The short answer
Choose a digital marketing agency that asks more about your business than it talks about itself, explains exactly what it will do and how it will measure success, shows real examples, and lets you own your accounts and data. Walk away from anyone who guarantees rankings or sales, refuses to explain their methods, or offers fake reviews or followers.
15 questions to ask before you hire
About fit and experience
- 1. Have you worked with businesses like mine, in my industry or country? Can I see examples?
- 2. Can I speak to a current client?
- 3. Who exactly will work on my account, and what are their roles?
- 4. How many clients does each person manage?
About the plan
- 5. What would you do in the first 90 days, and why?
- 6. Which channels would you start with for my goals, and which would you skip?
- 7. What results do you expect, by when, and how will we measure them? Google suggests asking exactly this[1].
- 8. Do you follow Google's guidelines and platform rules? Will you explain every change you make?[1]
About working together
- 9. How often will we talk, and who is my main contact?
- 10. What will your monthly report include?
- 11. How do approvals work, and how fast do you need them?
- 12. What do you need from me to succeed?
About money and ownership
- 13. Is ad spend separate from your fee, and paid from my own accounts?
- 14. Will I own the ad accounts, analytics, website, content and data?
- 15. What is the contract length, notice period, and what happens to my assets if we part ways?
Red flags: when to walk away
- Guaranteed #1 rankings. Google says to find someone else if an SEO promises this[1].
- Claims of a "special relationship" with Google, or "priority submission"[1].
- Secret methods they won't explain[1].
- Offers to buy reviews, write fake reviews or buy followers.
- Ad accounts set up in the agency's name instead of yours.
- Reports that only show likes, reach and impressions, never leads or sales.
- Pressure to sign a long contract before any trial or clear plan.
- Cold emails promising instant results.
Signs of a good agency
- They ask about your margins, customers and sales process, not just your budget.
- They tell you what they would not do, and why.
- They set realistic timelines: weeks for ads, months for SEO and content.
- They show real work, including what didn't work and what they learned.
- They want you to own your accounts and data.
- Their own reviews and website are genuine and up to date.
What a good agency agreement includes
- Scope: exactly what is delivered each month
- Goals and how they're measured
- Fees, payment terms and what's not included (such as ad spend)
- Reporting schedule and format
- Account and content ownership
- Confidentiality and data protection
- Term, notice period and handover on exit
Ask us these questions
We're happy to be tested with every question above. Retales is a digital growth partner headquartered in New Delhi, India; we don't guarantee rankings, we keep your accounts in your name, and you can see all work and results in your client portal.
Sources
Every statistic in this article comes from one of these publications. Links open the original source in a new tab.
- 1Do you need an SEO? Questions to ask before hiring an SEO. "If they guarantee you that their changes will give you first place in search results, find someone else."
- 2Federal Trade Commission announces final rule banning fake reviews and testimonials Bans fake and AI-generated reviews, buying reviews, and buying fake followers or views; allows civil penalties for knowing violations.
This article is for general information and isn't financial or legal advice. Figures are as published by each source on the date shown.