Rate Your Agency.
Know What You Are Really Paying For
A busy report does not always mean useful work. Rate your current marketing agency across strategy, reporting, communication, account ownership, execution and business impact. You will receive an instant score and a clear view of where the relationship is strong, weak or risky.
The agency is doing some useful work, but reporting clarity, ownership or business impact may need attention.
The example above is illustrative. Your real score is based only on the answers you select in the scorecard.
Good Agency Work Should Be Clear Without Guessing
Many businesses know how much they pay each month but cannot explain what changed, which actions mattered, who owns the accounts or whether the work supports revenue. That uncertainty makes it difficult to improve the relationship or decide when a change is necessary.
This scorecard turns those concerns into measurable questions. It does not judge an agency based on one bad month. It looks at the working system around strategy, access, communication, delivery and business impact.
Do they understand your business goals?
A useful agency connects channel activity to leads, sales, booked calls, customer value, locations or another clear business outcome.
Can you understand what they report?
Reporting should explain what happened, why it happened, what the team completed and what will happen next, not just show charts.
Do you control your accounts and data?
Your business should own core properties, including analytics, ad accounts, website access, tracking tools, creative files and customer data.
A Fair Agency Review Looks Beyond Vanity Metrics
Each pillar covers a part of the relationship that directly affects quality, trust and long term performance.
Strategy and Goal Alignment
Does the agency understand your offer, audience, priorities and commercial goals, then turn that knowledge into a clear plan?
Reporting and Transparency
Can you see what was completed, how performance changed, what the numbers mean and what the team recommends next?
Communication and Responsiveness
Do you receive timely answers, useful updates and early warnings when something is delayed, underperforming or needs approval?
Account Ownership and Access
Does your business own its website, ad accounts, analytics, tracking, domains, creative assets and other important digital property?
Execution and Quality Control
Is work delivered accurately, on time and with clear checks, rather than rushed, copied, incomplete or repeatedly corrected?
Business Impact and Improvement
Does the agency connect activity to meaningful outcomes and adjust the plan using real performance data rather than habit?
Answer 12 Questions and Get Your Agency Score
Choose the answer that best reflects the normal working relationship, not one unusually good or bad week. Every question contributes equally to the final score.
Your Score Shows the Health of the Working Relationship
The total score gives direction. The category breakdown shows where to ask better questions or request specific changes.
Critical Risk
Major gaps may exist in trust, ownership, communication, delivery or commercial value. Document concerns and review the relationship promptly.
Weak
Some useful work may be happening, but the overall system is unreliable. Agree clear fixes, owners and deadlines before continuing as normal.
Needs Improvement
The relationship has value, but one or more areas are holding it back. Use the lowest category scores to set the next review agenda.
Strong
The agency is working well in most areas. Focus on the remaining gaps and confirm that good activity continues to create business value.
Excellent
You have a clear, transparent and performance focused relationship. Protect the processes that make it work and keep expectations documented.
Compare Healthy Agency Behaviour With Common Warning Signs
A good relationship is not perfect every month. It is clear, honest, controlled and able to improve when results change.
Signs of a Healthy Agency Relationship
- Goals, responsibilities, deliverables and success measures are written down.
- Reports connect channel data to qualified enquiries, sales or agreed business outcomes.
- The agency explains both good and poor results, then recommends a practical response.
- Your business owns all important accounts, files, data and access credentials.
- Work quality is checked before delivery and deadlines are managed openly.
- The team learns from tests and adjusts strategy rather than protecting old decisions.
Signs That Need Immediate Attention
- The team avoids commercial metrics and relies mainly on reach, clicks or impressions.
- You receive large reports but cannot tell what work was completed or why it mattered.
- Access requests are delayed, refused or controlled through agency owned accounts.
- Communication becomes active only when an invoice is due or a contract is ending.
- Repeated mistakes, copied work or missing checks become a normal part of delivery.
- Underperformance is blamed entirely on the market without evidence or a new plan.
Turn the Score Into a Useful Agency Review
Do not use one number as the whole decision. Use the result to create a fair, documented conversation.
Review the Lowest Categories
Start with the weakest two areas. Write down real examples, missing access, unclear reports or repeated delivery problems.
Ask for Specific Corrections
Request measurable changes, such as clearer reporting, account transfer, response times, tracking fixes or revised campaign actions.
Agree Owners and Dates
Document who will complete each improvement and by when. Avoid broad promises without a responsible person or deadline.
Review Again After 30 Days
Repeat the scorecard after the agreed period. Improvement should be visible in behaviour, access, reporting and results, not only promises.
Want a Second Opinion on Your Agency Setup?
Share your score and main concern with Growthkeel. We can review the situation at a high level and point out practical questions to ask, access to secure and performance gaps worth checking.
You do not need to identify your current agency. The purpose is to help you understand the work and protect your business assets before making any decision.
Questions About Rating Your Marketing Agency
The scorecard is designed to create a balanced review. These answers explain how to use it responsibly.
Stop Guessing Whether Your Agency Is Doing a Good Job
Complete the scorecard, identify the weakest areas and use the result to ask clearer questions about strategy, ownership, reporting and business value.