What to Look for When Hiring a Digital Marketing Agency in West Georgia | Creative Cowboys

Why This Is Hard

Hiring a marketing agency is difficult because results take time to verify, promises are easy to make, and the average small business owner doesn’t know enough about SEO, Google Ads, or website performance to evaluate whether the work is good. This information asymmetry is routinely exploited by agencies that prioritize client acquisition over client results.

We’ve had clients come to us from agencies that took them on retainer for 12 months, produced reports full of vanity metrics, and never moved a single keyword ranking. Here’s how to avoid that.

Red Flags to Watch For

✕They guarantee #1 rankings on Google — no one can guarantee this

✕They can't show you real case studies with specific results

✕They require 12-month contracts before proving results

✕Their own website doesn't rank well or looks outdated

✕They handle your accounts in-house and won't give you access

✕They talk about 'impressions' and 'engagement' but never about leads

✕They pitch a complex suite of services you didn't ask for

✕They won't tell you exactly what they'll do for your money each month

Green Flags That Signal a Trustworthy Agency

✓They show you case studies with real clients and specific numbers

✓They ask about your goals before recommending services

✓They explain their process clearly without jargon

✓They offer month-to-month agreements or short initial commitments

✓They give you ownership of your ad accounts, website, and data

✓They talk in terms of leads, revenue, and ROI

✓They specialize in businesses like yours — not every client under the sun

✓They respond quickly and communicate proactively

The Questions to Ask Before Signing Anything

Use these questions in your consultation to separate serious agencies from those who can’t back up their promises:

Can you show me a case study from a business in my industry or similar to mine?

What do your monthly reports look like — can I see an example?

Who will be my main point of contact and how often will we speak?

If I leave, do I own my website, ad accounts, and all content created?

What are your contract terms — month-to-month or annual?

How do you define success for a client like me, and what KPIs will you track?

What happens in month 1, month 3, and month 6?

The Creative Cowboys Approach

We’re going to be transparent about who we are and who we’re best for. We’re a small team based in Villa Rica, GA that specializes in local digital marketing for West Georgia small businesses. We don’t work with 200 clients and produce templated reports — we work with a focused number of clients and genuinely care about moving their numbers.

We don’t require long-term contracts. We give you access to and ownership of everything we build for you. And we show you results in plain English, not dashboard screenshots full of metrics you didn’t ask for.

See our real results from real clients →

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I find a trustworthy marketing agency in West Georgia?

Ask for case studies with real client names and numbers — not anonymized results. Review their own online presence (do they rank well? do they practice what they preach?). Ask about contract terms and whether they lock you into long-term agreements.

What questions should I ask a marketing agency before hiring them?

Key questions: Can you show me case studies from clients similar to my business? What does your reporting look like and how often will I receive it? Who will be my point of contact? What happens to my accounts if I leave? Do you require long-term contracts?

Ready to have an honest conversation?

Free consultation. No pressure. We’ll tell you honestly whether we’re a good fit for your business.

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