How Digital Agencies Grow

Average agency revenue grew just 8% in 2023, the worst year since Promethean began tracking in 2015. Across 34 revenue-generation tactics, account-management-related tactics took four of the top five spots — and were the only ones that rated at least moderately effective.

91 agency leaders surveyed · Fielded April–May 2024 · 83% U.S. · 39 pages

Top findings

• Fast-growing agencies (29% of the sample) grew an average of 34%; Average-growth agencies (40%) grew 8%; Slow-growth agencies (32%) shrank 15%.
• Top tactics by efficacy score (max 5): Client referrals 3.7, Growing current accounts 3.6, Partner referrals 3.0, Upselling 2.9, Cross-selling 2.5.
• Agencies that specialized by both service mix and industry had 17% higher average client lifetime revenue and grew 40% faster than average in 2023.
• Fast agencies had sales complexity scores 37% lower than Slow agencies and skewed toward Micro and Small accounts.
• Fast-growing agencies completed 24% more projects while serving 16% fewer retainer clients than average.
• The average agency offers 7 services but plans to focus on 5.8 in 2024. AI development/implementation is the one category gaining focus: 16% offer it; 24% plan to focus on it.
• Two tactics work across every sales-complexity level: client referrals and growing current accounts.

Inside the report

1. Executive Summary
2. Introduction
3. Positioning & Packaging
4. Growth Rates & Attributes
5. Effective Revgen Tactics
6. Demographics

Format: 39-page PDF report, single-license use. Promotional partners: Parallax, Upsourced, and the Bureau of Digital.

Methodology

91 responses from digital agency leaders, fielded April–May 2024. 83% U.S., 10% Canada, 4% Europe, 2% Middle East/Africa, 1% Asia-Pacific. Agency size: 43% Studio, 27% Small, 22% Medium, 8% Large. 69% Founder/Owner/Partner; 13% Director/VP; 9% C-level.

About Promethean Research

Promethean Research has tracked the digital agency industry since 2015. We publish annual benchmark reports and operating playbooks used by agency leaders to make decisions on growth, pricing, staffing, and biz-dev.