The Agency Model Is Dying: Why Your Small Business Needs a Google Ads Coach, Not a Manager
The Broken Economics of Google Ads Agencies for Small Business Growth
Welcome to the Google Ads Strategy Hub, my paid search blog where we empower you to take total control of your advertising. I'm Sarah Stemen, and today we're tackling a controversial but vital topic: the traditional Google Ads agency model is failing small businesses, and it's time for a major shift.
If you’re a small business owner who has felt stuck—unable to afford a high-end agency but burned by a cheaper one—this is for you. The core problem, as I often explain about paid search, is simple economics. Most small businesses are simply not ready to pay both their essential ad spend and a high management fee.
Let’s look at the math that doesn’t work:
Scenario: You have a $2,000 monthly Google Ad budget (a fairly low figure).
Agency Fee: A good, high-strategy agency might charge around $2,000 for management.
Total Monthly Cost: You are now spending $4,000, but only half of that is actually going toward acquiring customers.
This structure creates a massive barrier to entry. Your ad dollars should be working for you, not just covering high overhead.
The Downfall of the "Button-Pusher" Agency
When high costs push business owners into a corner, a market for cheap alternatives is created: the button-pusher agency. These low-cost firms promise the world but often staff more salespeople than actual Google Ads strategists.
The typical button-pusher problem:
Overloaded Managers: Strategists are juggling 50, 80, or even 100 accounts. They are not thinking about your business goals at night—they are simply trying to survive the day.
Basic Execution: They set up a campaign, maybe check it once a week, and send an automated report. They are pushing buttons, but without true strategic insight.
Here's the kicker: The work they do is becoming obsolete. With the rise of AI in Google Ads, tools like Performance Max, and automated bidding, many manual tasks are now handled by the platform itself. Google can push its own buttons now. If you are paying an agency just to perform the basics, you are paying for a service that is rapidly losing its value.
What a small business truly needs is strategy. You need someone who understands your market, your customer, and can build a comprehensive PPC strategy for your small business to achieve your goals. That level of intuitive, experienced-based thinking is inherently expensive—which brings us right back to the original cost problem.
The Great Shift: From Manager to Google Ads Coach
The industry is seeing a seismic shift. Truly brilliant PPC experts are moving away from the full-management model. Why? Because we see small businesses being burned by the cheap or priced out of the effective options.
This is the path forward: Google Ads Coaching.
Instead of managing your account, experts like myself teach you how to manage the account yourself. You get all the high-level strategy, the framework, and the experienced support—without the crippling monthly management fee.
Why Coaching is the Future of DIY Google Ads
Save Thousands: You put your entire budget toward acquiring customers, not management fees.
Gain Full Control: You gain complete understanding of your ad performance, which provides invaluable business knowledge.
Build a Core Skill: You build a skill that will serve your business for years to come. As I often note in my blog and in my Youtube videos, no one knows your business better than you do. With the right guidance, your internal management will be more effective than what most button-pusher agencies can offer.
It’s about a mindset shift. You’ve been told for years that Google Ads is too complicated to touch, and while it's true you can drain your budget in a heartbeat without context, the solution isn't to be a passive client. The solution is to become an active, empowered manager of your own growth.
Conclusion: Stop Feeling Stuck, Start Taking Control
The old agency model is broken for small businesses. It creates an enormous gap where you're either overpaying for top-tier strategy or underpaying for ineffective, obsolete management.
The future isn't about finding a new agency; it’s about empowering yourself with the right Google Ads coaching. You are absolutely capable of running your own profitable campaigns. You just need the expert roadmap and support to show you the way.
If this resonates with you and you’re ready to take control of your Google Ads strategy, I am here to help. Our one-on-one coaching is designed specifically to turn business owners from overwhelmed novices to confident Google Ads strategists.
For more in-depth discussion on this topic and to see how this shift impacts your business, check out the companion video:
