The First 90 Days With an SEM Agency in Singapore: What Should Happen
Signing with an SEM agency in Singapore usually comes
with an expectation of quick results. Paid search can deliver traffic from the
day ads go live, so it is natural to expect leads within the first week. In
practice, the first three months decide whether a campaign becomes profitable
or simply stays expensive. This article breaks down what a well-run SEM
engagement should look like across its first 90 days, so you can tell whether
your agency is building something solid or just spending your budget.
Weeks
1 to 2: Audit and Tracking Before Anything Else
The
first job is not launching ads. It is checking the foundations. If you already
run Google Ads, the agency should review the existing account: campaign
structure, keyword match types, search terms that triggered ads, wasted spend
and landing pages.
The
most important check is conversion tracking. Many accounts count every form
view as a lead, double-count phone clicks, or track nothing beyond page visits.
Until tracking is accurate, no one can say which keywords bring in business. A
good agency fixes this before it touches bids, and tells you in writing what
was wrong.
Expect
to be asked practical questions in this period: What does a qualified lead look
like? Which services have the best margins? Are there busy and slow seasons?
The answers shape everything that follows.
Weeks
2 to 4: Keyword Research and Account Structure
With
tracking in place, the agency builds or rebuilds the campaign structure.
Keywords should be grouped into tight themes so each ad closely matches what
people typed. This improves relevance, which Google rewards with better ad
positions for the same or lower cost.
This
is also the stage for building a negative keyword list. In Singapore, plenty of
searches look relevant but carry the wrong intent, such as job seekers,
students, or people looking for free versions of a paid service. Excluding them
early protects the budget from day one.
Competitor
research belongs here too. Looking at who else bids on your main terms, and
what their ads promise, helps the agency write copy that stands apart rather
than repeating the same claims.
Month
2: Launch, Monitor and Cut Waste
Once
campaigns are live, the second month is about close monitoring rather than big
changes. Useful activity in this phase includes:
•
Reviewing search term reports weekly and adding
new negatives
•
Pausing keywords that spend without converting
•
Testing at least two ad variations per ad group
•
Adjusting bids by device, location and time of
day based on real data
Early
data can be noisy, so an experienced agency avoids overreacting to a few days
of results. But it should still be able to tell you what it changed each week
and why.
Month
2 to 3: Expanding the Channel Mix
Search
ads capture people who are already looking. Other formats reach people earlier
or bring back those who did not convert the first time. A full SEM scope
usually includes pay-per-click search, the Google Display Network, remarketing
to past visitors, and YouTube video ads. Agencies that offer full SEM services in Singapore usually manage
search, display, remarketing and video as parts of one plan, rather than as
separate campaigns competing for the same budget.
Whether
to add these channels depends on the account’s data. Remarketing makes sense
once there is enough site traffic to build audiences. Google Display Network campaigns and YouTube ads work better for awareness or for
products with longer buying cycles. The agency should recommend expansion based
on results, not add channels just to raise the spend.
Month
3: Reporting That Connects Spend to Leads
By
the end of the third month, reporting should answer business questions, not
just list clicks and impressions. A useful monthly report covers:
•
Cost per lead or cost per sale, by campaign
•
Which keywords and ads produced qualified
enquiries
•
What was tested, what worked and what was
stopped
•
A clear plan for the following month
If
your reports still focus on impressions and click-through rate after 90 days,
ask how the numbers connect to revenue. It is a fair question, and a capable
agency will welcome it.
Warning
Signs to Watch For
A
few patterns suggest an engagement is not on track. Ads that go live in the
first few days with no tracking review. Reports that change format every month.
Budget increases recommended before waste has been cut. And a lack of clear
answers when you ask which searches are bringing in your best leads.
Conclusion
The first 90 days with an SEM agency set the pattern
for the rest of the relationship. Accurate tracking, a clean account structure,
disciplined weekly optimisation and reporting tied to leads are the signs of a
campaign being built to last. If you can see each of these steps happening, the
results that follow are far more likely to hold up.
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