How to Choose a Digital Marketing Agency: 10 Questions to Ask Before You Hire
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
The fastest way to choose the right digital marketing agency is to ask about their reporting cadence, past results in your industry, exactly who will work on your account, and how they define success — before you ever ask about price. Agencies that dodge these questions, or answer them vaguely, are telling you something important about what it’s like to work with them.
The 10 Questions Worth Asking
What results have you delivered for businesses like mine? Ask for specifics — traffic growth, conversion rate, revenue lift — not just a client logo wall. Vague answers here usually mean vague results later.
Who will actually work on my account? Many agencies sell you on a senior founder or strategist in the pitch, then hand execution to a junior team member you never meet. Ask directly who you’ll be emailing every week. At Together our experienced founders execute all work.
How do you define and report success? A good agency ties activity (posts published, ads launched) to outcomes (leads, revenue, rankings) and reports on a fixed schedule — monthly at minimum.
What's included in the proposal — and what costs extra? Get scope and exclusions in writing. “Strategy” and “consulting” can mean very different things depending on the agency.
How long is the contract, and what's the exit process? Fair contracts are month-to-month or have a reasonable initial term (3–6 months) with clear notice periods — not a 12-month lock-in with no off-ramp. We have no minimum commitment and offer flexible terms to suit your needs.
Can I see examples of similar client work? Not just a portfolio page — ask to speak with a current or former client in a comparable industry or size range.
Do you specialize, or do everything for everyone? Agencies that focus on a few disciplines (e.g., e-commerce web design and growth marketing) tend to go deeper than shops claiming expertise in every channel at once.
How do you approach SEO and AI search visibility together? In 2026, ranking on Google and being cited by AI tools like ChatGPT rely on largely the same fundamentals. An agency that hasn’t thought about this is behind.
What does onboarding actually look like? Ask for a week-by-week breakdown of the first 30 days. Agencies with a real process can tell you; agencies without one improvise.
What happens if it's not working after 90 days? This question tells you whether an agency has a plan for course-correction, or just hopes it goes well.
Red Flags to Watch For
Guarantees of “#1 rankings” or specific traffic numbers — no agency can promise this on Google or any other platform.
No willingness to provide case studies with real numbers.
Reporting that only shows activity (posts, impressions) with no connection to business outcomes.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should I try an agency before judging results?
For SEO and content, give it 4–6 months before expecting meaningful movement — search rankings build gradually. For paid advertising, 60–90 days is usually enough to see whether an approach is working, since ad platforms generate data much faster.
Should I choose a local agency or a national one?
A local agency — one based in your own city — typically has a stronger handle on local SEO, local media relationships, and can meet in person when useful. A national or remote agency may offer broader specialization, but you should weigh that against the value of local market knowledge.
What's a fair contract length?
Month-to-month, or an initial term of 3–6 months with clear renewal terms, is standard among agencies confident in their work. Be cautious of anything requiring a 12-month commitment upfront with no review point.
If an agency can answer all ten questions clearly and specifically, that’s a strong signal you’re talking to a team that knows exactly how it works and what it delivers.
Together Marketing is a full-service digital marketing agency in Vancouver, BC, specializing in web design, growth marketing, advertising, and SEO for small and growing businesses. Reach out at hello@doittogethermarketing.com for a free consultation.
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