Google Ads management at Studio Slate is $697 per month, plus ad spend. Compare fee models, what management includes and how to plan a test budget.
Google Ads management at Studio Slate costs $697 AUD per month, plus the advertising budget paid to Google. There is no setup fee. A $2,000 monthly ad budget would make the combined cost $2,697 before applicable tax or separately scoped work.
The management fee is predictable. The cost of each click and the number of customers those clicks produce depend on your campaign, market and website.
Key Takeaway
- Separate the management fee, ad spend and any website work when comparing quotes.
- Studio Slate’s $697 monthly fee includes campaign setup, conversion tracking, ongoing optimisation and reporting.
- Use local keyword forecasts and your own margins to plan spend. A national average is not a quote for your campaign.
- Judge the test by qualified enquiries and acquired customers, with tracking checked before spend increases.
What you pay for
| Cost | What it covers | Studio Slate pricing or scope |
|---|---|---|
| Management | Campaign build, research, ad copy, tracking, optimisation and reporting | $697 AUD per month |
| Setup | Initial campaign and conversion-tracking setup | Included; no setup fee |
| Ad spend | Advertising purchased from Google | Separate budget you approve |
| Landing-page work | A new page or changes beyond recommendations | Separately scoped |
| Other tools or services | Any additional software or agreed specialist work | Confirm before approval |
The published management service includes keyword research, ad copy testing, bid management, weekly optimisation, monthly performance reporting and conversion tracking across Google Ads and GA4. It also includes landing-page recommendations and direct phone and email contact.
Ask every provider to state tax treatment, billing arrangements and exclusions on the quote. A management price alone does not tell you the total monthly commitment.
How agency management fees work
Compare the fee model against the work your account needs. A single local service campaign and a large product catalogue can require different scopes.
| Model | How the fee works | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed monthly fee | An agreed amount each month | Campaign scope, optimisation frequency and what changes the fee |
| Percentage of spend | A fee calculated from advertising spend | Minimum fee, rate and approval before spend rises |
| Fee tied to results | Payment based on agreed leads, sales or another outcome | Definition of a qualifying result, attribution, duplicates and disputes |
For a hypothetical percentage quote of 15%, a $4,000 ad budget adds $600 in management fees, or $4,600 combined before tax. That arithmetic does not establish which provider is better value: compare tracking, campaign work, reporting and account access.
A useful quote also answers who writes the ads, who fixes broken tracking, how enquiries are qualified and whether landing-page development costs extra.
How much should you budget for clicks?
Start with forecasts for your service, location and keywords. Google’s Keyword Planner provides forecasts based on the planned campaign. They are estimates, so treat the first campaign as a measured test with a spending limit.
The example below shows how a budget translates into enquiries. The click price and conversion rates are assumptions, not Australian benchmarks or promised results.
| Monthly test assumption | At 2% enquiry conversion | At 5% enquiry conversion |
|---|---|---|
| Ad spend | $2,000 | $2,000 |
| Assumed cost per click | $5 | $5 |
| Approximate clicks | 400 | 400 |
| Enquiries | 8 | 20 |
| Ad spend per enquiry | $250 | $100 |
| Ad spend plus $697 management | $2,697 | $2,697 |
| Combined cost per enquiry | About $337 | About $135 |
An enquiry is not a customer. If four of those enquiries become paying customers, the combined acquisition cost is about $674 per customer. Compare that with the gross profit you expect from a customer, allowing for sales time and other acquisition costs.
Before launch, agree which calls, forms or purchases count as conversions. Record qualified enquiries and won work separately so spam, repeat calls and unsuitable jobs do not look like growth.
What website quality changes
A landing page needs to match the ad, explain the offer and make the next step work on a phone. If visitors cannot find the service or submit the form, buying more traffic will not fix that journey.
Google’s displayed Quality Score diagnoses expected click-through rate, ad relevance and landing-page experience. Google explicitly says the score is not an input to the ad auction. It should help identify issues, rather than become a target that replaces business results. Google’s Quality Score guidance.
The auction uses several factors, including bids, auction-time ad quality, competition, context and the expected impact of assets. There is no reliable formula that turns a displayed Quality Score into a fixed CPC discount. Google’s Ad Rank explanation.
Test page speed, message relevance, phone links, form submission and tracking. Measure whether changes improve qualified enquiries. Our website redesign service is an option when page problems need more than a small fix; a rebuild is not a prerequisite for running ads.
Manage the account yourself or pay for help?
Managing it yourself removes the management fee but leaves campaign setup, tracking, search-term review, budgets, ad testing and reporting with you. It can suit an owner who has the time and experience to do that work consistently.
Paying for management makes sense when the scope saves useful time or provides skills the business lacks. A monthly report should explain spending, meaningful conversions, changes made and the next decision. Ask for that detail before agreeing to a retainer.
Keep administrative access to your Google Ads account. Record who controls billing, analytics and conversion tracking, and how another manager would take over if you leave.
Before you approve a quote
- Get the management fee, ad budget, setup costs, tax treatment and exclusions in writing.
- Agree on campaign scope and who approves budget changes.
- Check conversion tracking with a real test enquiry or transaction.
- Define a qualified enquiry and how won work will be recorded.
- Set a review date and a limit on what you are prepared to spend learning.
See the $697 management scope
Review what is included, how ad spend is handled and whether Studio Slate can take on your service area.
View Google Ads managementFrequently Asked Questions
How much does Google Ads management cost?
Studio Slate publishes a flat management fee of $697 AUD per month, with no setup fee. Ad spend is separate. Other providers may charge a fixed retainer, a percentage of spend or a fee tied to results, so compare the work included as well as the price.
What is the difference between ad spend and management fees?
Ad spend buys advertising from Google. Management fees pay for campaign setup, tracking, optimisation and reporting. For example, $2,000 in monthly ad spend plus a $697 management fee totals $2,697 before any applicable tax or separately scoped work.
How much should a small business spend on Google Ads?
Set a test budget using keyword forecasts for your service and location, your margin and the amount you can afford to test. At an assumed $5 per click, $2,000 buys about 400 clicks. Whether that is a useful test depends on how many qualified enquiries and customers it produces. It is not a forecast of your results.
Does Quality Score directly set my cost per click?
No. Google describes the displayed 1 to 10 Quality Score as a diagnostic tool, not an input to the auction. Auction-time ad and landing-page quality matter, alongside bids, competition and other factors. A higher displayed score does not promise a fixed discount.
Does the management fee include a new landing page?
Studio Slate’s published management scope includes landing-page recommendations. A new page or website build is separate work. Confirm the page scope, tracking requirements and price before commissioning it.
Will I own my Google Ads account?
Keep administrative access to the Google Ads account and confirm who controls billing, conversion tracking and linked analytics accounts. Your handover should preserve access and campaign history when you change managers.
