What to Ask Before Hiring a Digital Marketing Agency in Dubai

'How Do You Measure Success?'

This should be your first question, and the answer reveals everything about how an agency thinks. If they immediately jump to vanity metrics — followers, impressions, 'brand awareness' — be cautious. Those numbers look nice in reports but do not pay your rent.

A good answer ties success to business outcomes. Leads generated, cost per acquisition, revenue influenced, phone calls received, form submissions completed. The specific metrics depend on your business, but they should connect to something that matters commercially.

Watch out for agencies that promise specific numbers before they have seen your data. No credible agency guarantees '50 leads per month' without understanding your market, your website, and your current baseline. Confidence is good. Blind promises are not.

'Who Will Actually Work on My Account?'

This question catches more agencies off guard than any other. During the sales process, you meet senior people — the founders, the directors, the polished account managers. After signing, your account gets handed to a junior exec who started three months ago.

Ask specifically: who will be doing the day-to-day work? Can you meet them before signing? What is their experience level? How many other accounts do they manage? If the agency cannot answer these questions clearly, it tells you something about their operation.

You do not necessarily need the most senior person on your account. A competent mid-level specialist with proper oversight can deliver strong results. What matters is knowing who that person is and having direct access to them when needed.

'What Exactly Is Included in Your Fee?'

Ambiguity in pricing is where most agency relationships go wrong. Get a written breakdown of everything included in the retainer — and everything that costs extra. Common surprises include ad spend (not included in management fees), design work, photography, content revisions, and platform setup.

For Google Ads management, ask whether the fee is a flat retainer or a percentage of ad spend. Both models exist, and neither is inherently better, but you need to understand the structure so you can budget accurately.

Ask about revision limits too. If the agency creates social media content, how many rounds of revisions are included? If they build landing pages, what happens when you want changes six months later? These details matter more than the headline price.

'Do I Own My Accounts and Data?'

This is non-negotiable. Your Google Ads account, your Meta Business Manager, your Google Analytics, your Search Console — all of it should be owned by you, with the agency granted access. If the agency sets up campaigns under their own accounts, you lose everything if you part ways.

It happens more often than you would think in Dubai. A business spends AED 50,000 on ads over six months, builds up campaign data and audience lists, then discovers the agency owns the account. Starting over from scratch is expensive and demoralising.

A straightforward agency will have no issue with this. If they hesitate or push back on account ownership, that is one of the clearest red flags you will encounter.

'What Happens If It Doesn't Work?'

No agency can guarantee results — and you should not expect them to. But you should absolutely ask what happens if the engagement is not producing outcomes after three or six months.

Good answers include: 'We review the strategy and adjust our approach,' 'We offer a month-to-month option after the initial period,' or 'We set quarterly checkpoints to evaluate performance together.' These show the agency is comfortable being held accountable.

Bad answers include: 'That won't happen,' 'You need to trust the process,' or silence followed by a subject change. Also be wary of 12-month contracts with no exit clause. An agency confident in its work does not need to lock you in. Month-to-month or quarterly commitments with clear notice periods are reasonable for both sides.

Ask about their contract length directly. Three-month initial commitments are common in the tourism and hospitality sector where campaign cycles are shorter. Six months is standard for SEO-focused engagements. Anything beyond that should include clear performance benchmarks.

What This Means for Your Business

Going into an agency conversation with these questions gives you leverage. Not because you are trying to be difficult, but because it separates the agencies that are serious about partnerships from those just chasing retainers.

The agencies worth working with will welcome these questions. They have heard them before, and they have clear answers. If a potential agency gets defensive or evasive when you ask about account ownership, reporting, or exit terms — you have your answer.

Take notes during the meeting and compare responses across multiple agencies. The differences in how they handle these questions will tell you more than any portfolio deck.

When This Advice Does Not Apply

If you are hiring a freelancer for a small, defined project — a one-off website update or a single ad campaign — this level of due diligence may be excessive. A simple scope document and payment terms are usually sufficient.

Businesses with an experienced in-house marketing lead who will closely manage the agency relationship may not need to interrogate every operational detail. If your marketing director has vetted agencies before, they likely have their own evaluation framework.

If you are working with a referral from a trusted peer who has used the agency for years, some of these questions may already be answered. But it is still worth confirming account ownership and contract terms in writing.