{"id":720530,"date":"2026-04-08T18:00:29","date_gmt":"2026-04-08T15:00:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/audit-your-agency-6-questions-to-find-a-true-growth-partner\/"},"modified":"2026-04-08T18:00:29","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T15:00:29","slug":"audit-your-agency-6-questions-to-find-a-true-growth-partner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/audit-your-agency-6-questions-to-find-a-true-growth-partner\/","title":{"rendered":"Audit your agency: 6 questions to find a true growth partner"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_84 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a2d212340c9f\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a2d212340c9f\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/audit-your-agency-6-questions-to-find-a-true-growth-partner\/#Most_agencies_sound_the_same_The_real_differences_show_up_in_how_they_optimize_measure_and_scale_This_is_how_to_uncover_them\" >Most agencies sound the same. The real differences show up in how they optimize, measure, and scale. This is how to uncover them.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/audit-your-agency-6-questions-to-find-a-true-growth-partner\/#1_What_are_your_key_services_and_what_percentage_of_your_clients_utilize_each\" >1. What are your key services, and what percentage of your clients utilize each?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/audit-your-agency-6-questions-to-find-a-true-growth-partner\/#2_How_are_you_approaching_AI-driven_account_optimization_and_platform_automation\" >2. How are you approaching AI-driven account optimization and platform automation?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/audit-your-agency-6-questions-to-find-a-true-growth-partner\/#3_What_is_your_reporting_process_and_what_KPIs_do_you_focus_on_for_the_majority_of_your_clients\" >3. What is your reporting process and what KPIs do you focus on for the majority of your clients?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/audit-your-agency-6-questions-to-find-a-true-growth-partner\/#4_Whats_the_average_industry_tenure_of_the_team_on_my_account\" >4. What\u2019s the average industry tenure of the team on my account?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/audit-your-agency-6-questions-to-find-a-true-growth-partner\/#5_How_is_your_team_using_AI_on_client_accounts\" >5. How is your team using AI on client accounts?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/audit-your-agency-6-questions-to-find-a-true-growth-partner\/#6_When_you_take_over_an_account_what_are_the_first_things_you_do_to_save_budget_without_affecting_growth\" >6. When you take over an account, what are the first things you do to save budget without affecting growth?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/audit-your-agency-6-questions-to-find-a-true-growth-partner\/#What_separates_a_true_growth_partner_from_the_rest\" >What separates a true growth partner from the rest<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-5' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-5'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-5' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-5'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-5' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-5'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/audit-your-agency-6-questions-to-find-a-true-growth-partner\/#Topics_on_this_page\" >Topics on this page<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"subhead\" itemprop=\"alternativeHeadline\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Most_agencies_sound_the_same_The_real_differences_show_up_in_how_they_optimize_measure_and_scale_This_is_how_to_uncover_them\"><\/span>Most agencies sound the same. The real differences show up in how they optimize, measure, and scale. This is how to uncover them.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><\/p>\n<div class=\"bialty-container\">\n<p>Most agencies present prospective clients with an account audit as part of their sales process. The purpose is twofold:\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>To provide im<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">media<\/a>te value (usually without strings attached).<\/li>\n<li>To demonstrate that they know their stuff.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>But how often do brand marketers turn the tables and audit their agencies in their RFP?<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m the head of performance marketing at a marketing agency, so I\u2019m clearly writing from a biased perspective. However, over my decade-plus in the industry, I\u2019ve seen too many brands settle for \u201cgood enough\u201d because they didn\u2019t know which questions would reveal the cracks in a potential partner\u2019s strategy and <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>roach.<\/p>\n<p>If I were a brand looking for a true growth partner, here are the specific questions I\u2019d ask to separate the top performers from the rest.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"what-are-your-key-services-and-what-percentage-of-your-clients-utilize-each\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_What_are_your_key_services_and_what_percentage_of_your_clients_utilize_each\"><\/span>1. What are your key services, and what percentage of your clients utilize each?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>A lot of agencies claim to be \u201cfull service,\u201d but rarely are they \u201cfull excellence.\u201d I\u2019d be looking for where an agency truly spends its time versus where they\u2019re just trying to upsell me.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s less about the channels in question (although if, say, LinkedIn is a key growth driver for your brand, they\u2019d better demonstrate proficiency there), and more about how their strengths align with your needs.<\/p>\n<p>If an agency claims to be experts in SEO, creative strategy, and paid media, but 90% of their client base only uses them for paid search, that\u2019s a red flag. You want a partner whose core competencies align with your primary needs.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>If you need high-volume creative testing, you want an agency where 80%+ of clients use its creative production frameworks, not one that treats creative as an add-on service.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Dig deeper: Confessions of a PPC-only agency: Why we finally embraced SEO<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<div style=\"background: radial-gradient(circle at 30% 40%, rgba(184, 111, 255, 0.15), rgba(0, 169, 255, 0.15) 40%, #CDE8FD 70%); padding: 30px; width: 100%; max-width: 802px; color: #000000 !important; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; margin: 25px 0 30px 0; border-radius: 8px; box-shadow: 0 2px 4px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); position: relative; box-sizing: border-box;\">\n<div style=\"width: 100%; max-width: 100%; margin-bottom: 20px; text-align: left; padding-right: 20px; box-sizing: border-box;\">\n<div id=\"semrush-one-headline\" class=\"headline-responsive\" style=\"font-family: Oswald, sans-serif; font-size: 30px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0; color: #000000 !important; line-height: 1.2;\">\n        Your customers search everywhere. Make sure your brand <span style=\"background: linear-gradient(90deg, #D56EFE 0%, #068EF8 51%); -webkit-background-clip: text; -webkit-text-fill-color: transparent; background-clip: text;\">shows up<\/span>.\n      <\/div>\n<p id=\"semrush-one-subhead\" style=\"font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-weight: 300; line-height: 25px; margin: 12px 0 0 0; color: #000000 !important;\">\n        The SEO toolkit you know, plus the AI visibility data you need.\n      <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-bottom: 15px;\">\n      <span id=\"semrush-one-cta\" style=\"display: inline-block; background-color: #FF642D; color: white; height: 44px; border: none; border-radius: 5px; cursor: pointer; font-size: 16px; padding: 0 24px; font-weight: bold; white-space: nowrap; box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none; line-height: 44px;\">Start Free Trial<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px;\">\n<div style=\"font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-weight: 300; color: #000000; margin-bottom: 4px;\">Get started with<\/div>\n<p>      <img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"400\" height=\"52\" decoding=\"async\" http: alt=\"Semrush One Logo\" style=\"height: 16px; width: auto; display: block;\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2025\/11\/semrush-one.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"400\" height=\"52\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2025\/11\/semrush-one.webp\" alt=\"Semrush One Logo\" style=\"height: 16px; width: auto; display: block;\">\n    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<style>\n  @media (max-width: 768px) {\n    .headline-responsive {\n      font-size: 30px !important;\n      line-height: 1.3 !important;\n    }\n  }\n<\/style>\n<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"how-are-you-approaching-aidriven-account-optimization-and-platform-automation\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_How_are_you_approaching_AI-driven_account_optimization_and_platform_automation\"><\/span>2. How are you approaching AI-driven account optimization and platform automation?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>I miss the days when knowledge of the manual controls at your disposal could set you apart as a high-performing marketer. But those days have been gone for a while.<\/p>\n<p>In 2026, there\u2019s a real danger of over-optimization with the controls we have left. This can reset algorithmic learnings and prevent them from fine-tuning in service of your goals. Agency teams that strike this balance most certainly have a healthier approach than those who either blindly trust algorithms or can\u2019t help tinkering excessively.<\/p>\n<p>One control you can and must be diligent about using is first-party data for enhanced conversions and offline conversion tracking. Part of the job of a great marketer is training the algorithms on which leads and which conversions to target, and first-party data is a huge lever to pull in that regard.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"what-is-your-reporting-process-and-what-kpis-do-you-focus-on-for-the-majority-of-your-clients\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_What_is_your_reporting_process_and_what_KPIs_do_you_focus_on_for_the_majority_of_your_clients\"><\/span>3. What is your reporting process and what KPIs do you focus on for the majority of your clients?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Don\u2019t just ask for a sample report. Anyone can make a PDF look pretty. You need to understand their philosophy on data.<\/p>\n<p>You\u2019re looking for an agency that\u2019s willing to move upstream. If the majority of their clients are measuring success on clicks, traffic, or even MQLs, run the other way. <\/p>\n<p>A performance-driven agency should be obsessed with revenue, ROAS, and pipeline velocity. Ask them how they handle attribution. If they rely solely on in-platform metrics, which often over-claim credit, they aren\u2019t looking at the full picture.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Dig deeper: What successful brand-agency partnerships look like in 2026<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><!-- START INLINE FORM --><\/p>\n<p><!-- END INLINE FORM --><\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-cyan-bluish-gray-color has-css-opacity has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-background\">\n<h2 id=\"whats-the-average-industry-tenure-of-the-team-on-my-account\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Whats_the_average_industry_tenure_of_the_team_on_my_account\"><\/span>4. What\u2019s the average industry tenure of the team on my account?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>This is actually a pretty common question and has been for years. Too many marketers know the pain of integrating rotating sets of agency teams because the agency can\u2019t hold onto top employees, and you should be evaluating the answer from this perspective.<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s another factor to consider. <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/general\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"3\" title=\"General\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">General<\/a>ly speaking, the more experienced a marketing team is, the more effectively it uses AI tools. <\/p>\n<p>Whereas junior marketers might be more avid proponents of AI and quicker to adopt its functionality, they\u2019re also far more likely to use it for things like creative ideation and strategy. Both are areas where high-quality human thought is a true differentiator.<\/p>\n<p>For this answer specifically, remember that you have some great research tools like Glassdoor that you can and should access. Employee tenure is one thing, but a Glassdoor profile with a bunch of red flags is an indicator that the agency might struggle to keep the talent it really wants to retain.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"how-is-your-team-using-ai-on-client-accounts\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_How_is_your_team_using_AI_on_client_accounts\"><\/span>5. How is your team using AI on client accounts?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Again, you\u2019re looking for a balance here. Agency teams that don\u2019t use AI at all are almost certainly burning resources on manual tasks, but agency teams that overuse it to replace perspective, critical thinking, and creativity are commoditizing their own client service.<\/p>\n<p>Two follow-up questions to ask:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>What is your governance structure for AI use?<\/li>\n<li>What\u2019s your process for QAing AI output?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>You\u2019re looking for firm answers and redundant layers for each of these questions \u2014 at the very least, someone relatively senior should approve any output before it goes live.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Dig deeper: Why PPC teams are becoming data teams<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"when-you-take-over-an-account-what-are-the-first-things-you-do-to-save-budget-without-affecting-growth\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"6_When_you_take_over_an_account_what_are_the_first_things_you_do_to_save_budget_without_affecting_growth\"><\/span>6. When you take over an account, what are the first things you do to save budget without affecting growth?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>This is the ultimate litmus test for technical proficiency. A great performance marketer knows where the ad platforms hide the waste buttons. If I were a brand marketer, I\u2019d want to hear about:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Any harmful default settings that need to be turned off.<\/li>\n<li>What inputs are driving wasted spend (audiences, networks, keywords, etc.).<\/li>\n<li>A plan to prioritize budget around what\u2019s driving business outcomes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If an agency can\u2019t rattle off these specific checks, they\u2019re likely missing the \u201clow-hanging fruit\u201d of budget efficiency. Fixing some of these takes seconds, but missing them costs thousands.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"what-separates-a-true-growth-partner-from-the-rest\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_separates_a_true_growth_partner_from_the_rest\"><\/span>What separates a true growth partner from the rest<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Remember: when you\u2019re choosing an agency partner, it\u2019s the job of each agency to sound as good as they possibly can, but what an agency considers to be a great answer might not be a great fit for your brand.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>By focusing on utilization rates of services, strategic application of AI, and approaches to budget efficiency, you\u2019ll find a partner capable of driving actual performance, not just spending your budget.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Dig deeper: How to find your next PPC agency: 12 top tips<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"ttd-topics-display\">\n<div class=\"ttd-topics-content\">\n<h5><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Topics_on_this_page\"><\/span>Topics on this page<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h5>\n<div class=\"ttd-topics-links\">WME GroupSearch engine optimizationPerformance indicatorArtificial intelligencePay-per-clickLinkedInPDFGlassdoorRequest for proposal<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ttd-topics-show-extra-button\">+4 more<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMN63nwsw68G3Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" >Technology<\/a><\/span> category.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/audit-your-agency-6-questions-to-find-a-true-growth-partner-473786\" target=\"_blank\" >Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Most agencies sound the same. The real differences show up in how they optimize, measure, and scale. This is how to uncover them. Most agencies present prospective clients with an account audit as part of their sales process. The purpose is twofold:\u00a0 To provide immediate value (usually without strings attached). To demonstrate that they know&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":720531,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2026\/04\/Audit-your-agency-6-questions-to-find-a-true-growth-partner.png","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-720530","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/720530","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=720530"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/720530\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/720531"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=720530"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=720530"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=720530"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}