What to Expect in the First 90 Days With a Social Media Agency

Hiring an agency is like hiring a personal trainer. They design the plan and keep you on track, but you still have to show up. If you’re about to hire one (or just did), this blog covers what the first 90 days usually look like, what you’ll still be responsible for, and what to watch for.

The first 30 days

This is the setup phase. One agency guide suggests onboarding typically takes 3 to 4 weeks from signing to first scheduled content (Postplanify). Expect research, strategy and planning before anything goes live. A good agency won’t jump straight to ideas.

Days 31 to 60

Content starts going out, and early data starts coming in. This is when most owners feel tempted to check everything daily. Resist that. Depending on where you’re starting from, and any pivots in your strategy, growth takes patience to evaluate.

Days 61 to 90

By now, there’s enough to review. Look at what’s working, what isn’t and what to adjust. Don’t double your work and dependencies by double tracking everything at short, unfair intervals. Let the entire plan map out before you start backseat driving.

Reporting

Ask what the report includes, how often you’ll get it and who explains it. Our blog on measuring whether social media is working covers the metrics worth looking at.

What you’ll still need to do

Hiring an agency significantly unburdens you, but it doesn’t write you off of all responsibility. Founders, brand personas and in-house marketing personnel are still needed to coordinate, approve and show up for shoots. You’re still the voice behind your account.

Green flags

• Consistency and transparency in promises.
• Social proof.
• Organized structures for how they work.
• Research first. They focus on internal and external research (SWOT, competitors and more) before coming up with strategies and ideas.
• Pricing based on your requirements, such as the number of posts or reels a month and the cadence. If it’s one size fits all, that probably comes with a compromise in quality.

Red flags

• Overpromising, such as guaranteed virality or follower counts.
• Only providing half the services. If you’re juggling a strategist, an editor and an illustrator separately, that’s not end to end. We built Reel Garage to avoid exactly that.
• No reporting: Monthly reporting once posting starts initiated from their end is a must, it shouldn’t be requested separately or prompted, how else can you reiterate strategy.
• Vague scope: absolute red flag phrases are “oh we can post about 4-8 times a month depending on how it performs”, “we can fill your calendar fully with just a little information” this isn’t a positive, it will turn your social media repetitive and drop engagement as no new information is going out, some empty spots in the calendar are always good in case of any trends, topical posts or anything needed.

Conclusion

Give the plan time, stay involved where it counts, and watch for the green and red flags. The first 90 days are about building a foundation, not a viral moment.

FAQs

• How long before I see results? It depends on where you’re starting from and how much your strategy has changed. Be patient and let the plan map out before judging.
• Do I still need to be involved? Yes. You’ll coordinate, approve and show up for shoots.
• What makes an agency trustworthy? Consistent, transparent promises, social proof, organized structures and research before strategy.
• How is agency pricing decided? It changes based on requirements, such as the number of posts or reels a month and the cadence.
• What’s a red flag? Overpromising, only offering half the services, no reporting and a vague scope.