Google Ads in Kenya: Management Fees vs Ad Spend, Explained
Confused about what you're paying for when you hire someone to run Google Ads? Here's the difference between ad spend and management fees — and what to ask before you sign.
By Mavqo Digital Team
When businesses hire an agency to run Google Ads, one of the most common sources of confusion is what the money actually pays for. There are two separate costs, and understanding them will help you budget properly and compare agencies fairly.
Ad spend: what you pay Google
Ad spend is the money that goes to Google when people interact with your ads — for example, when someone clicks a search ad. You set a budget, and Google charges against it based on how your campaigns perform in its auctions.
Ideally, ad spend is billed by Google directly to a payment method on an account your business owns. That way you can see exactly what was spent.
Management fee: what you pay the agency
The management fee pays for the expertise and time needed to plan, build, monitor and improve your campaigns. That work typically includes:
- Keyword research and choosing which searches to target
- Writing and testing ad copy
- Setting up conversion tracking so you can see which ads produce leads
- Reviewing search terms and excluding irrelevant ones
- Adjusting bids and budgets
- Reporting on results
Why it matters that the two are separate
When fees and ad spend are bundled into one number, it becomes hard to know how much is actually reaching Google. Keeping them separate gives you transparency: you can see your real cost per lead and judge whether the agency is adding value.
Who should own the Google Ads account?
Your business should. If an agency runs ads from its own account and you part ways, you may lose your campaign history and data. Make sure the account is in your business's name and the agency is given access to manage it.
Conversion tracking comes first
Without conversion tracking, it's impossible to know whether your ads are producing enquiries or just clicks. Before campaigns launch, make sure form submissions, phone calls and WhatsApp clicks are tracked where possible.
Questions to ask before you hire
- Is your fee separate from ad spend?
- Will the Google Ads account be in my business's name?
- How will you track leads, not just clicks?
- How often will you report, and what will the reports show?
- What happens to the account and data if we stop working together?
A trustworthy partner will be comfortable answering all of these clearly — and won't promise guaranteed results, because no one can control Google's auctions.
Want help putting this into practice?
Explore Google Ads Management
