Answers

How do you choose a marketing agency for a small business?

Ascent Vision · Published October 30, 2026

Choose in order. Name the problem and the one number you will judge it by, decide what kind of help you need, shortlist two or three agencies, and send each the same one-page brief. Then compare their answers and proposals against one checklist, check who owns your accounts and how you leave, and start with a defined first phase rather than a long commitment.

Before you contact anyone

• Name the problem and the one number you will judge it by. Too few inquiries, inquiries that go cold and a weak website are different problems, so say which one you have. One option for the number is inquiries that became jobs, counted from your own records.
• Decide the kind of help. The related answer on what a marketing agency does shows the common kinds and what each should hand you.
• Shortlist two or three. More than that usually makes a fair comparison harder. Ask other owners who they use, and ask each agency for references. Google's guide on hiring an SEO suggests asking past clients whether the SEO "provided useful service, was easy to work with, and produced positive results". That guide is about SEO; as general advice, the same question suits any agency.

Comparing them fairly

• Send each the same one-page brief, so the proposals answer the same question. The related answer on what to tell a marketing agency before it starts covers what goes in it.
• Ask your questions. The related answer on what to ask before hiring an SEO or GEO agency has a list, and most of it should suit other kinds of agency too. Also ask for a sample report and the name of the person you would deal with each month. The related answer on what a marketing report should show says what a good one contains.
• Compare proposals against one checklist, not against each other's headlines. The related answer on what a good SEO proposal includes has a list you can reuse. Be slow to choose an agency that promises a result it cannot control, such as a ranking or a number of leads.

Before you sign

Check who owns the domain, the website, the ad accounts and the lead records, and what you receive if you leave. The related answer on what a marketing agency contract should say lists the clauses to look for.

In its guide on hiring an SEO, Google says "you are responsible for the actions of any companies you hire". As general advice, that is one more reason to know what the agency will do in your name.

Start with a defined first phase

A first phase with a set piece of work and a review date lets you see the report, the contact and the work itself before you commit for longer. An agency may ask for a minimum term, so ask what it is and how you can leave.

Ascent Vision is an agency, so read this with that in mind.

Sources

1. Google Search Central, "Do you need an SEO?" (last updated June 5, 2026)

Related answers

• What does a marketing agency actually do for a small business?
• What should you tell a marketing agency before it starts?
• What should you ask before hiring an SEO or GEO agency?
• What should a marketing report show a small business owner?
• What should a good SEO proposal include?
• What should a marketing agency contract say before you sign it?