If you’re looking for graphic design support for paid ads, I would start with the work you need to get out the door.

Do you need a couple of static ads for one launch? New concepts for an ongoing campaign? Or someone to adapt approved creative across placements while your internal designer handles other priorities?

Those are different assignments. A portfolio can show you whether you like someone’s design work. It does not tell you whether their service will fit your campaign needs.

Here’s how I would evaluate the fit, with a checklist you can take into a conversation with a freelancer, agency, or design subscription provider.

Define the gap before comparing providers

Write down the next few requests you actually expect to submit. Include the channel, format, message, and launch date. Then identify what your team can already supply.

You might have approved copy and a clear visual direction, but no capacity to produce the files. Or you might have a campaign goal and need help turning it into a useful design assignment. Be explicit about which problem you’re hiring someone to solve.

I would separate four responsibilities: deciding what to test, writing and approving the message, designing the creative, and running the campaign. One provider may cover several of them, but do not assume that “ad creative” includes all four.

That matters when comparing prices. A quote for production from supplied copy is not directly comparable to a quote that includes research, copywriting, and campaign management.

Ask them to explain a design, not just show it

Pick a relevant example from the portfolio and ask what the designer was trying to communicate. Who was it for? What was supposed to be noticed first? Why was that layout chosen?

I would look for a clear explanation of the message and the intended viewing context. “The headline needed to be readable on a phone, so we removed a supporting line” is useful reasoning. A list of design trends tells you less about how they will handle your campaign.

Review the example at a realistic size, too. A polished full-screen mockup can hide tiny product details or copy that becomes hard to read in a feed.

If the provider shares performance results, ask what changed besides the creative and what the result actually measured. A higher click-through rate is not the same as more qualified leads. Treat the design explanation and the performance claim as two separate things to assess.

Check that placement adaptation is part of the work

A square image and a landscape image may need different layouts to communicate the same idea. I would ask to see how one concept was adapted, rather than only looking at unrelated finished pieces.

There are also real platform requirements to account for. LinkedIn’s single-image ad specifications list different aspect ratios and note that paid vertical images serve only on mobile. Google’s responsive display guidance describes separate image, logo, headline, and description assets, and recommends avoiding text and logo overlays on the image assets.

The practical question for a provider is: “How will you confirm the exact ad type and prepare the right deliverables?” A composed social graphic is not automatically the right input for an asset-based ad.

Ask who checks dimensions, file size, readability, and cropping before delivery. The campaign owner should still check the ad preview before launch.

Make the production limits concrete

“Unlimited requests” sounds simple, but it does not tell you how much can be completed before your launch date.

Ask how many requests can be active, what counts as a request, and what happens when revisions come back. Does an urgent correction interrupt the next assignment? Do placement adaptations stay with the original request? Who decides the priority?

I would ask for timing against a real sample brief, not just a general turnaround claim. One headline change is different from a new visual concept with several versions and sizes.

Also clarify the handoff: final file formats, editable source files if you need them, font and image licenses, and how approved versions will be identified. These are questions to resolve in the scope, not benefits to assume every service includes.

A checklist for the provider conversation

Use these questions to compare the answers against your actual workload. This is a buying checklist, not a performance score.

  • Campaign fit: Can you show static ad work relevant to our formats and explain the design choices?
  • Direction: Who turns our campaign question into a creative approach, and what do we need to provide?
  • Copy and claims: Is copywriting included, or are we supplying approved copy? Who signs off on product claims?
  • Deliverables: How are new concepts, variations, and placement adaptations scoped?
  • Capacity: How many requests can be active, and how are revisions and urgent work prioritized?
  • Timing: What would the first version and final delivery look like for our sample request?
  • Handoff: Which export and source files do we receive, and are asset usage rights clear?
  • Feedback: Who consolidates comments, checks the final files, and approves completion?
  • Commercial fit: What is excluded, what creates an extra charge, and what are the cancellation terms?

An unclear answer is something to resolve before starting. It does not necessarily mean the provider is a bad choice, but it does mean the assignment is not fully agreed.

Use a small paid trial to assess the working relationship

If the scope and commercial terms make sense, I would start with a paid assignment that resembles the work you will keep requesting. Do not ask for a large speculative campaign just to compare portfolios.

Hypothetical example: a B2B software team needs LinkedIn static ads for an approved product walkthrough. The trial could be one visual concept, two approved headline versions, and a square and landscape adaptation of each. That is four exported files, not four separate concepts.

Before work starts, agree on the first-version date, feedback owner, revision process, and final files. You can use the paid ad creative brief template to make that assignment specific.

Then assess the process as well as the output. Did the provider catch missing information? Was the message clear at the intended size? Did feedback produce a useful revision? Could your campaign manager identify and use the final files without guessing?

The trial tells you about production fit. It does not prove that the ads will perform. Once they launch, review the intended website action and downstream quality, with enough data and context to avoid calling a winner too early.

Choose the support you can actually use

I would not make the decision purely on the lowest monthly price or the largest promised number of assets.

If your team cannot supply approved copy or review drafts, extra production capacity may not solve the delay. If you need one defined project, ask whether a project-based engagement fits better. If you have a recurring queue, ask how the provider will keep priorities clear as new work arrives.

The useful outcome is a working relationship that gets the right creative into your campaigns and makes the next request easier to define. Start with the next real assignment. Make the responsibilities clear. Then judge the support against that job.

Service scope and platform guidance checked October 19, 2026. Confirm current specifications for the placements in your brief.