| They say | It usually means |
|---|---|
| "We’re optimising" | Nothing specific. Ask what changed this week. |
| "It’s in the learning phase" | Sometimes true. If it has been said three months running, it is not. |
| "The algorithm needs more data" | Often true, and also the standard answer for low volume. |
| "ROAS is up" | Check volume. Tightening a target always raises ROAS. |
| "We’re testing" | Ask what the hypothesis is and when it concludes. |
| "Industry benchmarks suggest" | A number from somebody else’s business. |
| "Let’s give it more budget" | Correct if the campaign is capped and profitable. Otherwise a reflex. |
| "Attribution is complicated" | True, and not a reason to avoid reconciling to store orders. |
| "Q4 will fix it" | Seasonality is not a strategy. |
| "We need six months" | The rebuild takes days. Six months is a contract, not a timeline. |
| "Your competitors are outspending you" | Possibly. It says nothing about whether they are profitable. |
| "That’s a platform limitation" | Sometimes true. Ask them to name the limitation. |
Twelve things agencies say, translated
Not all of it is evasion. Some of it is, and the difference is worth knowing.
Want this checked on your account?
The teardown is free, takes view access, and you keep the write-up either way.
Free teardown10% of spend, publishedNo lock-in, no notice periodYou keep the account