How to Choose a Marketing Agency | Dynamic Heights Digital

Hiring a marketing agency is a real decision for a trades business. You are handing someone your Google profile, your website, and part of your reputation. When it goes badly, it can take a long time to untangle.

This post lists eight warning signs to watch for before you sign. Where Google or the Federal Trade Commission has said something on the subject, we quote it. Anything that is our own opinion is labeled as ours.

What to screen for

Our view: the problems worth screening for are promises nobody can keep, reports that don’t connect to the work coming in, unclear ownership of the profile or domain, and a contact who is hard to reach once the contract is signed.

That is why the questions below are worth asking any agency, including us.

Red flag 1: promises of a first-place ranking

Google’s “Do you need an SEO?” page is direct on this point: “No one can guarantee a #1 ranking on Google. Beware of SEOs that claim to guarantee rankings, allege a ‘special relationship’ with Google, or advertise a ‘priority submit’ to Google.”

Our view: if a pitch includes a ranking promise, treat it as a reason to slow down. For most contractors, a better sign is an agency that explains what it plans to work on and how you will both judge the results.

Red flag 2: an inside line to Google, or paid placement

Google’s hiring guide says: “Advertising with Google won’t have any effect on your site’s presence in our search results. Google never accepts money to include or rank sites in our search results, and it costs nothing to appear in our organic search results.” For the map results, Google’s local ranking page says, “There’s no way to request or pay for a better local ranking on Google.”

Our view: ads are a separate product with their own labels. If someone says a fee will buy a better position in the unpaid results or on the map, ask them to show you where Google says that.

Red flag 3: secrecy about what they change

Google’s guide says, “Be careful if a company is secretive or won’t clearly explain what they intend to do.” It adds, “Ask for explanations if something is unclear.” And it reminds owners, “Ultimately, you are responsible for the actions of any companies you hire, so it’s best to be sure you know exactly how they intend to ‘help’ you.” Its interview list includes the question, “Do you follow the Google Search Essentials (previously known as Webmaster Guidelines)?”

Our view: you should be able to get a plain list of what was changed on your profile and website each month, and why.

Red flag 4: you don’t own your profile, site, or domain

This one isn’t covered by a Google rule, so the advice here is ours. Before you sign, ask three things in writing. Who is listed as the owner of your Google Business Profile? Whose account holds your domain? What do you get back if you leave?

For most contractors, the safest answer to the first two is “you.” An agency can do its work with manager access on the profile while you stay the owner, and your domain can stay in your own registrar account. For the third, get a plain list in writing, such as your words, your photos, and an export of your customer contacts. If the site is built on the agency’s own software, ask directly what moves with you and what doesn’t.

Red flag 5: reports full of visibility, with no calls or jobs won

Our view: a report can be busy and still tell you very little. Views and impressions are worth knowing, but a trades business runs on calls and jobs. Ask what the report measures, and how it connects to the work coming in.

Google gives you one useful number on your own. Once a profile is verified, Google’s performance report lists “Calls: The number of times a customer clicked on the call button on your Business Profile.” Google’s interview list also suggests asking, “What kind of results do you expect to see, and in what timeframe? How do you measure your success?”

Red flag 6: fake or incentivized reviews

Under the heading “Fake Engagement,” Google’s content policy includes “Reviews or ratings that have been paid for, directly or in kind,” along with “Content that has been posted from multiple accounts by or at the request of one person.” Its list of things merchants may not do includes: “Discourage or prohibit negative reviews, or selectively solicit positive reviews from customers.”

The FTC’s rule on consumer reviews applies to agencies too. FTC staff guidance asks, “Can advertising agencies, public relations firms, review brokers, or reputation management companies be liable under the rule?” and answers, “Yes. These entities are not immune from liability under the rule.” FTC staff also note, “Our staff guidance isn’t definitive or comprehensive, and it doesn’t provide a safe harbor from potential liability.” If you have questions about your own business, talk to a lawyer.

Our view: an agency that offers to write reviews, buy them, or ask only happy customers is putting your profile at risk. Every customer should get the same plain request.

Red flag 7: a pitch built on promises, scares, or pressure

Our view: an agency reaching out first is not the warning sign. What the pitch says is. Be careful with a pitch that promises rankings, makes scare claims about your site or profile that you can’t verify, or pushes you to sign fast. Treat any message that says your site is “broken” or “invisible” as a sales pitch until someone shows you the evidence.

Red flag 8: nobody you can reach after you sign

Our view: before you sign, find out who your contact will be, how you will hear from them, and how often. Google’s list of interview questions includes one that covers this well: “How can I expect to communicate with you? Will you share with me all the changes you make to my site, and provide detailed information about your recommendations and the reasoning behind them?”

FAQ

Can I do some of this myself?

Often, yes. Google’s hiring guide says, “If you run a small local business, you can probably do much of the work yourself.” Our view is that the profile basics, a steady review routine, and a clear website are all things an owner can learn.

Should an agency own my Google Business Profile?

Our view is no. For most contractors, manager access is enough for an agency to do its work, and the business should stay the owner of its own profile.

What should I get in writing before I sign?

Our advice: what the agency will do each month, who your contact is, who owns the profile and the domain, what you get back if you leave, and how you can cancel.

How we work

You should ask us the same questions. Here is how our own service pages describe what we do.

No ranking promises. We don’t promise rankings. Nobody outside Google controls them. We work on what Google says it looks at and report plainly on what changes.
You stay the owner. Our Google Maps visibility page says, “You add us as a manager on your profile, so you always stay the owner.” Our websites page says, “Your domain is in your own registrar account, in your name.” For a customer system we set up, the page says, “The customer system runs on our software account. Your contacts are yours: when you leave, you get a full export of your contacts, review-request history, and conversation history.”
Email only for follow-up. Our customer system page says, “Follow-ups go by email, and only to customers who agreed to hear from your business.”
Quoted after we understand the job. Our websites page says, “Every project is quoted after we understand the scope: how many services, how many cities, and what you already have that we can reuse.”

Our local SEO for contractors page shows how the pieces fit, our about page covers who we are, and the services page lists everything we offer. We’re based in the East Valley, work with trades anywhere in the US, and run every project remotely. We work by phone, video call, recorded walkthrough, and email. Want to test us on any of these questions? Call (480) 788-9594 or email hello@dynamicheightsdigital.com and ask.

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How to Pick a Marketing Agency for Your Trade Business: 8 Red Flags