27+ Questions to ask in your Agency Client Onboarding Questionnaire (from agencies who've onboarded hundreds of clients)

If you’ve ever wondered what other digital marketing agencies ask their new clients during client onboarding, you’ve come to the right place.

Besides the basic questions to know your new clients better, what other questions should you be asking for a smooth start to the project? Which pieces of information will minimize inefficiencies and reduce the likelihood of mismatched expectations?

We’ve compiled 27 of the most important questions to ask during agency client onboarding, plus a few non-obvious ones which may surprise you 😉 With hundreds of clients onboarded, these marketers share the exact questions they ask to get their teams up to speed and set the stage for long-term success 🤝

‍

✏️ What is a client onboarding questionnaire, and what is it for? 🤔

A client onboarding questionnaire is a form sent to new clients to collect necessary information to start a project. It is sent early in the client onboarding process, usually during the welcome stage.

A client onboarding questionnaire should cover these basics:

• Client & business information
• Marketing information
• Project-specific information

For many marketing agencies, billable work cannot begin until the questionnaire is complete. So this is not a step in the onboarding process that you want to delay.

‍

Is a client onboarding questionnaire a client intake form?

In smaller agencies, there’s often no distinction between a client intake form and a client onboarding questionnaire. However, in larger agencies, they tend to be separate forms that are used at different times; the client intake form (or prospect intake form) is used during the sales process, and the onboarding questionnaire is used after the project starts.

‍

What makes a client onboarding questionnaire good?

For clients, a good onboarding questionnaire is one that isn’t overwhelming. Often, work cannot start until agencies have the basic information to work with from their new clients. But, some agencies make the mistake of asking too many open-ended questions on a form, when they could get better answers from kickoff meetings or on calls.

💡 Pro tip: Remember to strike a balance between gathering necessary information and avoiding lengthy forms that frustrate your new clients.

‍

‍🔗 Related Article: 6 Client onboarding best practices as told by marketing agencies

‍

📝 27 Client Onboarding Questions for Digital Marketing Agencies to Ask

Our interviews with marketing agencies revealed that the way you frame your questions can help you unearth subtle yet crucial insights into what makes clients tick. 

These are the questions we’ve gathered from digital marketing agencies, who shared with us what they’ve learned from years of refining their own client onboarding processes. Here’s what they ask their new clients:

Basic information

1. “Describe your business in your own words.” - Bradley Martin | CEO | Client Connection Group

Why? “We ask them to tell us about what makes their practice unique. It helps us identify what is important to them through the language they use.”

2. “What are 3-5 unique selling points about your business?” - Dave Pancham | CEO | Go Pancham

Why? No client questionnaire is complete without this basic opener. And the more USPs, the easier it is for your team to position your new clients amongst the competition.

3. “What are you selling a lot of at the moment?” - Jarrod Harman | Director | Business Warriors

Why? Get immediate insight into products or services that are currently trending for the client, so your team can build on existing momentum.

You can ask about their mission and values, too, but usually it’s already on their website. And we’re trying to keep this onboarding questionnaire tactical and concise, right?

🔗 Case Study: How Local Splash Reduced Onboarding from 15 Steps to 2

‍

Business Goals

Aligning on goals is what will allow you to focus your marketing activities on achieving the results that really matter, and communicate their impact to your clients in the clearest way possible.

That’s why the agencies we spoke to ask about both short- and long-term goals:

4. “What are your core goals for the business over the next 6-12 months?” - Pariss Roiniotis | Head of Accounts | Megaphone Marketing

Why? “This is important so we can always link our short- and long-term tactics [for each campaign or project] back to the bigger picture.”

5. What are your long-term business goals?

Why? Understanding what lies ahead, like market expansions or new product offerings, lets you prepare in advance for a shift in focus.

6. Are there any specific challenges you’d like to overcome?

Why? Find out target areas for improvement, like weak conversion rates with one audience segment or low engagement on a specific channel. 

If your entire team understands how individual tactics tie into achieving these larger objectives, you’ll be setting them up for success.

‍

Audience & Customers

Getting to the heart of your client’s target audience is one of the onboarding questionnaire’s biggest raisons d’être.

Most agencies do extensive audience research of their own as part of the onboarding process, but these questions will give you a starting point to conduct further research:

7. Who is your ideal client?” - Courtney Murdoch | Google Gal & Marketing Strategist | Pixel Fire Marketing

Why? “This helps us understand your target demographic and tailor strategies accordingly.”

8. What are their needs/desires/fears/challenges? How does your product or service address them?

Why? Some clients are laser-focused on features, but this helps center the conversation on customer benefits instead.

9. Which social platforms do they use the most?

Why? Clients might have no idea (which is why they hired you), but this is a good starting point for conducting your own independent research.

10. What other brands do they engage with?

Why? This will help you analyze the type of content that already performs well with their target audience from other brands.

11. What does your audience say about you?

Why? Maybe your clients haven’t done social listening, but looking at comments and reviews gives you invaluable audience insights, right down to the words they use.

12. What are their biggest barriers to sale?

Why? Your efforts won’t matter if there’s friction in the sales funnel elsewhere. Identify it early so clients can better convert the leads you generate for them.

13. Why do your customers stay with you?

Why? Clients might not realize that the USPs they’re highlighting differ from the real value customers get from their business.

Your clients might not know the answer to all of these questions, but they will help you identify gaps in their knowledge. Which could lead to the discovery of new, untapped audience segments! 🔎

‍

Competitors

When it comes to competitive analysis, most agencies ask pretty much the same questions. But the marketers we spoke to have their own unique spin on these tried-and-true classics:

14. “Who are 3 competitors, and what do you like or dislike about what they do?” - Pixel Fire Marketing

Why? “This helps us identify your unique selling points and create a strategy that sets you apart.” 

15. “Who are your top 5 local competitors?” - Go Pancham

Why? This variation depends on the client’s location and industry, but it can also help inform your local SEO marketing strategies.

16. “What are the top reasons why people have chosen your business over the competition?” - Go Pancham

Why? Ask this to highlight your client’s strengths and help shape campaign messaging.

⚡Pro Tip: Having new clients describe competitors in their own words reveals what they really value about themselves vs. their rivals.

‍

Marketing information

Understanding your client’s current marketing tactics gives you insight into their strategy (or perhaps reveals shortcomings in their past agency’s work). So ask:

17. What are your current marketing activities?

Why? You want to understand what they’ve already been doing, as well as what’s worked and what hasn’t, as a starting point for your own planning.

18. “What is your point of profitability?” - Megaphone Marketing

Why? “This is important so we know if and when to scale [marketing efforts in order] to grow the client’s business more,” especially ad spend.

‍

Marketing assets

Before you start marketing for new clients, you’ll need them to have accounts on the right platforms and then get access to manage those accounts. Not surprisingly, non-tech-savvy clients will struggle with this part, especially if you need a whole range of marketing, analytics, and social media accounts all set up and ready to go.

19. “How much do you know about the way ad platforms work?” - Megaphone Marketing

Why? Not all clients are tech-savvy. By asking this, “we can tailor our communication to ensure the client understands what we're doing and why.”

20. “What assets do you currently have set up (e.g., Business Portfolio, domains)?” - Business Warriors

Why? Getting familiar with the client’s existing infrastructure prevents avoidable setup issues later on during onboarding.

21. “Do you have more than one Google Business Profile (GBP)?” - Pixel Fire Marketing

Why? “This is always interesting because many clients are unaware they might have multiple listings!” And resolving this can improve results almost instantly.

22. “Do you have access to the accounts currently on your site?” - Hayley Crandell | Head of Data and Analytics | Online Marketing Gurus

Why?  “Because clients will often give us access to any account, not just the ones that are on their site,” this question can help prevent crucial delays for access-dependent agencies.

‼️ Caveat: Never ask for direct logins, especially via email. Use secure client account access tools, like Leadsie, to keep your clients’ information safe when sharing login details.

‍

Working Together

Beyond asking about preferred communication methods and designated contact person(s), here’s what the agencies we spoke to are asking during onboarding to set the tone for a great working relationship:

23. “What will make you consider this collaboration successful?” - Dane Kragness | Director, Paid Media | Taktical Digital

Why? Understanding the client’s expectations from the start helps you tailor your approach to improve customer satisfaction and boost retention.

24. “What does success look like for you in the first month?” - Kim Barrett | CEO | Your Social Voice

Why? A slightly different take, but knowing this will let you achieve short-term wins to create momentum and bolster client confidence early on.

25. “How direct do you like your feedback?” - Your Social Voice

Why? It’s always better to set boundaries up front than to discover you’ve accidentally crossed one later on. Then, you can proactively choose an account manager who best fits the client’s style.

26. “How might you mess this process up?” - Your Social Voice

Why? This unexpected question often yields valuable insights into clients’ skills or resource gaps, which you can then address early to prevent delays in delivering results.

27. “Any special requests?” - Taktical Digital

Why? To wrap up, this is a good way to make sure you haven’t missed anything that might be instrumental for a good working partnership.

And there you have it: 27 agency onboarding questions—all essential, zero fluff. Which ones will you add to your agency’s client onboarding questionnaire?

‍

BONUS: Channel and platform-specific questions

Depending on the type of marketing services you offer, you’ll need to gather additional information from your clients. Here’s a summary based on popular marketing channels:

Google Ads

• Audience segments
• Products/Services
• Ad Budget
• Past Campaign Data

• Google Ads Account Access (Admin)
• Google Analytics Access
• Google Tag Manager Access
• Billing Information

• Conversion Goals
• UTM Parameters
• Reporting Preferences

• Ad Copy
• Visuals
• Landing Page URLs

‍

Meta Ads (Facebook & Instagram)

• Audience segments
• Products/Services
• Ad Budget
• Past Campaign Data

• Meta Business Manager Access
• Ad Account Access (Admin/advertiser)
• Facebook Page Access
• Instagram Account Access
• Pixel Access
• Catalog Access
• Billing Information

• Conversion Goals
• Tracked Pixel Events
• UTM Parameters
• Reporting Preferences

• Creative Assets
• Brand Guidelines
• Content Calendar
• Special Offers/Promotions
• Landing Page URLs

‍

Full-Service SEO

• Geographic Focus (e.g., for Local SEO)

• Website CMS Access
• Google Search Console Access
• Google Analytics Access
• Hosting/FTP Access
• Google Tag Manager Access
• Third-Party Tools

• KPIs
• Reporting Preferences

• Brand Guidelines
• Content Resources
• Technical SEO Audit
• Keyword Strategy
• Content Inventory

‍

📤 Free software for client onboarding questionnaires

If you aren’t already using a form builder in one of your existing software, here are 3 free tools you can use to design and create a client onboarding questionnaire:

1. Google Forms

Google Forms are free, intuitive, and easy to get started with. There is no software to download—you can access it on multiple devices on a web browser. 

✅ Pros:

• Offers customizable templates, multiple question types, and real-time response tracking.
• Has basic conditional logic and data validation.
• Integrates directly with Google Sheets for easy data collection and organization.
• You can connect forms to other platforms through the Google Forms API.

❌ Cons:

• Limited branding options; designs can appear basic and lack customization for a professional feel.
• No built-in workflow automation or triggers to streamline follow-up actions.

‍

2. YouForm

YouForm is a Typeform alternative with the right amount of features that people actually want. Their free plan puts other form builders to shame with unlimited questions and unlimited submissions—no strings attached.

✅ Pros:

• No limits on form questions and submissions.
• A free plan that comes with lots of features. Marketing agencies can upgrade to the paid plan for advanced features, including redirecting to a URL of your choice and payment collection.
• User-friendly and easy to learn.

❌ Cons:

• The free plan has the YouForm branding. You’d have to upgrade to remove it.
• Teams will need to upgrade to the Pro plan (for a mere $29/month). 

‍

3. Typeform

Typeform is a well-known specialized form and survey builder, known for its clean, interactive designs and a different approach from traditional static forms. Instead of laying out all the questions at once, each question is shown one at a time, as though it’s a conversation with the user.

✅ Pros:

• Engaging design can help boost completion rates.
• Includes conditional logic to display relevant questions based on previous answers.

❌ Cons:

• One question at a time may not be suitable for all agencies or the type of questions being asked.
• The free plan only allows up to 10 questions per form.
• It gets expensive quickly if you need more advanced features or higher response limits.

‍

🔗 Related Article: Client Onboarding Software: Best Tools for Onboarding Agency Clients in 2025

‍

💪 How to Use Your Onboarding Questionnaire to Establish a Great Working Relationship

The client questionnaire is the necessary first step to begin onboarding, but it’s also like your opening number in a long performance: You want it to knock your audience’s socks off.

How does a simple survey accomplish this? I’m glad you asked! Here are our marketers’ tips for elevating your onboarding questionnaire into an experience that inspires client confidence:

#1: Kick Things Off Smoothly

Make the questionnaire one of the first steps after contracting and payment to show off your efficiency. Getting all of the information you need at once, with no back-and-forths, is really important if you want to build confidence at this early stage.

“Time to onboard clients is extremely important for us. Our clients need to be first and foremost reassured that we have the information we need to take action and help them grow.”
-Kim, Your Social Voice

‍

#2: Set the Tone for Collaboration

Your client questionnaire should showcase your agency’s professionalism, organization, and attention to detail. Pair it with a welcome package (like an agency overview, success stories, or branded materials) to assure clients they’re in the right hands.

“The onboarding process is our opportunity to show our clients that they made the right choice by hiring StubGroup. It's vital to start our relationship in a good place by onboarding them efficiently and thoroughly.”
-John, StubGroup

‍

#3: Build Trust with Awesome Communication

Follow up regularly after the questionnaire is complete so clients can see that progress is taking place, even if your team is still working on campaign setup. You don’t need to wait for results to communicate.

"The most vital aspect of a good onboarding process is good communication. We try to over-communicate with clients during the onboarding process, often sending them daily updates about what has been accomplished and what we're working on. 
That helps clients understand that we're hard at work for them, and relieves them from the pressure of feeling like they have to ask us for updates."
-John

Use these tips to turn your client questionnaire into a tool to build rapport, look professional, and show off how incredibly organized your systems are from Sprint 0. 😇

‍

🔗 Related Article: Best Ways to Automate Agency Onboarding

‍

💡 Tips for Getting Clients to Fill Out Long Forms

Creating an onboarding questionnaire is one thing. Getting clients to fill it in with complete, detailed information is a whole other ball game.

It makes sense. What new client, when presented with a 30-question form, doesn’t think: ‘Holy moly, this is gonna take me 4 hours,’ or: ‘What is even the POINT of this?’

So here’s how to tackle client hesitations and demonstrate the value of the questionnaire itself:

• Concerns over Time Commitment
  💬 Frame It This Way: “By providing details now, you’ll help us hit the ground running and avoid delays later.”

• Questioning the Questionnaire’s Value
  💬 Frame It This Way: “The more we know about your goals and challenges, the better equipped we are to develop a strategy that delivers real results.”

• Worries about Data Privacy
  💬 Frame It This Way: “All the data you share is securely handled. We’re happy to formalize this with a non-disclosure agreement for added peace of mind.”

• Feeling Overwhelmed & Procrastinating on it
  💬 Frame It This Way: “We can complete some sections together on a call, or you can work on it at a pace that works for you.”

If you can anticipate and respond to these concerns ahead of time, new clients will be more likely to invest fully in the process (and actually give you the information you need in a timely manner!).

‍

🔗 Case Study: How DashClicks Reduced Client Onboarding Turnaround by 50%

‍

🥳 Client Onboarding Software that Makes Your Agency Look Good

In their eyes, they’ve hired you to take care of their marketing, so they expect you to be the experts. We hope it helps you onboard new clients faster and more efficiently (and makes you look good doing it 😉)!

You know what else speeds up the client onboarding process and cuts onboarding times by 50%? Automating access requests.

Leadsie is a client onboarding software that simplifies requesting and giving access to marketing assets, social media, and ad accounts with one secure link. Get access to your clients or influencer's Facebook, Instagram, Google, TikTok, Shopify, LinkedIn, and other accounts without sharing passwords.

“Timely onboarding is essential. Without access to the client’s GBP and social accounts, the entire onboarding process can come to a halt.”
- Courtney, Pixel Fire Marketing

It’s easy to avoid access hurdles like these by using the #1 client onboarding software. Just create a custom, secure link with Leadsie and send it to your new client. With just a few clicks, they can view and confirm your request. Et voilà. You have access to all of the accounts and assets you need for work to proceed 🙌

Try it for yourself! Sign up for Leadsie’s free 14-day trial—no credit card required—and keep your access for free, forever.

‍

✨ Goodbye, 15-page access explainer documents. Hello, 2-click automated client onboarding!