Stop Treating Client Ad Accounts Like Monopoly Money: Why Google Ads Isn’t a Side Quest
Every week, someone tells me:
“I got a client who wants Google Ads, so I’m teaching myself.”
In fact, just last week a girl sent me a DM on Instagram about it.
2 months prior I had a consultant I had hired tell me she “might sign a client” to run ads.
And on Reddit I saw a guy asking what type of computer he needed to run ads.
It usually comes from a well‑meaning website builder, social media manager, or general marketer who genuinely wants to help their client.
But here’s the truth I wish more people understood:
Google Ads is not a side quest.
It’s not an add‑on service.
And it’s definitely not Monopoly money.
When you “learn as you go” inside someone else’s ad account, you’re not experimenting with fake dollars. You’re playing with a real person’s livelihood — their payroll, their rent, their kid’s braces.
I’ve rebuilt too many accounts wrecked by someone who meant well but didn’t understand the stakes. And if I could save even one business owner from that pain, I would write this article a thousand times.
This is that article.
Learning Google Ads In Real Accounts
Many general marketers “learn Google Ads” inside real client accounts, unintentionally causing major financial and data loss. Google Ads is a specialized discipline that requires deep knowledge of structure, settings, tracking, and strategy. When inexperienced marketers experiment inside live accounts, businesses pay the price through wasted spend, lost data, and long‑term performance damage. To protect your business, ensure your account is built by a specialist, maintain ownership of your data, and avoid letting anyone “learn as they go” with your budget.
TL;DR
• Google Ads looks simple on the surface, but the stakes are extremely high.
• Many general marketers offer ads as an add‑on service and “learn as they go.”
• Their intentions aren’t bad — but the consequences can be devastating.
• I’ve rebuilt accounts where thousands were wasted, data was lost, and businesses were left confused and broke.
• Google Ads is a specialty, not a bonus service.
• You don’t need to be an expert to run your own ads — but you do need a clean, strategic foundation built by someone who is.
• My mission is simple: protect business owners from preventable harm and give them clarity instead of chaos.
Why You Should Listen to Me (Especially When I Call Out This Industry Problem)
I’m Sarah Stemen, PPC — a Google Ads strategist with nearly two decades of hands‑on experience, a Top 100 PPC Influencer for three years running, and a contributing writer for Search Engine Land and Search Engine Journal. I also serve as the President of the Paid Search Association and speak at major industry conferences about the realities of paid search that most marketers gloss over.
I don’t just talk about Google Ads.
I teach it, audit it, rebuild it, and expose what’s broken.
And I’ve been publicly warning about the rise of untrained “ads managers” who test on clients across multiple platforms:
On my YouTube channel, Google Ads Strategy Hub, where I break down real account issues and show how bad builds waste money
In my blog post about Google Ads Certification, where I explain why certification doesn’t equal competence
On industry shows and podcasts, including conversations with PPC agency owners who have seen the same epidemic firsthand
Across hundreds of audits, I’ve seen the same pattern:
People offering to “run your ads” are often learning on your budget.
I’ve rebuilt accounts that were:
Structured incorrectly from day one
Missing conversion tracking
Using settings that actively hurt performance
Built from templates instead of strategy
Managed by people who didn’t understand Google Ads beyond the surface
My work focuses on:
Technical PPC expertise, not niche familiarity
HIPAA‑safe, compliant builds for therapists and small businesses
Data‑driven audits that reveal exactly where money is being wasted
Rebuilding accounts the right way so they’re profitable and scalable
Teaching business owners to run their own ads, so they never rely on guesswork again
If you want advice from someone who has spent years publicly calling out this issue — someone who has seen behind the curtain and isn’t afraid to say what others won’t — you’re in the right place.
I don’t protect the industry.
I protect business owners.
The Hidden Problem No One Talks About in Google Ads Management
Alright — authority established. Now let’s get into the part the industry avoids because it exposes how low the bar has gotten.
Here’s the truth: the biggest threat to your Google Ads account isn’t Google. It’s the wave of untrained “ads managers” who are learning the platform inside your account and calling it “management.”
This is the epidemic no one wants to talk about — so I’m going to break it down clearly, with examples, data, and the patterns I’ve seen across hundreds of audits.
1. The Hidden Epidemic in Small‑Business Marketing
There’s a quiet crisis happening in small‑business marketing right now.
Website builders, social media managers, and general marketers keep saying:
“My client wants ads, so I’m learning Google Ads.”
They’re not malicious.
They’re not trying to scam anyone.
They genuinely want to help.
But the impact is real — and often devastating.
Because Google Ads is not something you “figure out” with someone else’s money.
It’s not a playground.
It’s not a sandbox.
It’s not a place to experiment with live budgets.
Yet that’s exactly what’s happening every day.
And if we are all being honest, it happens at agencies everyday too. But at least at “good PPC agencies” they try to give some support to the juniors doing the work.
2. Why Google Ads Looks Easy (But Isn’t)
Google makes the platform look simple:
Google’s own marketing has done an amazing job making the platform feel accessible. They’ve simplified the interface and polished the channels to make you feel like success is just one "Smart" click away.
But here is the strategic reality: They’ve built the Tesla of marketing campaigns.
It’s sleek, it’s automated, and it looks like it drives itself. But if you put someone behind the wheel who doesn't even have a learner's permit, they are going to crash. For a small business, "self-driving" campaigns without a specialist-built foundation are a fast track to a total loss.
Automation is a tool for experts to scale—not a safety net for beginners to learn.
Here are some of the “easy button” problems I have seen.
• Smart campaigns (please, no)
• Auto‑applied recommendations (run away!!!)
• “Let Google handle it” messaging (would you let your credit card company do your budget planning?)
• Clean dashboards (defaults to impressions and clicks)
• Friendly prompts (the whole insights tab)
It’s designed to feel accessible.
But underneath that simplicity is a system that can burn through thousands of dollars in days if you don’t know what you’re doing.
Google Ads is a specialty skill because:
• Structure matters (this is where you can make or break ads)
• Match types matter (lose tons of money)
• Negative keywords matter (it’s a balance, you can over or under optimize these)
• Conversion tracking matters (entire companies specialize in tagging because it is SO important)
• Bidding strategy matters (if you don’t think so read this where a company I worked wasn’t getting leads with a wrong choice)
• Landing page alignment matters
• Data integrity matters
You can’t “wing” any of this.
3. The Real‑World Consequences (These Are the Stories No One Tells)
Here’s what I’ve seen in my Google Ads Audits — repeatedly:
• Accounts held hostage by agencies and freelancers who won’t give access (they will even put it in the contract)
• Businesses (including Therapists who are trying Google Ads) losing years of conversion data
• Local businesses spending $3,000/month on irrelevant clicks
• Agencies hiding behind jargon to justify bad work
• Owners feeling stupid for trusting the wrong person (never feel stupid when you don’t know)
• Campaigns built with no negative keywords (there is a delicate balance)
• Smart campaigns used as a default because “it’s easier” (or they just don’t know because Google puts you into this set up first)
• Conversion tracking set up wrong (or not at all) or double tracking (YIKES)
• Accounts so messy they need to be rebuilt from scratch (I offer an PPC account build(rebuild) from scratch because this is so common)
These aren’t rare cases.
They’re weekly occurrences.
And every time, the business owner pays the price.
4. The Emotional Cost No One Talks About
When a business owner hires someone to run ads, they’re not just buying clicks.
They’re buying hope.
Hope that:
Their phone will ring (it will)
Their schedule will fill (yes, please)
Their business will grow (it will)
Their stress will ease (my main goal for you)
Their investment will pay off (I track this for you)
When someone inexperienced In Google Ads burns their budget, it’s not just money lost.
It’s trust lost. (“Google Ads doesn’t work for me”)
It’s confidence lost.
It’s momentum lost.
And that’s what breaks my heart.
5. Why Generalists Keep Offering Google Ads (It’s Not Their Fault)
Most general marketers don’t wake up thinking:
“I’m going to ruin someone’s ad account today.”
They offer ads because:
• Clients ask for it (and let’s admit they want the money)
• They want to be helpful
• They assume it’s simple
• Google’s UI makes it look easy
• They don’t understand the stakes
• They don’t know what they don’t know
This isn’t a villain story.
It’s a clarity story.
6. Google Ads Is a Specialty — Here’s What That Actually Means
Being a Google Ads specialist isn’t about gatekeeping.
It’s about understanding:
• How to structure campaigns for long‑term data integrity
• How to protect budgets from waste
• How to align search intent with landing pages
• How to diagnose performance issues
• How to build systems that scale
• How to avoid irreversible mistakes
Specialists don’t just “run ads.”
They build foundations.
7. My Philosophy: Build Your Ads It Right, Then Hand You the Keys
Here’s where I’m different from most agencies:
I don’t want to manage your account forever.
I don’t want to gatekeep your data.
I don’t want to profit from confusion.
I want to build your campaigns correctly, teach you how to run them, and give you full control. This keeps you from losing money on Google Ads Management.
Because clarity is power.
And confusion is a billable hour — and I refuse to profit from it.
8. How Business Owners Can Protect Themselves
Here’s what every business owner should do before letting anyone touch their account:
✅ Always own your own Google Ads account
Never let someone create it under their email. In fact I will get on the phone with you (Google Ads Coaching) and walk you though the Google Ads setup so you don’t mess it up which will set you up for failure, headache and more money loss.
✅ Ask how they structure campaigns
If they can’t explain it simply, that’s a red flag. (I make you videos showing you exactly how I do it in my 90-day PPC account build)
✅ Ask how they handle negative keywords (I can talk about this for hours because it is an art and a science)
If they say “Google handles that,” run.
✅ Ask how they track conversions
If they can’t explain attribution, run faster. (it is very complex)
✅ Ask what happens if you stop working together
If they can’t guarantee full access, walk away.
9. If I Could Save One Business, This Article Is Worth It
I’ve seen too many good people lose too much money because someone else was “learning” inside their account.
If this article saves even one business from that fate, it’s worth writing.
And if you’re a general marketer reading this — this isn’t an attack.
It’s an invitation.
Learn Google Ads the right way. (I will teach you Google Ads better/faster than a course)
Practice in a sandbox.
Get training.
Shadow a specialist.
Don’t experiment with someone else’s livelihood.
We’re all on the same team.
Takeaway
Google Ads looks simple, but the stakes are high. When general marketers “learn as they go” inside real client accounts, businesses lose money, data, and trust. This article explains why Google Ads is a specialty, the hidden risks of inexperienced management, and how business owners can protect themselves. The FAQ below answers the most common questions business owners ask when evaluating whether someone is qualified to run their ads.
FAQs
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Because structure, tracking, and bidding decisions have long‑term financial consequences.
People like me have studied Google Ads and PPC for YEARS.
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Yes — but only after a specialist builds the foundation.
5 years agency side is a start if I was forced to put a quantifier on it.
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Your business, thousands of wasted dollars, and data loss.
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You should see clear structure, clean tracking, and intentional targeting. This has to be explained to you.
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I have a free checklist for download to help you ask the right questions.
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Item descAlways. Never let someone else control your data.
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Absolutely — that’s the whole point of what I do!
If you want your account built correctly — with clarity, transparency, and zero hostage situations — I can help.
I build campaigns the right way, hand you the keys, and teach you how to run them confidently.
Your business deserves that level of protection.
