Hiring an Instagram Ads Agency in Edinburgh: Real Guide

So, you're looking for an Instagram Ads agency in Edinburgh.

It’s a bit of a mixed bag out there, isn't it? You type that into Google and you get a list of about fifty companies ranging from massive corporate agencies in Leith with swanky offices to a freelancer working out of a cafe in Stockbridge who just figured out how to use Canva last week.

I've been in this game a long time, managed millions in spend, and I’ve seen the good, the bad, and the absolute waste of money. If you are a business owner in Edinburgh—whether you're running a boutique hotel near the Royal Mile, a tech startup in the Quartermile, or an ecommerce brand shipping out of an industrial estate—choosing the right partner is tricky.

Tbh, most people get it wrong. They hire based on who has the nicest website or who promises the biggest numbers. But in paid advertising, promises are usually a red flag. You can't promise results in a live auction marketplace (which is what Instagram Ads is). You can only promise expertise, strategy, and a relentless testing process.

The "Local" Trap: Do You Really Need an Edinburgh Agency?

Here’s a contrarian thought to kick things off. Do you actually need them to be down the road?

I get the appeal. You want to be able to sit down, grab a coffee, look them in the eye. It builds trust. And if you are a local brick-and-mortar business—say, a restaurant or a localized service—having someone who understands that "Festival traffic" in August is different from "January slump" traffic is undeniably useful.

However, if you are an ecommerce brand or a B2B service, limiting your search to just Edinburgh might be shooting yourself in the foot. The best talent for Instagram ads isn't always sitting in the EH postcode. We work with clients all over, and the results come from understanding the *platform* and the *customer psychology*, not from sharing the same weather.

That said, if you are set on a local partner, you need to vet them properly. You need to make sure they aren't just a "digital marketing agency" that does SEO, web design, PR, and "oh yeah, we do ads too." That’s the quickest way to burn budget. You need specialists.

What to Look for in an Agency's Portfolio

When you're browsing through agencies in the capital, don't just look at the logos of the clients they've worked with. Big logos often mean "we did a tiny project for them once five years ago."

Instead, look for specific language. Do they talk about "engagement," "likes," and "followers"? Or do they talk about "CPA" (Cost Per Acquisition), "ROAS" (Return on Ad Spend), and "Revenue"?

If they are bragging about getting a client 10,000 new followers, run. Followers don't pay the rent. Unless you are an influencer, vanity metrics are useless. You want an agency that understands that the goal of Instagram Ads is to interrupt a user's doom-scrolling, get them to click, and get them to buy or sign up.

I remember one campaign we worked on for an eLearning client. We shifted the focus to a conversion-first strategy and the ROAS hit 447% in just one week. Expertise beats aesthetics every time.

The Cost: Can You Actually Afford an Agency?

This is the awkward conversation nobody wants to have until the contract is on the table. Agencies aren't cheap. If you find one charging £500 a month, they are likely outsourcing the work to a click farm or using automated software that does a terrible job.

A decent agency in the UK will likely charge a retainer. For a specialist, you're looking at anywhere from £1,500 to £5,000+ per month, or a percentage of your ad spend (usually 10-20%), whichever is higher.

This means if your ad budget is only £500/month, hiring an agency makes zero maths sense. You’d be paying the agency three times what you pay Facebook. You're better off learning to do it yourself or hiring a consultant to set it up once.

If you're unsure about the maths, I've mocked up a calculator below. This is crucial for understanding the real cost of hiring a marketing agency.

Instagram Ads Strategy: It's Not Just Pretty Pictures

A lot of businesses in Edinburgh, especially in hospitality or retail, think Instagram is just a visual showcase. They post high-res photos of their food or products and hope for the best.

But when you're paying for ads, the strategy needs to be sharper. Here is how we usually approach it, and how any decent agency should:

1. The Creative Strategy (UGC vs. Polished)

There is a massive misconception that your ad needs to look like a TV commercial. Actually, on Instagram (especially Reels), ads that look like ads often get scrolled past. Ads that look like native content—shot on a phone, slightly shaky, real people—often perform way better.

If an agency is trying to charge you £5k for a "video production day" before they've even tested a simple image ad, be careful. You should be testing angles, hooks, and formats constantly. We’ve had huge success with simple carousel ads that explain the product benefits clearly, without any fancy models.

2. The Targeting (Stop Boosting Posts)

If you are hitting the blue "Boost Post" button on your Instagram app, you are basically setting money on fire. The targeting options there are rudimentary at best.

A proper agency uses Meta Ads Manager (the backend system). This allows for complex targeting stacks. For example, if you are an Edinburgh gym, we wouldn't just target "Fitness interests." We might target people within 5 miles, exclude current members (by uploading your email list), and overlay interests like "Gymshark" or "MyProtein" to find the serious gym-goers. Then we’d create a Lookalike audience based on your best customers.

Many new accounts struggle here. If you're finding that your reach is good but conversions are zero, you might want to read our guide on why Meta ad performance is low on new accounts.

3. The Funnel (Retargeting is Key)

Most people won't buy the first time they see your ad. They’re busy. They’re on the bus. They’re waiting for a pint.

You need a strategy that captures them and brings them back.
Top of Funnel (Cold): "Hey, we exist and here is why we are cool."
Middle of Funnel (Warm): " saw you looked at our site. Here is a review from a happy customer."
Bottom of Funnel (Hot): "You left this in your cart. Here is 10% off if you buy it now."

If an agency doesn't have a plan for retargeting, they aren't doing their job.

Common Red Flags When Hiring

I’ve audited enough ad accounts to spot the cowboys from a mile off. Here are a few things to watch out for:

• "We guarantee X results." As I mentioned, impossible. No one controls the algorithm.
• "We don't share access to the ad account." Huge red flag. It is YOUR data and YOUR money. You should always have admin access. If they hide the account, they are hiding their margins or their incompetence.
• Long-term lock-in contracts. If they are good, they don't need to lock you in for 12 months. A 3-month initial term is normal to allow for testing, but after that, it should be rolling.
• No clear reporting. You shouldn't have to chase them for numbers. You should get a report every week or month detailing exactly what was spent and what it returned.

If you're worried about hidden fees or pricing structures, it's worth checking out our breakdown of marketing agency pricing and hidden costs.

For the B2B Crowd in Edinburgh

I hear this a lot: "I'm a software company / consultant / B2B service, Instagram isn't for me."

Wrong. Your decision-makers are human. They have Instagram. They check it in the evening or on their commute.

While LinkedIn is great for B2B (we use it a lot), it is expensive. Instagram can be a very cheap way to retarget people who visited your LinkedIn or your website. We ran a campaign for a B2B software company recently where we utilized Meta Ads to generate 4,622 registrations at a cost of $2.38 per registration. It proves that you can reach professional audiences on these platforms efficiently.

However, if your budget is tight, you need to justify every penny. See our thoughts on Meta ads budget justification to see if you have enough runway.

Improving Your Conversion Rate Before You Spend

Before you hire anyone, look at your website. If your website is slow, confusing, or looks like it was built in 1999, no amount of ad spend will save you.

We often have to tell potential clients: "Don't hire us yet. Spend that money on a new landing page."

Imagine pouring water into a leaky bucket. That is what running ads to a bad website is like. Fix the bucket first. For ecommerce, check your product photos and descriptions. For services, check your headlines. Are you speaking to the customer's pain?

My Main Recommendations for You

If you are in Edinburgh and looking to scale with Instagram Ads, here is your game plan:

Look, finding the right partner is tough. There’s a lot of noise out there. But if you focus on the data, ignore the vanity metrics, and find someone who treats your budget like their own, you’ll be alright.

You might be wondering if you should focus on Reels or Stories more. It's a valid question. We actually broke down where to focus for Instagram growth in another guide.

If you’re still scratching your head or just want a second pair of eyes on your current ad account, we offer a free consultation. No sales pitch, just an honest look at what you’re doing and whether we (or anyone else) can help you improve it.

Hope this helps!