Best PPC Agencies in Manchester: Who’s Delivering, Who’s Coasting
Manchester’s PPC scene is competitive, with agencies promising to maximise your ad spend. But who truly delivers? We’ve evaluated six top agencies based on ROI focus, transparency, and client satisfaction. Here’s what you need to know:
- The PPC Team: Offers precise targeting and detailed audits but focuses solely on PPC.
- Herdl: Combines PPC with SEO and web development but may lack PPC-specific depth.
- Impression: Data-driven with advanced analytics but can feel overly technical for smaller businesses.
- PPC Geeks: Strong platform expertise but limited in cross-disciplinary creativity.
- Soap Media: Known for engaging campaigns but may lag in technical optimisation.
- Hot Click Marketing: Transparent reporting but could lose personal touch as it scales.
Key Takeaway: Choose based on your business size, goals, and need for specialisation. For example, e-commerce businesses might benefit from PPC Geeks, while those seeking integrated services could lean towards Herdl. Transparency and measurable results are non-negotiable when selecting the right partner.
1. The PPC Team
The PPC Team focuses on delivering results-driven PPC management, ensuring campaigns are centred around measurable business outcomes. Their strategy starts with a free PPC audit, offering a clear picture of how current campaigns are performing.
Performance Metrics
Using conversion tracking, the team evaluates keywords, ad copy, and landing pages to identify what drives growth. Their free PPC audit provides potential clients with valuable insights into their existing campaigns, laying the groundwork for a customised strategy.
Strategic Capabilities
Every campaign is tailored to the client’s needs, thanks to precise targeting and in-depth competitor analysis. By considering the unique aspects of each industry, target audience, and business goals, the team creates strategies that resonate with specific objectives.
Client Satisfaction
Collaboration is at the heart of their approach. They work closely with clients to align PPC campaigns with broader business goals. Through conversion rate optimisation, they refine landing pages to ensure clicks translate into meaningful results.
Transparency and Reporting
The team’s reporting style is straightforward, focusing on key metrics like cost per acquisition, return on ad spend, and profitability. Clients have direct access to campaign data and receive regular updates on strategy and budget usage. This transparent approach ensures clients can clearly evaluate ROI and stay informed every step of the way.
2. Herdl
Herdl, located in Manchester, focuses on delivering PPC and SEO services, with particular expertise in Google Ads.
Performance Metrics and Strategic Approach
Herdl is known for increasing both traffic and conversions by combining PPC and SEO strategies seamlessly. Their approach revolves around continuous optimisation, which involves fine-tuning bid strategies and enhancing campaign performance over time. This dedication to refining campaigns consistently makes Herdl a standout among other Manchester-based agencies.
3. Impression
Impression has carved out a niche in Manchester’s PPC scene by prioritising openness and adaptability. Back in April 2022, they introduced content trackers for an insurance client, providing complete transparency into ongoing efforts and strategic adjustments. This approach not only highlights their dedication to clear communication but also creates a more responsive, client-focused reporting framework.
Transparency and Reporting
Impression’s content tracker system is a game-changer. It consolidates research, ideas, and copy updates into one centralised platform, cutting out the chaos of email chains and ensuring everyone stays on the same page. This transparency isn’t just about keeping clients informed – it’s about enabling quick, strategic pivots that make PPC campaigns more effective.
"The Impression team uploads all research, ideas, and copy changes into a central tracker, ensuring visibility and alignment with our strategy whilst enabling agile, reactive adjustments that prevent details from getting lost."
- Client of Impression
4. PPC Geeks
PPC Geeks takes a numbers-first approach, focusing on strategies that deliver measurable results. By closely monitoring conversions and key performance indicators (KPIs), they ensure that ad spend aligns directly with business outcomes. This commitment to data drives every aspect of their work.
Performance Metrics
The agency goes beyond surface-level metrics like clicks and impressions. They prioritise detailed conversion tracking and consider deeper insights, such as customer lifetime value (CLV) and return on ad spend (ROAS). This broader perspective ensures campaigns are evaluated on their true effectiveness, offering clients a clearer picture of their advertising success.
Strategic Capabilities
PPC Geeks champions an integrated advertising strategy, seamlessly managing campaigns across platforms like Google Ads, Microsoft Advertising, and social media. By aligning these channels, they provide a unified view of the customer journey. Their expertise in audience segmentation is another standout feature – using search behaviours and purchasing trends, they create detailed customer personas to craft highly targeted and relevant ad messaging.
Client Satisfaction
Clear and open communication is at the heart of PPC Geeks’ client relationships. They make it a priority to keep clients informed about campaign progress and any shifts in strategy. Beyond just reporting numbers, they actively educate their clients about key metrics and decisions, building a partnership based on collaboration and transparency rather than a one-sided service dynamic.
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5. Soap Media
Soap Media stands out as a digital marketing agency that combines clear communication with a strategic, data-driven approach. Their emphasis on transparency and tailored strategies makes them a reliable choice for businesses of all sizes.
Transparency and Reporting
Soap Media takes a straightforward approach to project management by using tools like Google Docs to share detailed reports on time and resource allocation. This level of openness ensures that clients know exactly where their investment is going.
"Their communication is impressive. I have no complaints to date. We use Google Docs, and they show a clear report on the time they spend and those allocations. They’re transparent. They take the time to understand the business and use data to inform decisions. They’re proactive and I feel like I’m in good hands. We also like that the team doesn’t speak technical language to make themselves feel good. They’re trustworthy, compared to our last vendor." – British Woodworking Federation
This commitment to clarity and transparency helps build trust and ensures that clients feel informed and involved in the decision-making process.
Strategic Capabilities
Soap Media excels in crafting PPC strategies that are deeply rooted in data analysis. By thoroughly understanding each client’s business, they develop customised campaigns backed by clear, logical insights. Their proactive approach to strategy not only delivers results but also instils confidence in their recommendations.
Client Satisfaction
Client feedback reflects Soap Media’s ability to deliver on its promises. With a 4.9/5 rating from 31 reviews on Clutch.co and a 4.8/5 rating from 4 reviews on Semrush, their reputation for excellence is well-earned. Beyond client reviews, the agency has received industry recognition, including being listed in the Prolific North Top 50 Integrated Agencies 2025, winning the Prolific North Champion Awards 2024, and earning a spot on the Clutch 1000 2024. These accolades highlight their consistent performance and dedication to delivering results.
6. Hot Click Marketing
Hot Click Marketing is a Manchester-based agency focused on delivering high-performing campaigns through PPC Management, Display Advertising, Social Media Advertising, and PPC Audits. Their goal? To drive strong returns on investment for their clients. What makes them stand out is their commitment to transparency – they provide clear, detailed reporting so clients stay informed and engaged every step of the way. This combination of strategic expertise and open communication makes them a strong contender in Manchester’s competitive PPC market.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Based on detailed reviews, here’s a breakdown of the key strengths and challenges faced by Manchester PPC agencies. Each agency brings something unique to the table, but they also face specific hurdles. Understanding these dynamics can help you choose the right PPC partner.
The PPC Team stands out for its thorough audits, precise targeting, and business-focused reporting. However, its exclusive focus on PPC means it lacks integration with broader digital strategies.
Herdl combines PPC with SEO, web development, and content marketing, offering a well-rounded digital approach. That said, this broad scope can sometimes reduce its focus on PPC-specific expertise.
Impression leverages data-driven strategies and advanced analytics to deliver strong results. Yet, its technical methods may feel overwhelming to smaller clients who prioritise personal relationships.
PPC Geeks shines with its in-depth platform knowledge and ability to stay ahead of PPC trends. On the downside, its narrow focus can limit creative, cross-disciplinary approaches.
Soap Media excels in crafting engaging ad copy and visual storytelling, making campaigns highly creative. However, it may face difficulties in maintaining consistent technical optimisation.
Hot Click Marketing is praised for its transparent reporting and clear client communication. But as it scales, maintaining the same level of personalised service could become a challenge.
Here’s a quick comparison of these insights:
| Agency | Key Strengths | Primary Weaknesses |
|---|---|---|
| The PPC Team | Detailed audits, precise targeting, business-focused reporting | Limited to PPC services; lacks broader marketing integration |
| Herdl | Integrated SEO, PPC, web development, and content marketing | Broader focus may dilute PPC-specific expertise |
| Impression | Data-driven strategies, advanced analytics, technical expertise | Can feel overly technical for smaller, relationship-focused clients |
| PPC Geeks | Deep platform expertise, up-to-date with trends | Narrow focus limits creative, multi-disciplinary solutions |
| Soap Media | Creative ad copy, visual storytelling | Gaps in technical optimisation and monitoring |
| Hot Click Marketing | Transparent reporting, strong client communication | Scaling may reduce personalised service quality |
While these agencies have their strengths, they also face challenges that reflect broader trends in Manchester’s PPC landscape.
One common issue is the lack of continuous optimisation. Many agencies struggle to keep pace with the constant updates to PPC platforms. For context, successful campaigns tend to achieve click-through rates of 1.5–2.1% and cost-per-clicks ranging from £0.60 to £1.25.
Another major hurdle is poor landing page performance. When landing pages fail to engage users, bounce rates climb and ad costs increase. Agencies that implement A/B testing often see conversion rates improve by 50–70%.
The growing role of AI in PPC advertising adds both opportunities and risks. While AI enhances automated bidding and targeting, it can lead to over-reliance on algorithms, potentially reducing human oversight and transparency.
Budget constraints are also a challenge, especially for smaller agencies. Limited budgets can restrict ad reach, while rising competition drives up cost-per-click rates, making it harder for small businesses to stay profitable.
Top-performing agencies tackle these challenges by monitoring budgets daily, reviewing campaigns weekly, and prioritising mobile optimisation. With mobile traffic now exceeding 50%, focusing on mobile users is essential for PPC success.
Final Recommendations
When choosing a PPC agency in Manchester, it’s essential to align your business needs with the agency’s strengths. Your decision should hinge on factors like your company’s size, budget, and goals.
For established businesses needing specialised PPC expertise, The PPC Team offers a targeted approach with detailed reporting and a free audit to uncover and address gaps in your campaigns.
For small to medium-sized businesses aiming for integrated digital marketing, Herdl combines PPC, SEO, and web development to boost your online presence holistically.
For data-driven enterprises with complex needs, Impression provides advanced analytics and technical know-how, delivering sophisticated tracking and actionable performance insights to refine your campaigns.
For e-commerce businesses or those in competitive industries, PPC Geeks leverages its in-depth platform knowledge and awareness of trends to help you navigate fast-changing market conditions effectively.
For creative industries and consumer brands, Soap Media’s emphasis on storytelling can help your brand stand out, provided technical optimisation is not overlooked.
For businesses prioritising transparency, especially in professional services, Hot Click Marketing delivers clear and detailed reporting, making it easier to justify marketing spend to stakeholders.
To make the right choice, evaluate each agency’s track record and client feedback. Look for evidence of efficient budget management, mobile-first strategies, and measurable results. Be cautious of agencies that promise instant success or guarantee specific rankings – PPC success depends on continuous testing, refinement, and adapting to platform changes.
Manchester’s PPC agencies offer a wealth of expertise. By aligning their strengths with your specific needs and maintaining realistic expectations, you can find the perfect partner to drive your campaigns forward.
FAQs
How do I choose the right PPC agency in Manchester for my business?
To choose the right PPC agency in Manchester, start by seeking out those with a history of achieving real, measurable results – think increased leads or lower cost-per-click. It’s also crucial to find an agency that creates strategies tailored to your business goals and industry needs.
Review client testimonials, dive into case studies, and explore examples of their past campaigns to get a sense of their expertise. Agencies that focus on open communication and take the time to truly understand your objectives are more likely to deliver meaningful outcomes. Also, pay attention to how transparent they are with reporting and whether they adjust strategies based on performance insights.
What key metrics should I track to measure the success of a PPC campaign?
To gauge the performance of your PPC campaign, pay close attention to conversion rate, cost per conversion, and return on ad spend (ROAS). These numbers help you understand how well your campaign turns clicks into meaningful actions, like purchases or enquiries, while managing costs effectively.
It’s also important to track click-through rate (CTR) and quality score. These metrics give insight into how relevant your ads and keywords are to your audience. A strong CTR and quality score often signal that your campaign is reaching the right people with the right message.
By regularly monitoring these key indicators, you can ensure your PPC efforts are driving results that align with your business objectives.
How do PPC agencies in Manchester tackle ongoing optimisation and improve underperforming landing pages?
PPC agencies in Manchester specialise in fine-tuning campaigns to maximise performance. They regularly engage in activities like A/B testing, adjusting keywords, and reallocating budgets to keep campaigns sharp and effective. Their goal? To ensure ad content stays relevant and delivers the highest possible return on investment.
When it comes to underperforming landing pages, these agencies take a strategic approach. They align ad copy with well-optimised landing pages to create a smooth and consistent user experience. This not only helps lower bounce rates but also boosts conversions by designing pages that match user expectations and campaign objectives.
