How to Choose a Facebook Ads Agency: A Buyer's Checklist
To choose a Facebook ads agency, check its claimed clients in the free Meta Ad Library, ask how it tests creative and reports results, and confirm that you will own the ad account in your own Business Manager. Walk away from any agency that guarantees ROAS, insists on running your ads from its account, or wants a long lock-in before it has proven anything.
This is the checklist we would use as in-house media buyers hiring outside help. It takes an afternoon and it saves months of regret.
How do you choose a Facebook ads agency?
Most agency pitches look the same. Logos, a screenshot of a ROAS chart, a case study with a big percentage, and a confident call.
None of that is verifiable on its own. So the method here is simple: verify the work, not the deck.
You do it in four passes:
- Check the claimed clients in the Meta Ad Library.
- Ask questions that reveal how the agency actually works.
- Look for the red flags that predict a bad relationship.
- Lock down account ownership before anyone spends a cent.
- 1Shortlist agenciesThree to five that work in your niche
- 2Check the Ad LibraryAre claimed clients running ads now
- 3Ask hard questionsTesting, reporting, creative volume
- 4Check red flagsGuarantees, lock-ins, account ownership
- 5Start a trial periodShort notice, your own ad account
How can the Meta Ad Library verify an agency's claimed clients?
This is the step almost nobody does, and it is the most useful one. The Meta Ad Library at facebook.com/ads/library is free, needs no login, and shows every active ad from any advertiser on Facebook and Instagram.
Take the client logos from the agency's site or deck. Search each brand by name in the library, set the country to where that brand sells, and look at what is running today.
Here is what to check for each claimed client:
| What to check | Where you see it | What a good sign looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Is the brand advertising at all? | Search results for the brand's Page | Active ads running right now |
| How many ads are live? | The results count at the top | A healthy number, not one or two stale ads |
| How long have ads run? | "Started running on" on each card | Several ads live for weeks or months |
| Creative volume | New start dates over recent weeks | Fresh ads appearing regularly |
| Creative variety | Formats across the cards | A mix of video, static and carousel, several angles |
| Platforms | Platform icons on each card | Facebook and Instagram used deliberately |
Longevity is the signal that matters most. Advertisers keep paying only for ads that work, so ads that have run for many weeks are usually winners. We explain why in our guide to Facebook ad longevity.
Volume tells you about the agency's process. An account with one ad that has run for a year and nothing new is coasting. An account with a steady stream of new creatives, plus a few long-running survivors, is being actively tested. Our walkthrough on how many ads a competitor is running shows how to read those counts.
What if a claimed client has no live ads?
It is not automatically a lie. The client may have paused for a season, moved budget elsewhere, or left the agency on good terms.
But if most of the logos on a site show nothing running, ask about it directly. A good agency will tell you which clients are current and which are past work.
What questions should you ask a Facebook ads agency?
Good questions force a specific answer. Vague answers to specific questions are your best early warning.
On creative
- How many new creatives do you produce and test each month, and who makes them?
- How do you decide which angles to test first?
- Show me two ads you launched for a client that failed, and what you learned.
On testing and structure
- How do you structure campaigns for an account at our spend level?
- What is your rule for killing an ad or an angle?
- How do you handle creative fatigue when a winner starts to slip?
On reporting
- What numbers will you report weekly, and from where?
- Do you report platform ROAS only, or our actual revenue and margin too?
- Who on your team will I talk to each week?
On the relationship
- What is the notice period, and what happens to our assets if we leave?
- Who owns the creatives you produce for us?
- How do you charge: a monthly retainer, a percentage of spend, or a mix?
The best Facebook ads agency for you answers the creative questions with examples and the reporting questions with your business numbers, not just what Ads Manager says.
What are the red flags when you vet a Facebook ads agency?
The best Facebook advertising agency on paper is not always a safe one. Some warning signs are subtle. These are not.
| Red flag | Why it matters | What to ask for instead |
|---|---|---|
| Ads run from the agency's own ad account | You lose your history, data and pixel learning if you part ways | Your own ad account, with partner access for the agency |
| Guaranteed ROAS or guaranteed sales | Nobody controls the auction, your product or your site | A testing plan with clear decision rules |
| Long lock-in before results | You pay for months whether it works or not | A short initial term with a reasonable notice period |
| No access to your own account | You cannot check their work | Full admin access for you at all times |
| Only platform ROAS in reports | Platform attribution can overstate results | Reports tied to your store revenue and margin |
| Claimed clients with no live ads | The portfolio may be out of date | A current client list and a reference call |
| One creative style across every client | Usually means a template, not research | Evidence of angle testing per brand |
Of all of these, ad account ownership is the one to never compromise on. A lock-in costs you money. Losing your ad account costs you years of data.
Who should own the ad account, Page and pixel?
You should. Your company's Business Manager should own the ad account, the Facebook Page, the Instagram account, the pixel and the verified domain. The agency gets partner access to those assets through its own Business Manager.
That way, if the relationship ends, you remove the partner and keep everything. Your campaign history, your audiences and your pixel data stay with you.
If the agency asks for your personal Facebook login, or offers to "set it all up in our account to save time," say no. Our guide on running Facebook ads for clients covers the correct setup from the agency's side, and Business Manager vs Ads Manager explains which tool owns what.
How do Facebook ads agencies usually charge?
Whether you hire a large Facebook ads company or a two-person shop, most charge a monthly retainer, a percentage of ad spend, or a mix of both. Some add a separate fee for creative production.
Each model has trade-offs. A percentage of spend can reward an agency for raising your budget rather than your profit. A flat retainer is predictable but can encourage doing the minimum.
Whatever the model, make sure you know exactly what is included: how many creatives, how many campaigns, how often you meet, and who does the work. A top Facebook ad agency will put this in writing without being asked twice.
Should you check your own competitors before hiring?
Yes, and it makes you a much better buyer. Before any sales call, spend an hour looking at what your direct competitors are running in the Ad Library.
You will walk in knowing which angles and formats dominate your category. Then you can ask each agency what it would test against those ads, and hear whether it has done any homework. Our guide on how to see competitors' Facebook ads walks through it step by step.
An agency that has already looked at your market before the first call is showing you how it will work once you hire it.
FAQ
How do I know if a Facebook ads agency is good?
Check its claimed clients in the free Meta Ad Library and look for live, long-running ads with steady new creative. Then ask how it tests creative and what it reports, and ask for a reference call with a current client.
Should a Facebook ads agency own my ad account?
No. Your own Business Manager should own the ad account, Page, Instagram account and pixel, and the agency should get partner access. That way you keep your data and history if the relationship ends.
How do Facebook ads agencies charge?
Most charge a monthly retainer, a percentage of ad spend, or a combination, sometimes with a separate creative fee. Get the scope in writing so you know how many creatives and campaigns are included.
What questions should I ask a Facebook ads agency?
Ask how many new creatives it tests each month, what its rule is for killing an ad, what it reports beyond platform ROAS, and what happens to your assets if you leave. Ask every agency the same questions so you can compare answers.
Can I see which agency runs a brand's Facebook ads?
Not from the Meta Ad Library. It shows the advertiser's Page and its active ads, but not the agency behind them. Use the library to confirm a claimed client is actively advertising, then ask the agency or the client to confirm the relationship.
How long should a Facebook ads agency contract be?
Prefer a short initial term with a reasonable notice period, so the agency has to earn the renewal with results. Be wary of long lock-ins signed before any testing has happened.
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