How to vet content agencies with a structured method for buying teams

What to take away

The inclusion criteria matter more than the ranking. Two providers can both look credible while one cannot evidence a single measurable outcome. Set your geography first: England-based delivery teams, or a named England office with account management in the same time zone. Then set your evidence bar and hold every provider to it.

This is a buying method, not a league table. It does not rank named agencies and it does not rely on tests run by this desk. It sets out the checks a buyer can run themselves, using documents the provider supplies.

Seven buying tests: England delivery and inclusion criteria; disqualifier screen; five-point weighted evidence score; CIM Diploma and ASA rulings check; Companies House or Charity Commission entity check; exit terms check; and reporting cadence check. Keep evidence to one page. A typical shortlist is three to five providers.

If you want the wider comparison framework behind these tests, the guide to content agencies reviews and comparison methods sets out how scoring, weighting and review evidence fit together before you shortlist.

Step 1: define what counts as a provider

Set inclusion criteria you can evidence

Write criteria you can check from a document. Delivery location, sector experience, minimum contract value and the named people who would actually do the work. Exclude any provider that will not name the account lead before contract. A provider that cannot state a minimum contract value is usually pricing the work after the pitch, which makes budget comparison unreliable.

Decide what disqualifies a provider

Common disqualifiers include no published complaints route, no professional indemnity cover, and case studies with no client permission. Ask for the insurance certificate rather than an assurance that cover exists. If a provider cannot show a named contact for a reference, treat the reference as unverified.

Step 2: score evidence and qualifications

Build a scoring sheet with weights

Score each provider out of five on four weighted lines: relevant sector work, measurable outcomes, team seniority and reporting quality. Weight measurable outcomes highest. A provider scoring well on presentation but poorly on outcomes should not advance. Keep the sheet to one page, because a long model invites re-weighting once the pitches are over.

Check training and compliance claims

Where a provider claims advanced professional marketing training, ask which qualification and who holds it. The Diploma in Professional & Digital Marketing from CIM is one recognised advanced qualification a buyer can verify by name. For regulated sectors, check advertising claims against published ASA rulings, which show how the advertising codes are enforced in practice.

Step 3: complete due diligence before signing

Verify the legal entity and its status

Match the trading name to a registered company, then check filing history and any charges. If the client is a charity or non-profit, use the Charity Commission register to confirm status and governance before you share sensitive material.

Agree exit terms and reporting cadence

Set notice periods, asset ownership and the handover pack you receive on exit. Name the pack format, such as source files and analytics access, so the exit is not renegotiated later.

Agree a reporting cadence in writing, with one named owner on each side. A short comparison of provider types before you negotiate can help you frame these terms, as covered in content agencies product comparison in England.

Common questions

How many providers should a shortlist contain?

Three to five is workable for most buying teams. Fewer than three limits comparison; more than five makes due diligence shallow. Keep the same scoring sheet for every provider.

Should I rank providers before due diligence?

No. Rank only after entity checks and reference calls are complete, because a strong pitch can sit behind a weak legal entity or an unverifiable reference. If two providers score identically, let the reference calls separate them.

What evidence should a reference call produce?

Ask for the brief, the measurable result and what went wrong. A reference that cannot describe a problem is usually a reference that has been managed rather than given.

Do these tests apply outside England?

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland share much of the same contract and advertising framework, but company law and charity registers differ in places. Check the relevant register for the client's jurisdiction.