These are the questions independent Burlington owners ask most often before working with us. If yours isn't here, the quickest route is to ask directly. The short answers above cover the essentials; the sections below add the detail that matters when you are deciding.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost?
Managed plans start at $1,999 a month month-to-month, or $1,499 a month billed annually, in Canadian dollars plus 13% HST. Ad spend is separate and paid to Google directly. The full plan list is on our pricing page.
Is there a long-term contract?
No. Every plan is month to month, and leaving takes 30 days' notice. Annual billing lowers the monthly rate, but nobody is required to choose it.
How quickly will I see results?
Listing fixes can show up within weeks. Search rankings and review profiles usually take several months to build. Ads can bring enquiries within days, but we run them as a capped test first to see if the cost works.
We tried an agency before and it didn't work. Why would this be different?
We can't speak for another agency, but the usual problems are vague scope, reports full of clicks instead of customers, and accounts the owner can't access. We put scope and cost in writing, report on enquiries and sales, and keep every account in your name.
Who owns my website, domain and Google accounts?
You do. Your domain, website, Google Business Profile, ad account and analytics are set up in your business's name, with us given access. If you leave, everything stays with you.
What will I see in a monthly report?
A short plain-language summary: what we did, the three to five numbers we agreed to track, what changed, and what we'll do next month. No padded charts.
Can you promise first place on Google?
No, and nobody honestly can. Google says there's no way to pay for a better local ranking. We work on the things that influence it and show you the results.
Do you only work with trades?
No. Burlington.Agency serves independent businesses of every kind in Burlington, including shops, food, wellness, professional offices and home services. Our sister site Burlington.Marketing focuses on contractors.
Are you a contractor?
No. We're a marketing and consulting service. We don't install, repair or service anything, and we don't do the work your business does.
Do I need to be on social media?
Usually, a light presence helps, mainly for customers who already know you. For most local businesses it comes after the Google listing, website and reviews, not before.
Can I do some of the work myself to save money?
Yes. Many owners handle photos, review asks and simple updates themselves. Our guides explain how, and we're happy to split the work so you pay only for the parts that need a specialist.
Where are you based?
Burlington.Agency is part of the Sedighi.ca and SAZ.ca group, headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, and we work with clients across Canada, meeting by video call or in person as well as by phone, text and email. Most of the work is done in Google and on your website, so location matters less than responsiveness.
How do I get started?
Call, text or email with your business name, what you sell and where your customers come from. We usually reply within one business day.
Money questions
The plan prices are published, so you can judge them before talking to anyone. Managed plans begin at $1,999 a month, or $1,499 on annual billing, plus Ontario's 13% HST, and the full list is on our pricing page.
What owners really want to know is whether it's worth it. The honest test is simple: estimate how many extra customers a month you'd need to cover the fee, using your own margin. If that number feels realistic for your business, a plan may make sense. If it doesn't, we'll say so, and point you to the guides for the work you can do yourself.
Ad spend is always separate. It goes straight from your card to Google, so you can see exactly what was spent.
Contract and ownership questions
There is no long-term lock-in. Plans run month to month with 30 days' notice. That keeps us honest: if the work isn't worth paying for, you can stop.
Ownership is non-negotiable for us. Every account we touch belongs to your business:
- Domain: registered in your business's name.
- Website: you have admin access and keep the content and images.
- Google Business Profile: you are the owner; we're added as a manager.
- Ad and analytics accounts: created under your business, with your billing.
If an earlier supplier kept any of these in their own name, we'll help you work through recovering them as part of getting started.
"We tried an agency before" questions
This is the most common worry we hear, and it's fair. When local marketing goes wrong, it's usually for one of a few reasons:
- Nobody agreed what success meant. Reports showed impressions and clicks, never customers.
- The scope was vague. "SEO" or "social" with no list of what would actually be done each month.
- The basics were skipped. Ads were sent to a weak website or an incomplete listing.
- The owner couldn't see inside. Accounts sat with the agency, so leaving meant starting over.
We address each one in writing at the start: agreed numbers, a named scope, the basics first and accounts in your name. Read how we work for the full approach.
Timing and results questions
Different channels move at different speeds:
| Work | When you'd usually notice it |
|---|---|
| Listing fixes (hours, categories, photos) | Within a few weeks |
| Review routine | A steady build over two to three months |
| Website improvements | From launch, measured over the next quarter |
| Local search rankings | Several months, compounding over a year |
| Google Ads | Days, judged over a four- to six-week capped test |
We won't promise a ranking, a number of leads or a date. What we will do is show you the measurements each month and explain what's happening. Our services page explains each piece of work in more detail.
Questions about what we don't do
Some questions are really about boundaries, so here they are in one place. We are a marketing and consulting service. We don't do the work your business sells, whether that's a haircut, a tax return or a furnace repair. We don't print signs, run events or hand out flyers. We don't write reviews, buy followers or invent numbers for your website.
We also stay out of professional advice that belongs to others. If a question touches on advertising law, privacy rules for customer lists or your taxes, we'll point you to the official guidance and suggest a qualified professional. What we will do is help the right customers in Burlington find you, trust you and come back. The local search and reviews pages show what that looks like in practice.
Still have a question?
Call, text or email us. Tell us the business, the question and when you're free to talk. A senior strategist will answer, usually within one business day.