Choosing a digital marketing agency is hard when you're not a marketer yourself. Proposals are full of jargon, everyone claims results, and it's difficult to compare like with like. This guide gives you the questions that cut through it, whoever you speak to, including us.
Start with your goal, not their services
Before talking to anyone, write down what you actually want: more calls, more bookings, more online sales, a quieter month filled, a new area covered. A good agency will start by asking about this, not by selling you a package.
Questions to ask every agency
- What exactly will you do each month? Specific tasks, not "optimisation".
- Who will do the work? The person you meet, a junior team member or a subcontractor?
- Who owns the accounts? Your Google Business Profile, ad accounts, website and social pages should belong to you.
- How is ad spend handled? Ideally paid by you directly to Google or Meta, kept separate from fees.
- What will you report, and how often? Results that matter to your business, explained plainly.
- What's the minimum term and notice period?
- Can I see examples of similar work? Ideally for businesses like yours.
- What won't you do? Good agencies say no to things that won't help.
Red flags
- Ranking guarantees or "page one in 30 days". Nobody controls Google.
- Exact lead promises before they understand your business.
- They own your accounts or won't give you access.
- Long contracts with no clear deliverables.
- Reports full of vanity numbers such as impressions and reach, with nothing about enquiries or sales.
- Tactics that sound too clever: bought links, fake reviews, keyword-stuffed business names. These can get you penalised.
What a good agency looks like
- Asks about your business before recommending anything
- Explains what they'll do in plain English
- Is honest about timescales and what's outside their control
- Keeps you in control of your accounts
- Reports on results you care about
- Recommends doing less when less is right
Comparing proposals fairly
When you have two or three proposals, put them side by side and compare:
- Scope: what exactly is delivered each month, such as posts, reports, ad management and SEO work
- Ownership: whether accounts are set up in your name
- Ad spend: included in the price or paid separately
- Commitment: minimum term and notice period
- Reporting: what you'll see, and how often
The cheapest proposal isn't always the best value, and the most expensive isn't always the most thorough. The one that explains clearly what you'll get, and why, usually is.
Local or not?
A Northern Ireland agency understands local search behaviour, place names, cross-border customers and how business works here. That matters more for local marketing than it does for national campaigns.
If you'd like to put these questions to us, we're happy to answer them.
