IsMyAgencyDoingaGoodJob?
A diagnostic checklist for operators who suspect something might be off.
If you're reading this, something feels off. Maybe results have plateaued. Maybe the reports look fine but the bank account tells a different story. Maybe you just have a nagging sense that you should be getting more for what you're paying.
The challenge is that agency performance is genuinely hard to evaluate from the outside. Activity can look like progress. Complexity can look like expertise. And unless you've run accounts yourself, you don't always know what questions to ask.
This checklist is designed to help. It's not exhaustive, but it covers the signals that separate agencies that are genuinely driving value from those that are simply going through the motions.
Commercial Alignment
The foundation. If your agency doesn't understand how you make money, everything else is optimisation theatre.
Do they know your actual margins by product category?
Not estimated. Not assumed. Actual margin data that informs bidding strategy. If they're optimising for revenue without margin visibility, they're flying blind.
Do they understand your customer economics?
LTV, repeat purchase rates, seasonal patterns. A first purchase at breakeven might be a win or a disaster depending on what happens next.
Can they explain why spend is allocated the way it is?
Not just what the budget is, but why certain campaigns get more. The logic should connect directly to your business priorities.
Strategic Depth
Anyone can press buttons. The question is whether there's coherent thinking behind the activity.
Do they proactively bring ideas, or only respond to your questions?
An agency that only executes what you ask for is a contractor, not a partner. You're paying for expertise you shouldn't have to prompt.
Have they ever recommended spending less?
If scaling is always the recommendation, they're optimising for their revenue, not your profit. The right answer is sometimes to pull back.
Can they articulate what they would do differently if margin was the primary goal?
If the answer is "the same thing," they either don't understand margin, or they're not actually thinking about it.
Transparency
What you don't know can hurt you. Good agencies have nothing to hide.
Do you have full admin access to your own accounts?
If not, ask yourself why. There's no legitimate reason for an agency to restrict your access to accounts you're paying for.
Do their reports show what's not working, not just wins?
Vanity reporting is a red flag. Real management involves mistakes and corrections. If everything always looks good, you're not getting the full picture.
When something goes wrong, do they tell you before you notice?
Proactive communication about problems is a sign of maturity. Waiting for you to discover issues is a sign of defensiveness.
Operational Quality
The unglamorous work that separates competent management from amateur hour.
Is conversion tracking actually accurate?
Not "set up." Accurate. Compare reported conversions to actual orders. If there's a gap, everything downstream is compromised.
Is there a clear negative keyword strategy?
Ask to see the search terms report. If there's obvious waste showing up week after week, basic hygiene isn't happening.
Are campaigns structured for control, or convenience?
Fewer, broader campaigns are easier for the agency to manage. More granular structure allows for better optimisation but requires more work.
Relationship Dynamics
How the relationship feels often reveals more than the numbers.
Do you speak to the person actually working on your account?
If calls are always with an account manager who then "relays" to the team, you're playing telephone with your money.
Do they push back when you have a bad idea?
"Yes" to everything is not service, it's abdication. You're paying for expertise, including the expertise to tell you when you're wrong.
Is their communication clear or deliberately confusing?
Jargon and complexity can be a smokescreen. Good agencies can explain what they're doing and why in plain language.
Red Flags to Watch For
They can't explain what changed when performance dropped
Reports focus heavily on impressions and clicks rather than revenue and profit
They blame the algorithm, the market, or seasonality for everything
You feel anxious asking questions because of how they'll react
The account looks the same today as it did six months ago
Interpreting Your Score
Your agency is likely performing well. The relationship is healthy, and you're getting genuine value.
There are gaps worth addressing. Have a direct conversation about the areas where you answered no. The response will tell you a lot.
You're not getting what you're paying for. Whether that means fixing the relationship or finding a new one is a separate decision, but the status quo isn't working.
What Comes Next
If this checklist confirmed suspicions you already had, you have a decision to make. That decision doesn't have to be "fire them immediately." Sometimes the right move is a direct conversation about expectations and gaps. Sometimes it's a second opinion on account health. Sometimes it's a clean break.
What it shouldn't be is continuing to pay for something that isn't working while hoping it gets better on its own.