How to choose a LinkedIn agency in India: 10 questions to ask first

Search for a LinkedIn agency in India and you'll find dozens that promise the same thing: thought leadership, growth, authority. The websites blur together. The difference shows up three months in, when you either have a voice people recognise or a feed full of posts that sound like everyone else's.

These are the ten questions we'd ask if we were hiring an agency ourselves. A good agency will answer every one of them without flinching.

1. Who will actually write my posts?

The most important question. At many agencies a senior person sells the work and a junior writer does it. Ask for the name of the person who'll write for you, and ask to talk to them before you sign.

2. How will you capture my voice?

Look for a real process: a long intake call, voice notes, a read through things you've written or said. If the answer is “we'll send you a questionnaire”, expect generic content.

3. Do you use automation for outreach or engagement?

Automated connection requests, comment pods and engagement groups can get accounts restricted and make you look like a spammer. The right answer is a flat no.

4. What happens before the first post?

A good agency starts with positioning: what you want to be known for and who you want to reach. If they want to start posting in week one without that, they're selling volume, not strategy.

5. Do I approve everything?

Nothing should go out under your name without your sign-off. Ask how approvals work and how long they take you each week.

6. What do you do beyond writing posts?

Posts are one part of LinkedIn. Ask whether they handle your profile, a newsletter, networking with the people who matter, collaborations and your company page, or whether you'll need other people for those.

7. What will you report on?

Followers and impressions are easy to report and easy to inflate. Ask whether they track inbound: the messages, introductions and opportunities that came from your presence. That's the number that matters.

8. Can I see real case studies?

Ask for specific before and after examples with numbers and timeframes. Names may be confidential, but the details shouldn't be vague.

9. What's the notice period?

Long lock-ins are a warning sign. A confident agency works month to month with a reasonable notice period, because it expects you to stay for the results.

10. Will you tell me if we're not a fit?

Good agencies turn work down. If they'll take anyone who can pay, they won't be selective about the quality of your work either.

Red flags

• Guaranteed follower numbers or “viral” posts
• Packages priced by number of posts with no mention of strategy
• Samples that all sound the same, whoever they were written for
• Any mention of pods, automation or growth hacks
• Pressure to sign a six or twelve month contract up front

For what it's worth, here's how we answer these: Koushik plans, writes and runs every engagement, we never use automation, everything is approved by you, and it's a monthly retainer with 30 days' notice. Read the case studies and decide for yourself, or compare the options in agency vs freelancer vs in-house.