7 questions to ask before hiring a social media agency

Short answer: Ask who owns the accounts, how results are measured, who does the work, what you get each month, how fast they reply, what a bad month looks like, and how to leave. The answers tell you more than a portfolio, and specific answers are a better sign than big promises.

1. Who owns the ad accounts and pages?

You should. Your ad account, pages and pixel should be in your name from day one, with the agency added as a partner.

If you cannot take your accounts with you when you leave, walk away. The same applies to any WhatsApp number, CRM or customer list the agency sets up for you. Ask how they collect consent for follow-up messages. Meta's developer guide to getting WhatsApp opt-in explains why permission matters before a business messages people.

2. How will you measure results?

Look for leads or sales and the cost of each one. If the first answer is likes, followers or reach, ask what happens to your revenue.

Worked example (example numbers): Two agencies send a first monthly report.

Agency A reports a reach of 2,00,000 people and 1,500 new followers.

Agency B reports ₹60,000 of ad spend, 60 leads and a cost per lead of ₹1,000.

Agency B also notes that 12 leads became customers, so ₹5,000 of ad spend per customer.

Only Agency B's report lets you check whether ₹5,000 per customer is affordable.

If an average customer is worth ₹15,000 to you, the spend is covered three times.

These are example numbers, not benchmarks. A good agency agrees the measure with you before it starts, not after the first report.

3. Who actually does the work?

Ask whether the person you meet is the person who runs your account. There is nothing wrong with a team, but you should know the roles.

Also ask which channels the team can run well. New ones keep appearing. As of 21 October 2026, ChatGPT ads were available in 89 countries, including the US, the UK, Canada, Australia and India, according to CNBC. An agency does not need every channel, but it should be honest about what it can and cannot do. If that channel matters to you, see our ChatGPT ads service.

4. What exactly do I get each month?

A good answer is specific: how many posts, how many ad creatives, how many reports and how many calls. Vague promises such as "full social media management" hide a lot.

Ask for the list in writing. Check what happens if a deliverable is missed, and whether unused items roll over. Our guide to Instagram and Meta ads management costs shows how to separate the fee, the ad spend and the creative.

5. How quickly do you reply?

Ask for a normal response time and what counts as urgent. Agencies in other time zones can work well if the hours overlap with yours.

Ask how you contact them: email, WhatsApp, a shared channel or calls. Then ask who answers on weekends and holidays. A promise of instant replies at any hour is rarely realistic.

6. What does a bad month look like?

Every account has slow months. A good agency tells you what they will check first, what they will change and how soon you will hear about it.

Listen for a process: check tracking, check the offer, check the creative, check the audience. Be wary of answers that blame the platform and stop there.

Ask to see an anonymised report from a slow month at another account. A good agency can show what it noticed, what it tested and what happened next. It should not name the client, but it should be able to talk you through the steps.

7. How do I leave?

Ask about notice periods and what you take with you: files, accounts, creative and data. Monthly plans with a short notice period are the easiest to trust.

Ask whether the creative they made for you is yours to keep and reuse. Get the answer in the contract, not just on a call.

Also ask how the handover works. Who removes the agency's access, and when? Will they share the raw files, captions and audience notes? A clean exit plan agreed at the start avoids a messy one later.

How do good and weak answers compare?

Specific, checkable answers are a good sign. Vague or defensive ones are a warning. Use the table during your calls.

Question	Good answer	Weak answer
Who owns the accounts?	"You do; we join as a partner."	"We use our agency account."
How do you measure results?	"Leads, cost per lead and sales."	"Reach, likes and followers."
Who does the work?	Named roles and who leads your account	"Our team handles everything."
What do I get each month?	A written list with numbers	"Full management"
How fast do you reply?	A stated time and an urgent route	"Always available"
What does a bad month look like?	A clear checking process	"The algorithm changed."
How do I leave?	Short notice, you keep everything	Long lock-in, files withheld

What is a quick way to test an agency before committing?

Ask for a small sample of work built around your own brand. It shows how they think and costs you little.

A short paid project is another option. It lets you see real work, real reports and real reply times before a monthly commitment. If you are still deciding whether you need an agency at all, our comparison of agency, freelancer or in-house Instagram management may help.

WebMaxs offers a free call with three ideas and a free sample ad for new brands; see the contact page. Our social media service and Meta and Google ads service explain how we work. Plans run month to month with 30 days' notice, ad accounts stay in your name, and prices are on our pricing page.

Frequently asked questions

Should I ask an agency for client references?

You can, but remember that agencies choose which clients you speak to. Ask the reference specific questions: how fast the agency replies, how it handled a bad month, and whether reports were clear. Specific answers are more useful than general praise.

Is a long contract a bad sign?

Not always, but it shifts the risk to you. A month-to-month plan with a short notice period means the agency has to keep earning your business. If a long contract is required, ask why and what happens if results are poor.

What should I prepare before the first agency call?

Write your goal in one line, your monthly ad budget and what has or has not worked before. Have access to your ad account and page ready to share. This helps the agency give you specific advice rather than a general pitch.

Can an agency guarantee results?

No honest agency can guarantee leads, sales or rankings, because platforms, competitors and customers change. What an agency can commit to is the work: the number of creatives, the tests, the reports and how fast it replies. Be wary of anyone who promises a fixed result.

How many agencies should I speak to?

Two or three is usually enough to see a pattern. Ask each one the same questions and compare the answers side by side. More than that often adds time without adding clarity.

Sources

Platform rules change. Check the official pages before you launch.