How we choose agencies, in full
What we look at, where we check and what removes an agency. The method behind every shortlist, including how we label company-reported figures.
Four things we look at
We read each agency’s public evidence against the same four questions. Every category gets a shortlist of four agencies, and the order is not a ranking. Where evidence is thin, the page says so.
Delivery track record
Public, attributable work for organizations of comparable size and complexity.
Named case studies with a live result we can open count. Unnamed “Fortune 500 client” claims don’t.Verified credentials
The agency is who it says it is, where it says it is.
Company registry, domain age, LinkedIn headcount, partner badges confirmed on the vendor’s own partner page.Capability depth
Real in-house specialists for the category, not a sales front for subcontractors.
Named team leads, published technical work, certifications held by staff.Engagement transparency
How easy the agency is to buy from.
Published pricing models or ranges, clear minimum engagement, stated contract and IP terms.Where we check
We look for each agency in these places and cross-check what we find. Not every agency has every source: what we could not confirm is marked “Not stated”, and company-reported figures are labelled as such.
Reviewed by an editorWhat removes an agency
Two things end a listing on the spot. One pauses it.
Fabricated proof
Invented clients, fake reviews, or case studies we can’t trace. One instance removes the listing permanently.
Offering payment for rank
Any attempt to pay for position, or to pay for a competitor’s removal, ends the listing.
Failed re-verification
If a source stops checking out at re-review, the listing is paused until it does.
Think your agency belongs on a shortlist?
Submit it. Listing is free and the review is the same for everyone.