FRENFree Audit

How to choose a Google Ads agency in Quebec

A guide built on criteria you can verify before you sign — with any agency, including us.

Big agency, freelancer or small agency: the label says little. What matters are facts you can ask for and check. Here are eight criteria, and how Pixby answers each one.

8 criteria to check

CriterionWhat you can askHow Pixby works
1. Account ownershipIs the Google Ads account in your name? What happens if you leave?Ad spend is paid directly to Google, in your account. If we stop working together, the account and its history stay yours.
2. Who actually manages itThe name of the person who changes your account, and how to reach them.Alexander Guanchez, the founder, manages every account. Direct access by text or email.
3. Call and form trackingAre calls and forms measured separately? Is the setup verified before launch?Tracking is installed and verified before spending a dollar. Calls and forms are tracked separately.
4. CommunicationWhen do you hear from them, and in what form?A monthly report on the 1st, plus direct access for questions.
5. Fee modelFixed fee, percentage of ad spend, or a mix? What is the agency's financial interest when your budget goes up?Fixed, public fees: 1,000 CAD onboarding, one time, then 750 CAD/month. Ad spend is separate. See pricing.
6. CommitmentMinimum term, exit conditions, and the reason for that term.Minimum 3-month commitment, the time to collect data and optimize.
7. Data accessCan you see the numbers yourself, at any time, without asking for a report?Dashboard accessible at any time, and the Google Ads account is yours.
8. Connecting Ads to business outcomesDoes the agency talk about cost per signed customer, or only clicks and leads?That is the goal of the method. The figures Pixby publishes stop at tracked calls and forms, and each client case says so.
Worth a close look: when fees are a percentage of your ad budget, the agency has a financial interest in that budget going up. That says nothing about the quality of its work, but ask how pay is calculated and whether you understand the incentive.

5 questions to ask before you sign

  1. “Who will actually manage my account?” Ask for a name and a way to reach that person. A vague answer is a signal worth noting.
  2. “Is the Google Ads account in my name if I leave?” Ask what you keep: account, history and data.
  3. “How do you measure my conversions?” Ask whether calls and forms are tracked separately. An agency that measures only one of the two sees only part of your requests.
  4. “What follow-up do I get, and when?” Ask for the frequency, the format, and a sample report.
  5. “Why this commitment length?” Ask for the minimum term, the exit conditions and the reason for that length.

When NOT to hire an agency at all

Be honest with yourself: if you cannot answer the phone during business hours, or if your service has more bad reviews than good ones — fix that first. No campaign repairs a phone that does not get answered. An honest agency will tell you so at the Audit instead of taking your money.

Where Pixby fits

Pixby does Google Ads only, for local service businesses in Quebec. If you need several channels (SEO, social media, display), Pixby is not the right fit, and we will say so. Otherwise, the starting point is the Pixby Audit: free, no commitment, and the price is public — 1,000 CAD onboarding, then 750 CAD/month (details).

Start by looking at your market

The free Audit looks at Google demand for your trade (monthly searches, indicative bid ranges) to help you decide whether it is worth it — before you talk to anyone.

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