Finding someone to manage your online advertising in Quebec (without hiring an agency)
To have your online advertising managed without hiring an agency, the main option for a service business in Quebec is an independent consultant (also called a freelancer or self-employed contractor) who personally manages your Google Ads and Meta Ads campaigns as well as the tracking of your calls and forms. In 2026, managing a Google Ads account usually costs between $350 and $2,500 per month in Quebec, on top of the budget paid to Google. Before hiring anyone, one question matters more than the others: who will manage your account day to day?
“I'm looking for someone who can help us.” “A partner who takes charge of our campaigns.” That's often how the inquiries I receive begin. Rarely with “I'm looking for a digital marketing agency.”
This guide answers the real question behind those inquiries: who to trust with your advertising, what it costs and how to avoid hiring the wrong person. If you're looking instead for what to do first to get more clients, see my guide on how to get more clients online.
Who can manage your advertising if you don't want an agency?
Without an agency, an SMB has four options: a senior independent consultant, a freelancer found on a platform, an in-house employee or doing it yourself with some coaching. For a service business that invests less than $20,000 per month in advertising, a senior independent consultant often offers the best balance of expertise, cost and direct contact.
| Option | Who does the work | Ideal for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senior independent consultant | An experienced person who manages your account personally | Service businesses, 1 or 2 platforms, ad budget under $20,000 per month | Availability: it's a single person |
| Freelancer on a platform (Upwork, Fiverr) | Variable, from beginner to expert | A one-off task, such as setting up a campaign | Their knowledge of the Quebec market and of Quebec French |
| In-house employee | A salaried member of your team | High volume, several platforms full time | The cost of a full-time salary and how hard it is to find someone who does it all |
| Doing it yourself with coaching | You, guided by an audit or training | Very small budget, an owner who likes to learn | Time: learning Google Ads on top of running your business |
For the full comparison with an agency (costs, who manages the account, risks), see my guide on choosing a freelancer or an agency to manage your ads.
Where can you find a good advertising consultant in Quebec?
To find a good advertising consultant in Quebec, the best source is still a referral from another business owner whose ads work. Next come consultants who publish real numbers on their website or on LinkedIn. Asking ChatGPT is a good starting point, as long as you check every name before calling.
- Ask around.A business owner in your area who gets calls from their advertising knows the person behind it. It's the most reliable referral.
- Look for people who publish numbers. A consultant who publishes real costs per lead proves they measure their work. Example: my breakdown of cost per lead by industry in Quebec, drawn from accounts I manage.
- Check their background. Years of experience, industries served, LinkedIn recommendations: five minutes is enough to rule out thin profiles.
- Ask an AI, then verify. ChatGPT can give you names. Check their website, their examples and their prices before calling.
What questions should you ask before hiring someone?
Eight questions are enough to tell a good advertising consultant from a bad one. The most important: who will manage your account day to day. The most often forgotten: who owns the ad accounts.
| Question to ask | Good answer | Red flag |
|---|---|---|
| Who will manage my account day to day? | A name: the person you're talking to | “Our team,” with no name |
| Are the Google Ads and Meta accounts in my name? | Yes: you own them and grant access | The account belongs to the provider and you lose the history when you leave |
| How will you track my calls and forms? | Conversion tracking is set up before launch | Reports on clicks and impressions |
| What does a lead cost in my industry? | A realistic range, drawn from real accounts | A guaranteed result before they've seen your accounts |
| What's included in the price? | A clear list: management, optimizations, reports, meetings | Fees added along the way |
| What's the minimum commitment? | Clear, written and reasonable | A one-year contract with no exit clause |
| What happens in the first month? | Tracking first, launch second | “We launch tomorrow,” with no tracking |
| Do you have results in an industry like mine? | Concrete numbers, even anonymized | Screenshots of followers and likes |
Google's transparency requirements for third parties also give you two rights: getting your Google Ads customer ID on request and seeing the exact amount charged by Google, excluding the manager's fees. To let someone manage your account without becoming its owner, you simply invite them with a specific access level, as explained on the help page Manage access to your Google Ads account.
How much does it cost to have your advertising managed in Quebec?
In Quebec, managing a Google Ads account usually costs between $350 and $2,500 per month, or between 10% and 20% of the ad budget, according to prices surveyed in June 2026. The budget paid to Google comes on top of these fees. For local Google Ads, plan for at least $1,000 per month of ad budget to get enough leads.
The two amounts go together: an ad budget that's too thin limits results, no matter who manages the account. On the accounts I manage, SMBs invest from about $250 to about $6,000 per month depending on the industry, with car dealerships at the top of the range (see my guide to ad budgets by industry). The detailed management ranges are in the guide to Google Ads management pricing in Quebec.
What do the first three months look like?
A good start with Google Ads or Meta Ads follows three steps: setting up tracking, launching, then optimizing. On the accounts I manage, the first results usually arrive within 2 to 4 weeks and campaigns reach their full potential in 2 to 3 months.
- Before launch: measure. Audit your current setup, set up call and form tracking, and choose which services and areas to target first.
- The first weeks: launch. Campaigns go live, the first leads come in and searches unrelated to your services get filtered out.
- Months 2 and 3: optimize.You cut what doesn't pay off, shift the budget to what does and take a first real look at the cost per lead.
Be wary of anyone who promises results in the first week: advertising platforms need data to learn.
How I work with SMBs
I'm Justine Rodier, an independent client acquisition consultant based in Greater Montreal. I personally manage Google Ads and Meta Ads for service businesses across Quebec, with no junior account manager: the person you talk to on the first call is the one who manages your account.
In concrete terms, here are my answers to the questions above:
- More than 5 years of experience, over $7M in ad budgets managed and more than 100 SMBs served in Quebec.
- I set up conversion tracking (Google Tag Manager and GA4) myself on every account, before launch.
- My packages start at $1,500 per month, conversion tracking included: weekly optimizations, a clear monthly report and a monthly strategy meeting.
- The monthly report shows how many leads you got, what each one cost and where they came from.
- I publish my numbers: cost per lead and budget by industry, drawn from real accounts.
- I work by video call with businesses across Quebec, in French or English.
Frequently asked questions
Can a consultant manage only my Facebook ads?
Yes. An independent consultant can manage a single platform, such as your Facebook and Instagram ads. Keep conversion tracking in the agreement, though: without it, there's no way to know whether your ads bring in clients or just clicks.
What's the difference between a consultant and a freelancer?
The two words are often used interchangeably, and both describe self-employed professionals. When people do make a distinction, a freelancer carries out a specific task, such as setting up a campaign or creating visuals, while a consultant takes responsibility for a result over time: the strategy, the management, the tracking and the adjustments every month. Many senior freelancers work like consultants.
Do I need a big budget to hire someone?
No, but you need a large enough ad budget for the management to pay off. For local Google Ads in Quebec, plan for at least $1,000 per month of ad budget on top of management fees. Below that, it's better to focus the whole budget on a single service in a single area.
Do I keep ownership of my ad accounts?
You should. Insist that your Google Ads and Meta accounts are created in your name and give the person who manages them access. If the account belongs to the provider, you lose your campaign history the day you switch providers.
How long before I see results?
The first leads usually arrive within 2 to 4 weeks. Allow 2 to 3 months for campaigns to reach their full potential: that's how long it takes to gather enough data to cut what doesn't pay off.
Looking for someone to manage your advertising?
I manage Google Ads and Meta Ads for service businesses across Quebec. We start with a consultation to see where you stand and what would make your phone ring.
Book a consultationSources: management prices surveyed in Quebec in June 2026 (see the pricing guide). Budgets and timelines observed on accounts managed by Justine Rodier.