Don’t Get Ripped Off When Hiring a Digital Marketer
Look, I’ve been in this game since 2000, and I’ve seen business owners get absolutely fleeced by so-called “marketing experts.” It’s painful to watch, especially when it’s completely avoidable.
Here’s the thing – finding a decent digital marketer shouldn’t be like navigating a minefield, but that’s exactly what it feels like for most business owners. So let me share what I’ve learned from watching this industry evolve (and seeing plenty of cowboys come and go).
We regularly get calls from business owners who’ve been burned. Recently, a client told me they’d paid £3,000 upfront to some marketing agency who promised them “guaranteed first-page rankings.” Six months later? Nothing. Website traffic actually went down, and when they tried to get their money back, the company had mysteriously disappeared.
Here’s what really gets me – it’s always the same story. A business owner like you knows you need help with your online presence, searches for “digital marketing agency” or “SEO Expert”, gets dazzled by fancy websites and big promises, hands over a chunk of cash, and then watches it all go tits up. This is usually when things go quiet.
Needles in a haystack
And the worst part? It gives the genuine marketers a bad name. There are brilliant people out there who can genuinely transform your business online. But finding them means wading through an ocean of cowboys, chancers, and outright fraudsters.
The digital marketing world has exploded over the past decade. Everyone and their dog now claims to be an expert. Got made redundant? Become a social media consultant. Failed at your last job? Set up as an SEO specialist. It’s mental. Even virtual assistants (Admin pen-pushers) are claiming to be Social Media Marketing, SEO and Copywriting experts.
But here’s the thing – finding a decent digital marketer shouldn’t be like navigating a minefield, but that’s precisely what it feels like for most business owners like you. So let us share what we’ve learned from watching this industry evolve (and seeing plenty of cowboys come and go).
Get Multiple Quotes – But Not for the Reason You Think
Everyone tells you to get three quotes, right?
But here’s what they don’t tell you – you’re not just comparing prices. You’re looking for red flags.
Most business owners think getting multiple quotes is about finding the cheapest option. Wrong! Dead wrong!
It’s about spotting the bullshitters before they get their hands on your money.
Here’s how to spot a bullshitter in practice:
We had a client a few years ago who showed me several different proposals for SEO work. A few of them were fairly similar, mentioning keyword research, content optimisation, technical SEO fixes, and realistic timelines of 6-12 months to see proper results. All perfectly sensible stuff.
But one of them, this cowboy, promised “explosive growth in 30 days.” They claimed they had “secret Google connections” and wanted to charge double what everyone else was asking. The client was tempted because it sounded so impressive.
That’s the power of getting multiple quotes – it makes the dodgy ones stick out like a sore thumb.
When I review proposals with clients, the legit folks usually suggest similar approaches. They’ll all mention the same fundamentals because, surprise, surprise, there are actual industry best practices. It’s the dodgy ones that stand out with their “revolutionary new methods” and promises that sound too good to be true.
Look for consistency in the basics. If three marketers are talking about content audits and one is promising to “hack the Google algorithm,” guess which one you should avoid?
And here’s another thing – legitimate marketers will often mention similar timeframes. If everyone is saying 3-6 months, except for one who promises results “within weeks,” that should set alarm bells ringing.
The scammers rely on business owners not knowing what normal business practices look like. But when you’ve got multiple proposals side by side, normal becomes pretty bloody obvious.
Trust me, if someone’s promising you’ll be on page one of Google within a month, run. Just run.
If They Can’t Explain Their Pricing, Walk Away
This one drives me mental. You ask a simple question about costs and they give you some waffle about “industry standards” or “that’s just what it costs.” Bollocks…
Any marketer worth their salt should be able to break down exactly what you’re paying for. Hourly rates, project timelines, specific deliverables – the lot. If they’re being cagey about money upfront, imagine what they’ll be like when things go wrong.
Our costs are completely transparent and explained on our website. You don’t even need to ask.
Past Results Matter More Than Fancy Certificates
I see loads of marketers waving around certificates from Google or Facebook like they’re some kind of golden ticket. Don’t get me wrong – training’s important. But I’d rather work with someone who’s got three years of real-world experience than someone with a wall full of certificates and no actual results to show.
Ask for case studies. Ask for references. And if they start getting defensive about sharing examples of their work, that tells you everything you need to know.
Never Pay Everything Upfront
So many business owners get stung doing this. Someone promises the world, takes a massive upfront payment, and then either disappears or delivers work that wouldn’t pass muster at a primary school.
Break any significant project into chunks. Pay for milestones, not promises. A confident marketer will be happy to work this way because they know they’ll deliver.
Watch Out for Conflicts of Interest
Here’s something most people never think to ask: “Do you work with any of my competitors?”
We’ve lost count of how many marketers are pretty happy to take money from competing businesses in the same area.. You don’t want to be paying someone to promote your rival down the road, do you?
If they specialise in your industry, this is a massive red flag. They’re promoting your competitors too!
They’re also lacking the marketing ideas, knowledge and inspiration that comes from a mixed client base. Make sure you’re not funding your competition’s marketing efforts.
The Bottom Line
Look, there are some brilliant digital marketers out there who’ll genuinely help grow your business. But there are also plenty of chancers who see pound signs when they spot a business owner who doesn’t know the difference between SEO and SEM.
Take your time. Ask awkward questions. And remember – if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
After years of watching businesses make it or break it online, I can tell you the best marketing partnerships come down to three things: trust, transparency, and realistic expectations. Don’t settle for anything less.