How to use this list

You don't need to ask all fifteen in one call. Pick the four or five that matter most for your situation, ask every candidate the same ones, and write down the answers straight after each call. Comparing notes side by side is far more reliable than comparing impressions a week later.

Listen less to what they promise and more to how specific they are. Someone who has done the work talks in particulars: which account setting, which page, which report. Someone who hasn't talks in outcomes. Google's own guidance on hiring an SEO suggests a similar approach: ask for examples of past work, what results they expect and in what timeframe, and how they measure success.

About results

  1. What would you measure for my business, and why? A good answer names one main outcome, such as enquiries, bookings or sales, not just reach or followers.
  2. Can you show me a report you've sent a client? With the client's name removed. You want to see how they explain results, including bad months.
  3. Tell me about a campaign that didn't work. Everyone has them. The answer shows whether they learn or make excuses.
  4. How long until we should see something? Ads can show early signals within weeks. SEO usually takes months. Be wary of anyone who promises fast SEO. More in how long SEO takes in the UAE.

About how they work

  1. Who will actually do the work? You want to know if it's them, a team or a subcontractor.
  2. What do you need from me in the first two weeks? Experienced people have a clear onboarding list: account access, brand files, a brief and a contact for approvals.
  3. How often will we talk, and how? Agree on the rhythm upfront.
  4. What tools will you use, and who pays for them? Some tools are billed to the client. Find out now, not on the first invoice.

About ownership and risk

  1. Whose name will the ad accounts, analytics and domain be in? The right answer is yours.
  2. What happens if we stop working together? You should keep all accounts, files and data.
  3. Are you licensed to work in the UAE and can you issue invoices? See freelance permits and VAT.
  4. Is there a minimum contract term? Know the exit before you start.

About your market

  1. Which channels would you skip for my business, and why? Good marketers say no to things.
  2. How would Ramadan or the summer slowdown affect our plan? Local experience shows here. More in the UAE marketing calendar.
  3. Do we need Arabic content? The honest answer is "it depends on your audience", followed by how they'd find out.

What good and weak answers sound like

The difference is rarely about confidence. It's about whether the answer could only have come from someone who has looked at your business.

Side by side

Same question, two answers

Weak answer

  • "We'll grow your engagement and brand awareness."
  • "We handle everything, don't worry about access."
  • "Results in two weeks, guaranteed."
  • "Every platform matters, we'll do them all."

Strong answer

  • "I'd track WhatsApp clicks and form leads, then cost per lead by channel."
  • "Add me as a user on your accounts. You stay the owner."
  • "Ads give signals in weeks. SEO takes months. Here's why."
  • "I'd skip TikTok for now. Your buyers are on Google and LinkedIn."

Questions they should ask you

A call is a two-way test. A marketer who asks nothing about your business before proposing a plan is guessing. Good candidates usually ask some version of these:

  • Who are your best customers, and where do they come from today?
  • What happens after someone enquires? Who replies, and how fast?
  • What have you tried before, and what happened?
  • What can you spend, on fees and on ads, separately?
  • Who approves content, and how quickly?

If you can answer these before the call, you'll get better proposals. A one-page marketing brief covers most of them.

Listen for this

Specifics. Anyone can say "we'll boost your engagement". Someone who's done the work will say what they'd check first in your account and why.

After the call

Ask your top two for a short written proposal, then call one past client for each. A five-minute reference call asking "what was it like when something went wrong?" tells you more than any testimonial. If someone avoids giving a reference, or the proposal doesn't reflect what you discussed, that's your answer. For the warning signs worth knowing, read red flags when hiring a marketer, and if you want a sense of how I'd answer these, see my Dubai services page.

Questions people ask

Ask what they'd measure and why. It shows whether they're focused on business results or on activity.
Yes. A short call with a past client is more useful than a written testimonial.
Guaranteed rankings or follower numbers are a red flag. Google itself says no one can guarantee a number one ranking.
The same ones, plus who exactly will work on your account, how senior they are and what the minimum contract term is.
Three is usually enough to compare approaches without losing weeks. Ask each the same questions so the answers are comparable.