The essentials
- Value: a provider adds value when their actions produce a measurable result (leads, sales, margin) greater than their full cost, or a lasting capability (measurement, skills, assets) that the company keeps.
- Grid: four criteria scored every quarter: results vs objectives, quality of measurement, transparency and handover, responsiveness.
- Warning signs: activity reports with no results, vanity metrics, accounts in the agency's name, the same recommendations every quarter, cost per result rising with no explanation.
- 2026 benchmarks: fees of 10 to 20% of the media budget in SEA and SMA, €800 to €3,000 a month in SEO, €500 to €1,500 a month in social media.
Between Google Ads campaigns, SEO, social media and data analysis, it is hard to know whether a digital provider is producing a result or just activity. Trust is not enough, and neither is the monthly report. This article defines the value of a service, gives the metrics that measure it by channel, offers a quarterly assessment grid and lists the warning signs. The reporting to require is detailed in what reporting to require from your provider, and the deliverables in the key deliverables of a data marketing provider.
What the value of a digital service is
A provider adds value in two ways. Direct value: their actions produce leads, sales or margin, measured in a neutral source, for a full cost (fees plus media) lower than what they bring in. Lasting value: they leave the company assets and capabilities it keeps after they go, such as reliable measurement, a better-structured site, SEO positions, an email list, in-house skills, documentation. A service that brings neither is a cost, whatever the quality of the report. Activity indicators (posts, keywords tracked, hours spent, impressions) measure neither; see vanity KPIs.
The value metrics by channel
| Service | Result metrics | Lasting value metrics | Time before judging |
|---|---|---|---|
| SEA (Google Ads) | Cost per lead or net ROAS in a neutral source, impression share, prospecting vs brand share | Account structure, conversions configured, history retained | 1 quarter |
| SEO and GEO | Organic leads and sales, non-brand traffic, positions on commercial queries, citations by AI | Content, internal linking, technical, authority | 2 to 4 quarters |
| Social advertising (SMA) | Cost per result on click, share of new customers, net ROAS | Pixel and API, audiences, creative library | 1 quarter |
| Organic social media (SMO) | Traffic and conversions from social, brand searches, inbound leads | Community, editorial line, reusable content | 2 to 4 quarters |
| Analytics and data | Decisions made on the figures, anomalies detected, budget reallocated | Measurement plan, dashboard, glossary, documentation | 1 to 2 quarters |
| Site and conversion | Conversion rate, speed, accessibility | Code, structure, ability to update in-house | 1 to 2 quarters |
The methods by channel are covered in more depth in measuring the results of an SEO agency, the Google Ads KPIs for assessing your SEA provider and the signs of a badly managed SMA campaign.
A quarterly assessment grid
| Criterion | Question | Score from 0 to 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Results | Are the quantified objectives set in the contract being met, in a neutral source? Is the cost per result, fees included, stable or falling? | 5: met; 3: improving; 0: absent or not measurable |
| Measurement | Are the conversions reliable, verified, reconciled with the CRM? Are anomalies flagged? | 5: measurement verified and documented; 0: platform figures only |
| Transparency and handover | Are the accounts in the company's name? Are the actions documented? Is the in-house team making progress? | 5: everything is accessible and explained; 0: black box |
| Responsiveness and advice | Are the recommendations prioritised, costed, followed up? Are requests handled within 48 hours? | 5: proactive advice; 0: execution only |
A total score below 10 out of 20 two quarters running justifies a renegotiation or a change. A high score on responsiveness and a low one on results signals a pleasant but ineffective provider; the reverse, an effective provider who creates a dependency.
The warning signs
- The activity report: hours, posts, keywords tracked, with no link to leads or sales.
- Metrics that keep changing: each month the report highlights whichever metric is rising.
- Accounts in the agency's name: Google Ads, GA4, Meta Business or the dashboard cannot be transferred.
- The same recommendations: the same audit, the same advice from one quarter to the next, never acted on.
- Cost per result rising with no explanation: no seasonality, no competition, no documented change.
- The hidden brand share: in SEA and SEO, results obtained on the company name presented as prospecting.
- Refusing the neutral source: the provider disputes GA4 or the CRM and swears only by the platform's figures.
2026 cost benchmarks
| Service | Typical fees | What must be included |
|---|---|---|
| SEA management | 10 to 20% of media, minimum €300 to €600 a month | Structure, tests, conversions, commented monthly report |
| SEO and GEO | €800 to €3,000 a month | Technical, content, internal linking, tracking of positions and citations |
| SMA management | 10 to 20% of media, minimum €400 to €800 a month | Creative, audiences, tests, measurement |
| Community management | €500 to €1,500 a month | Calendar, creation, moderation, reporting |
| Analytics and dashboard | €300 to €1,500 a month after set-up | Maintenance, reporting, alerts, recommendations |
Fees are judged on the full cost per result, never on their own: a provider at 15% of media who halves the cost per lead is worth more than one at 8% who lets it drift. The question to ask is the ratio between the annual fees and the extra margin generated, measured as in how to calculate marketing ROI.
How to run the assessment
- Set the objectives in the contract: three quantified, dated result metrics, in a neutral source, with the brand share isolated.
- Keep the grid every quarter: scored by management and the marketing lead, discussed with the provider.
- Check one figure a month: take a metric from the report and find it yourself in GA4 or the CRM; the gap reveals how reliable the reporting is.
- Ask for the lasting value: once a year, list what the company would keep if the contract stopped tomorrow.
- Decide: renegotiate the objectives, change provider, or bring part of it in-house; the criteria for choosing a new provider are in choosing an agency specialising in data marketing.
How GreenRed helps
Rather than juggling several tools, GreenRed's overview brings these metrics together in a single dashboard, compares them over time and tells you which actions come first. You can try it free, with no card, from the Pricing.
Frequently asked questions
How do you know whether a digital marketing provider is effective?
By comparing their results with the quantified objectives set in the contract, measured in a neutral source (GA4, CRM) rather than in the platforms, with the cost per result including fees. A quarterly grid on four criteria (results, measurement, transparency, responsiveness) gives a complete assessment.
What are the signs of a provider who adds no value?
Activity reports with no results, metrics that change according to what is rising, accounts in the agency's name, the same recommendations every quarter, a cost per result rising with no explanation, brand results presented as prospecting and a refusal of the neutral source.
How much does a digital marketing provider cost in 2026?
From 10 to 20% of the media budget in SEA and SMA with a monthly minimum of €300 to €800, €800 to €3,000 a month in SEO and GEO, €500 to €1,500 a month in community management, €300 to €1,500 a month in analytics. The cost is judged on the full cost per result, not on the fees alone.
How long before you judge a provider?
One quarter for advertising (SEA, SMA) and analytics, two to four quarters for SEO, GEO and organic social media. Judging earlier leads to changing provider before the actions have produced their effect; judging later prolongs an ineffective service.
What is the lasting value of a service?
What the company keeps after the provider leaves: reliable, documented measurement, accounts and data in its possession, SEO positions, content, an email list, audiences, skills passed on to the team. A service with no lasting value creates a dependency and is expensive to replace.