When a business is thriving, it usually isn't looking for a marketing agency. I reached out to…read moreSocial Eyes because my business is struggling in a struggling industry, and I was hoping that professional marketing could help generate the revenue my small business desperately needs.
I'm a one-man operation. I handle every aspect of my business myself. When you're spending money that isn't coming in, hiring another business and trusting that they'll help is a leap of faith that doesn't come easily.
Communication is critical in a relationship like this, and unfortunately, that's where I feel Social Eyes failed.
Our first meeting was full of strategy, optimism, and a clear game plan. During the first month, I tried not to panic and trusted the process.
The steps seemed to be:
Collect the initial payment.
Make minor changes to my existing logo.
Build a landing page and an online menu for my services.
Launch a Google Ads campaign.
This is where the problems began.
No one explained that Google Ads charges are commonly flagged as fraudulent by some banks. When my bank sent me a fraud alert, I froze my account and canceled my debit card. Since my bank is based in Beaverton, Oregon, with no local branches, it took 10 days to receive a replacement card.
During that time, my Google Ads stopped running because payment couldn't be processed.
No one contacted me to let me know the ads had stopped or helped me resolve the issue. I didn't find out until it was time for Social Eyes to collect their next payment. From my perspective, I was left wondering why I wasn't seeing any ads, calls, or inquiries while precious time was slipping away.
That was just the first 30 days.
During the second month, I raised concerns about being able to see what was happening in the Google Ads account so I could understand the campaign's performance and make informed decisions. Dutch told me I would receive weekly reports.
Four weeks later, I had received exactly zero reports.
By the end of the second month, I still wasn't seeing ads, calls, leads, or any indication that the campaign was gaining traction. More importantly, I wasn't receiving the communication I expected from a company I was paying to help grow my business.
As I sit here writing this review, I'm surrounded by the choices that brought me to this point. The money I invested in this service could have kept my business going for another couple of months while I explored other options. Maybe the outcome would have been the same regardless. Maybe my business was already facing an uphill battle.
I don't blame Social Eyes for my business decisions.
I do blame them for the lack of communication, transparency, and follow-through. Outside of collecting payments, I rarely felt informed about what was happening, what was working, what wasn't, or what the next steps should be.
If you're considering hiring Social Eyes, my advice is simple: make sure you clearly define communication expectations upfront, insist on regular reporting, and verify that you're able to monitor your campaigns throughout the process.
