Answers
How do I choose a digital marketing agency in South Africa?
Judge them on three things: whether they can show results for a business like yours, whether they will tell you what they would not do, and whether the person who pitched you is the person doing the work.
Ask for a specific example, not a portfolio wall. What was the situation, what did they change, what happened to enquiries and revenue, and how long did it take? Anyone who has done real work can answer that in detail. Anyone who cannot will show you follower counts instead.
Ask what they would refuse to do. A partner with a point of view will tell you a channel is wrong for you, or that your offer needs fixing before any advertising begins. A vendor will agree to everything you ask for and bill you monthly for it.
Get scope in writing: what gets produced each month, who produces it, how many rounds of revision, how performance is reported, and what happens to your accounts and assets if you leave. Ownership of your own ad accounts and content is non-negotiable.
Red flags: guaranteed rankings or leads, no contract clarity, results that are all impressions, and a strategist who disappears after signature. Green flags: fewer clients than you expected, uncomfortable honesty in the first call, and a plan that starts with your positioning rather than your posting schedule.