Hiring a marketing agency is a big decision. You're trusting someone with your budget, your brand and often your website. These questions help separate partners from pitches.
What exactly will you do each month?
You should get a clear list of deliverables: how many pages, posts or campaigns, what technical work, and what reporting. 'We'll optimize your presence' isn't an answer.
How will we measure success?
Good agencies tie their work to leads, bookings and revenue, not just traffic and rankings. Ask what your report will show and how often you'll get it.
Who owns the accounts and the work?
Your website, domain, Google Business Profile, ad accounts and content should belong to you. If you leave, you should take everything with you.
What happens if it's not working?
Ask about contract length and how they handle a strategy that isn't delivering. Long lock-in contracts with no exit are a warning sign.
Who will I actually work with?
Some agencies sell with senior people and deliver with someone else. Ask who handles your account day to day.
Red flags
Guaranteed number-one rankings, secret techniques they won't explain, no access to your own data, reports full of vanity metrics, and pressure to sign today.
The right agency is happy to answer all of these. If they dodge them, you've learned what you needed to know.
