Content marketing agency selection checklist

What to take away

Treat a content marketing agency pitch as a claim to be tested, not evidence: ask for the underlying data and the date it was collected.
Check the agency against the rules that bind you, including the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003 for email, SMS and cookie consent.
Use the ONS Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS) for dated information on business conditions; use data suited to the specific market-size claim.
Ask how the agency uses AI in drafting, and whether its approach fits the UK government's pro-innovation AI regulation position.
Score every supplier on the same checklist before you compare prices.

Why a checklist beats a pitch

A pitch is designed to be persuasive. A checklist is designed to be repeatable. If you score five agencies on the same ten questions, you can defend the decision to a finance director or a board.

The ten questions to ask

Which dated dataset supports each market-size or demand claim, and what geography and period does it cover?
What evidence supports the agency's claims about relevant work and results?
Which PECR rules and ICO guidance apply to the proposed email, SMS and cookie activity?
What consent wording will be used, where are consent records stored, and can they be exported if you leave?
What lawful basis under UK GDPR applies to personal-data processing, and who handles data-subject requests?
Which AI tools does the agency use for drafting, research or image generation?
Is client data used to train those AI tools?
Who reviews AI-assisted output before publication, and how are claims checked or AI use disclosed?
What are the minimum term and notice period, and what access to content, accounts and analytics do you retain on exit?
What reporting cadence, metrics and approval steps are included, and is media spend billed at cost or marked up?

The checklist also protects you later. When a retainer drifts, you can point to the agreed standards rather than argue about memory. Our guide to content agencies reviews and comparison methods for 2027 sets out how to build that scoring frame before you shortlist. Keep the completed sheet after you decide, because it becomes the brief for onboarding.

Before and after the checklist

Before: what buyers usually do

Evidence: Accept a slide with a market size figure
Consent: Assume the agency handles it
AI use: No question asked
Pricing: Compare day rates only
Exit: No plan

After: what the checklist changes

Evidence: Ask for the source, the date and the geography
Consent: Check email, SMS and cookie consent against PECR
AI use: Ask which tools touch client drafts and who reviews output
Pricing: Compare scope, outputs and reporting cadence
Exit: Agree data, assets and access handover in writing

Evidence and market claims

Every demand claim should be traceable. If an agency says your sector is growing, ask which dataset supports it and when it was published. For business counts by sector and location, the ONS publication UK business: activity, size and location is a useful starting point for UK market sizing. Check that its coverage and reference period fit the claim.

Is the market claim traceable?

Can agency explain number in one sentence?

Yes

Treat as a fact

Treat as illustrative example

For a small buyer, the test is simpler: can the agency explain the number in one sentence without hedging? If not, treat it as an illustrative example, not a fact.

Where a supplier quotes a growth rate for your sector, ask for the geography as well as the year. A UK-wide figure may say nothing about demand in your own city or region.

Consent and data rules

Any agency running email or SMS campaigns for you must help you comply with PECR. If it processes personal data, the UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018 also apply; check the ICO's guidance, including its Guide to PECR and guidance on cookies and similar technologies. PECR governs electronic marketing and the use of cookies and similar technologies, including when consent is required. See our guidance on consent and cookie banners and the soft opt-in for existing customers. Ask who owns the consent record and how it is exported if you leave. Keep a copy of the consent wording on every form, so you can show what a subscriber actually agreed to.

If the agency cannot describe the lawful basis under UK GDPR in plain words, that is a red flag. Record its answer in your checklist.

AI use and disclosure

UK policy on AI regulation has been moving toward a pro-innovation, context-based approach. In practice, that means asking practical questions rather than demanding a certificate.

Ask which tools the agency uses for drafting, research or image generation. Ask who reviews output before it reaches your brand. Ask whether client data is used for training. A one-page answer is enough.

Keep those answers on file. If the supplier changes tooling mid-contract, you want a record of what was promised when you signed.

Commercial terms to check

Minimum term and notice period.
What happens to content, accounts and analytics access on exit.
Whether media spend is billed at cost or marked up.
Reporting cadence and the metrics included.
Who approves claims before publication.

A team paying, for example, £3,500 a month should expect a named contact, a monthly report and a documented approval step. Ask whether the fee rises on renewal and by how much.

Scoring the shortlist

Score each agency from one to five on evidence, consent handling, AI disclosure, commercial clarity and exit terms. Weight evidence and exit terms highest, because they are hardest to fix later.

Write the weighting down before the scores arrive, so nobody adjusts it to suit a preferred supplier.

Two agencies with similar scores are not identical. Read the comments column before you decide. The pattern across scores usually matters more than the total.

Agencies to assess

Examples of content marketing agencies to investigate include Axonn, Brafton and Velocity Partners. These are examples, not rankings or endorsements; check each agency's current services and fit against your brief before shortlisting.

Common questions

How many agencies should I score?

Three to five is workable. Fewer gives you no comparison; more slows the process without improving the decision.

Should I ask for client references?

Yes, but ask what the agency would do differently on that account. The answer tells you more than the testimonial.

What if the agency refuses to answer the AI question?

Treat it as a gap, not a disqualification. Ask again in writing and note the response in your scoring sheet.

Does this checklist cover Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?

PECR applies across the UK. Some procurement and sector rules differ, so check the devolved guidance where it applies to your organisation.