Judge the answers, not the pitch
Most agency pitches look alike: a confident deck, logos and a promise of growth. What separates a good partner from an expensive mistake is how they answer specific, slightly uncomfortable questions. Ask the questions below in every meeting, ask for the important answers in writing, and pay attention to anything that gets vague.
Prepare before the first conversation. Write down your monthly spend, the channels you run, your targets and what has not worked so far. Notice what the agency asks in return: questions about margins, sales cycles, stock and customer lifetime value usually signal that it is thinking about your business, not just your ad accounts.
1. Who owns the accounts?
This is the most important question, and the answer should be immediate.
- Will our Google Ads, Meta, TikTok and analytics accounts be created in our business's name?
- If you are taking over existing accounts, will they stay in our name?
- If we part ways, what do we keep, and how is access handed back?
Good answer: you own everything and the agency is granted access. In Google Ads, the Admin access level controls who can manage users and link or unlink manager accounts, so someone in your business should hold it. Google also recommends having more than one admin. In Meta, the ad account and pixel should sit in your own business portfolio, with the agency added as a partner.
Red flag: accounts built inside the agency's own business setup, or any suggestion that historical data, audiences or creative stay with them when you leave.
2. Who will actually run the account?
- Who exactly will manage our campaigns day to day? Can we meet them before signing?
- How many other accounts does that person manage?
- How senior are they, and who reviews their work?
- What happens if they leave or go on holiday?
Red flag: senior people in the pitch who disappear after signing, or a refusal to name the person who will do the work.
3. How are fees calculated?
There is no single right fee model, but you should understand exactly what drives your bill and what incentive it creates.
| Fee model | How it works | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Flat retainer | A fixed monthly fee for an agreed scope | A clear definition of what is in and out of scope |
| Percentage of spend | The fee rises and falls with your media budget | An incentive to recommend more spend, whether or not it performs |
| Performance-based | Fees tied to leads, sales or targets | How results are measured, and pressure to chase easy, low-quality conversions |
| Project fee | A quoted price for a defined piece of work | What happens if the scope changes |
Also ask whether ad spend is billed by the platform directly to you or passes through the agency, and whether there are setup fees, tool fees or creative charges on top.
4. What are the contract terms?
- Is there a minimum term? What is the notice period after it?
- Does the contract renew automatically?
- Are there exit fees or charges for handing accounts back?
- Who owns the creative, landing pages and reports produced during the engagement?
Long lock-ins are not automatically bad, but an agency confident in its work rarely needs one. If your business has fewer than 100 employees or turnover under $10 million, standard form contracts you sign are covered by Australia's unfair contract terms laws, which have carried penalties since 9 November 2023. That protection is not a substitute for reading the contract, and it is worth getting advice on any term that looks one-sided.
5. How will you report to us?
- How often will we get reports, and do they include written analysis or just screenshots?
- Which metrics do you report on, and do they tie to revenue, leads or profit?
- Will we have live access to dashboards and the ad accounts themselves?
- How often will we meet, and who will be in the meeting?
Red flag: reports built around impressions, clicks or platform-reported ROAS alone, with no link to what happened in your business.
6. Who controls tracking and data?
- Will you audit our conversion tracking before changing campaigns?
- Will Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager and any server-side setup be owned by our business?
- How do you check platform numbers against our real sales or CRM data?
Tracking is where results are made or faked. If an agency controls the only version of the truth, you cannot check its work.
7. How will you start?
- What do you need from us in the first month?
- Will you audit the account before making changes?
- What will you do in the first 90 days, and how will we know it is working?
A good agency can describe its first steps in plain language and explain how it will judge them.
Other questions worth asking
- Are you a Google Partner? It is a useful baseline, not proof of quality. Partner status requires an optimisation score of at least 70%, at least US$10,000 in managed spend over 90 days and certified staff.
- Can we speak to a current client? A reference call tells you more than a case study.
- When would you tell us not to spend more? The answer shows whether they think about your margins or their fee.
- What would you not take on? Agencies that claim to be expert at everything rarely are.
The red flags in one place
- Accounts or tracking owned by the agency rather than your business.
- No named person for day-to-day management.
- Guaranteed results, rankings or ROAS.
- Long lock-ins, automatic renewals or exit fees with no clear reason.
- Reporting that never connects to revenue, leads or profit.
- Reluctance to give you full access to your own accounts.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
What should I ask a marketing agency before hiring them?
Ask who owns the ad and analytics accounts, who will manage your campaigns day to day, how fees are calculated, what the contract term and notice period are, how results are reported and who controls tracking. Ask for the important answers in writing.
Should I pay an agency a percentage of ad spend?
It is a common model, but it ties the agency's fee to how much you spend rather than how well the spend performs. Flat retainers and project fees avoid that incentive. Whatever the model, make sure you understand exactly what drives the bill and what is out of scope.
Who should own my Google Ads and Meta accounts?
Your business should. Accounts, pixels and analytics should be created in your name, with the agency granted access. That way you keep your data, audiences and campaign history if you ever change provider.
How long should an agency contract be?
There is no fixed rule, but be cautious of long lock-ins, automatic renewals and exit fees. Many agencies work month to month or with a short minimum term. Always read the termination clauses before signing.
Written by the Arche Digital Media team
Senior performance marketers in Melbourne, running paid media, SEO, analytics and lifecycle marketing for ambitious brands. About us