Choosing support
Run Facebook Ads Yourself or Use a Management Service
The right choice depends on which work you can already do. Before comparing fees, separate running a campaign from creating the offer, producing materials and following up with leads.
Start with the missing work
Write down what is ready and what is not: the offer, destination, creative, tracking, campaign setup and sales follow-up. Then assign a person to each missing item. A campaign management subscription is useful when it takes a specific job off your hands. It will be a poor fit if most of your problem sits outside its scope.
For example, a business with approved materials and a working enquiry form may mainly need campaign preparation, review and reporting. A business still deciding what to sell needs different support, even if both ask for “Facebook ads.”
Compare three ways to get the work done
| Decision | Run it yourself | Mark pilot | Broader marketing support |
|---|---|---|---|
| Campaign work | You assign the time and responsibility | AI-assisted preparation with PAD specialist review | Agree the tasks and responsible people in the proposal |
| Offer and materials | You prepare or commission them | One clear offer and ready materials supplied by you | Ask whether strategy and production are included |
| Scope | Depends on your skills and available time | One platform, up to two active campaigns and four ad variants | Confirm channels, campaigns, revisions and meeting schedule |
| Account access | Choose and manage your setup | PAD infrastructure; account access outside the base subscription | Confirm ownership, access and transfer terms before starting |
“Agency” and “freelancer” describe a provider, not a fixed scope. Either can offer narrow or broad support. Read the actual agreement rather than assuming a category includes everything.
When doing it yourself is reasonable
You have someone who can prepare the campaign, test measurement, review ads and monitor spending. That person also has time to investigate when something stops working. If learning the system is part of your plan, include that time in the decision.
Use a written launch checklist and keep a record of changes. Decide who can raise the spending limit. Running the campaign yourself gives you responsibility for those decisions as well as control over them.
The launch checklist is a useful way to see whether the work is covered.
When a limited service fits
You have a defined offer and usable materials, and you want someone to prepare and manage campaigns within an agreed limit. You need reporting and a responsible person to check changes. You do not need the service to act as your whole marketing department.
Mark’s current pilot starts with Facebook and Instagram. AI prepares routine work and proposals; PAD reviews them before publication. Some operations remain manual. Google Ads is planned next.
Read the full service description and use the budget calculator to include both the subscription and media spend.
When to ask for broader support
Your positioning is unresolved, the website needs work, or you need a steady supply of new creative. You may also need someone to coordinate several channels and work with your sales team. Ask for a proposal covering those specific responsibilities.
With Mark, new creative, website changes, tracking code installation, audits and consultations are agreed separately. A dedicated marketer, strategy, ongoing hypothesis development and regular calls are not part of the base subscription. If these are what you need most, discuss them before subscribing.
Questions to ask before signing
- What exactly will you receive in the first paid period?
- Which materials and access must you supply?
- Who approves ads and changes to the spending limit?
- What counts as a conversion, and where will you see it?
- Which tasks cost extra, and how are they approved?
- What happens to materials and campaigns when you stop?
Compare the answers with the gaps in your business. No arrangement guarantees leads or sales. You still need an offer people want and someone who can handle the response.
Prepared with AI assistance using PAD’s service scope and original worked examples. Questions or corrections: ag@pad.team.