What does a digital marketing agency do? Services, fees and 10 questions to ask before you hire one
What a digital marketing agency does, what it offers and how it charges, from an Istanbul team that has worked with 200+ brands, plus 10 questions.
A digital marketing agency is the team that runs the work that gets a brand found, chosen and bought online. It sets the strategy, produces content, runs Google and Meta ads, builds the website and the tracking behind it, and reports on results every month. A good agency is not “the company that posts for us”; it is the team that turns the budget you put into digital channels into enquiries and sales.
At BEF Agency we have worked with more than 200 brands in Istanbul since 2020, and we currently manage 96 active ad accounts. This article explains what a digital marketing agency actually does, which services it offers, how fees are set in Türkiye and which questions to ask before you sign.
Short answer: A digital marketing agency handles social media management, Google and Meta advertising, websites and e-commerce, SEO, photo and video production, and reporting. It usually charges a fixed monthly fee; the ad budget is not part of that fee and is paid directly to the ad platforms.
What is a digital marketing agency?
A digital marketing agency is a service business that takes over a brand’s online marketing. You will come across three kinds:
- Full-service agencies keep strategy, content, ads, web and production in one team. For businesses without an in-house marketing team, this is the most practical model.
- Specialist agencies do only performance ads, only social media, only SEO or only production. Brands with their own marketing team use them for depth in one channel.
- Freelancer networks give each job to a different freelancer. They are cheap to start with, but the coordination lands on the brand.
The services of a digital marketing agency
The table sums up what a full-service agency takes on and when you need each part.
| Service | What it involves | When you need it |
|---|---|---|
| Social media management | Content plan, design, Reels and video, posting, comment and DM management, monthly report | When the brand has to show up every week |
| Digital advertising | Google, Meta and TikTok campaigns, targeting, creative tests, conversion tracking, daily optimisation | When you need demand and sales quickly |
| Web design and development | Company website, landing pages, speed and technical SEO | When ad and search traffic needs a trustworthy place to land |
| E-commerce | Store setup, payment and shipping integrations, catalogue and shopping ads | When you start or grow online sales |
| SEO and AI search | Technical SEO, content, Google Business Profile, structured data | For long-term traffic that doesn’t depend on ads |
| Photo and video production | Product and venue shoots, Reels, promotional and ad films | When content quality limits ad results |
| Models and talent | Casting, set coordination, usage rights | When a shoot needs faces |
| Measurement and reporting | Google Analytics 4, Meta Pixel, Conversions API, monthly report | Always: what isn’t measured can’t be managed |
How does working with an agency work?
Agencies name their processes differently, but a working partnership usually goes through four stages. This is how they look at BEF:
- Discovery and strategy (week 1): brand, market and competitor analysis; goals turned into measurable KPIs and a 90-day roadmap.
- Production and setup (weeks 2–3): shoot plan and content calendar, photo and video production, ad accounts, pixels and conversion tracking set up.
- Launch and optimisation (every day): campaigns go live and are checked daily; A/B tests move the budget to the ads that work.
- Reporting and growth (every month): a plain monthly report shows what is working; winners are scaled and new channels planned.
How do digital marketing agencies charge?
In Türkiye, agency fees follow one of four models:
- Fixed monthly fee (retainer): the most common model, typical for social media and ad management. For current market ranges see our guide to social media management costs in Turkey.
- Project fee: for one-off work such as websites, store setups and shoots. See website costs in Istanbul and video production costs in Istanbul.
- Percentage of ad spend: some performance agencies charge a share of the monthly ad budget. In price lists published in September 2026 this share ranges from 10% to 15%.
- Performance-based fee: payment per sale or lead. Attractive on paper, but it needs undisputed tracking, which is why it is rare.
Whatever the model, the ad budget is separate from the agency fee and is paid directly to Google, Meta or TikTok. How taxes work on those ad invoices in Türkiye is explained in our guides to Google Ads costs and Instagram ads costs.
10 questions to ask before you hire a digital marketing agency
- In whose name will the ad accounts, pixel and analytics be opened? The right answer: in your own business account, with the agency given partner access. It is a decision you can’t undo later: according to Meta’s help centre, an ad account created inside a business portfolio can’t be moved to another portfolio (Meta), and pixels and datasets can’t be transferred either (Meta). In Google Ads an account has one owner, and a manager account that creates an account automatically becomes its owner (Google). If the agency opens the accounts, you can lose years of data when you part ways.
- What exactly does the monthly fee include? Number of posts and videos, shoot days, revisions, ad management and reporting should all be written down.
- Who will work on our account? The person in the sales meeting may not be the person doing the work. Ask for names.
- Which metrics will you report? Likes and reach say little on their own. Enquiries, sales, costs and return on ad spend (ROAS) belong in the report.
- Do you have work in our sector? A cafe, a clinic and an online store don’t speak the same language. Asking for similar work is fair.
- Who produces the content? Are shoots and design done in-house or outsourced? Outsourcing adds time and cost every time.
- How long is the contract and how do we exit? How accounts, files and raw footage are handed over if you part ways should be agreed up front.
- What can we expect in the first 90 days? A serious agency answers with a roadmap, not a promise.
- How will we communicate? Report day, meeting rhythm and an emergency contact should be clear.
- Do you guarantee results? Walk away from an agency that says yes. Google’s own guide is blunt: “No one can guarantee a #1 ranking on Google” (Google Search Central). Ads are no different: results depend on the auction, the competition and the quality of the ad. What can be guaranteed is a transparent process and regular reporting, not the outcome.
Red flags
- Opening the ad account in the agency’s name, or telling you the account isn’t yours
- Promises such as “guaranteed first place on Google” or “10,000 followers in a month”
- Presenting bought followers or likes as a strategy
- Reports made only of screenshots, without numbers
- Long contracts with penalties and no clear exit
Agency, in-house team or freelancer?
| Agency | In-house team | Freelancer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Monthly fee; no salaries or equipment | Salaries, social security, software and equipment | Lowest starting cost |
| Breadth of skills | Ads, content, web and production together | Limited by team size | Usually one skill |
| Speed | Established process, fast start | Hiring and training take time | Depends on one person’s availability |
| Continuity | Service continues if people change | Knowledge leaves with the employee | Dependence on one person |
| Control | Through the contract and reports | Highest | Low |
In practice, the best results often come from a hybrid: one person inside the business who owns the work, and an agency outside that runs production and ads.
How we work at BEF Agency
Our 11-person team in Bağcılar, Istanbul keeps strategy, ads, software, design and video production under one roof. We shoot in our own studio in Yıldıztepe and cast from the 500+ models of BEF Model. Across the 96 active ad accounts we manage, average ROAS in Q1 2026 was 3.2x; on the 47 accounts whose social media we run, organic engagement rose by an average of 38% in the first 90 days (Instagram and TikTok, January–March 2026). Meet the team on our about page or get in touch for a first call.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a digital marketing agency charge?
There is no single price; it depends on the service. According to the price lists Turkish agencies published on their own sites in September 2026, social media management costs TRY 8,600–80,000 a month, Google Ads management alone starts at TRY 4,000 a month and reaches TRY 75,000 for large accounts and TRY 85,000 in competitive sectors such as healthcare, and company websites cost TRY 4,900–125,000 as a one-off project. The ad budget is never included.
Is the ad budget included in the agency fee?
No. The ad budget is paid directly to Google, Meta or TikTok, which invoice the advertiser. The agency fee pays for managing that budget and producing the content.
How soon will we see results?
Ad campaigns produce their first data within days; getting the budget to work efficiently usually takes a few weeks of testing. SEO takes longer. Technical fixes and new content usually take months to show in search results, which is why SEO belongs next to advertising, not instead of it.
Should a small business work with an agency?
Yes, if nobody inside the business can run digital marketing consistently. For small businesses the most efficient start is one channel (usually Instagram or Google) with a clear goal, expanding as results come in.
What is a sensible minimum contract length?
Ninety days is a reasonable first evaluation: the first month for setup and production, the next two for testing and improvement. Even so, a contract that allows monthly cancellation keeps the agency focused on results.
