Updated: 26 October, 2026
- What does a digital marketing agency do?
- What to expect from a good agency
- A conversation about your business first
- A clear scope and a clear price
- Honest expectations
- Regular, plain-English reporting
- Access and ownership
- How to choose an agency
- Warning signs
- Do you need an agency at all?
- Where Outible fits
- Frequently asked questions
- What does a digital marketing agency do?
- How much does a digital marketing agency cost?
- How long does digital marketing take to work?
- Can an agency promise a first-page result?
- Should I hire an agency or a freelancer?
A digital marketing agency helps businesses get found and chosen online, usually by looking after some combination of the website, search, advertising, social media and email. If you are thinking of hiring one, it helps to know what the work involves, what a good agency will ask of you, and what no honest agency can promise.
This guide is written for business owners in Liverpool and Merseyside. We are a web design and app development agency, with ad management among our services, so we know this world from the inside. We will try to keep it practical.
What does a digital marketing agency do?
Agencies differ, and many specialise. These are the services you will most often see.
Website design and development. Your website is the base for most other marketing, because ads, search results and social posts all send people there. Our guide to what makes a great website covers what to look for.
Search engine optimisation (SEO). Work to help your pages be understood by search engines and useful to the people searching, such as page titles, content, site structure and speed.
Pay-per-click advertising. Paid adverts, such as search ads, where you pay when someone clicks. Setting up, monitoring and adjusting them is often called ad management.
Social media. Posting, managing accounts and running paid social adverts.
Content and copywriting. Writing pages, articles and emails in your voice.
Email marketing. Newsletters and campaigns to people who have agreed to hear from you.
Branding and graphic design. Logos, colours and visuals that keep your business consistent.
Reporting and tracking. Measuring what people do on your site so you can see what is working.
Few agencies do everything equally well. It is more useful to ask which services you actually need right now than to hire for a long list.
What to expect from a good agency
A conversation about your business first
A good agency starts by asking about your customers, what you sell, what a good enquiry is worth to you and what you have tried before. If a proposal arrives before anyone has asked those questions, treat it with caution.
A clear scope and a clear price
You should know what is included, how often you will hear from them, who your contact is and what it costs, including any ad spend, which is usually paid to the advertising platform separately from the agency's fee. Ask whether there is a minimum contract term and how you can end it.
Honest expectations
Marketing takes time, and results depend on your market, your competitors and your offer. Google's own guidance on hiring an SEO says to be wary of anyone who promises a number one position. An honest agency will talk about what they will do and how they will measure it, not promise a result.
Regular, plain-English reporting
You should see what has been done, what it has cost and what it has led to, such as calls, form enquiries or sales, in terms you understand. Agree the measures at the start, so that "success" is not decided afterwards.
Access and ownership
You should own your website, your domain, your advertising accounts and your analytics. Ask for administrator access to everything, so you can move on if you need to.
How to choose an agency
Google's guidance on hiring an SEO is a good checklist for any marketing provider. In summary, it suggests interviewing them thoroughly, checking references and asking for a site audit before you commit. It also says to make sure they follow Google's guidelines, and to avoid harmful practices such as shadow domains or link schemes. Read the full advice from Google.
Questions worth asking:
Which businesses like mine have you worked with, and can I speak to one of them?
What will you do in the first three months, and what will you need from me?
How will you measure success, and how often will I get a report?
Who will actually do the work, and who is my contact?
What happens to my accounts and content if we part company?
Do you follow Google's guidelines? What would you never do on my behalf?
Warning signs
A promise of a set position, set traffic or set sales.
Vague answers about what you are paying for.
A refusal to give you access to your own accounts.
Pressure to sign quickly, or a long tie-in with no way out.
Unsolicited emails offering to "fix" your website, which Google's guidance also flags as something to be wary of.
Bought email lists. Under the ICO's guidance on the privacy and electronic communications rules, you must not send electronic mail marketing to individuals unless they have consented, or they are existing customers who bought something similar and were given a way to opt out. The soft opt-in does not apply to new contacts from bought-in lists. This is general information, not legal advice, so check your own situation with the ICO or a solicitor.
Do you need an agency at all?
Not always. If you have the time and enjoy it, you can do a lot yourself, starting with the basics in Google's SEO Starter Guide. An agency is most useful when you lack the time or the know-how, or when a particular job, such as running paid adverts, needs regular specialist attention. Our posts on why organic digital marketing is important and social media marketing explain two of the main routes in more detail.
Where Outible fits
Outible designs and builds bespoke, responsive, mobile-first and SEO-ready websites, e-commerce websites and online stores, and apps, and offers ad management. If you want a website that works as the foundation for your marketing, see our web design page, or get in touch to talk through what you need.
Frequently asked questions
What does a digital marketing agency do?
It plans and manages online promotion for a business. That can include the website, search engine optimisation, paid advertising, social media, content, email and reporting. Each agency offers its own mix, so ask exactly what is included.
How much does a digital marketing agency cost?
It varies widely with the services, the size of the job and the agency. Ask for a written scope and price, and find out whether advertising spend is separate. We do not quote a typical figure because it would depend on your situation.
How long does digital marketing take to work?
It depends on the channel, your market and your starting point. Paid adverts can start appearing quickly once approved, whereas SEO and content usually build over a longer period. No agency can promise a particular result or timescale.
Can an agency promise a first-page result?
No. Nobody outside Google controls its results, and Google's guidance on hiring an SEO warns you to be wary of anyone promising a top spot. Treat that kind of promise as a warning sign.
Should I hire an agency or a freelancer?
Both can work well. An agency usually offers a team with several skills, while a freelancer may suit a smaller, focused job. Judge on references, clear scope and communication, not on size.
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