What should I give a digital marketing agency to get good work?
Five things: what a sale is worth to you, who your best customers already are, one clear offer, whatever photos and video exist, and the single number you'll judge the work on. Agencies rarely fail from lack of effort — they fail from being told none of this.
ShoaibUpdated 3 min read
What does the agency actually need?
| What to give | Why it changes the work |
|---|---|
| Profit per sale | Decides what an acceptable cost per sale is |
| Your best existing customers | Who to target, and who to avoid |
| One offer, with a price | Ads need something specific to say |
| Photos, video, product shots | Creative is the biggest lever on cost |
| Account access in your name | Meta's help centre describes ad account roles, so this is routine |
| The number you'll judge on | Stops the argument three months later |
Why does creative matter so much to the price?
Because the platforms reward it directly. Google Ads Help explains that expected click-through rate, ad relevance and landing page quality all feed into Ad Rank, and that you "only pay what's minimally required" to beat the advertiser below you. Better material genuinely costs less per result — so handing over weak assets raises your own bill.
What should you agree before work starts?
- Who owns the ad account, pixel, page and creative if you part ways
- How many new ads you get per month
- What the monthly report must contain
- The review date
What slows everything down?
Approvals. Decide in advance who signs off creative and how fast, otherwise a week of testing becomes a month of waiting.
Also read how much hiring an agency costs and what should happen in the first 90 days.
Want help writing the brief before you send it out? See our growth consulting service.