Every agency in Egypt will show you a deck full of impressions, reach and “engagement.” Almost none will show you what those numbers cost — or what they earned. That single gap is the difference between an agency that spends your budget and one that grows your business.
1. Ask for cost-per-result, not reach
Reach is the easiest number to inflate and the easiest to hide behind. Before anything else, ask a prospective agency one question: “What did a result cost your last three clients?” A serious team answers instantly — with a currency figure. For context, our campaigns have delivered leads at 1.74 EGP and conversations at 1.13 EGP. If an agency can’t talk in cost-per-result, they’re selling activity.
2. Look for accountability, not creativity alone
Great creative that isn’t measured is decoration. Ask how they decide a campaign is working, how often they report, and what they do when a number drops. The answer tells you whether you’re hiring a vendor or a partner.
If an agency can’t tell you what a result costs, they can’t tell you whether it’s working.
3. Check whether the disciplines actually talk
Most agencies bolt media, content and design together and hope they align. Ask how strategy, creative and media buying coordinate on your account. Disconnected arms waste budget on mixed messages.
4. Demand plain-language reporting
You should be able to read your monthly report without a translator: spend, results, cost-per-result, and what changes next month. If a report leaves you more confused than informed, that’s by design.
The one-line test
Before you sign, ask them to finish this sentence: “A new customer is worth ___ to you, so we’ll keep cost-per-result under ___.” An agency that can complete it is thinking about your business. One that can’t is thinking about your budget.
How do I choose a marketing agency in Egypt?
Ask for numbers, not portfolios. Any agency can show pretty work. Ask: what did a result cost, how did that number move over time, what did you test, and what failed? Agencies that measure answer with numbers. Agencies that don't answer with adjectives.
What are the red flags?
Guaranteed results, reports made entirely of reach and impressions, refusal to explain where the budget goes, and accounts they own instead of you. Any of these means you'll be paying for activity, not outcomes.
Should I own my ad accounts?
Yes, always. Your ad accounts, pixel data, and page should belong to you, with the agency granted access. If an agency insists on owning them, they're building a hostage, not a partnership.