6 Questions to Ask a Local Marketing Agency Before Hiring

Before partnering with a local marketing agency, it is important to ask the right questions to evaluate their expertise and approach. Some important questions to ask are: What experience do you have working with local businesses? How do you measure and report results? What local SEO strategies do you use? Do you have experience in my industry? Who will actually be working on my account? And what does your contract include, along with the exit terms?

These questions help reveal whether the agency has real experience, transparent processes, and a clear strategy to deliver measurable results for your business. This becomes especially important when choosing local digital marketing services, where agencies must understand regional audiences and local search behavior to attract nearby customers.

In this article, we will explore these six questions in detail to help you choose the right marketing partner.

1. What Experience Do You Have Working with Local Businesses?

This should be the first question you ask. An agency that mainly works with large national brands may focus more on broad, nationwide campaigns rather than the specific strategies required for local SEO, such as Google Business Profile optimization, local citations, and neighborhood-level targeting.

Asking for examples of local clients they have worked with can help you understand whether they have real experience delivering results for location-based businesses.

Studies from Google published through Think with Google show that a large percentage of people who search for businesses nearby often visit one within a short time. This highlights the strong intent behind local searches. An agency that understands how to capture that intent through effective local SEO strategies can help turn nearby searches into real customers.

2. How Do You Measure and Report Results?

A reputable agency should be able to clearly explain how they track performance. Ask specifically what key performance indicators they monitor, such as website traffic, local search rankings, call volume, foot traffic attribution, or conversion rates.

Vague answers like “we’ll improve your visibility” are red flags. Small businesses should always balance marketing spend with measurable outcomes. You should receive regular, easy-to-read reports that show exactly where your money is going and what it is returning.

3. What Local SEO Strategies Do You Use?

Local SEO is the backbone of any effective local marketing campaign. Ask the agency to explain their approach to Google Business Profile management, local citation building, on-page optimization, and review generation strategies.

A strong agency will have clear, up-to-date answers about how they handle location-based keywords, NAP consistency, which means your business name, address, and phone number appear exactly the same across all platforms and how they manage local link building. If an agency cannot explain these elements clearly, its local SEO capabilities are likely limited.

4. Do You Have Experience in My Industry?

Industry context matters. A marketing strategy that works for a restaurant will not work for a law firm handling medical malpractice cases or a home services company.

Agencies with experience in your specific industry understand which platforms your customers use, what type of content resonates well with the audience, and what compliance requirements may apply to your advertising.

Ask for case studies or references from businesses in your industry. Results from businesses similar to yours are far more meaningful than general claims about an agency’s capabilities.

5.   Who Will Actually Be Working on My Account?

Many agencies present their services through senior staff during the sales process, but later assign the actual work to junior employees or offshore teams. It is entirely reasonable to ask exactly who will manage your campaigns day to day, what their qualifications are, and how accessible they will be when you have questions.

Ask whether you will have a dedicated account manager, how frequently they communicate with clients, and what their average response time is. Consistent communication is one of the clearest signs of a well-run agency.

6.   What Does Your Contract Include and What Are the Exit Terms?

Before signing anything, understand exactly what services are included in the monthly fee and what costs extra. Ask about contract length, automatic renewal clauses, and what happens to your assets, your website, content, and ad accounts if you decide to leave.

A trustworthy agency will have transparent pricing and fair exit terms. Be cautious of agencies that lock you into long contracts with no performance benchmarks or that retain ownership of your marketing assets when the relationship ends.

Key Takeaways

1. Always ask about an agency’s direct experience with local businesses before hiring.
2. Result measurement and reporting transparency are non-negotiable for any marketing partnership.
3. Local SEO knowledge, including Google Business Profile and citation management, is essential for location-based businesses.
4. Industry-specific experience produces more relevant strategies and faster results.
5. Confirm who will actually manage your account day to day, not just who pitches the work.
6. Understand contract terms, exit conditions, and asset ownership before signing anything.
7. The right agency will answer all six questions clearly, confidently, and with specific examples to back them up.