# Article Context: Paid Media Agency

## 1. On-Page SEO Recommendations

| Element | Recommendation |
|---------|---------------|
| H1 Tag | Paid Media Agency: What They Do & How to Choose One (2026) |
| Title Tag | Paid Media Agency: What They Do & How to Choose (2026) |
| Meta Description | Paid media agencies run ads on Google, Meta, LinkedIn, and TikTok. How they work, pricing, when to hire, and what to expect. |
| URL Slug | paid-media-agency |
| Schema Markup Type | Article, FAQPage, BreadcrumbList, Organization |
| Schema — Article | Generated in Stage 4 |

## 2. Keyword Research

| Keyword | Intent | Volume | KD | CPC | Type | Notes |
|---------|--------|--------|----|-----|------|-------|
| paid media agency | Commercial/Informational | 390 | - | 99.39 | Primary Target | High CPC indicates strong commercial intent |
| what is paid media | Informational | - | - | - | Secondary | Definition/awareness query |
| paid advertising services | Commercial | - | - | - | Secondary | Service-focused variant |
| digital advertising agency | Commercial | - | - | - | Secondary | Related alternative search |
| paid media management | Commercial | - | - | - | Secondary | Service delivery angle |
| hire paid media agency | Commercial/Decision | - | - | - | Conversion | Direct hiring intent |
| paid media agency vs in-house | Comparison | - | - | - | Secondary | Decision-stage comparison |

**Primary targets:** paid media agency
**Conversion keywords:** hire paid media agency, paid advertising services
**Total keyword universe:** 7 keywords (core set)

## 3. Article Outline

| Section | Element | Description | Word Count | Keywords |
|---------|---------|-------------|------------|----------|
| - | INTRO | Direct answer: what a paid media agency is, what they do, when to hire. Hook with cost/ROI data. | 150-200 | paid media agency, paid advertising |
| 1.0 | H2: What Is a Paid Media Agency? | Define paid media agency, core services (Google Ads, Meta, LinkedIn, TikTok, programmatic), differentiate from organic/content agencies | 300-350 | paid media agency, what is paid media, digital advertising |
| 2.0 | H2: What Do Paid Media Agencies Do? | Services breakdown: strategy, campaign setup, creative testing, optimization, reporting. Include typical deliverables. | 350-400 | paid advertising services, paid media management |
| 3.0 | H2: When Should You Hire a Paid Media Agency? | Signals: ad spend >$10K/mo, plateaued performance, lack of internal expertise, multiple platform management | 300-350 | hire paid media agency, when to hire |
| 4.0 | H2: Paid Media Agency Pricing | Pricing models: % of ad spend (typical 10-20%), flat monthly retainer ($3K-$15K), performance-based. Include typical costs by ad spend tier. | 350-400 | paid media agency cost, pricing |
| 5.0 | H2: In-House vs Agency vs Fractional Specialist | Comparison table: pros/cons of each model, cost comparison, when each makes sense | 300-350 | paid media agency vs in-house, fractional paid media |
| 6.0 | H2: How to Choose a Paid Media Agency | Selection criteria: platform expertise, vertical experience, reporting transparency, creative capabilities, trial period | 350-400 | choose paid media agency, vetting |
| 7.0 | H2: Red Flags to Avoid | Warning signs: guaranteed ROI promises, lack of transparency, junior account teams, long lock-in contracts | 250-300 | agency red flags, what to avoid |
| - | FAQ | 5-7 questions: pricing specifics, typical results timeline, platform recommendations, contract terms, agency vs freelancer | 250-300 | FAQ queries |
| - | CONCLUSION + CTA | Summary of when agencies make sense, transition to MarketerHire's fractional model as alternative | 100-150 | CTA: hire form or intro call |

**Total target word count:** 2,400-2,800 words

## 4. H2 Keyword Map

| H2 | Primary Keyword | Secondary Keywords | SEO Notes |
|----|----------------|-------------------|-----------|
| What Is a Paid Media Agency? | paid media agency | what is paid media, digital advertising agency | Definition-focused, AEO priority |
| What Do Paid Media Agencies Do? | paid advertising services | paid media management, agency services | Service inventory section |
| When Should You Hire a Paid Media Agency? | hire paid media agency | when to hire, signs you need agency | Decision-stage intent |
| Paid Media Agency Pricing | paid media agency cost | pricing models, agency fees | High commercial intent |
| In-House vs Agency vs Fractional Specialist | paid media agency vs in-house | fractional paid media, hiring alternatives | Comparison section, table format |
| How to Choose a Paid Media Agency | choose paid media agency | vetting criteria, selection | Decision framework |
| Red Flags to Avoid | agency red flags | what to avoid, warning signs | Trust-building, differentiation opportunity |
