To choose a Content IP agency, ask about the shows they’ve built, how they find and test formats, what they measure, who owns the content and the page, and what happens if a format doesn’t work. A good agency shows you episode-by-episode results, tests two or three formats before scaling one, and is clear that the IP belongs to you.

Here are the 10 questions we’d ask if we were hiring an agency ourselves, what a good answer sounds like, and the red flags to watch for. If you’re still deciding whether a Content IP is right for you, start with What Is a Content IP?.

The 10 questions at a glance

1. What shows have you built, and how did each one perform?

Building a recurring show is different from making good one-off videos. Ask to see named shows, not a showreel, and ask for numbers across episodes, not just the best one. One hit can be luck. A strong average means the agency knows how to build a format.

A good answer: named shows with results across many episodes. For example, Maverick Mondays, which we built with Maverick & Farmer, crossed about 4 million organic views across 30+ episodes.

2. Do you run any shows of your own?

An agency that runs its own shows has to live with its own advice. It knows what it takes to post every week, test hooks and grow an audience from zero, without a client paying for it.

A good answer: yes, with shows they can point to. Ours are This Better Be Good and The Prompt Check.

3. How do you find the format?

The best Content IPs start with a gap in the category and a clear view of what the audience already watches. If the first conversation is about your product, the show will probably feel like an ad.

A good answer: research into your category and your audience first, using comments, Reddit and the accounts your audience follows, then a format built around what nobody else is doing.

4. How many formats will you test, and for how long?

Nobody can know in advance which format will work. A good agency plans to test before it scales.

A good answer: two or three formats in the first month, six episodes each, then a clear verdict on each one: scale, fix or drop.

5. What will you measure, and against what?

Views alone mislead. Ask how the agency will judge whether the show is working, and what it’s comparing against.

A good answer: retention, shares, saves and returning viewers, measured against your own page’s baseline from week one, plus business signals like leads that mention the show. Read How Long Does a Content IP Take to Work? for the full framework.

6. Who will host the show, and which page will it live on?

The host and the page shape how people see the show. A founder, an employee, a hired host or a character can all work, and a separate show page sometimes grows faster than a brand page.

A good answer: a clear recommendation on both, with reasons, before production starts.

7. Who owns the content, the IP and the page?

This is the question most brands forget to ask. The whole point of a Content IP is that it’s an asset you keep. If the agency owns the name, the footage or the account, you don’t really own the show.

A good answer: you own the IP, the name, the footage and the account, in writing, in the contract.

8. How often do you shoot?

Shooting three months of episodes in one go is cheaper, but you can’t learn from episode one before making episode ten.

A good answer: monthly shoots, so each batch improves on what the last one taught you.

9. How much of our team’s time will it take?

A Content IP shouldn’t become a second job for your marketing team, but it does need someone who can approve episodes quickly. Slow approvals are one of the main reasons brand shows stall.

A good answer: a simple approval process that takes an hour or two a week.

10. What happens if a format doesn’t work?

Some formats won’t work, and that’s normal. What matters is how quickly the agency notices and what it does next.

A good answer: a plan to fix or drop a format after six episodes and move effort to what’s working. Be wary of anyone who guarantees viral results.

Red flags to watch for

• Guaranteed views or virality. Nobody can promise that honestly.

• Only the best reel in the pitch. Ask for the average, not the outlier.

• No testing plan. One idea, shot all at once, with no room to learn.

• Vague ownership. If the contract doesn’t say you own the IP, assume you don’t.

• Vanity reporting. Monthly reports that only show views and follower counts.

What should a Content IP agency cost?

Pricing depends on the number of episodes, the production quality and how many formats you test. Ask exactly what’s included: episodes per month, shoots, editing, posting, reporting and ad cutdowns. For a full breakdown, read How Much Does a Content IP Cost in India?. Our short-form packages start at ₹3L a month for 10 reels and ₹5L a month for 20 reels.

Talk to us

We’re a Content IP agency in Bengaluru, and we’re happy to answer all 10 of these questions on a call. See how we build Content IPs or book a 30-minute call.