Most bad agency stories start the same way. Nobody asked the boring questions up front.
Book a 15-Min Chat →A legit marketing agency is easy to check. It has named people, a real business address, and reviews on sites it does not control.
Already working with an agency and not sure? Ask for admin access to your own ad accounts and a report that shows leads by source. A legit agency says yes the same day.
| Red flag | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| A guaranteed #1 ranking | Google: "No one can guarantee a #1 ranking on Google." |
| A "special relationship" with Google | Google tells buyers to beware of anyone who claims one. |
| A cold email that says your site has problems | Google says to be wary of SEO firms and agencies that email you out of the blue. |
| They will not explain what they do | Google: be careful if a company is secretive. You are responsible for what is done to your site. |
| Ad accounts in the agency's name | If you leave, your campaign history and data stay with them. |
| Reviews you cannot trace to a real client | Fake reviews and testimonials are banned under the FTC's 2024 rule. |
| Reports with clicks and impressions only | You cannot tell if the fee is paying for itself. |
If an agency deceived you, Google's guidance points to the FTC, which handles complaints about deceptive or unfair business practices in the United States.
Good agencies answer all nine without a pause. For what the fee should look like, see our marketing agency pricing guide.
Usually yes, if: you have an offer that already sells, a customer worth enough to cover the fee, and someone on your side who can answer leads fast.
Usually no, if: nobody has bought the product yet, or the budget only covers the fee with nothing left for ads. An agency can scale what works. It cannot invent demand for something nobody wants.
If you are in between, start with a one-time audit or a small project. You learn how the agency works before you commit to a retainer.
A team with several skills for one fee. Best when you need more than one channel run well and reported together.
One skilled person, lower cost. Best for one channel or one project. The risk is a single point of failure.
Full attention on your business. Best once the work is steady enough to fill a full-time role, and you can manage it.
Many companies use a mix. An in-house marketer who owns the plan, with an agency for the channels that need specialists.
An agency that knows your buyer starts faster. Ask what they know about your sales cycle before they pitch a channel.
We work by industry for that reason. See how we approach SaaS and cybersecurity, law firms, healthcare, manufacturers, and B2B companies.
Check three things. You have admin access to your own ad accounts and analytics. The monthly report shows leads and sales by source, not only clicks. And the agency can explain in plain words what it did last month. If any of the three is missing, ask why.
Check results you can verify, who will do the work, what gets reported, who owns the accounts and data, and how you can leave. Then compare scope and price side by side.
No honest agency guarantees a ranking. Google's guidance says no one can guarantee a #1 ranking on Google and tells buyers to beware of anyone who does.
It is worth it when you have an offer that already sells and a customer worth more than the fee plus ad spend. It is not worth it as a way to find out whether anyone wants the product.
Ask peers in your industry who they use, read reviews on third-party sites, and shortlist agencies that have worked with your kind of buyer. Then ask each the same nine questions and compare the answers.
Yes. The accounts, the data, and the website should be in your company's name, with the agency added as a user. If you part ways, you keep the history.
Leads and sales by source, cost per lead, what was done, and what comes next. Clicks and impressions can be in the detail, not the headline.
15 minutes. Bring the list. You get straight answers, including the ones that do not flatter us.
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