25 questions to ask a marketing agency before you sign

The best questions to ask a marketing agency cover five things: fit, proof, the team, money and ownership. Below are 25 of them, grouped that way, with why each matters, what a good answer sounds like and our own answer in the open.

How to use these questions to ask a marketing agency

Send the same questions to every agency in writing, then score each answer from 1 to 5. Using identical questions makes the answers comparable, and writing them down stops a polished pitch from covering a thin answer.

Pick five for the first call (we suggest 6, 11, 16, 20 and 21) and send the rest afterward. If an agency won't answer in writing, that's an answer too.

Questions about fit and diagnosis

1. Based on what you've seen so far, what do you think our real problem is?

• Why ask: It shows whether they listened or just pitched.
• A good answer sounds like: A specific read of your situation, plus the questions they'd need answered to be sure.
• Our answer: We'll give you our honest read after a first conversation, and tell you what we'd need to check.

2. What would you leave out of our plan, and why?

• Why ask: Good strategy is as much about what not to do.
• A good answer sounds like: One or two channels they'd skip for now, with a reason.
• Our answer: Ask us on a call. It depends entirely on your business.

3. When would you tell a business like ours not to hire you?

• Why ask: An agency that's never said no will say yes to anything.
• A good answer sounds like: Clear situations where they aren't the right fit.
• Our answer: When the work is steady, daily and core to your business, an in-house hire is often better. Our agency vs in-house comparison says so plainly.

4. What do you need from us to do this well?

• Why ask: It shows the real workload on your side.
• A good answer sounds like: Named inputs: access, approvals, time on camera, a point of contact.
• Our answer: A single decision-maker, timely approvals and access to the accounts we'll work in.

5. What would make this engagement fail?

• Why ask: Honest agencies know their risks.
• A good answer sounds like: Specific risks, on both sides, and how they'd manage them.
• Our answer: Ask us on a call. The risks differ by project.

Questions about proof

6. Show us work for a business with a similar problem. What changed?

• Why ask: Relevant proof beats a big logo.
• A good answer sounds like: A case study with the starting point, the work and the outcome.
• Our answer: Our case studies are on our work page. For VV Sourcing, we shot and edited 33+ ads a month; during the partnership the company tripled in size and revenue grew 10x in under a year.

7. On that project, what did your team do, and what did the client or other partners do?

• Why ask: Results often have many parents.
• A good answer sounds like: A clear split of credit.
• Our answer: Each case study lists our roles. On Brooks Running × Nic Vans, the film reached 820,000 views and 2,500 comments; the page shows which parts we handled.

8. What was the baseline before you started?

• Why ask: A result means nothing without a starting point.
• A good answer sounds like: Before-and-after numbers, or an honest "we don't have that".
• Our answer: Ask us on a call for the projects relevant to you.

9. Which piece of work are you least proud of, and what did you learn?

• Why ask: It shows self-awareness.
• A good answer sounds like: A real example and a concrete change in process.
• Our answer: Ask us on a call.

10. Can we speak to two current clients and one former client?

• Why ask: Former clients tell you how the work ends.
• A good answer sounds like: Yes, with names and contacts.
• Our answer: Ask us on a call. You can also read our reviews.

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Questions about the team

11. Who, by name, will work on our account each week?

• Why ask: The people in the pitch aren't always the people doing the work.
• A good answer sounds like: Names and roles.
• Our answer: Strategy, production and post-production sit on one team. Ask us on a call who would be on yours.

12. Is any part of the work subcontracted, and to whom?

• Why ask: You should know who touches your brand.
• A good answer sounds like: A straight yes or no, with details.
• Our answer: Our crew and edit are in-house. Ask us on a call about anything outside video.

13. Who will be on set, or inside our ad account?

• Why ask: Access is a trust question.
• A good answer sounds like: A short list of named people.
• Our answer: Ask us on a call.

14. What happens if our main contact leaves or is out for two weeks?

• Why ask: Continuity is part of what you're paying for.
• A good answer sounds like: A named backup and shared documentation.
• Our answer: Ask us on a call.

15. How quickly do you reply, and through which channel?

• Why ask: Response time shapes the whole relationship.
• A good answer sounds like: A committed window and one main channel.
• Our answer: We'll get back to you with a quote within 24 hours.

Questions about money and contracts

16. What exactly is included in the price, and what costs extra?

• Why ask: Surprise fees end relationships.
• A good answer sounds like: A written list of inclusions and exclusions.
• Our answer: Our video prices are published as starting points on our video production cost guide: short-form starting at $1,500, corporate starting at $3,500 and commercials starting at $5,000. Everything else is scoped in writing.

17. How is ad spend billed, and is it separate from your fee?

• Why ask: Mixing spend and fees hides what you pay for management.
• A good answer sounds like: Spend paid to the platform directly, fee billed separately.
• Our answer: Ad management is a custom quote, billed separately from the spend you pay the platform.

18. How do you price changes to scope mid-project?

• Why ask: Every project changes.
• A good answer sounds like: A written change process before extra work starts.
• Our answer: Ask us on a call.

19. What's the minimum term, and what's the notice period?

• Why ask: Long lock-ins shift the risk to you.
• A good answer sounds like: A clear term and a fair notice period.
• Our answer: Ask us on a call.

20. If we part ways, what do we get, and how fast?

• Why ask: The exit is where weak contracts show.
• A good answer sounds like: A handoff list and a timeline.
• Our answer: Ask us on a call.

Questions about ownership and reporting

21. Whose name is on the ad accounts, analytics and domain?

• Why ask: Whoever owns the account owns your history. Google's third-party policies (opens in new tab) set rules for managers working on an advertiser's behalf.
• A good answer sounds like: Yours, with the agency added as a user.
• Our answer: Ask us on a call.

22. Who owns the footage, raw files and project files?

• Why ask: Raw footage can be recut for years; you want it.
• A good answer sounds like: A clear written answer on finals, raw files and usage.
• Our answer: Ask us on a call. We'll put it in writing in the scope.

23. What access level will you need, and can we remove it ourselves?

• Why ask: You should control the keys. Google Ads offers several access levels (opens in new tab) for this reason.
• A good answer sounds like: The lowest level that does the job, removable by you.
• Our answer: Ask us on a call.

24. Can we see a sample report?

• Why ask: The report shows what they'll be accountable for.
• A good answer sounds like: A real, anonymized report focused on outcomes.
• Our answer: Ask us on a call.

25. Which three numbers will you report on, and why those?

• Why ask: Too many metrics hide the important ones.
• A good answer sounds like: Numbers tied to your revenue or leads.
• Our answer: Ask us on a call. They depend on your goal.

Score the answers

Score every answer from 1 (vague or missing) to 5 (specific, written and verifiable), then compare totals by group.

Weight ownership and contracts most heavily. A low score there is harder to fix after signing than a low score anywhere else.

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Red flags in the answers

The biggest red flag is an answer that dodges the question. Watch for these:

• Guarantees. No one can promise rankings or sales.
• "Our team" with no names. You should know who does the work.
• Accounts in the agency's name. Ask to change it before you sign.
• No written scope. Verbal promises don't survive turnover.
• Proof without a baseline. Big numbers with no starting point.

Our guide to hiring a marketing agency covers more red flags. Still deciding whether you need an agency at all? Compare agency vs in-house and agency vs freelancer.

FAQs

How many questions should I ask a marketing agency?

Ask five must-ask questions on the first call: who does the work, what proof they have, who owns your accounts, what's included in the price and how you leave. Send the rest in writing.

What are the most important questions to ask a digital marketing agency?

Who does the work, who owns your accounts and files, and what the exit terms are. Weak answers to those three are hard to fix later.

What should I ask in a marketing agency interview?

Use the call for questions where tone matters, like fit, diagnosis and who's on the team. Ask for money, contract and ownership answers in writing so you can compare them side by side.

What are red flags when hiring a marketing agency?

Vague answers about who does the work, guaranteed results, refusing to put your accounts in your name and long lock-ins with no exit plan. Our hiring guide lists more.

Should I ask for references?

Yes. Ask references what went wrong and how the agency handled it, and how the handoff went at the start and end of the work.

Ask us these questions

Send us all 25. We'll answer the ones we can in writing and go through the rest on a call.

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