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Buyer's guides for choosing a marketing agency

Each guide gives you the questions to ask, what a good answer sounds like, what agencies charge in 2026, and what we found when we audited the 100 agencies on Google's first page for 30 agency searches.1 Start with the general guide, then add your trade's.

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100agencies audited from Google's first page for 30 agency searches across four trades and home services in general.Isoline page-one audit, Oct 20261
59%of "best agency" lists on page 1 ranked their own publisher #1.Isoline page-one audit, Oct 20261
19%of agencies on page 1 led with booked jobs or revenue as the result.Isoline page-one audit, Oct 20261

The guides

Choosing a home services marketing agencyThe 12 questions for any trade, five steps, real prices and how to read "best agency" lists.Start here Choosing an HVAC marketing agencyRepairs versus replacements, shoulder seasons, memberships and 2026 equipment prices.10 questions Choosing a plumbing marketing agencyAfter-hours calls, LSA cost per booked job and job mix.10 questions Choosing a pest control marketing agencyCost per recurring customer, routes and seasons.10 questions Choosing a garage door marketing agencyFake listings, advanced verification and booking rate.10 questions

Protecting your Google listing

Google Business Profile suspended?Why home service profiles get suspended, the multi-listing trap, and Google's appeal steps.7 steps

The research and free tools behind them

How we use this research with clients: our method.

Free Map ScanYour main money search on a 49-point grid across your service area, who wins each spot, and the one fix most likely to move it. Back in 2 business days.Free, one pageWhat more calls are worthMove three sliders (extra calls, booking rate, average ticket) to see what better marketing has to produce to pay for itself.Calculator, 30 secondsThe Three-Mile MapHow far 138 Charlotte-area companies reach on Google Maps and in AI answers, by trade and by distance from the shop.Free study, CC BY 4.0The page-one auditWhat the 100 agencies ranking for these searches say they deliver, what they charge, and how their "best agency" lists are built.Free study

Bring your own map to every agency pitch

One page, back in 2 business days. If your map looks good, we'll tell you that too.

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