What to Look for in a Digital Agency (And Red Flags to Avoid)

There Are a Lot of "Agencies" Out There

A quick Google search for "digital agency" returns thousands of results — from one-person freelancers calling themselves agencies to large firms with 50+ employees. Knowing how to evaluate them before you spend a dollar is the most valuable thing you can do.

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What a Good Digital Agency Actually Delivers

A legitimate digital agency should be able to show you:

A portfolio of real, live work — not mockups, not "coming soon" pages. Real URLs you can visit.

A defined process — how long does a project take? What do you need to provide? What happens if you need changes?

Clear pricing — flat-rate or detailed estimates. Vague "it depends" answers without a range are a red flag.

Communication standards — who is your point of contact? How fast do they respond?

Post-launch support — what happens after the site goes live? Is there a maintenance plan?

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Green Flags

• They ask questions before quoting — a good agency wants to understand your business, your customers, and your goals before naming a price.
• They have a niche or specialty — agencies that say they do everything for everyone usually do nothing exceptionally well.
• Their own website is excellent — if an agency's own site looks outdated or generic, that's a preview of what they'll build for you.
• They set realistic timelines — a 7-day turnaround for a simple site is achievable. A 7-day turnaround for a custom SaaS platform is a lie.

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Red Flags

• No portfolio or only mockups — if they can't show you live client work, they don't have it.
• Extremely low prices with no explanation — $99 websites exist, but they're built on templates with no customization and no support.
• Long contracts with no exit clause — reputable agencies don't need to lock you in for 12 months.
• They don't mention SEO — a beautiful website that nobody can find is a waste of money.
• Slow to respond before you've paid — if they're slow before the sale, imagine after.

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Questions to Ask Before Signing

Can I see 3 recent client sites you've built?

What's included in the quoted price, and what costs extra?

Who owns the website and domain after launch?

What's your revision policy?

Do you offer ongoing support, and what does it cost?

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Why Boutique Agencies Often Win

Large agencies have overhead — account managers, project managers, layers of approval. A boutique agency like Gastronex keeps the team lean, which means faster delivery, direct communication, and lower prices without sacrificing quality.

See our work and pricing →