Digital marketing agency churn is on the rise in Australia - Killing small business growth

Manny Shah, cofounder and director of leading digital agency Rank My Business, is warning ecommerce and small business owners to stop sabotaging their own growth by constantly switching marketing agencies. While often overlooked, agency churn is becoming one of the most damaging and costly mistakes in the digital economy, especially for emerging brands.
 

"Businesses that chop and change digital agencies every few months lose far more than time," Shah said.
 

"They lose data, strategy, insights and brand consistency and they start from zero every time. You're not just swapping providers, you're throwing away hard-won progress."
 

Shah is a highly respected business owner and industry thought leader in the digital marketing space. She is seeing an increase in the number of small businesses churning through digital marketing agencies in a short period of time, causing unnecessary stress, financial loss and reputational damage to all parties involved.
 

Why frequent agency changes hurt your bottom line
 

Shah said that each time a business hires a new agency, that agency must run a fresh audit, re-learn the brand voice, rebuild campaign infrastructure and re-establish tracking systems. Often, the first few months of work are spent simply cleaning up or duplicating tasks already done by the previous agency.
 

"It's the digital equivalent of rebuilding a house every quarter," Shah said.
 

"The foundations don't have time to set. Strategy needs time to mature, especially when you're dealing with things like search engine optimisation, paid ads, lead funnels and content ecosystems."
 

Not all agencies are equal, get the fit right
 

Shah believes a major reason businesses churn through marketing agencies is because they don't spend enough time finding the right fit. Many jump into agreements based on price, promises or presentation, without looking deeper at track record, service style or industry expertise.
 

"Some digital agencies are brilliant at ecommerce. Some are better with service-based industries. Others are great at performance marketing but terrible at storytelling. Choosing the wrong partner is like hiring a chef to wire your house," she said.

"Take your time, ask about results. Talk to clients and check how they work. Chemistry and cultural fit matter. You need to trust your marketing team as much as your accountant or lawyer."
 

Short-term thinking ruins long-term growth
 

Shah said one of the biggest threats to small business success is short-term thinking. Many owners expect results immediately, without understanding that good marketing takes time to build, test and optimise. This pressure often leads to agency changes at the exact moment when campaigns are just about to deliver results.
 

"Digital growth isn't instant, it's a process. We've seen so many clients bounce from agency to agency and the moment they slow down and commit, the real growth begins," she said.
 

"Results come from consistency. If you pull the plug too early, you'll never get the return."
 

Find a partner, not a provider
 

Shah believes that long term successful relationships work when both parties are invested and treat other with respect.
 

"The key for business owners is to find an agency that thinks and operates with a partnership mentality. By this I mean, the agency treats its clients like long-term partners, not short-term accounts," Shah said.
 

"In my firm, we invest in our relationships. We know their business, we track performance like it's our own and we work side-by-side on strategy. That kind of partnership delivers serious results over time. That's why our average client stays with us for over three years, often longer."
 

A call to business owners
 

Shah is calling on business owners to reframe how they view their marketing agency relationships.
 

"If you're constantly firing your agency, it may not be them. It might be how you're approaching the relationship," she said.
 

"Get clear on what you need. Choose carefully and then commit to building something together. That's where the real ROI lives."
 

About Rank My Business
 

Rank My Business is a performance-driven digital marketing agency based in Melbourne, serving clients across Australia, the US, UK, UAE and India. Founded by Kunal Shah and Manny Shah, the agency delivers end-to-end services including SEO, Google Ads, social media, content, web design and reputation management. Known for its 'ROI-first' approach, Rank My Business builds custom, data-led strategies that drive measurable growth. With no paid advertising and a 90 percent referral rate, the agency has earned a reputation as a trusted long-term partner for SMEs, startups and scale-ups seeking transparent, results-oriented digital growth. Visit www.rankmybusiness.com.au.