FIELD NOTES / AGENCY SELECTION
Before the shortlist,
set your standard.
A TikTok agency selection guide for brand teams.
A recommendation is a starting point, not a complete assessment. Advertising, creative production and TikTok Shop operations involve different responsibilities. Compare proposals using a common view of scope, cost and data.
01. What work does the agreement cover?
Go beyond the number of videos. Clarify who plans, films, approves and uses the content in advertising. If Shop operations are involved, define ownership of products, orders, delivery and support separately.
- Are creative production and ad management both included?
- Who owns Shop and affiliate workflows?
- How are approvals and revision rounds defined?
02. Does the same price buy the same work?
Separate media spend, agency fees, creator fees and production. Check sampling, delivery, translation and additional editing costs. Compare the work and its assumptions, not just the lowest total.
- Can we see media and management costs separately?
- What triggers additional fees?
- Are paid advertising rights included for creator content?
03. What stays with the brand?
Establish account ownership, access permissions and the handover process. Clarify source files, edited content, usage periods, reporting and the campaign data available at the end of the engagement.
- Which accounts and data can the brand access directly?
- What is handed over when the engagement ends?
- How are attribution windows and conversions defined?
04. Is the experience relevant to your market?
Look beyond a large view count to comparable markets, products, budgets and operating periods. If public case studies are limited, request a delivery plan and reporting example. Ask what role the agency actually performed in any cited result.
- How will creative be adapted to our customers and country?
- What changes when response is weak, and when do we hear about it?
- What responsibilities did the agency own in its case study?
THE WAY FORWARD
A shared direction. Clear next steps.
- 01
Objective
Define the result your brand is seeking.
- 02
Scope
Compare proposals for the same responsibilities.
- 03
Evidence
Review experience, workflow and reporting.
- 04
Agreement
Document cost, ownership and handover conditions.
BEFORE WE BEGIN
Questions, answered.
Should we hire an agency based on a recommendation alone?
Use recommendations to form a shortlist. Then compare fit with your market, budget, deliverables, reporting and exit conditions.
Do high view counts prove campaign quality?
Awareness campaigns and purchase campaigns have different goals. For the latter, conversion and cost matter alongside attention. Compare results only with their objectives and measurement conditions.
What should a smaller brand send?
Describe your product, channels, target country, budget and expected outcome. State what is not ready so you can evaluate how clearly each agency addresses assumptions and scope.
LET’S MAKE THE LEAP
Better questions. Better partnerships.
Share your brand’s current position and goals, separating work your team can handle from work you want a partner to own. QuantumJump reviews fit against the same criteria.
Tell us about your project