How to Choose a Digital Marketing Agency in Sri Lanka: 10 Questions to Ask

Short answer: choose an agency that can show real results for businesses like yours, explains its work in plain language, reports on enquiries rather than just traffic, and lets you keep ownership of your website and accounts. Ask the ten questions below before you sign anything.

Most business owners in Sri Lanka hire an agency on trust and a good pitch, then find out six months later that the "SEO" was a monthly report full of graphs and no new calls. You can avoid that with the right questions up front.

1. Can you show me results for a business like mine?

Ask for examples in your industry or a similar one, with the before and after. Real numbers, real screenshots, and permission to speak to the client if possible. Be careful of agencies that only show awards or follower counts.

2. What exactly will you do each month?

A good answer is a list: pages written, technical fixes, reviews requested, posts published. "We will optimise your presence" is not an answer.

3. How will you measure success?

The right answer mentions calls, WhatsApp messages, form enquiries and sales. Rankings and traffic matter, but only as steps toward those.

4. Who will actually do the work?

Will a senior person plan it, or is it passed to a junior or outsourced overseas? Ask to meet the person who will run your account.

5. Do you handle AI search as well as Google?

Customers now ask ChatGPT and Gemini for recommendations. Ask how the agency gets businesses named in those answers. This is called GEO or AEO, and it is now part of being found.

6. Who owns the website, content and accounts?

You should. Your domain, website, Google Business Profile, ad accounts and photos should be in your name, with the agency added as a user.

7. How long until I see results?

An honest agency gives a range, not a promise. Anyone who guarantees first place on Google is either guessing or using tactics that can get you penalised.

8. Where do the photos and videos come from?

Stock images make every business look the same. Ask whether they can shoot real photos of your team, place and products.

9. How often will we talk, and what will the report show?

Monthly is normal. The report should be short and readable: what was done, what changed, and what is next.

10. What happens if I want to leave?

Check the notice period and what you get to keep. A confident agency does not need to trap you.

What are the red flags?

Guaranteed rankings, very cheap packages with no clear work list, no access to your own accounts, and reports you cannot understand.

We built GrowthChord to answer these questions well: one team for SEO, AI search, websites and photography, with reports on enquiries. Start with a free growth audit and judge us on what we find.