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By the third pitch meeting, most agency proposals look the same: a list of services, client logos and a monthly fee. What separates them rarely appears on page one: who does the work, how results are measured, and who keeps your ad accounts if you part ways.
If you are comparing digital marketing companies in Riyadh, the nine checks below help you test a proposal before a retainer commits you for months. Each covers what to ask for and what to watch out for.
- See whether they ask about your numbers first
A capable agency asks how your business makes money before recommending channels: deal size or order value, margins, sales cycle length, lead-handling capacity and customer lifetime value. Without those answers, it cannot set a realistic target for cost per lead or customer acquisition cost (CAC).
Red flag: a channel mix and a fee arrive before anyone has asked about your sales process.
- Test the case studies instead of just reading them
Results on an agency’s website are claims, not evidence. Ask for two or three examples close to your sector, and question each:
- What was the starting point, and over what period was the result achieved?
- What did the agency control: only the ads, or also the website, offer and follow-up?
- Which tool measured the result?
- Can you speak to that client?
A percentage without a baseline or source tells you little.
- Meet the people who will run your account
The senior team in the pitch is not always the team on the account. Ask for names, roles and how many other accounts each person manages. Also ask who writes Arabic copy: translating English ads is not the same as writing for Saudi audiences.
- Agree on what counts as a result before launch
A “lead” can mean any form submission, including spam and wrong numbers. Put these definitions in writing:
- What qualifies as a lead
- How CAC and return on ad spend (ROAS) will be calculated
- Which data source wins when platforms disagree
- How often you will receive reports
ROAS compares revenue with ad spend only, so it does not show profit. Ask for a sample report; if it is mostly impressions and clicks, you will probably get the same after signing. For real estate, education and B2B, check whether the agency can work with your CRM, so campaigns are judged on leads that progress, not leads that arrive.
- Check the tracking plan before the creative
Ask who will audit and set up measurement:
- GA4 conversion events
- Ad platform pixels or conversion APIs
- Call tracking and WhatsApp enquiry tracking
- CRM feedback on which leads became customers
If tracking is weak, every report built on it will be too.
- Make sure you own your accounts and data
Ad accounts, analytics properties, pixels, audiences and creative files should be held in your company’s name, with the agency given access. Ask for admin access from day one and a written handover process.
Red flag: “We run everything through our own account.” If you leave, your history and data may stay behind.
- Separate the retainer fee from everything else
Proposals only become comparable when costs are split out:
| Cost | What to confirm |
| Retainer or management fee | Which work, channels and meetings it covers |
| Media spend | Whether you pay platforms directly, and whether any markup applies |
| Creative production | Number of assets, video, rounds of revisions |
| Landing pages and development | Included, or quoted separately |
| Tools and software | Who pays, and whose name the licence is in |
Red flag: no written list of what is out of scope.
- Ask how they handle Saudi compliance
Local experience should show in how an agency handles regulation, not just its address. A digital marketing agency in Riyadh working in your sector should be able to explain:
- Customer data and consent. Saudi Arabia’s Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL) and its implementing regulation require consent before personal data is used for marketing, clear identification of the sender and an easy way to opt out. Anti-spam and e-commerce rules may also apply. Ask how consent is collected and recorded, and how the agency will track changes the Saudi Data & AI Authority (SDAIA) has proposed to these rules.
- Real estate. Under current rules from the Real Estate General Authority (REGA), property advertisements generally need a REGA advertising licence, with the licence number shown on the ad across all channels, including social media.
- Healthcare. The Ministry of Health restricts how practitioners and private health facilities can advertise, and medical device advertising needs approval from the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) before publication.
- Influencers. Influencers paid to advertise in Saudi Arabia generally need a Mawthooq licence from the national media regulator.
This is not legal advice.
Red flag: assurances that everything is “fully compliant”, with no explanation of how.
- Read the contract for the exit, not just the start
Check term length, auto-renewal, notice period and how scope changes are priced. Termination terms should cover account access, data exports and creative files. A pilot can reduce risk if its length suits your sales cycle: sixty days says little about a property sale that takes six months to close.
Choosing between proposals
The strongest proposal is rarely the longest. Favour the one that asks about your economics, defines results in your terms, keeps accounts in your name and itemises its costs. How an agency handles these questions tells you a lot before you sign.
Frequently asked questions
How do you evaluate digital marketing companies in Riyadh?
Judge them on evidence, not presentation. Check that the agency asks about your sales economics, backs case studies with baselines, names your account team, agrees KPIs and tracking before launch, keeps ad accounts in your name, separates its fee from media spend, understands Saudi rules for your sector and offers fair exit terms.
What should a digital marketing retainer include?
A written scope covering the channels managed, deliverables and their frequency, reporting, meetings and the named team. Media spend, creative production, landing pages and tools should be priced separately, with a clear list of what is out of scope.
Does a Google Partner badge mean an agency will get good results?
Not on its own. It shows an agency meets Google’s thresholds for managed ad spend, certified account strategists and account performance, not that it delivers results in your sector. Confirm status in Google’s own Partners directory rather than relying on a logo.
How soon can I judge whether a new agency is working?
It depends on your sales cycle. Agree early indicators, such as cost per qualified lead, and judge revenue over a period that matches how long customers take to buy.
Should I hire a full-service digital agency in Riyadh or a specialist?
Start from the gap you need filled. If the problem is paid acquisition, a specialist with strong evidence in that channel may suit you. If several channels must work together, a full-service team can reduce coordination. Apply the same checks either way.