- You run a webshop and are considering hiring a marketing agency
- You are unsure about which criteria to use to evaluate an agency
- You have tried an agency before and want to avoid the same disappointment
- You want to know which questions you should ask at your first meeting
The first question isn't where the agency is located, but whether they work with brands like yours. An agency built for established D2C brands rarely fits a startup webshop, and vice versa.
Our own boundary is clear. We primarily work with established Shopify and D2C brands that already have product-market fit and validated demand. The ideal client generates at least 200,000–400,000 DKK per month, wants to scale toward 7-figure monthly revenue, and is ready to invest in systems and structure rather than quick fixes.
We are not the right choice if you have just started and are still looking for product-market fit, if you are looking for a cheap freelancer to run a few ads, or if you are not ready to invest in a cohesive system. A good agency will tell you themselves when it’s not a good fit.
Are you considering hiring in-house instead? That is a different choice, which we cover in In-house marketing vs. marketing agency.
The foundation before the ads
Ask what the agency does before the first ad goes live. For us, onboarding follows six phases, a principle we call "The foundation before the frontend."
The first 10 days are spent on research and strategy: a brand deep-dive, market research, competitor and target audience analysis, and a review of historical performance. This is followed by setting up tracking and attribution, a P&L sheet, a webshop audit, a content plan, and channel setup. Only in the first month do the first campaigns go live.
Also, ask if the channels work together. If Meta, Google, email, and CRO are optimized in isolation, they easily end up competing for the same customers. Our E-COM OS brings channels, webshop, email, CRO, and data together in one coordinated setup. Read why isolated channel metrics can hide the big picture in MER vs. ROAS.
Ask for fixed cadences and access to data. Here is what ours looks like:
- Daily: Direct contact via Slack and performance monitoring. We respond within hours, not days.
- Weekly: Budget adjustments, audience, bid strategy, and creative optimization based on the week's data.
- Bi-weekly: Reporting, creative strategies, and performance reviews.
- Monthly: Review of finances, KPIs, targets, and P&L, as well as next steps.
You have access to all data, not just the numbers we choose to show. We share both what works and what doesn't. If a campaign underperforms, you will hear it from us first, along with a plan to fix it. Through Triple Whale and our BI setup, you have access to attribution, P&L, creative performance, and forecasting.
Also, ask how the agency measures success. We use Triple Whale for third-party attribution and report on blended ROAS rather than the platforms' own figures. If you cannot get access to all data, that is a red flag.
Promises of results
No agency can guarantee specific results because market reactions, competitors, and seasonality all play a role. We therefore never promise specific results. Be critical of agencies that do.
Partnerships
Official partner status can be a good indicator, but ask what it is based on. We are a Meta Badged Partner, Shopify PLUS Partner, TikTok Platinum Partner with an official TikTok case study, Google Partner, Triple Whale Gold Partner, and Klaviyo Gold Partner. This status is based on documented performance.
References
Ask for concrete cases and exactly what was done. See our documented cases.
Many look for a local agency, and that is understandable. It can feel reassuring to have the agency nearby. However, the choice should depend on fit and process, not zip code.
We are headquartered in Odense and work with brands across the globe. Daily communication takes place via Slack with responses within hours, so the collaboration is built to work regardless of where you are located. If it is important for you to be able to meet in person, ask the agency how they handle that.
1. Do you work with webshops at our stage, and when are we not a good fit for you?
2. What happens between signing the contract and the first ad going live?
3. How do you ensure that the channels work together?
4. What data will we have access to, and how often?
5. How do you measure success beyond the platforms' own metrics?
6. Who will we be working with on a daily basis?
With us, you don't just get one account manager; you get direct access to your own dedicated e-commerce team.
7. What are your partner status and cases based on?
8. What do you promise, and what can you not promise?
The DVISIONMEDIA approach
We are an e-commerce marketing agency headquartered in Odense, built for established Shopify and D2C brands. We start with the foundation, treat all channels as one system through our E-COM OS, and you get access to all the data. If we aren't a good fit for your current stage, we'll tell you.
1. What should I look for when choosing a marketing agency for my webshop?
Look at the fit for your current stage, what the agency does before the first ad goes live, whether the channels work together, how transparent their reporting is, what they define as success, and how realistic their promises are.
2. Does a marketing agency need to be located in Odense?
Not necessarily. Fit and process matter more than address. We handle daily communication via Slack and work with brands all across the country.
3. When does it make sense to hire an agency for your webshop?
An agency usually makes the most sense for webshops with a monthly revenue of 200,000+ DKK. Typical signs are that you want to scale faster than you can internally, lack expertise across channels, have an ad spend that requires professional optimization, or have seen your results stagnate. Read more in What does a Shopify marketing agency do?
4. What is the difference between an agency and an in-house marketing department?
In-house provides control and brand proximity, but requires recruitment and fixed costs. An agency gives you access to a team of specialists. See the full comparison in In-house marketing vs. marketing agency.
5. Can a marketing agency guarantee results?
No. Market reactions, competitors, and seasonality all play a role. An honest agency won't promise specific results, but will instead show you their process and their data.
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