The right agency fits your stage, stack, and working style. The wrong one burns budget on theater—endless decks, vague retainers, and deliverables you cannot maintain.
Portfolio depth
Ask for work similar to your complexity: ecommerce migrations, brand systems, or performance marketing. Case studies should include constraints, role, and outcomes—not only visuals.
Ownership and handoff
Clarify who owns code, accounts, domains, and analytics. You should receive repos, design files, and admin access without hostage situations.
Measurement
Define success metrics up front: qualified leads, revenue, speed scores, or launch dates. Agencies uncomfortable with accountability are telling you something.
Chemistry and process
Weekly rituals, tooling, and escalation paths matter as much as creative taste. Choose teams that communicate in writing and ship incrementally.