What Should an Advertising Agency Actually Do for Your Business?

The short answer

A good advertising agency should do five things for your business. It should build a strategy tied to your revenue goals, put your ads in front of the people most likely to buy, create work that makes them stop and act, manage the campaign every week, and show you honest results.

If your agency can't explain how it does each of those, you're paying for activity. Not growth.

I've spent 30 years working with business owners. My career before founding Blonde Girl TV included work with Amazon, Home Depot and UPS, and helping 1-800-GOT-JUNK franchise owners in Alaska with their marketing. I've sat across the table from a lot of local owners who were paying for advertising and getting very little back. I've been on the selling side, the buying side and the creative side. Here's what you should expect from an agency, and what to watch out for.

1. Strategy: start with what the ad is supposed to accomplish

Strategy comes before a single ad runs. A good agency's first question isn't "what do you want the ad to say?" It's "what has to happen in your business for this to be worth the money?"

In 2018, while I was at The Denver Post, Amazon came to us wanting one $5,000 Sunday display ad. When I asked what the ad was for, the real goal came out. They needed 130 hires in the Denver market, and 30 of those roles required top-level security clearance.

One newspaper ad was never going to do that. So I pitched a full recruitment campaign built around a live hiring event in the Post's own building. Applicants got free parking, and Amazon flew in recruiters to interview people on the spot. All 130 roles were filled, including all 30 cleared positions.

That's the difference strategy makes. The client asked for an ad. What they needed was an outcome.

A real strategy should cover:

• The business goal, in numbers. Calls, booked appointments, hires, sales. If awareness is the goal, define who you want to reach and how you'll measure it.
• What you're already spending, and what it's getting you. A good agency reviews your current SEO and advertising before adding anything new. Most owners I meet are leaking money somewhere.
• The channel mix. Which mix of streaming TV, web display, search, social and events fits your buyer and budget.
• A timeline and a budget that match the goal. If the budget can't reach the goal, you should hear that up front.

Sometimes the honest strategy is that advertising isn't the problem. I've had to tell clients their website's back end was broken, and no ad was going to fix that. An agency that tells you hard truths is worth more than one that tells you what you want to hear.

2. Audience selection: the right people, not the most people

Who sees your ad matters more than how many people see it. A million impressions in front of the wrong people is a very expensive way to feel busy.

Your agency should be able to describe your buyer in detail: where they live, what they need, and how they make a buying decision. Then it should explain the targeting available, its limitations, and how delivery will be checked.

Depending on your budget, audience and available inventory, that might include:

• Streaming TV advertising. Household and geographic targeting can help focus delivery on potential customers. Ask which ad-supported services are actually included in the proposed buy; platform names, inventory and targeting are confirmed for each campaign.
• Display and video on relevant websites. Reach an intended audience across news, lifestyle or industry sites, with clear placement standards and reporting.
• Geofencing. Location-based campaigns can help reach an audience associated with a relevant area or event, subject to data availability, permissions and platform rules. They don't identify every visitor or guarantee a sale.
• Search and AI visibility. When someone searches for a business like yours, useful, accessible website content helps them evaluate you. No agency can guarantee a Google ranking or inclusion in an AI answer.

When I evaluate a campaign, the first thing I check is the targeting. It's usually where the money is quietly leaking. Ask your agency one simple question: "Who exactly will see this, and how do you know?" A vague answer is a red flag.

3. Creative: work that gets noticed and remembered

Creative is the ad itself. The commercial, the display banner, the social video, the jingle. Great targeting puts you in front of the right person. Great creative is what makes them stop and remember your name.

I've worked both sides of the camera. I've written and produced commercials, and I've been on-camera talent in a national campaign for a sporting brand. Here's what I've learned good creative needs:

• One clear message. Not five. What's the one thing you want people to remember?
• A hook in the first few seconds. On streaming and social, you have almost no time before attention drifts.
• A reason to act. Every ad should tell people what to do next and make it easy.
• A fit for the channel. A 30-second TV spot, a six-second video and a web banner are different jobs. A good agency builds for each one.
• Consistency. Your logo, colors, voice and sound should feel the same everywhere, so every ad builds on the last one.

AI tools can reduce production time and costs for suitable projects. The actual scope still matters: scripting, revisions, footage, music, usage rights and delivery requirements all affect the price. Review commercial and video production options before assuming that an inexpensive video will do the job.

One more thing: agree on creative ownership and usage rights in writing. Know which finished assets you own, whether source files are included, and which music, stock footage or other materials are licensed. If you leave the agency, you should understand what you can keep using and for how long.

4. Campaign management: the weekly work you don't see

Launching a campaign is the easy part. Managing it is where results are won or lost. A good agency treats your campaign like something alive, not something it set up once and billed for every month.

Campaign management should include:

• Smart media buying. Compare placements, audience access, fees and reporting across the options that fit your business. A buying platform is a tool, not proof of better results or a lower price.
• Watching frequency. Too few views and nobody remembers you. Too many and people get annoyed.
• Regular adjustments. Review performance weekly and shift budget when there is enough evidence to justify a change. Avoid reacting to every small fluctuation.
• Testing. Try new headlines, offers and creative so the campaign keeps getting better instead of going stale.
• Clear communication. You should know what changed and why, without having to chase anyone.

Home Depot was my client for 10 years during my earlier career. You don't keep a client like that with one great launch. You keep them by showing up every week, paying attention, and fixing problems before they cost money.

Also ask how the agency gets paid. A percentage of media spend, a monthly retainer and project fees are all common arrangements. What matters is that you know exactly where every dollar goes.

5. Measuring results: real numbers, not pretty reports

The results that matter most are the ones that show up in your business: qualified calls, booked appointments, customers and revenue. Delivery and engagement metrics help explain how a campaign is performing, but they don't establish sales on their own.

Many reports are built to impress, not to inform. They lead with impressions, clicks and likes because those numbers are always big. I've seen hyped analytics, faulty data and old tactics dressed up as something new. More than once I've had to tell a client that a competing vendor's pitch was built on bad numbers.

Here are examples of supporting metrics and business outcomes to discuss. These are separate measures, not one-to-one conversions:

A good agency will:

1. Set a baseline before launch, so you can see what actually changed.
2. Set up agreed tracking for your website, phone calls and bookings.
3. Report in plain English, at least monthly, with what worked, what didn't and what's changing next.
4. Connect spend to outcomes wherever the available data supports it, and explain attribution gaps rather than inventing certainty.

If an agency can't connect your spend to real business results, ask why. Our guide to understanding advertising results explains what to look for before trusting a report.

Questions to ask any advertising agency

Before you sign anything, or if you're wondering whether your current agency is earning its fee, ask these:

Frequently asked questions

What does an advertising agency do?

An advertising agency plans, creates, places and manages ads for a business. A good one builds a strategy around your goals, targets the right audience, produces the creative, buys and manages the media, and reports on business results.

How much does an advertising agency cost?

Agencies may charge a percentage of media spend, a monthly retainer, project fees, or a mix. Ask for every fee in writing and how it relates to the work being done. Separate the media budget from production and management costs.

How long does it take to see results?

You may see delivery and engagement data soon after launch. Qualified inquiries and sales depend on the offer, budget, buying cycle, audience and measurement. Agree on review dates and success criteria before launch instead of accepting a universal deadline or guaranteed return.

Can a small business afford TV advertising?

Some can. Local streaming campaigns and appropriately scoped production can make TV advertising practical for smaller businesses. Ask for a proposal covering media, production, management and expected delivery. Start with our guide to planning a streaming TV budget.

Should my advertising agency handle SEO too?

It should at least evaluate how search visibility and the website fit the campaign. Your ads and your search presence work together. If people see an ad and then struggle to find you or understand your offer, you can lose the inquiry. Your agency can provide that work or coordinate with an SEO specialist.

What you should expect

An advertising agency should help your business grow, and it should show you the evidence. Strategy, audience, creative, management and measurement aren't extras. They're the job.

I started Blonde Girl TV Productions because I've seen too many business owners overcharged and under-served by their marketing vendors. My approach is simple. Find where your money is leaking, fix it, and put your business in front of the right people through media that fits the goal.

If you'd like a second opinion on what you're spending now, start with a free 20-minute clarity call. A detailed marketing audit is a paid service with an agreed scope. You can also explore advertising and media placement services or learn more about Andie.

Based in Kennewick, Washington, Blonde Girl TV works directly with businesses in Kennewick, Pasco and Richland on advertising, commercial production and marketing strategy.

Let's talk.

Andie Leonie Howard is the founder of Blonde Girl TV Productions. She has 30 years of experience in advertising, sales and media. Her earlier career included work with Amazon, Home Depot and UPS.