Choosing an agency
12 questions to ask before hiring a digital marketing agency
Most agency websites look alike, and most sales calls sound alike. These questions cut through it. They work whoever you hire, including us, and we have put our own answers at the end.
Ownership and money
- 1. Whose name will the ad accounts be in? Look for: yours, with Google and Meta billing you directly. Walk away if the agency wants to run ads from its own accounts
- 2. Who owns the website, domain and code? Look for: you, from day one, with every login handed over
- 3. Is your fee separate from my ad budget? Look for: two clear numbers, so you know exactly what reaches Google and Meta
- 4. How long is the contract, and what is the notice period? Look for: a written answer before you sign, with no automatic renewals hidden in it
The work itself
- 5. What would you do in the first 30 days? Look for: specific steps for your business. Be wary of a generic package that would fit anyone
- 6. Who will actually do the work? Look for: names. Many agencies sell with senior people and hand the work to juniors or freelancers
- 7. How will you track enquiries? Look for: conversion tracking on calls, WhatsApp and forms, set up before any ad money is spent
- 8. What will you need from me? Look for: an honest answer. Good marketing needs your input on offers, photos and feedback on leads
Reporting and honesty
- 9. Can I see a sample report? Look for: something short that shows enquiries and cost, not a long deck of impressions and reach
- 10. What will you not promise? Look for: no guaranteed rankings or lead numbers. Nobody controls Google's results or your market
- 11. Can I see work you have done, live? Look for: real websites and campaigns you can open, and clients you can speak to where possible
- 12. What happens if I leave? Look for: a full handover of accounts, files and logins, and the agency removing its own access
Red flags
- “Page one of Google in 30 days, guaranteed”
- Ad accounts, domains or websites registered in the agency's name
- Reports full of impressions and followers, with nothing about enquiries
- Long lock-in contracts before any results
- Prices or packages that do not change no matter what your business is
- Reviews, followers or likes that can be bought
Our answers
Ad accounts are set up in your name and Google and Meta bill you directly. You own the website, domain and code. Our fee is quoted separately from your ad budget. The agreement length and notice period are written into the proposal before you sign. You get a written plan within 48 hours of our first call, a one-page monthly report, and a full handover if you leave. We will not promise rankings or a number of leads.
Read the full details on our how we work page, and see sample reports on our sample deliverables page.
Want a second pair of eyes?
Book a 30-minute call and we will send you a written plan within 48 hours of it. It is free, and yours to keep whether or not you work with us.
Got an idea? Stop sitting on it. Start growing it.
Tell us where you are and where you want to be. You get a free written plan within 48 hours of our call. Answer two quick questions and send them to us on WhatsApp.
Rather fill in a form?
Tell us what you want to grow or build. We will tell you what we would do first, how long it takes and exactly what it costs.
- A reply from our team within one business day
- A written plan and quote within 48 hours of our call
- NDA on request, before we talk
- No obligation, no spam, no sales scripts
Prefer to talk? Call +91 82172 61467, WhatsApp us or email hello@dokreativ.com.
Tell us about your project
2 minutes. Our team replies within one business day. Written plan and quote within 48 hours of the call.