A quick 3-question test for you.
Are you tired of pouring money into marketing campaigns that don’t move the needle?
Are you struggling to boost online visibility even after spending thousands of dollars?
Are you not seeing tangible outcomes even if your marketing partner keeps claiming that their campaign is working?
If you nodded, the only silver lining is that you’re not alone.
65% of businesses fail to get a meaningful ROI from their digital marketing efforts.
We understand. Attention spans are fleeting. Competition is fierce.
But that doesn’t mean you need to keep burning cash and not expect outcomes.
That’s where performance marketing comes in.
Performance marketing is a data-driven, result-oriented approach that’s rapidly reshaping the marketing landscape.
But what is performance marketing? Is it worth it? What are the top performance marketing agencies? What makes a performance marketing agency top? How to find the best performance marketing agency?
Find answers to all these questions and more in this guide right here, where we’ll walk you through:
- What is performance marketing?
- What are the key benefits of performance marketing?
- What makes a top performance marketing agency?
- 11 top performance marketing agencies
- How to choose your performance marketing agency and grow your business?
- FAQs
Let’s begin with the most basic question.
What is performance marketing?
Suppose you’re running a small online store selling eco-friendly products, but despite having a great lineup, your sales aren’t taking off. Sounds frustrating, right?
That’s where a performance marketing agency swoops in like a digital superhero. They don’t just push ads—they analyze every click and every conversion and ensure your marketing budget works harder for you. By targeting the right people at the right time, they turn your sales from a trickle into a steady stream, helping your brand grow faster than you ever expected.
So, a performance marketing agency helps businesses achieve specific marketing goals by creating and managing marketing campaigns. The focus is on measurable results like sales, leads, or website traffic. How ‘performance marketing’ differs from ‘marketing’ is in how such an agency gets paid for its work. In a performance marketing engagement, the agency uses data to report performance and is typically paid based on achieving well-defined outcomes.
Let’s understand with the help of an example.
You want to run an email marketing campaign where you send emails to 1000 people.
You expect at least 500 of them to open the email and for 40 to buy a product that you are selling.
Now a regular agency would bill you for sending the campaign to 1000 people.
With performance marketing, payments are based on the achievement of predefined goals. So, you’ll pay based on how many products sell for the campaign.
Here’s how performance marketing works.
- When you collaborate with a performance marketing agency, you define clear goals – it could be anything from website traffic to lead generation or sales.
- Then you agree on a payment structure based on achieving those goals. This might involve a fee for each new lead acquired (cost-per-lead or CPL) or a commission for each completed sale (cost-per-acquisition or CPA).
- The agency then sets the campaign up, and measures the results, and bills based on achievement of goals.
But is a performance marketing agency worth it? Yes, it is. Let’s explore some of the benefits of performance marketing.
What are the key benefits of performance marketing?
Let’s understand three key benefits.
1. It forces the agency to measure outcomes rather than measure effort
As a client, performance marketing gives you clear numbers to show how well your campaigns are doing. You can see things like how many people clicked, how many bought something, and if you’re making more money than you’re spending.
2. The ‘performance-marketing’ model is among the most cost-effective
Performance marketing is a good deal because you only pay when you get the desired outcome. You don’t have to waste money on strategies that don’t work.
3. It focuses on making compelling offers to the ideal audience.
You can target the right people with campaigns. That means you’re not wasting time and money by reaching out to people who might consume your message but won’t buy.
Remember: These benefits of performance marketing accrue only when you work with a top performance marketing agency. That’s because only a top performance marketing agency would have the expertise and experience to drive tangible results.
What makes a top performance marketing agency?
Gone are the days when marketing agencies billed you for their effort. Today, top performance marketing agencies bill you only for verifiable results.
In this guide we have listed the top 11 performance marketing agencies in 2024.
How can I trust them?
What makes these performance marketing agencies qualify for the ‘top’ title?
Well, we have done some deep digging to identify the top players in the market. Here are the 5 key factors that we have considered while selecting the top agencies.
- Every performance marketing agency on this list has a track record of achieving impressive outcomes for their clients.
- These agencies prioritize open and honest communication with clients.
- These agencies are proactive in exploring new technologies, strategies, and creative approaches to stay ahead of the curve.
Now let us take a look at the list of top performance marketing agencies.
11 top performance marketing agencies
1. RetainIQ
Headquarters: Wilmington, Delaware, United States
Minimum Project Size: There is no minimum project size. RetainIQ offers various pricing plans. These plans suit the unique needs of businesses of all sizes. Bonus: The first 5 campaigns are free (as a trial).
RetainIQ is a specialist performance marketing agency. We specializes in helping online stores sell more through personalized emails and Facebook ads. Everything we do is based on one belief: our job is to make sure that our clients get the maximum ROI for every dollar they spend on marketing and advertisements.
We build detailed customer profiles, and send them highly targeted emails and ads. This means that the messages customers receive are relevant to their interests and shopping habits. This means RetainIQ has boosted ROAS for clients by 45%.
At RetainIQ, we use proprietary generativeAI technology that automatically creates eye-catching product ads from simple product images. This saves businesses time and money while ensuring their ads look professional and effective. Two of our most popular use cases for this AI technology are:
Enhanced Catalog Ads: Dynamically generated ads that showcase your products in a visually appealing way.
Personalized Email Widgets: Plug-and-play widgets that deliver tailored product recommendations and offers directly to your customers’ inboxes.
Service Lines:
- Managed Email Services
- Facebook Ad Management
2. MuteSix
Headquarters: Los Angeles, California, United States
Minimum Project Size: $25,000+
MuteSix isn’t a run-off-the-mill performance marketing agency. It is a digital and creative studio. that helps brands grow. Whether you are a startup trying to scale or a big-name company trying to boost your brand – they can help. How? With their smart advertising solutions backed by data analysis and end-to-end expert support.
MuteSix boasts of a diverse industry experience. Their clients span across industry verticals such as retail, technology, finance, and more. Plus, they have a 100-strong team of dedicated performance marketers. This level of expertise and domain understanding is what helps them drive results. The MuteSix team would first understand how people (your audience!) interact online. Then they leverage that insight to build a brand that meets customer needs. From developing a strategy to design and implementation, they take care of everything.
Service lines:
- Media Planning & Buying
- Video Production
- Social Media Marketing
- Advertising
- Email Marketing
- Conversion Optimization
3. Tinuiti
Headquarters: New York, New York, United States
Minimum Project Size: Not disclosed
Tinuiti is like a conglomerate of performance marketing agencies.
Elite SEM acquired various agencies like CPC Strategy, Email Aptitude, and OrionCKB. Together they are now called Tinuiti, which is a leading performance marketing company.
Tinuiti specializes in designing and implementing creative yet data-driven performance marketing strategies.
Their goal? To help you reach your audience. But they don’t stop at just that. They turn engaged audiences into loyal customers. Plus, their post-click solutions ensure customer retention and reactivation. So whether it is about old customers or new, Tinuiti can bring them to you.
Tinuiti’s long list of clients includes some notable names like BB&T, Eddie Bauer, Etsy, Jet.com, and more. At Tinuiti, the focus is on driving results and maximizing your presence in the digital space.
Service Lines
- Conversion Optimization
- Media Planning & Buying
- Search Engine Optimization
- Social Media Marketing
- Pay Per Click
4. AdParlor
Headquarters: Toronto, Canada
Minimum Project Size: $5,000
AdParlor is a well-known paid media agency. Like market contemporaries, they have embraced data to drive insights. But they have also not left behind the creativity and innovation that makes them unique.
With this blend of data and creativity, they help brands thrive in the digital landscape. Plus, they are known for ensuring high return on ad spend (ROAS). Irrespective of the social or media platform, AdParlor offers effective and customized strategies. Your unique needs are always met with perfection.
They specialize in retail and eCommerce paid media marketing. But are a perfect extension for any marketing team. That’s because they go beyond just running your paid campaigns. They offer strategic guidance to help you find the right path. Plus, they are open and honest with reporting, which means you know what’s working and what isn’t.
Service line:
- Social media marketing
5. HawkSEM
Headquarters: Los Angeles, California, United States
Minimum Project Size: $1,000
HawkSEM is a result-oriented performance marketing agency. How is that different from what others offer? Well, with HawkSEM, you can be 100% sure of outcomes because for them ‘results are everything’.
Their strategies are driven by ROI. They don’t just throw up ads and hope for the best. They work with an aim to accelerate your revenue and growth. To begin with, they create a plan to reach exactly the right people online. Then they use strategies like paid ads and social media. They also help improve your site’s ranking.
Once all is done, they track and constantly adjust the campaigns. HawkSEM ties their success to yours and thus, strives to help you stand out and go big. Their passionate team is a pleasure to work with and they are
Service lines:
- Paid Search (PPC Management)
- Remarketing & Retargeting
- Shopping & Feed Management
- SEO
- Paid Social
- Conversion Rate Optimization
- Performance Display
- Amazon Advertising
- Content Marketing
- Email Marketing
- Website Design
- Landing Page Optimization
6. Acceleration Partners
Headquarters: Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Minimum Project Size: Undisclosed
Acceleration Partners has been around for almost 2 decades now. Established in 2007, it is a leading name in performance marketing. They have 200+ happy clients across 40+ countries to vouch for that. Further, they are 6-time winners of the “Best Affiliate and Partner Marketing Agency” award from GPMA.
Their workforce of around 300+ performance marketers operates remotely from across the world. This makes them a truly global agency with a hand on the global pulse.
Their team brings to the table rich experience in various fields like affiliate, influencer, content, mass media, or B2B marketing.
Service Lines
- Affiliate Marketing
- Social Media Marketing
7. WPromote
Headquarters: El Segundo, California, United States
Minimum Project Size: $10,000
Talk to industry insiders about WPromote and they’ll tell you it is the ‘The Challenger Agency”. Why? Because they help small brands challenge big businesses. And it is not just all words. They’ve actually helped brands grow their market share with digital marketing. Their customer acquisition strategies actually work. Does that mean WPromote isn’t for bigger businesses? Absolutely not. For larger organizations, they help adopt a challenger mindset to outpace competitors.
When working with WPromote, your Mondays will be more enjoyable. That’s what their team of 250+ performance marketers says. Every single one of them is driven to deliver outstanding ROI-focused campaigns. That keeps them high on energy and keeps you happy with the results.
Service Lines:
- Pay Per Click
- Search Engine Optimization
- Branding
- Content Marketing
- Graphic Design
- Social Media Marketing
- Web Design
- Web Development
8. iCrossing
Headquarters: New York, NY, United States
Minimum Project Size: $10,000
iCrossing is a global digital marketing agency. They are a unit of Hearst Corporation, one of the largest diversified media companies in the US.
But that’s not their only claim to fame. They have 850 professionals across 19 offices worldwide. This makes them a talent powerhouse. But it isn’t just raw talent that drives them. They blend it with technology to deliver the desired results for you.
They offer a mix of digital services that boost customer acquisition and retention. Plus, your ROI. Their impressive client list includes some big names like Coca-Cola, FedEx, and LEGO.
iCrossing also owns Core Audience, which is a SaaS data management platform. With CoreAudience, you can carry out audience-based marketing to drive even better outcomes.
Service Lines:
- Data Analytics and Consumer Insights
- Experience Transformation Strategy
- User Experience Design and Content
- Digital Transformation and Technology
- SEO and Digital Media
9. Obility
Headquarters: Portland, Oregon, United States
Minimum Project Size:$5,000
Obility is a performance marketing agency dedicated to assisting B2B Tech & SaaS companies. Their goal is to help these businesses grow and scale. And they’ve been successfully doing it for over a decade now. They’ve run effective campaigns via channels like SEO, paid search, and social media.
Their focus is on measurable results. They make sure their specific marketing efforts yield revenue. So the Obility team helps you identify investment areas to boost pipeline growth.
Service Lines:
- Demand Generation Marketing
- Digital Strategy
- Pay Per Click
- Search Engine Optimization
- Social Media Marketing
- Content Marketing
- Account-Based Marketing
- Mobile & App Marketing
10. Merkle
Headquarters: Pune, Maharashtra, India
Minimum Project Size: $1,000
Merkle is an Indian marketing agency that has served clients from across the globe. They have perfected the art of using data and tech to drive creative digital campaigns. But their marketing solutions are still people-oriented. They humanize your brand to transform your image from that of a business to a brand.
They rely on third-party data to craft personalized experiences for your customers. But they also generated a lot of first-hand data. That’s what truly makes the campaigns personalized and hard-hitting. But immediate sales isn’t their only focus. They also believe in creative storytelling that builds brand loyalty. So they don’t just bring customers to you, they make sure the customers keep coming back.
Service Lines:
- Performance Marketing
- Analytics
- Organic search
- Strategy and Planning
11. WebFX
Headquarters: Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States
Minimum Project Size: $1,000
WebFX is a digital marketing agency that delivers more than what you pay them for. They walk the extra mile and become your strategic partner. They guide you in all your digital avenues and yield leads, traffic, and revenue.
With a team of 500+ digital experts specializing in 150+ industries, they really understand your business. They match that understanding with cutting-edge tech and then create your digital campaigns.
That’s why when you partner with WebFX, you gain more than just access to a skilled team. You unlock the expertise of specialists. Specialists who understand your business, industry, and goals. They handle the heavy lifting, allowing you to focus on what truly matters to your business.
Service Lines:
- Search Engine Optimization
- Advertising
- Content Marketing
- Email Marketing
- Pay Per Click
- Social Media Marketing
- Web Development
With that, it is a wrap on our list of top performance marketing agencies.
How to choose your performance marketing agency and grow your business?
Choosing the right performance marketing agency can grow your business. Follow this 3-step process to ensure you find the perfect partner.
- Define your goals and budget
- Schedule demos and discovery calls
- Analyze, decide, and onboard
So, look for agencies that:
- Have experience running performance marketing campaigns in your industry.
- Assess campaign performance effectively.
- Communicate clearly and consistently throughout the process.
- Have a well-structured and dedicated team for your campaign.
- Understand your specific business needs and propose tailored approaches.
- Offer a good cultural fit and align with your company values.
- Provide transparency in their processes and expected results.
Take the next step and schedule a discovery call with RetainIQ to find your ideal performance marketing partner.
Next, we answer some frequently asked questions about performance marketing agencies.
FAQs
Q. How much does performance marketing typically cost?
The honest answer is that it depends. On a lot of factors, like:
- Your industry,
- Your campaign goals,
- Your chosen channels, and
- Your budget.
Yes, your budget too. If you are not willing to spend a bomb, a reliable performance marketing agency will be able to help you find cost-effective channels.
Q. Should I consider location when choosing a performance marketing agency?
Not always. We live in a digital-first world. Remote work is possible. And effective. However, you might want to look for a team that’s geographically close to you if:
- You feel that would be helpful in effectively targeting your audience,
- You prefer in-person meetings,
- You are looking for a specific location-bound talent pool.
Q. What are some red flags to watch out for when evaluating potential performance marketing agencies?
When you are evaluating potential performance marketing agencies, pay close attention to every minute detail. Some red flags to look out for include:
- Unrealistic promises
- Lack of transparency about campaign details
- Not being upfront about fees
- Hesitance in sharing references/case studies
- Sloppy communication
Remember: A performance marketing agency is your growth partner, so pick one wisely.