# Questions to Ask a Digital Marketing Agency Before Hiring | Capterra | Capterra > Looking to hire a digital marketing agency? With our guide, learn the right questions to ask to help you evaluate and identify the best digital marketing company for your business. Source: https://www.capterra.com/resources/questions-to-ask-digital-marketing-agency --- Small Business Digital MarketingMarketing # Questions to Ask a Digital Marketing Agency Before Hiring One By Mabh Savage Mabh Savage Mabh is a writer specializing in human resources, digital transformation, and small-to-midsize business management and marketing. She's worked with companies... [See bio & all articles](https://www.capterra.com/resources/author/mabh-savage-guest-contributor/) Published May 11, 2023 6 min read Table of Contents - [How to evaluate a digital marketing agency](#how-to-evaluate-a-digital-marketing-agency) - [The best questions to ask a digital marketing agency](#the-best-questions-to-ask-a-digital-marketing-agency) - [Hiring a digital marketing agency: Further considerations](#hiring-a-digital-marketing-agency-further-considerations) ## Hiring a digital marketing agency to promote your company or services is easier when you know the right questions to ask. As a small-business leader, hiring a digital marketing agency is a great way to invest in your business's growth by focusing on building a customer base and increasing revenue, without taking more time away from the day-to-day running of your company.  Of course, you want an agency that's going to understand your company, your products or services, and your target audience. Knowing what to look for in a digital marketing agency helps you choose a company that can get your brand in front of leads that are more likely to convert.  A vital part of this is knowing which questions to ask a digital marketing agency to determine if they're a good match for your business. ###    What is a digital marketing agency? [Digital marketing agencies](https://www.capterra.com/resources/what-does-a-digital-marketing-agency-do/) work with businesses to understand their goals, target audiences, and buyer personas. They then use multiple digital channels, including email marketing, website optimization, and social media marketing, to generate new leads. As new technologies emerge, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), experienced digital marketing agencies are ideally placed to take advantage of the new tech to help their clients grow. ## How to evaluate a digital marketing agency When there are so many options out there, how can you sort the best from the rest? When you contact a digital marketing agency to ask about their services, you can typically expect them to send you a bespoke proposal based on your requirements. This proposal will give you a good starting point to determine if the company is a good fit for your business.  You also want to consider the agency's references. Go beyond the company's references, look at marketplace reviews, and, if possible, speak to other businesses in your industry that have worked with the agency. Consider making a checklist of the points that are most important to you. Then, go through the available agencies and only choose to interview ones that check all the points on your list. For example, if your customer base is highly active on TikTok, you don't want an agency that focuses 95% of its efforts on Facebook. This checklist will also help you draft a brief of what you need when you do eventually contact agencies that seem to suit your needs. ## The best questions to ask a digital marketing agency Once you have a shortlist of agencies, you need to think about questions to ask when you interview them. This is especially useful when you have numerous agencies that all, on the surface, seem to offer similar services at a similar price.  These questions shouldn't just be about the specific tasks the agency can do for you. Consider their company values, the industries they've worked in, and their reputation in the marketplace. Here are some key questions to ask in a marketing agency interview. ###    What clients have you worked with in the past, and what were your results? One of the best consultation questions to ask is who they've worked for in the past. Understanding the agency's previous or existing client base can immediately give you a sense of whether they're the right choice for you. If there are familiar names on that list from within your industry, you know they will have a decent understanding of your niche. Always ask to see results, and consider if the successes they've achieved are in line with your growth goals. ###    How do you measure success? On that last point, it's vital to understand how the agency measures success and how they report it to you. You may already have a good idea of how to measure volumes of leads generated and converted. A great digital marketing agency should provide far more granular data, such as click-through rates for marketing campaigns and email open rates. Discuss how you'll know that the agency's strategies are working for you. ###    What types of digital marketing strategies do you implement for your clients? This is the core of your questions to ask a digital marketing agency in an interview. You need to know exactly how they'll help your business meet its marketing goals and what services they provide. This allows you to determine if an agency has a comprehensive, broad-ranging digital marketing approach or a narrower focus across one or two platforms or tools. ###    Which tools do you use most often? You need to know which tools your agency will use, even if you won't use them yourself. As well as helping you understand the digital marketing process, an agency that can quickly and clearly explain its technical processes shows that it is competent and ready to get to work. Consider asking about the platforms and software they take advantage of and how they plan to use them to hit your business goals. ###    How often should I expect deliverables? Setting up a great communication strategy from the outset can save a lot of hassle later down the line. You need to know that you can set clear expectations of when you want reports or updates, and the agency should already have a rough plan in place of when it expects to be able to do that. Consider what information you want on a regular basis and how that lines up with your business KPIs.  Also, discuss different methods of communication. If you like to conduct every conversation face to face but the agency only communicates via email, they're probably not the best fit. If you have weekly catch-ups with your sales and marketing teams, but the agency only delivers results once a month, that could be a deal breaker. ###    What should I expect for pricing? The all-important question: What will this cost? While overall value is arguably a more important metric, you can't get a sense of if the agency is worth your time without understanding its pricing structure. Most digital marketing agencies will provide pricing on a case-by-case basis, so make sure you have a comprehensive brief of your marketing goals and requirements so the price they give you is as accurate as possible. Get a quote in writing before you commit to a contract, and ideally, get two or three quotes to compare the value of several agencies. ## Hiring a digital marketing agency: Further considerations Knowing [how to choose a digital marketing agency](https://www.capterra.com/resources/how-to-choose-a-digital-marketing-agency/) could help set you apart from the competition by connecting with leads across platforms you've previously underused. As well as the questions above, you may want to consider: - **The size of the agency:** Do they have enough team members to handle your needs as well as their existing client base? - **Their own marketing success:** How do they digitally market their own brand? - **What are their company values?** Working with partners whose values align with your own can ensure you protect your brand reputation as you expand your customer base. Digital marketing questions range from what an agency does to how they'll help you succeed. Ask the right questions and find an agency that can boost your growth. ## Capterra's 2026 Software Buying Trends Report ### Download our 2026 Software Buying Trends Report to see how successful software adopters avoid disappointment and how your business can, too. * * * ### Was this article helpful? * * * ## About the Author [### Mabh Savage](https://www.capterra.com/resources/author/mabh-savage-guest-contributor/) Mabh is a writer specializing in human resources, digital transformation, and small-to-midsize business management and marketing. 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