Hiring a digital marketing agency can be one of the best decisions for your business — or one of the worst. The difference lies in knowing what to look for and what to avoid. After years working in the industry, these are the 5 mistakes we see over and over.
Mistake 1: Choosing solely on price
The most common mistake and the most costly in the long run. If an agency charges you 200 EUR per month to "manage all your digital marketing," ask yourself: what quality of service can you expect for that price?
Red flags
- Prices significantly lower than the rest of the market
- Generic packages that don't adapt to your business
- They don't ask about your goals before giving you a quote
- They promise guaranteed results without knowing your situation
What should matter to you
- ROI, not cost: An agency charging 2,000 EUR that generates 10,000 EUR in sales is a better deal than one charging 300 EUR that generates nothing.
- Transparency: Do you know exactly what's included and what's not?
- Scalability: Can they grow with you or will you need to switch agencies in 6 months?
Mistake 2: Not defining clear objectives
"I want more visibility" is not an objective. "I want to generate 50 qualified leads per month with a maximum CPA of 30 EUR" is.
How to define good objectives
Use the SMART framework:
- Specific: What exactly do you want to achieve?
- Measurable: How will you know if you achieved it?
- Achievable: Is it realistic with your budget?
- Relevant: Is it aligned with your business goals?
- Time-bound: By when do you need it?
Examples of well-defined objectives
- Increase organic traffic by 40% in 6 months
- Generate 30 B2B leads per month via Google Ads with CPA under 50 EUR
- Increase LinkedIn engagement by 25% next quarter
- Launch a new SEO-optimized website in 8 weeks
Without clear objectives, neither you nor the agency can evaluate if the work is delivering.
Mistake 3: Not asking how they measure results
A good agency should be able to explain exactly how they measure success. If the answer is vague ("we send you a monthly report"), be careful.
Questions you should ask
- What KPIs will we measure?
- What tools do you use to track results?
- How often do we review the strategy?
- Do I have direct access to data and platforms?
- What happens if results aren't as expected?
Red flags in reports
- Only showing vanity metrics (likes, impressions, followers)
- Not connecting metrics to business results
- Not including improvement recommendations
- Not comparing with previous periods
Want to evaluate your current marketing? Request a free auditIf an agency can't clearly explain how their actions impact your revenue, that's a significant red flag.
Mistake 4: Expecting immediate results
Digital marketing isn't a switch. You can't turn it on today and have results tomorrow (unless we're talking about paid advertising with aggressive budgets).
Realistic timelines by channel
| Channel | First results | Consistent results |
|---|---|---|
| Google Ads | 2-4 weeks | 2-3 months |
| SEO | 3-4 months | 6-12 months |
| Social media | 1-2 months | 4-6 months |
| Email marketing | 2-4 weeks | 2-3 months |
| Content marketing | 3-6 months | 6-12 months |
What you CAN expect from day 1
- Clear and transparent communication
- A documented strategic plan
- Correct tools and tracking setup
- Regular reports with real data
Mistake 5: Not verifying specialization
Not all agencies are the same. An agency that's great at social media doesn't necessarily know technical SEO. And vice versa.
What to verify before hiring
- Relevant portfolio: Do they have success stories in your industry?
- Specialized team: Who will work on your account? What's their experience?
- Tech stack: What tools do they use? Are they up to date?
- Methodology: Do they have a clear work process or improvise?
- References: Can you talk to current or former clients?
Types of agencies
- Full-service: They do everything, but may not be deep in anything
- Specialized: Excellent in one area, but you need several to cover everything
- AI-hybrid: Combine human expertise with automation (like us)
Bonus: how to know you've found the right agency
You know you're in good hands when:
- They ask you more questions than you ask them
- They say NO to ideas that won't work
- They have a clear onboarding process
- Communication is fluid and proactive
- Results are measurable and clearly explained
Conclusion
Choosing a digital marketing agency is a strategic decision. Taking the time to evaluate options, define clear objectives, and ask the right questions will save you a lot of money and frustration in the long run.
Looking for an agency that integrates as part of your team? Let's start with a free audit to understand your situation and show you how we can help.