Kingston has plenty of marketing agencies, freelancers and one-person studios. That is good news, because you have real choice. It also makes hiring harder, because from the outside most agency websites promise the same things: more customers, better results, a team that cares.
Google has published its own advice on this. Its guide Do you need an SEO? lists the questions it suggests asking anyone you hire to work on your search presence, and they apply just as well to marketing as a whole. Here are the ten we would ask if we were sitting in your chair.
Before you start looking
Write down what you want marketing to do for the business over the next 12 months. More calls, more bookings, more online sales, a full patio on weeknights or more applicants for the jobs you are trying to fill. An agency can only plan well when it knows where the finish line is, and you will find it much easier to compare proposals side by side.
It also helps to know roughly what you can invest each month and what you already have in place: a website, a Google Business Profile, social accounts, an email list and any past ad campaigns.
10 questions to ask a Kingston marketing agency
1. Can you show me work you have done for businesses like mine?
Ask for examples, not just a wall of logos. A good agency can walk you through a project: what the client needed, what was done and what changed afterwards. Google lists this first in its own suggested interview questions.
2. What results should I expect, and by when?
Honest answers come with ranges and timelines. SEO usually takes months, ads can start bringing in enquiries within weeks and a website rebuild has a launch date. Be cautious of anyone who promises the top spot on Google. Google says plainly that no one can guarantee a number one ranking.
3. How will you measure success?
Calls, form enquiries, bookings and sales are the numbers that pay your bills. Likes and impressions have their place, but they should not be the headline of your monthly report. Ask to see a sample report before you sign.
4. Who will actually do the work?
Some agencies sell the project and pass it to a junior team or an outside contractor. That is not wrong on its own, but you deserve to know who you will be talking to and who is writing, designing and building for you.
5. What do you know about Kingston and my customers?
Kingston is not a typical market. Queen's University reports more than 27,000 full-time students in its 2025-26 enrolment report, and Tourism Kingston counted 2.6 million visitors to the city in 2024. An agency that understands the September rush, the summer tourist season and the quieter weeks in between will plan your marketing around them instead of fighting them.
6. Will I own my website, accounts and content?
Your domain, website, Google Business Profile, social accounts and ad accounts should be in your name, with the agency added as a manager. If you ever part ways, you keep everything you paid for. Ask this one before anything is set up.
7. How will we communicate?
Google suggests asking whether an agency will share every change it makes to your site and explain the reasoning behind its recommendations. Find out how often you will meet, who your main contact is and how quickly they usually reply.
8. What is included in the price, and what costs extra?
Ask for a written scope. Check whether photography, video, ad spend, software, hosting and revisions are included or billed separately. A clear proposal now prevents surprise invoices later.
9. How long is the commitment, and how do I leave?
Month to month, three months or a full year can all make sense. What matters is that you understand the commitment and the notice period before you start.
10. Can I speak with a current client?
Online reviews are useful. A five-minute call with someone who works with the agency today is better. Google recommends checking references for exactly this reason: to hear from past clients whether the work was useful, the team was easy to work with and the results were positive.
Red flags to watch for
- Guaranteed rankings. Google says no one can guarantee a top position and warns against anyone who claims a special relationship with Google.
- Out-of-the-blue emails about your website. Google itself says to treat unsolicited search pitches with the same scepticism you would give any other spam.
- Secrecy. If an agency will not explain what it is changing on your site, walk away. You are ultimately responsible for what is done on your website.
- Accounts in the agency's name. It makes leaving expensive and messy.
- Reports full of vanity numbers. Plenty of charts, no mention of enquiries or sales.
Does it matter if your agency is local?
Plenty of businesses work well with agencies in other cities. A local team does bring a few advantages: they can be at your shop for a content shoot this week, they already know the Kingston market and its calendar, and you can sit down across a table when a big decision comes up. It is worth thinking about how much those things matter to you.
We are happy to answer all ten of these questions on a free discovery call, with no pressure to sign anything. Learn more about how we work as a marketing agency in Kingston, or read our guide to hiring an agency versus building an in-house team.
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