Thinking about hiring a digital advertising agency — what do they actually do, and will it move the needle at our scale?

We started with a similar budget in the hardware sector. Spending 20,000 TL on agency fees alongside a 40,000 TL ad spend completely wiped out our margins. Then we hired a freelancer; we pay 8,000 TL a month and put the remaining 12,000 TL straight into the ad budget. Our sales practically doubled within two months.

What's your average order value and gross profit margin on the kitchen equipment? If selling just one commercial oven brings in a gross profit of 25,000 TL, then 2 extra sales generated by the agency might cover their cost. But if you're mainly selling spare parts and small utensils, that fixed overhead is going to hurt.

Agencies usually assign their most junior staff or interns to SMEs with a 35,000 TL budget. You'll never see the seasoned director who pitched to you in the sales meeting ever again once the contract is signed. With a small budget, you won't be a priority for them, and it could end up being a waste of money.

Don't jump into a long-term contract right away. First, hire a specialist for a one-off audit of your account and conversion tracking. Check if the tracking tags work properly and if phone calls and lead form submissions are being tracked accurately. If the issue is just dashboard settings, there's no need to lock yourself into a monthly retainer.

id say find a freelancer who knows your niche instead of an agency then btw in b2b kitchen gear search intent and an easy-to-find request-a-quote button matter way more than flashy creative. an agency will just try to sell you fluff you dont need.

In our first year, we eagerly signed an annual contract with a well-known agency. For two months they put together gorgeous slide decks, but most of the inbound calls were people looking for random spare parts. We paid retainer fees for 6 months for nothing before we could get out of the contract. Now we work with a single consultant who knows what they're doing, doing weekly check-ins.

I strongly advise you to pay close attention to commitment terms in the service contracts. Most agencies require a binding 6- or 12-month commitment. Do not sign any proposal without including clauses that grant you the right to terminate unilaterally without penalty if performance targets are not met.

The general consensus here is clear: A digital ad agency provides end-to-end service, but the fixed retainer is too high for your current budget. For now, the smartest route is to clean up your tracking and setups with a reliable freelancer or consultant, and then switch to an agency once your ad spend scales up.

i'm in the same situation, that's why I'm asking then payment schedules should be tied to project phases not calendar dates.

start with a small trial; don't commit to everything at once.

Exactly like that... Ask who prepared the quote and who will actually do the work.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

i agree.

Saved. When making decisions, write down the worst-case scenario too, not just the best.

Just leaving this note, it might be useful.

Three different views emerged they all complement each other. Ask who prepared the quote and who will actually do the work.

The system lives on after delivery; maintenance is a separate line item. This is my opinion, I'm not claiming it's absolute truth.

Thanks, this was very helpful. The harder it is to reverse a decision, the slower you should make it.

Of course, it varies if your situation is different.

Thanks a lot, I'll try it today.

The cheap-looking path usually ends up costing more later. Trying to do this alone is the most expensive way.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

There's a common mistake people make when doing this. Everything goes well for the first three months; problems arise in the fourth.

If I were you, I'd go this route.

Let me clarify the technical side. The answer varies greatly by industry; there is no one-size-fits-all rule.

Good luck with that.