Google Ads for International Customers: Three Things to Check Before Hiring an Agency

Are you comparing Google Ads agencies to reach international customers? A proposal may list countries, keywords, and projected clicks without making it easy to judge whether the plan fits your business.

Before choosing an agency, check why it has selected those customers, how the ads connect to a page in the right language and an inquiry method, and how actual inquiries will be measured. If the agency can explain these three points, you will have a clearer basis for discussing changes once the campaign is running.

Ask who it intends to reach with your product, why those people are the priority, and which parts of the journey to an inquiry it will manage.

1. Is there a reason for choosing the target countries and languages?

“International customers” covers a wide range of people. Someone planning a visit to Korea from overseas may need different information, and be ready to visit at a different time, from someone already in Korea looking for a service.

Ask the agency which customers in which locations it would prioritize, and why. Look for a plan that uses information from your business: the languages and locations of current inquiries, the products you can sell, visit requirements, and the languages your team can support. If there is little data, the agency should still explain what it will test first and which results will guide the next decision.

For example, if a product requires a visit to a Korean store, the information you give someone overseas may differ from what you show a person looking for a place to visit in Korea. That does not mean you must split the budget equally. You need a convincing explanation of how the audience and budget were chosen.

Also check that the agency understands the limits of the settings. Google's location targeting uses signals such as a person's location and interests, and location detection is not always accurate. A location setting alone cannot confirm someone's nationality or whether they have entered Korea. Google's location targeting options

Google has also announced a change starting in September 2026: campaign-level language settings for Search campaigns are being removed, with search ads automatically matched based on the language of the ads. Check the rollout in the account and the campaign type; the same approach does not apply to every advertising channel. If an agency says selecting English will show ads only to foreigners, ask how that matches the actual behavior. Google's language targeting guidance

2. Are the ad, landing page, and inquiry process prepared for the same customer?

If an English ad opens a Korean-only page, the customer may struggle to understand the offer. Even a translated page can leave people unsure what to do next if the advertised product is hard to find or the contact method is unclear.

Ask to see the ad copy, landing page, and inquiry screen together. Reviewing the following on actual screens helps you identify the work needed in both the advertising and the website.

If the page needs changes, the quote should explain what the ads agency will handle and what cooperation it needs from your current website provider. This helps avoid signing an advertising contract while essential page work remains unresolved.

3. How will the agency distinguish clicks from actual inquiries?

When a report says clicks have increased, your next question is likely to be: “How many inquiries did we receive?” Ask what will count as an inquiry before you sign the contract.

A click on an inquiry button shows an intention to make contact. A received consultation request or a completed booking is a later outcome. Clicking a phone or messaging button does not automatically reveal the conversation that followed. Ask which records can be checked against the advertising data.

Google Ads offers ways to measure qualified leads and later outcomes using additional business data. Using these features requires inquiry or sales records and the right measurement setup. Check that the method proposed by the agency fits how your business receives inquiries. Google's guidance on qualified and converted leads

When you request a sample report, look beyond ad spend and clicks. Does it state the definition of an inquiry, the records used to verify it, and the outcomes that cannot yet be confirmed? Also ask which search terms and pages the agency will review if unrelated inquiries arrive. Keep in mind that some search terms may be omitted from the search terms report. Google's guide to the search terms report

Give each agency the same information and compare its proposal

To compare agencies on these three points, provide the same details: the products or services you want to promote, the customers you want to reach, your current landing pages, your proposed monthly ad budget range, and how you receive inquiries. If some details are still undecided, explain your current situation and discuss them together.

Then look at the plan each agency makes from that information: which customers to start with, what to improve on the page, and which inquiries it will verify. This makes it easier to judge whether the agency can handle the work your business needs than comparing projected clicks and management fees alone.

When contacting BlinkAd, share your current website, the products you want to promote, your customers' languages, and your inquiry process. Through a consultation on Google Ads for international customers, we can work through what is needed in the ads, the pages, and the way inquiries are checked.