Paid Media Agency
Leading Paid Media Agency
Full-Service Paid Media Agency Built for Revenue, Not Vanity Metrics
Looking for a paid media agency that treats your budget like their own? As a London-based digital marketing agency, we manage Google Ads, Bing Ads, Shopping, Display, and YouTube campaigns across many platforms—all optimised for revenue and ROAS, not impressions.
Companies we've worked with
Decision Framework
Which Channels Should You Run? — The Decision Tree
Not every brand needs every channel. The wrong channel mix is the most common reason paid media stalls. Here's the decision tree we walk through in every audit, by buyer type, AOV, and intent maturity.
- ✓ Shopping + PMax
- ✓ Microsoft layer
- ✓ YouTube TOFU
- ✓ Shopping + PMax
- ✓ Search (margin-tight)
- Bid carefully
- ✓ Search + Demand Gen
- ✓ Microsoft + LinkedIn
- ✓ YouTube TOFU
- ✓ Search + Microsoft Ads
- Or: not Google Ads at all (channel economics)
Every audit we run starts with the channel mix. Most accounts we audit are running 1–2 channels too few (missing Microsoft Ads, missing Demand Gen) or 1–2 channels too many (Display in the wrong context, Shopping at the wrong AOV).
Cross-Channel Cases
Channel Mix by Vertical
Every account runs a different mix. Here are four real ones — the channel column shows what we actually run for each brand.
| Brand | Vertical | Channel mix | Outcome | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
LA Design Concepts ladesignconcepts.com | US luxury fabrics e-commerce | ShoppingPMax | +1,066% revenue in 7 months | Read |
Strictly Beds and Bunks strictlybedsandbunks.co.uk | UK furniture e-commerce | ShoppingPMaxCSS | Margin-positive scaling via CSS rebate | Read |
Rocketseed rocketseed.com | UK B2B SaaS | SearchDemand Gen | All-time record for Google Ads leads in 3 months | Read |
Oh My Cream ohmycream.co.uk | UK premium beauty | ShoppingSearchStrategy | +50% profit in 3 months | Read |
Honest Coverage
What We Cover — And What We Deliberately Don't
Deliberate exclusion is positioning. We don't run paid social or programmatic because we're not senior on those channels. We'll happily refer you — but we won't pretend we're the right team.
We're senior on these channels
- Google Search (incl. Demand Gen)
- Google Shopping
- Performance Max
- Google Display Network (consideration tier only)
- YouTube (brand-defence + TOFU)
- Microsoft Advertising (Bing + LinkedIn Audience Network via Microsoft)
- Microsoft Shopping
We don't run these — and we'll tell you who does
- Meta (Facebook / Instagram)We'll refer you to senior Meta specialists
- TikTok AdsWe'll refer you to TikTok-native agencies
- LinkedIn Ads (direct)We advise on Microsoft's LinkedIn Audience Network instead
- Programmatic (DV360 / The Trade Desk)Different operating discipline
- Affiliate networksDifferent commercial model
- InfluencerDifferent procurement entirely
Named Voices
What Clients Say — By Channel Angle
"He helped us unlock growth we previously thought wouldn't be possible."
Alison Goulbourne
Oh My Cream
"Chris is a real master of SEO and PPC."
Sean Ball
durhamlane
"He has vast knowledge which he uses to get the best results."
Kate Shopper
Novidea
"He continues to come up with new ways of succeeding and always has our goals top of mind."
Kate Shopper
Novidea
Maturity Curve
Where Most Brands Sit on the Channel Maturity Curve
Most leverage sits in moving accounts from Stage 1→2 or Stage 2→3. Stage 4 accounts mostly need refinement, not new channels.
Typically Search-only or Shopping-only.
Search + Shopping, or Shopping + PMax.
Search + Shopping + PMax + considering Microsoft.
All relevant channels coordinated, attribution running cleanly.
Definition
What Is a Paid Media Agency?
A paid media agency manages advertising spend across pay-per-click channels—primarily Google Search Ads, Google Shopping, Google Display Network, YouTube Ads, and Microsoft Ads (Bing). The agency's role is to maximise revenue from advertising investment while minimising wasted spend. The best paid media agencies focus on performance, not vanity metrics.
Core responsibilities: A paid advertising agency builds and manages campaigns, researches and targets keywords/audiences, writes ad copy, manages bids to control cost-per-click and return-on-ad-spend, optimises landing pages, monitors performance daily, and reports results transparently.
The scope of Visionary's paid media services: As a leading paid media agency, we focus exclusively on Google Ads and Microsoft Ads (Bing)—not social media advertising. Our specialisation in search advertising means we go deep on the channels where high-intent customers actively search for solutions. Paid media can deliver performance that transforms your acquisition strategy.
Why businesses hire a paid media agency: Building campaigns requires technical knowledge (campaign structure, bidding strategies, account architecture), copywriting skills, and analytical skills. A professional paid media agency typically reduces customer acquisition cost by 20–40% compared to in-house management.
The difference between paid and organic: Paid media generates immediate visibility—ads appear within hours. SEO takes 6–12 months to build ranking authority. Many businesses run both: PPC for immediate pipeline while SEO builds long-term sustainable traffic. A specialist agency ensures both channels work together.
Pricing
How Much Does Paid Media Management Cost?
Paid media management pricing in the UK combines ad spend with agency management fees. Understanding the cost structure helps you evaluate whether paid media makes sense for your business.
Percentage of ad spend: Most UK agencies charge 10–20% of monthly ad spend. If you spend £10,000 monthly, a 15% fee = £1,500 management. Total: £11,500.
Flat monthly retainer: Some agencies charge a fixed fee, typically £1,000–£5,000 depending on account complexity and reporting depth.
What's included: Keyword research, campaign setup and optimisation, ad copywriting and A/B testing, bid management, landing page recommendations, performance monitoring, monthly strategic reporting, and strategy calls.
Cost-per-result perspective: If you generate 40 qualified leads monthly from £11,500 total investment, your cost-per-lead is £287.50. If each lead converts to a £2,000 customer at a 25% rate, you generate £20,000 revenue from £11,500 investment—a 1.74× return.
Minimum spend: Visionary works flexibly—typical minimum is £2,000/month for active account management to be cost-effective.
Strategy
Paid Search vs SEO: Do You Need Both?
Businesses often ask whether to invest in paid search or SEO. In reality, they serve complementary purposes and work best together.
| Dimension | Paid Search (PPC) | SEO (Organic) |
|---|---|---|
| Speed | Ads live within hours | 6–12 months for meaningful rankings |
| Cost Model | Pay per click, indefinitely | Investment builds compounding equity |
| Control | Pause anytime, full keyword control | No guarantees, slower iteration |
| Authority | Ad fatigue over time | Top rankings signal trust |
| Long-Term Cost | Ongoing ad spend required | Traffic at zero marginal cost after ranking |
The integrated strategy: Use PPC for immediate pipeline while SEO builds over 6–12 months. Year 2 with both: £60,000 PPC + £30,000 SEO = 500 leads at £200 cost-per-lead vs. 400 leads at £287 with PPC alone. SEO's compounding returns create better efficiency over time. View our SEO packages.
Overview
Why Work With a Specialist Paid Media Agency?
Paid media is more than setting up a few campaigns and letting them run. A specialist paid media agency provides constant optimisation, testing, and strategic thinking to turn ad spend into profitable revenue.
Most agencies spread themselves thin across too many channels. As a focused paid media agency, we specialise exclusively in paid search and shopping—the channels that drive the highest-intent traffic and the best ROAS.
We manage the full paid media stack across many platforms: Google Search, Shopping, Display, YouTube, Bing Ads, and Performance Max—all from a single, unified agency strategy.
Every pound of ad spend is tracked from click to conversion to revenue. No black boxes, no hidden fees, no wasted budget. That's what a leading paid media agency delivers.
Your ad spend should be an investment, not an expense. We make sure it is.
"Chris is a real master of SEO and PPC. I'll never forget the time he discovered what could have been catastrophic SEO issue, prior to a new big website launch that would have cost the business £100,000s (that every other so-called SEO expert we'd engaged had missed)."
Channels
Our Paid Media Channels
We specialise in five paid media channels within the Google and Microsoft ecosystems. This focused approach delivers deeper expertise than generalist agencies.
Google Search Ads
Highest conversion ratesCaptures the highest-intent moment: when someone actively searches for your solution. Keyword targeting, responsive search ads, and bid strategies optimised for lead volume or CPA. Best for: professional services, B2B lead gen.
Google Shopping
Essential for ecommerceDisplays products with images, prices, and ratings directly in search results. We manage product feeds, structure campaigns by category or margin, and optimise bids by product performance. Best for: ecommerce, product-based businesses.
Google Display Network
2M+ website reachReaches customers across 2 million websites for awareness and remarketing. Image ads, responsive display, and audience targeting. Display builds awareness; Search captures buyers. Best for: brand awareness, remarketing, long consideration cycles.
YouTube Ads
Video-first audiencesThe world's second-largest search engine. In-stream ads, bumper ads, and discovery ads appearing alongside relevant video content. Best for: SaaS demos, product education, brand storytelling.
Microsoft/Bing Ads
Lower CPC opportunity10% of searches happen on Bing—often older demographics and enterprise professionals. Lower CPC than Google with the same high-intent audience. Best for: maximising search coverage, lower-cost inventory, enterprise audiences.
Our Process
How We Manage Paid Media
Audit & Strategy
Deep dive into your current campaigns, competitors, and market opportunity to build a revenue-focused strategy.
Campaign Architecture
Build campaigns structured for profitability—proper segmentation, match types, and bid strategies.
Creative & Copy
Ad copy and creative assets designed to convert high-intent searchers into customers.
Optimise & Scale
Continuous optimisation based on revenue data. Scale what works, cut what doesn't.
Why Us
Why Work With Visionary as Your Paid Media Agency?
Revenue-First
We optimise for ROAS and profit, not clicks and impressions.
Transparent Reporting
See exactly where every pound goes and what it generates.
Fast Execution
Changes implemented in hours, not weeks. We move at the speed of paid media.
No Contracts
Month-to-month. We earn your business every single month.
Scaling LA Design Concepts ~11x on Google Ads — While Doubling ROAS
Frank K's US luxury fabrics & wallpaper retailer was stuck on a default Performance Max setup. We rebuilt the shopping engine across four pillars — feed segmentation, campaign architecture, audience signals, and category-economics bidding — scaling monthly revenue ~11x while ROAS roughly doubled.
Learn How We Did ItRevenue growth
ROAS lift
Spend grown
Engagement window
Client Feedback
What Our Clients Say
"ROAS went from 2x to 6x in 4 months. They treat our budget like their own."
Tom R.
Ecommerce Director
"The most transparent agency we've ever worked with. Every pound is accounted for."
Sarah L.
Marketing Manager
"They consolidated 3 agencies into one and improved performance across every channel."
James H.
CEO, DTC Brand
Results
Recent Results
ROAS Achieved
Ecommerce Brand
Full Paid Media
Cost Per Acquisition
SaaS Company
Google Ads + Bing
Revenue from Paid
DTC Brand
Shopping + Search
Our People
Meet Our Specialists
Chris
Founder & PPC Director
Full-stack paid media strategist with a focus on revenue and ROAS.
FAQ
Common Questions
Start Here
Your Revenue. Our Obsession.
Tell us about your business and we'll show you exactly where the opportunities are — no obligation, no sales pitch.
■ Senior specialists only
■ No long-term contracts
■ Free audit included