PPC Agency & Management

We’re a PPC agency in Billings, Montana. We build, run, and optimize Google Ads and paid social for businesses across Montana and the country. Most clients hire us after their last agency set the account up and stopped optimizing.

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Brand strategy first

Senior-led accounts

Free account audit

Featured in Forbes

What our PPC management covers

Account build or rebuild.
Keyword and audience targeting.
Ad creative across Search, Performance Max, Display, and video.
Landing page guidance and CRO.
Conversion tracking in GA4, GTM, and server-side when it matters.
Monthly reporting and strategy calls.

PPC built on brand

Most agencies start with the platform. They open Google Ads, dump in keywords, and build campaigns. The brand work, if any, is whatever’s already in the logo and on the website.

We start with the brand. Before we touch your account, we look at the positioning, the ICP, the value prop, and the actual buyers you want. The ad copy can then make a specific argument instead of selling generic features. The buyers who click are pre-qualified because the messaging matches the brand they find on the landing page.

This is why we exist as a brand-led agency, and it’s why we run paid media differently. The Let’s Canoe Framework guides the brand work; the paid media work runs downstream of that. When buyers tell us their last campaign “didn’t convert,” the fix usually isn’t the keywords but the message and who it’s aimed at.

Why most PPC accounts underperform

Three things kill most PPC accounts. We see them on almost every audit.

Set it and forget it. The agency built a solid launch, then stopped optimizing. Bids drift, ads get stale, audiences narrow on their own. By month three, the account is running on autopilot and burning budget.
Tracking that doesn’t track. GA4 isn’t wired up properly. Conversion events fire on the wrong action. The reporting numbers look great in the deck and have nothing to do with actual revenue. The agency thinks it’s winning; the client wonders why nothing is happening on the sales side.
Targeting that’s too wide. Keywords are too broad, audiences are too generic, and exclusions are never added. The campaign reaches everyone, qualifies almost no one, and spends fast on clicks that never convert.

We start every engagement by auditing all three before we touch your campaigns.

Tracking that actually shows what’s working

Most PPC accounts we audit have broken tracking. GA4 isn’t wired up. GTM has duplicate tags firing. Conversion events count from loads instead of form submits. The reports look fine; the numbers underneath are wrong.

We fix the tracking before we touch the campaigns. That means a proper GA4 setup with the right conversion events, GTM cleaned so tags fire once and only once, and server-side tracking when iOS privacy changes or ad blockers are eating your data. Where it makes sense, we add UTMs that survive the click and stitch back to your CRM so you can see which keywords drove which actual customers.

If you can’t trust the numbers, you can’t optimize. So we get the numbers right first.

Google Ads management

Google Ads is where most of our spend goes. We work across Search, Performance Max, Display, and YouTube, with the mix shaped by where your buyers actually convert. We also run paid social when they make sense for the account.

How we run a retainer

Onboarding starts with an account audit and a tracking review. From there, we set quarterly goals, run weekly optimizations, and send a monthly report you can actually read. You own the account, the data, and the campaigns. We just run them.

PPC agency in Billings and across Montana

We’re a PPC agency based in Billings, and we run paid media for clients statewide, from Missoula to Kalispell, and nationwide. If you’re looking for Google Ads management in Montana, or paid search management with a local team that answers the phone, that’s us. Local accounts get on-site work when it helps, and everyone gets the same senior people on the account.

Common PPC Agency & Management Questions

Answers from a brand agency that runs paid media differently. If yours isn’t here, the fastest way to get one is to book a free fit call.

Cost and pricing

How much does PPC management cost?

We charge a percentage of your ad spend, which covers our time, campaign management, optimization, and reporting. It typically runs 13 to 15% and scales with total spend. The only separate cost is a one-time setup fee. Apart from our fee, most of our clients spend $4,000 to $20,000 a month on the ads themselves.

Do PPC agencies charge a flat fee or a percentage of ad spend?

Both exist in the industry, but we charge a percentage of your ad spend. That fee covers everything: our time, labor, campaign management, optimization, and reporting. The only cost outside it is the one-time setup fee. The percentage scales with total ad spend and typically runs 13 to 15%.

How much should I budget for ads?

A simple way to ballpark it: most businesses put about 10% of revenue toward marketing overall, and a good target for paid ads is around 3 to 5% of revenue. In practice, most of our clients land between $4,000 and $20,000 a month, depending on their size and how competitive their market is.

Is there a setup fee?

Yes, usually a one-time $350 fee. It covers configuring the account, installing and testing the tracking codes, and setting up access and permissions, so everything is wired correctly before we spend a dollar.

Is PPC worth it for a small business?

Usually yes. Ranking organically for commercial searches takes a long time and the competition is fierce, so paid ads move you to the top of the results now instead of months from now. How fast it pays off depends on how competitive your sector is, but for most small businesses, paid media is the quickest way to start attracting and earning customers.

Results and timeline

How long until I see results?

Most accounts show meaningful movement within 60 to 90 days. The first 30 are spent on bid learning, cleaning, tracking, and rebuilding what doesn’t work; the next 60 are spent on scaling what does.

What ROI can I expect from PPC?

It varies by industry, margin, and how competitive your keywords are, so anyone quoting a number before seeing your account is guessing. A healthy account returns several dollars for every dollar spent once it’s past the learning phase. We set targets against your numbers, then optimize the campaigns toward them.

How do you measure PPC success?

It depends on how your conversions and attribution are tracked. When there’s a clear conversion like a purchase or a subscription, we measure cost per lead, cost per acquisition, and return on ad spend. When the sale takes weeks or months and same-day conversions are rare, attribution gets murky, so we track MER (marketing efficiency ratio): your total marketing cost against total revenue, watched over time. Either way, we fix the tracking first so the numbers tie back to real customers.

Why isn’t my current PPC converting?

Usually it isn’t the keywords. The problems we see on almost every audit are accounts that were built and left on autopilot, tracking that counts the wrong actions, and targeting too broad to qualify anyone. The other common cause is a message that doesn’t match the brand on the landing page.

What happens in the first 30 days?

We audit the account and the tracking before touching a campaign. That means a proper GA4 setup, conversion events on the right actions, and a clear read on what’s working and what’s leaking budget. From there we set goals and start rebuilding.

How we work

Do you actually run the account, or outsource it?

We run it. The same senior team works your account start to finish, no juniors and no offshore queue. You work with the people doing the work.

What does your PPC management include?

Account build or rebuild, keyword and audience targeting, ad creative across Search, Display, and video, landing-page and conversion guidance, conversion tracking in GA4 and GTM, and monthly reporting with a strategy call. We manage and tweak the campaign signals, data, and creative throughout the week. We don’t set it and forget it.

How often do you optimize and report?

We optimize the account weekly and send a monthly report you can actually read, paired with a strategy call. You see what changed, what it cost, and what it returned.

Do I own my ad account and data?

Yes. You own the account, the data, and the campaigns. We run them for you, and if we ever part ways, everything stays with you.

Do you require a long-term contract?

We run month-to-month after a 90-day minimum. The 90 days gives us time to improve the results, and after that you can judge us on them.

How do you onboard a new account?

Onboarding starts with an account audit and a tracking review. From there we set quarterly goals, run weekly optimizations, and report monthly. The first weeks are about fixing the foundation before we scale spend.

Platforms and channels

What advertising platforms do you manage?

Google Ads, Microsoft (Bing) Ads, and paid social including Meta, with YouTube and Performance Max where they fit. We put budget where your buyers convert, not where it’s easiest to run.

Do you run Meta or just Google?

Both. We lead with Google Ads because buyer intent is highest, but we run Meta when they fit the account and strategy.

Should I use Google Ads or Meta?

Google Ads reaches people already searching for what you sell, so intent is high and it usually converts faster. Meta is better for building demand and reaching people before they search. Many accounts run both, with the split set by where buyers actually convert.

Do you manage Performance Max campaigns?

Yes. Performance Max can work well when it’s set up with clean conversion data and the right exclusions. Run without those, it spends fast and reports numbers that don’t match reality, so we build the tracking first.

Do you run Microsoft (Bing) Ads?

Yes. Microsoft Ads often costs less per click and reaches an older, higher-income audience, so it’s worth running for the right accounts alongside Google.

PPC vs SEO and strategy

What is PPC management?

PPC management is the ongoing work of running paid advertising: building campaigns, targeting, ad creative, bidding, conversion tracking, and reporting. The goal is to turn ad spend into qualified leads and sales, then keep improving the return.

What’s the difference between PPC and SEO?

PPC is paid. You bid for placement and traffic starts the day the campaign goes live, but it stops when you stop paying. SEO is earned. It takes months to build but keeps working without a per-click cost. Most businesses use both, PPC for immediate leads and SEO for long-term traffic.

Should I do PPC or SEO first?

If you need leads in weeks, start with PPC. If you’re playing a longer game and can wait a few months, invest in SEO. Doing both is ideal, because PPC data shows you which keywords convert, which makes your SEO smarter.

What makes a brand-led PPC agency different?

Most agencies open the ad account and start with keywords. We start with the brand: the positioning, the buyer, and the message. When the ad says something specific and matches the landing page, the people who click are pre-qualified and the spend works harder.

Choosing a PPC agency

How do I choose a PPC agency?

Look for senior people actually running your account, clear pricing, reporting tied to revenue, and experience with accounts like yours. Ask how they’d handle your account and whether they’d ever tell you not to run PPC, because the good ones will.

What questions should I ask before hiring a PPC agency?

Ask who runs the account day to day, how they charge, how they track conversions, how often they optimize and report, and whether you keep ownership of the account. Ask for examples from accounts like yours, and watch how they handle the hard questions.

What are the red flags in a PPC agency?

A promised ROAS before they’ve seen your account, reporting built on clicks instead of revenue, vague answers about who does the work, and contracts that lock you in for a year. If the numbers in the deck never match the sales side, that’s the biggest one.

Can you guarantee a specific ROAS or number of leads?

No, and be careful with anyone who does. Results depend on your margin, your market, and your offer, none of which a guarantee can control. What we commit to is fixing the tracking, running the account hands-on, and being straight with you about what the numbers say.

Why do most PPC accounts underperform?

Three reasons show up on nearly every audit: the account was built and then left on autopilot, the tracking doesn’t measure real conversions, and the targeting is too broad to qualify anyone. We check all three before touching your campaigns.

Do you work with my industry?

Probably. We run paid media across consumer products, ecommerce, B2B services, healthcare, nonprofits, and local service businesses. The platforms and the method carry across industries; what changes is the message and who we target.

Montana and local

Do you offer PPC management in Montana?

Yes. We’re a PPC agency based in Billings, and we run Google Ads and paid social for businesses across Montana, from Missoula to Kalispell. Local accounts get on-site time when it helps.

Do you do Google Ads management in Billings?

Yes. Billings is home base. We manage Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, and paid social for Billings businesses and clients across the state, with the same senior team on every account.

Do I have to be in Montana to work with you?

No. Roughly half of our retainer clients are outside Montana. We run remote-first engagements with quarterly strategy reviews.

Do you work with clients outside Montana?

Yes. About half our retainer clients are national. Engagements run remote-first, and the work is the same wherever you are: senior team, brand-first, weekly optimization.

Getting started

How do I get started with PPC management?

Start with a free account audit or a short fit call. The audit shows what’s working in your account, what isn’t, and where budget is leaking, and it’s yours to keep whether you hire us or not.

What is the free PPC audit?

It’s a no-cost review of your ad account covering structure, tracking, wasted spend, and the quickest wins. You get the findings to keep, with no obligation to work with us.

Start with a free audit, or just send us a message

Get a free PPC audit covering what’s working in your account, what isn’t, and where the budget is leaking. It’s yours to keep, whether you hire us or not.

406-998-7901
team@letscanoe.com
119 N 29th St
Billings, MT 59101

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Let’s Canoe is a brand-led marketing agency in Billings, Montana. We start with brand strategy and build the marketing around it. The Let’s Canoe Framework™ guides every engagement we run.