Find your match: Choosing PPC agency for B2B tech companies

What was, is no longer. There used to be a golden rule in running PPC campaigns, regardless of how they were managed: “Throw enough money in enough directions on PPC and watch the leads roll in!” 

And while this used to hold true, those days are gone. You can now also generate very poor results, from quite a hefty budget on paid campaigns.

At Envy, we often hold discovery calls with companies expecting instant results, only to be disappointed when their MQLs aren’t magically flooding in within days. A successful PPC strategy, especially in B2B tech, takes 2-3 months to show measurable results, and it typically needs at least 6 months to really hit its stride.

Patience is key – but so is having the right agency to drive results.

So… Do you outsource PPC to an agency?

In-House PPC: Pros & Cons

The perks of doing things in-house

• Convenience & control: Having your PPC team on-site often means faster communication and more control over the campaign.
• In-depth knowledge: Your internal team knows your business inside-out, so they can tailor PPC efforts specifically to align with your B2B lead generation goals (which in turn are aligned with overall business goals).
• Cost management: If you have a smaller budget, a dedicated employee might be more cost-effective than outsourcing to an agency (but there’s a catch).

But... Do you have the right expertise in-house? PPC for B2B tech is highly specialized and constantly changing, requiring creativity, optimization, and advanced data analysis to maximize ROI. Without a well-rounded team, your efforts might fall flat.

The downside of running PPC campaigns in-house

• Limited expertise: Your in-house team might simply not have enough bandwidth to stay on top of the latest trends and tools. They also will not have access to the benchmark. How do you know if you’re doing a good job?
• Time to market: Your team will likely make novice mistakes; an agency runs campaigns day in day out and will have best practices in place to get you up and running more effectively, super-quickly.Resource strain: Managing high-budget campaigns requires thorough monitoring and optimization, which can overwhelm a small team.
• Tool costs: Running campaigns requires paid platforms and tools, adding to your monthly costs. An in-house PPC setup could eat into your budget quickly.

Outsourcing PPC: The agency advantage

If you’re short on time and resources and want to hit the ground running, there’s good reason why many companies turn to agencies for help:

The perks of outsourcing PPC

• Expertise in spades/speed to results: Agencies bring in a full team of B2B PPC experts who live and breathe PPC management for B2B clients, think tech niches like cybersecurity. Whether you need multi-channel campaigns across Google, LinkedIn, Twitter/x, or niche platforms, agencies have the skills to execute. 
• From full funnel strategy to implementation: A good PPC agency won’t just focus on the campaigns and data, they’ll start with a full funnel plan of the user journey. They’ll look at the target audience, the content, the creative and to build and optimize PPC campaigns that truly engage your audience.
• Access to the latest tools and trends: Agencies receive early access to the latest offerings that the social media and advertising giants have to offer. So if you are looking to stand out and be the first in your ecosystem to be trying out the latest leadgen play, an agency will provide that edge
• Cost-effective: Rather than building an entire team, you get a diverse group of specialists (without having to pay for their benefits or training).
• Tools & resources: Agencies have access to premium PPC tools (think SEMrush, SpyFu, Ahrefs, audience research tools), meaning you don’t need to pay extra for software licenses or worry about getting up to speed on the latest platforms to keep tracking, optimizing, managing & reporting on your paid campaigns.
• Time commitment: Agencies have long perfected mundane but necessary tasks like keyword research, bid management, A/B testing, and continuous campaign optimization, and will be able to focus on strategy and growth instead.

But, you can’t just sit back and relax. PPC is a proactive relationship. If you don’t supply your agency with the right content or feedback on lead quality, your campaigns won’t hit their full potential.

How to determine the need to outsource?

To help you figure that out, we’ve designed a quick checklist. This isn’t just for kicks – it’s a practical way to assess your current setup, budget, and goals. Answer honestly, and by the end, you’ll have a much clearer picture of what to do next.

If you answered mostly “Yes”, congrats! You likely have the internal resources and expertise to handle PPC campaigns in-house – and your team can start pushing those campaigns forward.

If you checked “No” or “Somewhat” more often, it might be time to consider outsourcing to a PPC agency. Especially if your budget allows for it, outsourcing can take a load off your shoulders, giving you access to the latest tools and specialized expertise without the in-house overhead.

Need help analyzing your results or discussing what outsourcing could look like for your company? Schedule a consultation with Envy today, and we’ll talk through the best PPC strategy for your unique goals.

How to choose the right PPC agency for your B2B tech company

Find agencies specializing in your industry (we’re predicting this will be one of the leading factors CMOs will look for in agencies of the future), schedule initial consultation (ours is free, just saying 😉) and choose what’s best for you.

Below is a list of questions you might want to ask when interviewing different agencies–from the perspective of one agency:

• What industries do you specialize in? Just like we said above, with GenAI taking care of TOFU content, you’ll need someone who knows your industry inside and out, and pretty much hangs out with your ICP.
• What kind of results have you generated for clients similar to me in terms of industry and budget? You’ll want to see some case studies before making any decisions.
• What platforms do you specialize in? The likes of Google, LinkedIn, Facebook or X are quite obvious, and you might want to look further–think Reddit, Quora and other niche/emerging platforms.
• Do you offer PPC audits before starting? We don’t believe in quick wins at Envy, but optimizing existing campaigns is often quicker than starting from scratch.
• What time and resources are required from the client? Setting expectations is key. Most agencies shouldn’t be just “hit the pay button and run”. You will need to work with them. 
• Who will be on the account team? Make sure you will not be stuck with a couple of juniors running your campaigns!

When to outsource: Envy’s rule of thumb

The decision comes down to your company’s resources and goals. Do you want full control, or do you need an expert hand to drive growth? If you're a B2B tech company that needs to scale quickly and efficiently, outsourcing your PPC to an experienced agency might be your golden ticket.

At Envy, we live by one rule: Outsource your weakness.

If your in-house team doesn’t have the time, expertise, or tools to fully optimize your PPC campaigns, don’t waste resources trying to catch up. Hire an agency that can hit the ground running.

But if you already have a seasoned PPC team who knows your industry and has the tools in place, an in-house setup might be your best bet for full control and cost efficiency.

Whatever you decide, don’t fall for the PPC myths. It takes time, testing, and a solid full funnel strategy to make those leads and conversions roll in. So if you need help building and running PPC campaigns, we’ve got your back. Let’s talk about Envy’s B2B PPC services that actually work.