What to ask, what to ignore, and the promises that should scare you away.
By the Betafore team · Published 12 May 2026 · Updated 30 June 2026
Proof of thinking. Ask for one real monthly report, with the client name removed. A good report reads like a letter: what we did, what moved, what we change next. If the sample is a wall of charts with no sentences, your campaign will feel the same.
Guaranteed first place on Google. Guaranteed follower counts. "Results in one week" for SEO. Nobody controls Google, and followers can be bought but never buy back. An honest agency sets targets and reports against them; it does not promise the weather.
Your ad accounts, your analytics, your domain, and your site access. Agencies that build inside their own accounts hold your data hostage when you leave. Put ownership in the contract before the first invoice.
A fixed quote tied to a written scope. Hourly billing without a cap rewards slowness. A fair agency audits first, quotes once, and tells you when something extra will cost more, before doing it.
Sources: Google Search Essentials on ranking guarantees; platform terms for Meta and Google Ads account ownership. Industry pricing norms vary by market [source needed].
Ranges vary by scope. What matters is a fixed quote tied to a written plan. Walk away from open-ended retainers with no targets.
Start with three months. It is long enough to judge SEO direction and short enough to leave if reports stay vague.
"Show me a monthly report you sent to a real client." The report tells you how they think, and whether you will understand your own campaign.
We review your site or marketing and send you what we found. No charge, no pressure. You decide what to do with it.
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