Red Flags When Hiring an Agency
Hiring an agency or consultant can be time-consuming and confusing given the sheer number of options. Every organization is different — but after years in this industry, I've seen the same warning signs appear again and again. Take these as a guide.
They lead with certifications.
The open secret is that most certifications are easy to get, even with little to no experience. I'm Google Ads certified — but that says nothing about my expertise. Certifications are a floor, not a differentiator.
They don't do their homework before meeting you.
Agencies need to understand your business in order to maximize your goals. The very first conversation shouldn't begin with "Tell me about your company" or "What do you offer?" If they don't take the time to learn about your business before the first conversation, how much will they really do after signing the contract?
They don't offer at least one actionable insight.
I believe in creating value from the very first conversation — showing you something you can do today to help your business, with the understanding that I may not earn your work. Talk is cheap. Who cares what they did for another business? What have they done for you?
They operate on a percentage-of-spend model.
This means they charge a percentage of your actual ad spend — anywhere from 10% to 18% or more. If you spend $10K and the fee is 15%, that's $1,500. If spend doubles to $20K, the fee doubles to $3,000. Did the value they provided double? Spending more doesn't mean the agency delivered more — it just means it was in your fiscal plan.
They cap the number of campaigns built per month.
Business needs ebb and flow. Some months might call for four or five new campaigns; others, one or two. The workload evens out over time. Clients should have predictable costs — not worry that part of their budget will go to fees because of an extra campaign. More money for the campaigns is a win for everyone.
Auditing your account is an additional fee.
If you're paying someone to manage your account, auditing is part of the service — full stop. It's an essential tool for an optimized account, not an upsell.
There's a fee to cancel.
Agencies, consultants, and freelancers should never charge a cancellation fee. Clients should be able to walk away at any time. A cancellation fee is a sign that the relationship is designed to benefit the agency, not you.
They do everything.
Agencies can have deep knowledge of more than one channel — I have deep experience in paid search and paid social, including Meta, LinkedIn, and Reddit. But if they offer everything from web design to SEO to paid search, make sure paid search is a core part of the business and not just an add-on. The web design might look great. But if their paid search expertise is lacking, your KPIs will be too.
None of these apply here.
Every flag on this list is something I've deliberately built against. Flat fees. No cancellation clauses. Audits included. Value from the first conversation. If you want to verify any of it, the first conversation is the proof.
See how the process works→- Flat monthly fee — not a % of ad spend
- Value delivered in the first conversation
- Full account audit included
- No cancellation fees
- No artificial campaign limits
- Paid search is the core business — not an add-on
See the difference for yourself in 30 minutes.
The best way to evaluate any agency is to talk to them. I'll come prepared, I won't waste your time, and you'll leave with something useful — regardless of what comes next.
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