How to Evaluate a Facebook Ads Agency

Hiring a Facebook Ads agency feels like a high-stakes decision, because it is. The right partner can become a growth engine for your business, while the wrong one can burn through your budget with little more than vanity metrics to show for it. This guide gives you a straightforward framework to cut through the jargon, ask the right questions, and confidently choose an agency that will actually deliver results for your brand.

Before You Search: Get Your Own House in Order

You can't evaluate a partner if you don't know what you need them to do. Before you type "Facebook Ads agency" into Google, you need to define what success looks like for your business. Rushing this step is like hiring a pilot without telling them your destination - you’ll be flying, but you probably won’t get where you want to go.

Define Your Goals and KPIs

An agency needs a target to aim at. Is your primary goal to generate leads, drive online sales, increase app installs, or build brand awareness? Be specific and attach numbers to these goals.

• For E-commerce: Your goal might be "achieve a 3.5x Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) on all campaigns" or "acquire new customers at a Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) of $40 or less."
• For Lead Generation: You might aim for "generating 100 qualified leads per month at a Cost Per Lead (CPL) under $25."
• For Brand Awareness: This is trickier to measure, but you could target metrics like "reach 500,000 people in our target demographic" and track brand lift through surveys or spikes in organic search traffic.

Think deeply about your business economics. What is your average customer lifetime value (LTV)? Knowing this helps you understand how much you can afford to pay to acquire a customer and still be profitable. An agency that doesn't ask about your unit economics isn't thinking about your business - they're just thinking about running ads.

Understand Your Audience

Who are you trying to reach? Be ready to share everything you know about your ideal customer. Agencies live and die by the quality of the audience targeting you provide. Gather your available data:

• Demographics: Age, gender, location, language.
• Interests: Competitor pages they follow, hobbies, media they consume.
• Behaviors: Online shopping habits, technology use.
• Pain Points: What problem does your product or service solve for them?

The more clarity you have, the better an agency can target them on Facebook and Instagram, leading to less wasted ad spend and stronger results.

The Vetting Process: Questions That Reveal True Expertise

Once you have your goals and audience defined, it's time to start talking to potential agencies. This is where you separate the talkers from the doers. Treat this process like a job interview, because that's exactly what it is.

1. Ask for Relevant Case Studies and Client References

This is standard practice, but you need to go beneath the surface. Don’t just accept a glossy PDF. Ask specific, probing questions:

• "Can you show me results from a client in a similar industry to mine?" An agency that crushed it for a SaaS company might not understand the nuances of a direct-to-consumer fashion brand.
• "What was the biggest challenge you faced with this client, and how did you overcome it?" This reveals their problem-solving skills. A great agency will be honest about challenges.
• "Can you walk me through the numbers? What was the starting CPA and where did you get it to?" Look for proof of improvement over time, not just one lucky month.
• "Could I speak with one or two of your current or former clients?" An agency confident in their work will have clients happy to vouch for them. If they resist, that’s a major red flag.

2. Dig Into Their Strategy and Onboarding Process

A one-size-fits-all strategy is a recipe for failure. A top-tier agency customizes its approach to your specific business needs. The initial conversations should feel like a consultation, not a sales pitch.

Ask them:

• "What would your strategy be for our brand?" They won't have all the answers yet, but they should be able to outline a logical approach based on the information you've given them. They should be asking you a lot of questions about your business model, past performance, and customer journey.
• "What does your onboarding process look like?" A good process is collaborative. It should include deep dives into your brand, access audits (Ads Manager, Google Analytics), and pixel/tracking setup.
• "How do you approach the testing phase?" No agency knows what will work perfectly on day one. They should have a structured methodology for testing audiences, ad creative, and copy to systematically find what performs best. If they don’t mention a testing framework, they’re just guessing with your money.

3. Evaluate Their Creative Capabilities

On Meta platforms, creative is everything. Even the best targeting won't save a bad ad. You need to know how the agency handles the visual and written components of the campaign.

• "Who handles creative and copywriting? Is it in-house or outsourced?" In-house teams often have tighter quality control and a deeper understanding of the agency’s strategic process.
• "Can I see examples of ad creative you've produced for other clients?" Does it look professional? Does it reflect different brand voices? Is it designed with the platform in mind (e.g., vertical video for Reels, compelling static images for the feed)?
• "How do you tailor creative for different placements like Stories, Reels, and the Feed?" Experienced agencies know that a single image won't work everywhere. They should be creating assets optimized for how users consume content in different parts of the app.

4. Set Clear Expectations for Communication and Reporting

Bad communication is a partnership killer. You should never be left wondering what’s happening with your money. Define the communication cadence and reporting structure from the start.

• "Who will be my daily point of contact?" You want to know who is managing your account day-to-day, not just the salesperson you talk to initially.
• "How often will we meet and communicate?" A weekly or bi-weekly call is standard, with email or Slack for more immediate questions.
• "What does your performance report look like? Can I see a sample report?" A good report goes beyond basic metrics like clicks and impressions. It should tie performance back to your business goals (ROAS, CPA, CPL) and offer insights and next steps. If their report looks like a raw data export from Ads Manager, they aren't providing any strategic value.

Major Red Flags to Watch Out For

Sometimes, the easiest way to find the right partner is to identify the wrong ones first. If you spot any of these red flags during your conversations, proceed with caution or walk away entirely.

Guaranteed Results: No one can guarantee a specific ROAS or CPA. The advertising auction is dynamic, and performance depends on myriad factors. An agency that makes promises they can’t possibly keep is either dishonest or inexperienced.

They Want to Run Ads in Their Ad Account: You should always own your ad account and your Meta Pixel data. Grant the agency "partner" access. If they insist on running ads through their own account, you lose all the data and learnings if you ever leave. You paid for that data - it's yours.

A "Secret Sauce" or Vague Strategy: Transparency is non-negotiable. If an agency can't clearly explain their process or strategy in simple terms, they might not have one. Buzzwords like "growth hacking" or "AI-powered optimization" are meaningless without a clear plan to back them up.

Long-Term Contracts with No Escape Clause: Most reputable agencies work on a 3-month initial term and then move to a month-to-month agreement. Be wary of anyone trying to lock you into a 6 or 12-month contract from the start. A good agency is confident enough in its performance to keep you as a client without forcing you to stay.

Lack of Interest in Your Business: If all they ask about is your budget, they just see you as a number. A true partner is curious. They will want to understand your brand, your customers, your margins, and your long-term vision. This is the foundation upon which they build a successful ad strategy.

Final Thoughts

Choosing a Facebook Ads agency is a process of systematic evaluation, not guesswork. By defining your own goals first, asking deliberate questions about process and proof, and watching for clear red flags, you can build a partnership that drives real, measurable growth for your business.

While an agency focuses on scaling your paid advertising, building a strong, organic brand voice across your social channels is what makes those ads even more effective. Consistency between your paid and organic content builds trust and reinforces your brand message. We use Postbase to streamline our own organic social media by planning, scheduling, and analyzing all our content in one place. This ensures our organic presence works in harmony with our advertising, creating a cohesive brand experience for our audience.