I wanted to write an article about the ins and outs of working with a digital marketing professional, because I realised that I have worked with clients in the past who kind of assumed that working with an agency was as simple as handing the agency a stack of cash, and they would generate 5x as much value coming back from your website. And sure, sometimes it really is that easy! So to help you to have an experience more like this, I’ve written a guide about what working with an agency is like, what you should expect, and how you can get the best results out of your experience.
When You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know
“If you don’t understand digital marketing, it’s hard to know what good work looks like.”
Working with a digital marketing agency (or consultant) can feel overwhelming—especially when you’re unfamiliar with the terminology, the platforms, or what realistic results look like. Many business owners feel like they’re just nodding along in meetings, unsure whether they’re getting good value or simply being told what they want to hear.
It’s similar to taking your car to the mechanic when you know nothing about cars. You rely entirely on their explanation, and that uncertainty can make you feel like you don’t really have any say.
Fortunately, Google and Meta both offer free, high-quality online courses that help you understand how their platforms work. Even a basic understanding can make conversations with your agency more productive. So try to learn the basics so you can at least understand what your agency is telling you.
Another option is hiring a fractional marketing manager—someone who represents your interests and ensures your agency is functioning as a true partner, not just a vendor.
Set Clear Goals and Know Your Current Performance
“Ads amplify performance—but they can’t work with a website that isn’t converting.”
Before launching campaigns with an agency (or consultant), it’s critical to understand your current metrics. Knowing your site’s conversion rate, cost per lead, and typical traffic patterns will help you set realistic expectations.
If your current conversion rate is 2%, there’s almost no scenario where ads will magically convert at 4%. Paid ads are excellent at increasing relevant traffic, but they usually do not outperform highly qualified organic or direct traffic.
If traffic is healthy but conversions are low, invest first in conversion rate optimization (CRO). Otherwise, you could spend thousands on ads without seeing meaningful results.
Bear in mind that cost per click (CPC) is rarely under $1, so if you have a 1% conversion rate (CVR), your cost per conversion (CPA) is unlikely to be less than $100 (simple mathematics). So if your average basket value (ABV) is only $50, you are going to have to improve your CVR before it makes sense to be paying for traffic.
Expect Proactivity, Testing, and Real Strategic Input
“If your agency isn’t testing, they’re not improving, and you’re not getting the absolute best results.”
Your agency (or consultant) should be the expert driving your advertising strategy. That means:
- Testing new ad copy
- Trying fresh creative formats
- Experimenting with different audiences
- Suggesting landing page variations
- Exploring new platforms when appropriate
If they’re not bringing new ideas to the table, you’re likely not getting real value.
Many businesses complain that their previous agency “did nothing” except send invoices. I’ve seen this personally. Even agencies charging $5,000/month often delegate work to juniors and give minimal strategic attention to small-to-mid-sized accounts.
When evaluating an agency, ask directly:
- Who is actually working on my account?
- How senior are they?
- How many accounts do they manage?
The answers will tell you more than the agency’s brand ever will. This shouldn’t be an issue when working with a consultant, as you know they’re the ones working on your account.
Know Who You’re Actually Allowed to Speak With
If your only meetings are with account managers who can’t fully explain platform changes, can’t talk through performance, and constantly need to “check with the team,” it’s often because:
- A junior is doing most of the work
- They don’t want you speaking directly to that junior
- The strategist isn’t involved enough to attend the calls
I’m not saying that all account managers are bad, and if you’ve hired an agency for multiple services like SEO, social, content and ads, then you will likely need to have an account manager who has a better macro view across these. But, a good agency will give you access to the practitioners managing your money—not just intermediaries. (I personally find it quite frustrating when I’m not able to talk to my clients directly, as it just slows communication)
You Must Own Your Ad Accounts
“Your agency manages your accounts, but you own them.”
Your ad accounts should always be created under your business, with your admin access. Agencies can help build them, but they should never own them.
This is especially important in the Meta ecosystem:
- You must create the Facebook Business Manager
- You must own the Facebook page
- Then you invite the agency as a partner
Transferring Business Manager ownership is extremely difficult. Setting it up correctly ensures that if you ever leave the agency, you can simply revoke access—not lose your history, pixels, audiences, or campaigns.
When it comes to the Google universe, it is straightforward for agencies to add you ad an admin for Google Tag Manager, Google Analytics, Google Ads and Google Search Console. So make sure that they do!
Please note: while you own the ad accounts, you have paid the agency (or consultant) to manage them for you. Please do not make changes yourself, as having two parties making changes to the same ad accounts is a recipe for disaster and is really frustrating for the account manager.
Demand Reporting That Includes Insight, Not Just Data
If your agency (or consultant) sends you a colorful monthly report filled with graphs but no explanations, that’s not reporting—that’s a spreadsheet with decorations.
Strong reporting includes:
- What happened
- Why it happened
- What the agency plans to do next
- What you need to do next
Analytics without insight is useless. You’re paying for expertise, not screenshots.
Use Account Change History to See What’s Being Done
Google Ads and Meta Ads both offer a Change History section that shows what work has been done. Google’s is easy to read; Meta’s is more opaque, but still available.
This lets you see:
- How often your agency made changes
- What those changes were
- Whether they’re actively managing the account
There’s no “correct” number of changes. Some accounts need stability; others need ongoing testing. But if a full month passes and all you see is a couple of budget adjustments, it may be a sign that your agency isn’t doing meaningful work.
Do remember: agencies rely on you, too. They can’t test creative or landing pages that you haven’t approved or supplied.
Working With an Agency (or Consultant) Is a Partnership
“Hiring an agency doesn’t mean you can disappear from the process. So expect to give insights and input.”
Even the best agencies (or consultants) need collaboration from you for:
- Creative assets
- Brand approvals
- Landing page updates
- Access to analytics
- Timely feedback
If you’re unable to support the process, even great agencies will struggle to deliver strong results. In that case, a fractional marketer can act as your internal partner—providing approvals, coordinating assets, and ensuring forward momentum.
Get a Third-Party Audit If You’re Unsure About Your Agency
I’ve helped many clients audit their ad accounts to ensure their agency is doing things correctly and working as hard as they should be. Sometimes the agency is doing excellent work; other times, very little is being done behind the scenes.
If you’re unhappy—or just unsure—a neutral third party can help you understand whether your agency is managing your account effectively and using your budget wisely.
Drop me a message if you’d like to chat about how we could work together and improve your ads performance.