When should you manage paid media yourself, and when is it time to call in backup? In this episode, April Borovskaya breaks down the real differences between running ads on your own, hiring a freelancer, or partnering with a full-service agency. Whether you're a small business testing Google for the first time or a mid-size company recovering from a bad agency experience, this episode will help you make the right call—without getting lost in marketing jargon.
April shares hard-earned insights from every side of the table: DIY advertiser, freelancer, agency insider, and client. By the end, you’ll know what to expect, what questions to ask, and what red flags to avoid at every stage.
Key Takeaways
What DIY advertising really takes (hint: it’s more than just pressing “Boost”)
How much budget justifies hiring a freelancer — and what to ask them before you do
Why not all agencies are created equal (creative vs. media)
How to sniff out bad reporting and vague strategy
Red flags that scream “run” — whether it’s a freelancer or agency
The most important question to ask before outsourcing your ads
Why clear communication is your greatest marketing tool
In This Episode
(00:00) – Intro: What this episode is all about
(01:09) – What to expect from each option: DIY, freelancer, or agency
(02:30) – Running ads yourself: when and how
(03:38) – Pitfalls of DIY and Google’s platform
(04:48) – Local service ads for service businesses
(06:01) – DIY case example and testing mindset
(07:07) – Transition to freelancers: budget and role
(08:24) – Freelancer benefits and use cases
(09:48) – Must-ask questions before hiring a freelancer
(10:56) – Limitations of freelancers (SEO, web support, reporting)
(12:06) – Importance of local expertise in freelancers
(13:19) – Freelancer client example
(14:37) – Transition to agencies: when to consider
(15:46) – Agency structure and full-service capabilities
(17:01) – Creative vs. media agencies (and how to tell the difference)
(18:09) – Healthy vs. unhealthy agency relationships
(19:14) – Key questions when choosing support
(21:26) – Letting go and openness to change
(22:28) – Agency transition and second opinions
(23:39) – Why communication makes or breaks campaigns
(24:51) – Closing thoughts and recommendations
Notable Quotes
[03:14] "Please do not just think that you can trust Google's algorithm… to do what is best for you and for your small business." — April
[06:01] "Paid media is a testing environment. Some things work, some things do not work. And it's important that you understand this as well." — April
[17:45] "An unhealthy media agency relationship usually looks like unclear reporting or not really getting to the point of the top three right? How much have I spent? How many conversions came out of that? What was my ROI, my ROAS or my cost per acquisition?" — April
[21:45] "If you decide to bring in a third party into this, there has to be a sense of letting things go a little bit. There's gotta be an openness to change. There's gotta be an openness to feedback." — April