We are an agency, so read this with the appropriate scepticism. It is still the advice we would give a friend, and some of it argues against our own interests.
Ask these nine questions
1. Who will actually do the work? Agencies often sell with their best person and deliver with their newest. Ask who runs your account day to day, and speak to them before signing.
2. What exactly will I receive each month? "SEO and social media" is not a deliverable. "Fifteen posts, five reels, two articles, one review call" is.
3. Whose name are the accounts in? The domain, hosting, Google Business Profile, ad accounts and analytics must be registered to you. If an agency resists this, that is the answer to every other question.
4. Do you mark up ad spend? Ask directly. A straight answer either way is fine; evasion is not.
5. What does success look like in ninety days? A good agency names specific, checkable outcomes. A weak one talks about brand awareness and engagement.
6. Can I see a client in my industry? Not a logo wall — a specific account, and ideally a phone number to call.
7. What is the notice period? Month-to-month, or three months, is normal. Twelve-month lock-ins mostly protect the agency from the consequences of underperforming.
8. How will I see the numbers? You should have your own logins to Analytics, Search Console and the ad accounts, and be able to check anything they tell you.
9. What would you not recommend for my business? The most revealing question on the list. An agency that recommends every service they sell is selling, not advising.
Warning signs
- A guaranteed number-one ranking. Nobody controls Google's results. This promise is either ignorance or dishonesty.
- Pressure to decide today. Discounts that expire in an hour are a sales tactic, not a business reality.
- A portfolio of logos with no detail. Anyone can put a logo on a page.
- Reporting that only shows impressions and reach. Those numbers always go up. Ask about enquiries and cost per lead.
- No questions about your business. If they have not asked what a customer is worth to you, they cannot plan a budget.
What a good engagement looks like
The first two weeks are audit and strategy, not posting. You should receive something written — target keywords, a content plan, a budget split, a ninety-day roadmap — before any work goes live.
After that, expect a monthly report you can actually read, one scheduled call, and a named person who replies on WhatsApp during working hours. That is the whole standard. It is not complicated, which is why it is striking how rarely it is met.
When you do not need an agency at all
If your budget is under about PKR 20,000 a month, you will get more from doing three things yourself: fully optimise your Google Business Profile, ask every satisfied customer for a review, and post consistently on one platform rather than badly on five.
Come back to agencies when you have more budget than time. That is the point at which the maths works.
Questions people ask
Should I hire a freelancer or an agency?
A freelancer is often better value for a single service done well. An agency makes sense when you need SEO, content, ads and design to work together, and when continuity matters more than the lowest price.
How long before I should judge an agency?
Ninety days is fair for a first read on paid ads and local SEO. Organic SEO on competitive terms needs closer to six months — but the reporting and communication should be good from month one.
Want this handled for you?
We run SEO, social media, websites and paid advertising for businesses across Pakistan and the UAE. Tell us the number you want to move and you will have a plan within two working days.