Use this 10-point weighted framework to evaluate your marketing agency's performance, identify warning signs before they become expensive problems, and benchmark results against 2025 industry standards. Created by Whitehat SEO, a HubSpot Diamond Partner that believes agencies should be transparent about how clients evaluate them—including evaluating us.
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The cost of getting agency relationships wrong has never been higher. According to the ANA/4As 2025 study, the average agency pitch now costs marketers over $400,000—yet 40% of clients plan to switch agency partners within six months, according to Setup's 2024 Marketing Relationship Survey. That's an expensive cycle of disruption that formal evaluation can prevent.
The data tells a clear story about why structured assessment works. The ANA's agency evaluation research found that 82% of marketers now conduct formal agency evaluations, with 92% citing the identification of underperforming relationships as the primary benefit. Companies that implement regular assessment processes report more constructive dialogue and measurable improvements in agency output.
Bob Liodice, President and CEO of the Association of National Advertisers, puts it directly: "Having a formal agency evaluation process is always imperative but even more so at a time of heightened focus on marketing accountability. The companies that plan regular assessments are likely to identify successful and under-performing aspects of their agency relationships leading to constructive dialogue and exchanges."
For businesses investing in SEO audit processes and marketing services, a structured evaluation framework ensures you're measuring what matters—and catching problems before they become expensive.
This weighted scorecard covers the criteria that matter most for ongoing agency relationships. Each criterion is weighted based on its impact on business outcomes, totalling 100 points. Whitehat SEO developed this framework by synthesising industry research from the ANA, 4As, and IPA with our experience as a HubSpot Diamond Partner working with B2B companies.
Does your agency genuinely understand your business objectives, market position, and competitive landscape? The Setup research found that "agency didn't understand business" is now tied as the second-highest reason clients end relationships, up 10% from 2023. Score your agency on how well they translate your business goals into a marketing strategy.
This is the single biggest driver of client dissatisfaction. According to the same research, 48% of relationship breakdowns stem from dissatisfaction with delivery, up 14% from the previous year. Evaluate whether work is delivered on time, to brief, and at the quality level promised. Poor execution here undermines everything else.
Can your agency prove their work generates returns? According to Gartner's 2025 CMO Spend Survey, 39% of CMOs plan to cut agency budgets this year. Agencies that can't demonstrate clear ROI will be first on the chopping block. Your agency should provide attribution reporting that connects activities to pipeline and revenue.
How quickly does your agency respond to requests? Do they proactively share updates and insights? Effective communication prevents the small misunderstandings that compound into major relationship breakdowns. Score based on response times, meeting preparedness, and clarity of reporting.
Does your agency bring new ideas, or do they only execute what you request? The best agencies spot opportunities before you do. With 22% of CMOs reporting that GenAI has reduced their reliance on external agencies, agencies must demonstrate strategic value beyond execution to remain essential.
Does your agency have the technical expertise your marketing requires? For businesses using platforms like HubSpot, this means evaluating whether your agency holds relevant certifications and can maximise your technology investment. Marketing coaching services from certified partners deliver measurably better results than generic support.
Agency employee turnover averages approximately 30% annually—the second-highest of any industry. When your account team changes frequently, you lose institutional knowledge and momentum. Evaluate how often your contacts change and whether senior strategists remain involved in your account.
Is the fee structure clear, and does it align with the value delivered? Michael Farmer, author of Madison Avenue Manslaughter, notes that agencies often struggle to document what they deliver against scope: "Agencies aren't used to keeping very good track of what they intend to do for their clients in scopes of work, they don't document it." Score your agency on pricing transparency and scope clarity.
Does working with your agency feel like a partnership or a transaction? Margaret Jobling, CMO of NatWest Group, emphasises: "Client-agency relationships are the cornerstone of our industry, and it is incredibly important to know that you share common goals and standards of excellence." Poor cultural fit creates friction that undermines even technically excellent work.
How well does your agency respond to feedback and changing requirements? The best agencies treat criticism as data and improve measurably quarter over quarter. Score based on how they've responded to past feedback and whether they proactively suggest improvements to their own processes.
Scoring interpretation
Evaluating agency performance requires context. These benchmarks from industry research help you understand whether your agency's results are competitive. Whitehat SEO compiles these benchmarks to help clients conduct comprehensive website audits and performance reviews.
| Metric | Benchmark | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing as % of revenue | 7.7% - 9.4% | Gartner / CMO Survey 2025 |
| Digital share of spend | 61.1% | Gartner 2024 |
| Agency portion of budget | 21% (declining) | Gartner 2025 |
| Channel | Expected ROI | Source |
|---|---|---|
| PPC advertising | 200% ($2 per $1 spent) | Wordstream 2023 |
| Email marketing | Up to 4,300% | Gitnux 2024 |
| HubSpot implementation | 505% over 3 years | HubSpot 2024 |
The ANA/4As April 2025 study revealed that average client-agency relationships have more than doubled from 3.2 years in 2016 to approximately 7 years today. Matt Kasindorf, SVP at the 4As, notes: "In a landscape where the average agency pitch costs marketers over $400,000, both sides of the table are recognising the value of long-term commitment."
Tenure varies significantly by agency type: experiential agencies average 10 years, integrated full-service agencies 7.3 years, while media-only agencies average just 3.7 years. Understanding these benchmarks helps you assess whether your relationship timeline is typical or concerning.
Early warning signs allow you to address problems before they become relationship-ending issues. Based on the reasons clients actually leave agencies (from the Setup 2024 survey), these are the indicators to watch.
If you're seeing three or more red flags across categories, it's time for a formal review conversation. Document specific examples before that meeting—vague concerns are easier for agencies to dismiss than concrete instances.
New agency relationships require realistic timeline expectations. Demanding immediate results sets both parties up for failure, but that doesn't mean the first 90 days should be a results-free zone. Here's what Whitehat SEO recommends clients expect—and what we hold ourselves accountable for when onboarding new clients through our inbound marketing blueprint.
The first month should focus on learning your business deeply. Expect comprehensive audits of existing marketing assets, technology stack reviews, competitor analysis, and strategy workshops. Your agency should be asking probing questions about your business objectives, not jumping straight into execution. Key deliverables: audit reports, documented strategy, and an initial 90-day plan with clear milestones.
By month two, your agency should be executing against the agreed strategy while identifying quick wins that demonstrate capability. These might include technical fixes, campaign optimisations, or content improvements that show measurable impact. Research from Vendasta found that 62% of clients not upsold within the first three months churned within two years—suggesting that agencies that can't demonstrate early value struggle to retain clients.
By the end of the first quarter, you should see leading indicators moving in the right direction. Traffic trends, engagement metrics, lead quality signals, and pipeline indicators should show improvement—even if lagging indicators like revenue haven't shifted yet. Your agency should present a data-backed review of what's working, what needs adjustment, and the plan for the next quarter.
Timeline reality check
Different marketing activities have different time-to-impact. SEO typically takes 4-6 months for significant organic traffic gains. Paid advertising can show results within weeks. Content marketing builds compound returns over 6-12 months. Evaluate your agency against realistic timelines for each channel, not arbitrary expectations.
The decision to change agencies shouldn't be taken lightly—remember, the average pitch costs over $400,000 when you factor in internal time and opportunity costs. But staying with an underperforming agency has costs too. Here's how to make that decision systematically.
According to IPA research on agency effectiveness, 75% of agencies now have effectiveness roadmaps—up from just 29% in 2022. If your agency can't articulate how they're working to improve their own effectiveness, that's a concerning signal about their commitment to continuous improvement.
If you've decided to change agencies, a structured transition protects your marketing continuity and preserves the value of your data and assets. The ANA's Agency Management Playbook recommends a six-stage approach: Plan, Research, Select, Communicate, Manage, and Transition.
Once notice is given, request a formal knowledge transfer process. This should include: current campaign status and next steps, login credentials and platform access, outstanding deliverables and their completion timeline, historical performance data and learnings, and any work-in-progress assets.
Professional agencies will facilitate smooth transitions—it's in their interest to end relationships well. If your current agency is obstructive during handover, that validates your decision to leave and provides important information for any future reference checks.
For businesses transitioning to or from HubSpot-focused agencies, ensuring proper data migration and platform handover is critical. Whitehat SEO's HubSpot onboarding services include transition support to ensure continuity when changing partners.
Conduct comprehensive evaluations quarterly, with lighter monthly check-ins on key metrics. Annual evaluations alone miss problems that compound over time. The ANA recommends building evaluation into your regular operating rhythm rather than treating it as an occasional event.
Focus on business outcomes rather than activity metrics. Essential KPIs include: marketing-sourced pipeline and revenue, cost per acquisition, return on ad spend, organic traffic growth, conversion rates, and lead quality scores. The specific mix depends on your business model and the services your agency provides.
Yes—59% of companies now use 360-degree evaluations according to ANA research. Agencies can identify client-side barriers to success, such as slow approvals, unclear briefs, or inadequate access to stakeholders. Mutual evaluation builds partnership rather than vendor relationships.
Key red flags include: declining quality over time, defensive responses to feedback, vanity metric reporting, missed deadlines without proactive communication, high team turnover, and generic strategies that don't reflect your business specifics. See the full red flags section above for detailed indicators.
Expect leading indicator improvements within 90 days and meaningful outcome changes within 6 months. However, timelines vary by channel—paid advertising can show results in weeks, while SEO typically requires 4-6 months. Agree on realistic milestones upfront for each service.
ROI varies significantly by channel and industry. Benchmark expectations: PPC typically delivers 200% (£2 return per £1), email marketing can reach 4,300%, and HubSpot implementations average 505% over three years. Your agency should provide channel-specific projections based on your baseline data.
Request benchmark comparisons in your regular reporting. Key benchmarks: marketing budgets average 7.7-9.4% of revenue, digital spending represents 61.1% of marketing budgets, and agencies typically receive 21% of total marketing spend. For performance metrics, compare against published industry averages for your channels.
Leave when: you've raised concerns formally without improvement, trust has broken down, or their capabilities no longer match your needs. Transition smoothly by: securing data access first, documenting everything, understanding contract terms, and beginning new agency conversations before announcing departure. Allow 60-90 days for proper handover.
Whitehat SEO is a HubSpot Diamond Partner that believes in transparency—including about how clients should evaluate agencies like us. If you're reviewing your current agency relationship or considering a change, we're happy to discuss what good agency partnerships look like.
Explore our full-service marketing agency capabilities or book a conversation about your marketing challenges.
About the author: This guide was developed by the Whitehat SEO team, led by Clwyd Probert. Whitehat is a London-based HubSpot Diamond Partner and runs the world's largest HubSpot User Group. We help B2B companies turn their marketing into a predictable pipeline.
Last updated: December 2025