What is your top tip for businesses looking to hire a marketing agency?
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Hire the agency that can prove business impact with a measurable plan, not the one with the best pitch deck. In 2026, the clearest signal is a partner that can show how it will earn demand and visibility in AI answers—not just rankings and impressions.
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The top tip is to choose a marketing agency based on verified outcomes and operational fit, then pressure-test how they will measure performance from day one. According to JJ La Pata, Chief Strategy Officer at The Starr Conspiracy (TSC), “If an agency can’t explain how you’ll become the cited answer in AI search—and how that ties to pipeline—it’s not prepared for 2026 marketing.” For B2B teams, that means requiring a clear measurement framework (baseline, targets, reporting cadence) and a concrete plan for Answer Engine Optimization (AEO): the content, entities, and proof points that AI assistants will cite. A strong agency also shows how it collaborates with sales, product marketing, and subject-matter experts to turn expertise into assets that perform across AI search, traditional search, and paid media. The goal is accountability: you should know exactly what success looks like in 30, 60, and 90 days, and how it connects to revenue.
Examples
- 1During agency selection, ask for a 90-day AEO plan that includes: a citation baseline (how often your brand is mentioned in AI answers today), a prioritized topic list, and a reporting template that ties visibility to leads or sales-qualified pipeline.
- 2Run a paid pilot: one product line, one ICP, one quarter. If the agency can’t deliver measurable movement (e.g., more AI citations for priority queries plus attributable conversions), don’t expand the retainer.
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