and how can I leave?
• Question 6: Who will actually manage my account?
• Question 7: How will you track enquiries, including calls and WhatsApp?
• Question 8: How will you structure my campaigns and keywords?
• Question 9: What will you do in the first 30 days?
• Question 10: What do you do about my landing page?
• Question 11: What results can I realistically expect, and what is not in your control?
• Question 12: How will you report, and how often?
• Question 13: How do you use automation, including Performance Max?
• Question 14: Can I see relevant results and speak to a client?
• A Simple Scorecard
• Red Flags in the First Call
• What a Good First Call Feels Like
• A Message You Can Send Before the Call
• If You Are Choosing Between an Agency, a Freelancer and Doing It Yourself
• How SG Growth Lab Answers These Questions
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Final Thoughts

The Short Answer

Choose the agency that explains its work in plain words, puts your Google Ads account in your name, reports on enquiries and customers (not only clicks), is clear about fees and contract terms and is honest about what results to expect. Be careful of anyone who guarantees results, hides how your budget is spent or avoids simple questions.

Before You Start: Know Your Own Numbers

You will get much better answers if you know:

• What a customer is worth to you in profit.
• Roughly what you can afford to spend on ads. See our budget planner.
• How many enquiries you can handle.
• Whether your website is ready. A weak page wastes clicks.

Agencies that ask about these things are usually the ones worth talking to.

Question 1: Will the Google Ads account be in my name?

Why it matters: the account holds your history, data and learning. If it belongs to the agency, you can lose everything when you leave.

Good answer: yes, the account is created under your business, and the agency is given access as a manager.

Warning answer: the agency wants to run campaigns under its own account, or hesitates when you ask for admin access.

Question 2: Do I pay Google directly for the ad budget?

Why it matters: this protects you from hidden markups and unclear spending.

Good answer: yes, your ad budget is billed by Google to your payment method. The agency charges only its management fee.

Warning answer: you are asked to pay the ad budget to the agency, with little visibility into what Google charged.

Question 3: How exactly do you charge, and what is included?

Why it matters: fee models differ, and extras can add up.

Good answer: a clear explanation of the model (flat fee, percentage of spend, setup fee or a mix), what is included each month and what costs extra. See our guide on Google Ads freelancer vs agency vs DIY.

Warning answer: vague pricing, surprise charges or a quote that cannot be put in writing.

Question 4: How does GST apply to your fees and my ad budget?

Why it matters: Singapore’s GST rate is 9%, and your total cost is higher if GST is added. Google Ads accounts with a Singapore business address are generally billed GST on advertising. See our guide on Google Ads cost in Singapore.

Good answer: a clear statement of whether quotes include GST and how your ad spend is billed.

Warning answer: no idea, or a quote that changes when you ask about GST.

Question 5: What is the minimum contract, and how can I leave?

Why it matters: long lock-ins are risky if results are poor. Read our guide on SEO contracts in Singapore, because many of the same principles apply.

Good answer: clear terms, a fair notice period and a handover of access and records if you leave.

Warning answer: long lock-ins, automatic renewals in small print or penalties for leaving.

Question 6: Who will actually manage my account?

Why it matters: some agencies sell with senior people and pass the work to juniors or subcontractors.

Good answer: a named person, their experience and how they work with the wider team.

Warning answer: “our team” with no names, or reluctance to say whether work is outsourced.

Question 7: How will you track enquiries, including calls and WhatsApp?

Why it matters: without proper tracking, nobody can tell what is working. In Singapore, many enquiries come through calls and WhatsApp, not only forms.

Good answer: a clear plan to track form submissions, phone calls and WhatsApp clicks, tested before launch.

Warning answer: only tracking clicks, or saying tracking can be sorted out later.

Question 8: How will you structure my campaigns and keywords?

Why it matters: structure decides how efficiently your budget is used.

Good answer: a simple plan built around your most profitable services, tight keyword groups, negative keywords and one clear landing page per service.

Warning answer: “we will run broad campaigns to see what happens”, or a plan that spreads a small budget across many campaigns.

Question 9: What will you do in the first 30 days?

Why it matters: a clear plan shows experience and sets expectations.

Good answer: a week-by-week outline that covers setup, tracking, launch, search term reviews and a first review. See our guide on how long Google Ads take to work.

Warning answer: promises of fast results with no steps, or a plan that only says “optimise”.

Question 10: What do you do about my landing page?

Why it matters: the page decides how many clicks become enquiries.

Good answer: they review your page, recommend changes and can help build or improve one. See our landing page service.

Warning answer: they ignore the page and only talk about ads.

Question 11: What results can I realistically expect, and what is not in your control?

Why it matters: honest expectations protect you from disappointment.

Good answer: a range based on your industry, budget and website, with clear mention of factors outside their control, such as competition and your response speed.

Warning answer: guaranteed leads, guaranteed sales or promises of specific numbers by a date.

Question 12: How will you report, and how often?

Why it matters: reports should help you make decisions, not hide behind jargon.

Good answer: regular reports in plain language, showing spend, clicks, enquiries, cost per enquiry and, where possible, customers, along with what was changed and what happens next. You should also have direct access to your account to check the numbers.

Warning answer: reports that show only impressions and clicks, or no access to your own account.

Question 13: How do you use automation, including Performance Max?

Why it matters: Google pushes automated campaign types, and they are not right for every business.

Good answer: a clear explanation of when they use Search campaigns, when they consider automated campaigns and what controls they apply, based on your data. See our guide on Performance Max in Singapore.

Warning answer: automatically turning on every recommendation Google suggests, or using one campaign type for everyone.

Question 14: Can I see relevant results and speak to a client?

Why it matters: past work shows how an agency thinks.

Good answer: honest case studies with starting points, time frames, budgets and what changed, plus a willingness to put you in touch with a client.

Warning answer: screenshots with no context, results from unrelated industries or a refusal to share any references.

A Simple Scorecard

After each conversation, score each question from 0 to 2:

• 0: vague, evasive or a warning answer.
• 1: acceptable but unclear in places.
• 2: specific, honest and easy to understand.

Add the points. A high score does not guarantee success, but a low score shows where to be careful. Questions 1, 2, 7 and 11 are especially important. If an agency scores 0 on any of them, think twice.

Red Flags in the First Call

• Guaranteed leads, sales or number one positions.
• Pressure to sign quickly or to pay everything upfront.
• Refusing to explain how your budget will be used.
• Asking you to pay your ad budget to them.
• A copy-and-paste proposal that does not mention your business.
• No questions about your customers, margins or website.
• Criticising everyone else without showing their own proof.
• Hiding behind jargon.

What a Good First Call Feels Like

• They ask about your business, customers and numbers before pitching.
• They tell you what is realistic, even if it is less exciting.
• They explain things in plain words.
• They mention risks and what could go wrong.
• They are comfortable putting everything in writing.
• They are happy for you to compare other options.

A Message You Can Send Before the Call

To compare agencies fairly, send each the same short message:

“Hi, I am looking for Google Ads help for my business in Singapore. Before we speak, could you tell me whether the Google Ads account will be in my name, how you charge and what is included, how my ad budget is paid, how you track calls and WhatsApp, who will manage my account, how you report results and what the contract terms are? Thank you.”

The quality of the replies will tell you a lot.

If You Are Choosing Between an Agency, a Freelancer and Doing It Yourself

The same questions apply, but the trade-offs differ. Agencies offer more skills and backup, freelancers offer direct contact and DIY offers control at the cost of time and learning mistakes. For SEO providers, see our guide on questions to ask an SEO agency.

How SG Growth Lab Answers These Questions

We are happy to answer every question above in writing. You get a free audit, a clear plan with price and timeline and a real specialist on your account. The Google Ads account stays in your name, your ad budget goes directly to Google and you receive honest reporting that includes enquiries. There are no long-term contracts and no fake promises.

Learn more about our Google Ads service, or message us on WhatsApp for a free audit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts

Knowing how to choose a Google Ads agency Singapore businesses can trust comes down to asking better questions: who owns the account, how the budget is paid, what is included, how results are tracked and reported and what happens if you leave. Score the answers, watch for red flags and choose the team that explains things simply.

Want to put these questions to us? Get a free audit from SG Growth Lab and ask anything on this list.