Pakistani digital marketing agencies all sound identical in their first sales call. Same buzzwords (results-driven, data-led, ROI-focused), same vague case studies, same "we will do everything" pitch. The result is that picking the right one feels like a coin flip. It is not. The agencies that actually deliver are systematically different from the ones that do not, and a small set of questions reliably separates them in one 30-minute conversation.
This post is those nine questions. They are the questions we wish every prospect asked us, and they are the same questions a good consultant or in-house marketer would ask before recommending an agency. Use them as a structured interview. Score the answers. The agency that scores highest is the one you should sign with, regardless of whether it is us, another Lahore agency, or an international option.
Q1: Will you give me full account ownership?
What this question reveals: whether the agency is set up to lock you in, or to operate as a service provider you choose to keep using.
The right answer: yes, your Google Ads account, Meta Ads account, Google Analytics property, Search Console, and website all stay in your name. The agency gets access. You own everything. If you fire the agency tomorrow, you keep every asset, every learning, every data point.
The wrong answer: any hesitation, any explanation about "our system" or "our internal account", any suggestion that the agency runs ads "on your behalf" from their own ad account. This is a lock-in trick. When you leave, all the data, audience learning, and historical performance leaves with them. You start from zero with the next agency.
Q2: Who specifically will work on my account?
What this question reveals: whether the people who pitched you are the people who will do the work.
The right answer: specific names, specific roles, specific years of experience. "Your account will be managed by Bilal, who has 6 years of Google Ads experience and currently runs 12 accounts. The strategy will be led by Sara, our SEO director with 9 years of experience. Both will be in every monthly review call with you."
The wrong answer: "We assign accounts based on availability." Or naming senior people in the pitch who will never touch your account again. Ask for LinkedIn profiles. Ask to meet the actual person on a call before signing. If they refuse, walk away.
Q3: What is your reporting cadence and format?
What this question reveals: how organised the agency is and whether you will know what is happening with your money.
The right answer: weekly written summary by email or message, monthly 30-minute call with a structured dashboard, quarterly business review for strategic planning. The dashboard should be Looker Studio or similar (live, accessible 24/7), not PDFs sent monthly.
The wrong answer: "Whenever you want updates, just call us." This sounds friendly but means there is no system. Or, equally bad, "We send detailed reports monthly" (PDFs that nobody reads). Or "We schedule weekly meetings" (an hour of your time per week wasted on a status call).
Q4: Can you show me results from similar clients?
What this question reveals: whether the agency has actually done what they claim, and whether they can do it in your specific industry.
The right answer: yes, with context. "We have run Google Ads for a Pakistani fashion e-commerce client for 18 months. We grew from Rs 2 lakh monthly spend at 1.2x ROAS to Rs 8 lakh monthly spend at 3.8x ROAS. Here is the dashboard. Client names are anonymised but the numbers and the timeline are real." If they cannot show numbers, or the numbers have no context (over what time, with what spend, in what industry), the numbers are meaningless.
The wrong answer: vague claims like "We grew a client by 500 percent" without specifying the baseline, the time period, or the industry. Or testimonials with no names and no context. Or refusing to share results because of "confidentiality" while sharing competitor results in the same call.
Q5: Are you a certified Google Partner and Meta Business Partner?
What this question reveals: whether the agency manages enough real ad spend at quality levels that Google and Meta certify them.
The right answer: yes, both. The Google Partner badge requires managing certain spend thresholds with healthy account quality, and at least one Google Ads certified individual in the team. The Meta Business Partner badge has similar requirements. Both are free to earn for any agency that does serious work.
The wrong answer: "We have certified individuals but not the agency badge." This usually means the agency is too small or too new to qualify, which is acceptable but worth knowing. Or worse, "Certifications do not matter, what matters is results." This is true in isolation but a real agency would have both.
Q6: How will you track conversions?
What this question reveals: whether the agency is technically competent or just managing campaigns at the surface.
The right answer: specific. Google Ads conversion actions for forms, calls, WhatsApp clicks, and (for e-commerce) purchases. Meta Pixel + Conversions API for the same events on the Meta side. Google Analytics 4 with conversion events configured. Ideally first-party CRM integration so they can see which leads actually became paying customers.
The wrong answer: "We look at clicks and impressions." Or "We use Google Analytics." (Without conversion event setup, GA4 alone shows you nothing meaningful.) Or "We will trust your gut on whether the campaigns are working." Walk away from any agency that does not have a clear answer to this question.
Q7: What is the contract length and exit clause?
What this question reveals: whether the agency is confident enough in their work to let you leave anytime, or insecure enough to need a 12-month lock-in.
The right answer: short initial commitment (typically 60 to 90 days for setup), then month-to-month after that. 30-day notice to cancel. If you cancel, you keep every asset (per Q1).
The wrong answer: 12-month minimum commitment with significant early-termination fees. This is how cheap agencies stay in business: they lock you in before you find out the work is not delivering, and the contract makes it expensive to leave.
Q8: What KPIs define success for the first 90 days?
What this question reveals: whether the agency thinks rigorously about outcomes or just sells generic packages.
The right answer: specific KPIs with numbers and dates. "By end of month 3, we target 50 qualified leads at average cost under Rs 2,000 per lead. We also commit to growing organic impressions by 40 percent. We will report these every Monday and adjust strategy if we are off target by week 6." Get this in writing.
The wrong answer: "We will improve your marketing performance." Or "We focus on growth, not specific numbers." Without specific success criteria, there is no way to evaluate the agency objectively at month 3, which means there is no honest accountability.
Q9: How will we communicate when something is urgent?
What this question reveals: the agency's operational maturity. A serious agency has a defined communication system. A reseller does not.
The right answer: specific. Email for non-urgent updates, dedicated Slack or WhatsApp channel for daily questions and urgent escalations, scheduled monthly review calls, a project management tool (ClickUp, Notion, Asana) for tracking tasks and deliverables. Response time commitment within business hours (usually 2 to 4 hours for normal queries, immediate for urgent).
The wrong answer: "Just text our founder anytime." Sounds friendly but breaks at scale, and you will be one of 40 clients trying to reach the same person. Or "We have a ticketing system" (which usually means slow responses, queued behind other clients).
The scorecard to compare agencies
Score every agency you interview on the 9 questions. Each question is worth 1 point for a clear right answer, 0.5 for a partial answer, 0 for a wrong or evasive answer.
| Score | What it means |
|---|---|
| 8 to 9 | Strong fit. Operationally mature, transparent, and aligned with your interests. Sign with confidence. |
| 6 to 7 | Acceptable. Has gaps you should monitor, but generally trustworthy. |
| 4 to 5 | Risky. Multiple red flags. Consider only if the price is much lower and you have backup options. |
| Below 4 | Walk away. Even at half the price, the time wasted on a bad agency exceeds the saving. |
We will answer all nine questions on the call. We will give you account ownership, named team members, weekly reporting, real client results with context, both partner badges, full conversion tracking, month-to-month after the setup window, specific 90-day KPIs in writing, and a structured communication system. If you ask us these questions and we score below 8, do not sign.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should the first call with a potential agency be?
30 to 45 minutes. Long enough to ask the 9 questions and get specific answers. Short enough to keep momentum. If the agency wants 90 minutes for a first call, they are selling rather than diagnosing.
Should I ask for proposals from multiple agencies?
Yes, get at least 3 proposals. Each agency should answer the same 9 questions. Compare the answers, not just the prices. Cheap with weak answers is more expensive than expensive with strong answers.
What is a fair contract length?
For setup-heavy services like new SEO or new Meta Ads, a 60 to 90 day initial commitment is reasonable because the work front-loads. After that, month-to-month with 30-day notice is the standard for serious agencies. Anything beyond 90-day initial is the agency protecting itself, not you.
Do international agencies serve Pakistani businesses better than local ones?
Not automatically. Local agencies understand the Pakistani market (search behavior, language, payment systems, supplier ecosystems) in ways international agencies often do not. International agencies have access to bigger benchmarks and tooling. The right answer depends on your industry, budget, and target market.
What if an agency refuses to answer one of these questions?
That is a red flag in itself. A senior, confident agency answers all 9 directly. Refusing or deflecting on any single question suggests the agency knows it does not score well on that dimension.
Want us to handle this for you?
We do this every day for Pakistani businesses. Book a free 30-minute call and we will tell you the honest answer for your situation.
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