Ownership and access
1. Whose name are the accounts in?
Your Google Ads, Meta Business, TikTok, LINE Official Account, GA4, Tag Manager and Search Console should be owned by your company, with the agency added as a user. If an agency insists on running ads from its own account, you lose the history and data when you leave.
2. Who owns the website, content and creative?
The contract should say that work you paid for — pages, copy, designs, videos — belongs to you, and that domain names are registered to your company.
Measurement and reporting
3. How will you define and track a conversion?
A good agency asks what a lead or sale is worth before talking about clicks. In Thailand, ask specifically how they will track LINE chats and phone calls, not only forms. Our cost-per-lead guide explains why.
4. Can I see a sample report?
Look for cost per qualified lead or per customer, not just impressions and clicks. Ask who writes the commentary and whether it explains why numbers changed.
5. How will you handle PDPA?
Thailand's PDPA affects tracking pixels, lead forms and LINE friend data. An agency that cannot explain its consent setup is creating risk for you. Background: PDPA for analytics.
People and language
6. Who will actually work on my account?
Meet them. Agencies are often sold by senior people and run by juniors; that can be fine if you know it in advance.
7. Who writes the Thai copy — and the English?
If you sell to Thai customers, the Thai copy should be written by a native speaker, not machine-translated. If your management reads English, reports should be clear in English too.
Evidence
8. What can you show me that I can verify?
Case studies with anonymous "Brand X" results are impossible to check. Live work you can look at, references you can call, or results in accounts you can see during a trial are better evidence. (Ours is a portfolio of websites we run ourselves.)
9. What would you not recommend for my business?
An agency that recommends every channel it sells is selling, not advising. Ask what they would skip and why.
Money and contracts
10. How are fees structured?
Common models are a fixed monthly retainer, a percentage of ad spend, a project fee, or performance-based pricing. Percentage-of-spend creates an incentive to spend more; fixed fees need a clear scope. Ask how media is billed and whether any platform rebates or commissions are passed through.
11. Does "outcome-based" pricing actually suit me?
Paying per lead or per sale sounds safe, but it depends on agreeing exactly what counts, who verifies it, and what happens with leads that do not convert. It works best when your tracking is already reliable and the agency controls most of the funnel.
12. What are the notice period and exit terms?
Look for a reasonable notice period, an obligation to hand over access and documentation, and no fees for "releasing" your own accounts. Also confirm practical points such as Thai tax invoices and how withholding tax on service fees will be handled with your accountant.
Red flags
- Guaranteed rankings or "page one in 30 days" promises.
- Reports that only show impressions, reach and clicks.
- Refusal to give you admin access to your own accounts.
- Long lock-in contracts for a first engagement.
- Reviews or case studies that cannot be traced to a real business.
A simple scoring sheet
| Question | Agency A | Agency B | Agency C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accounts in our name | |||
| Tracks LINE / calls / forms | |||
| Native Thai copywriting | |||
| PDPA consent plan | |||
| Verifiable evidence | |||
| Clear fee model and exit terms |
If you would like us to answer these twelve questions for your business, get in touch — or compare our services with whoever else you are talking to.