How to choose a digital marketing agency in India

The 10-point checklist

• Who runs the account? Ask for the name and experience of the person who will make decisions on your account, not only who pitches.
• Who owns the accounts? Your Google Ads, Meta Business, GA4 and social accounts should be in your name, with the agency given access.
• Are spend caps in writing? Monthly budgets and maximums should be agreed in writing before any spend.
• How is the fee calculated? Flat fee, percentage of spend, or both. Know the threshold where a percentage kicks in.
• Is the proof verifiable? Ask for a named client and a figure you could check. Treat unnamed '300% growth' claims with caution.
• What happens in the first two weeks? A good agency names the fastest win it will attempt first.
• How is success measured? Leads, orders or pipeline, not impressions. Agree the metric and the tracking before launch.
• How often do you get numbers? Weekly during active campaigns is reasonable.
• What is the notice period? Read the cancellation and refund terms before signing.
• Is GST invoicing correct? For Indian companies, check the agency's GSTIN and that invoices show 18% GST properly.

Red flags

• Guaranteed rankings or guaranteed ROAS before they have seen your data
• Ad accounts created in the agency's name
• Long lock-ins with no exit clause
• Reports that show reach and impressions but not leads or revenue

How Nine Digital answers these

Founder Mahimvir Singh (about 27 years in marketing, ex-Microsoft India and HP EMEA) approves every output. Accounts stay in your name, spend caps are written down, pricing is public in the online configurator, and every plan starts with a free 7-day trial.

Questions