Performance marketing agency or content marketing agency? Differences, costs and examples

In 2025 the decision whether to choose a performance marketing agency or a content marketing agency depends above all on your time horizon and business expectations. A performance marketing agency works when a fast result matters – generating leads, sales or precisely measurable ROAS. A content marketing agency is the choice when a company is focused on building its brand, SEO visibility and attracting customers over the long term. The best results, though, come from combining both approaches – performance ads can drive traffic immediately, while content sustains it and delivers organic growth.

What does a performance marketing agency do?

Definition, goals and KPIs (CPL, ROAS, CAC)

A performance marketing agency specialises in activity that can be measured directly – every click, lead or sale has a cost and a result attached. The key metrics are CPL (Cost per Lead), ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) and CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost). HubSpot's 2024 report indicates that companies using performance marketing reduce their average customer acquisition cost by 23%.

Typical activity (Ads, remarketing, automation)

The most common activities are Google Ads, Meta Ads and LinkedIn Ads campaigns, remarketing, A/B tests, CRO work and e-commerce automation. A performance marketing agency owns the sales funnel – from TOFU (traffic) to BOFU (conversions). According to Wordstream's report, the average ROAS in e-commerce in 2024 was 3.8, meaning every PLN 1 spent on advertising returned an average of PLN 3.8.

What is a content marketing agency and what does it deliver?

Content for SEO and sales funnels

A content marketing agency focuses on building content – articles, e-books, infographics, podcasts, video – that answers users' questions and supports SEO. According to Demand Metric research, content marketing generates 3 times more leads than paid advertising, at 62% lower cost. Good content is also fuel for sales funnels – from educating the customer to the purchase decision.

Content distribution and measurement (organic/paid)

Content agencies do not just create content – they also handle its distribution: organic (SEO, social media) and paid (article promotion, native ads). Effectiveness is measured by organic traffic, the number of downloads, newsletter sign-ups or growth in top-10 Google visibility. A Content Marketing Institute case shows that companies investing in blogs generate on average 67% more leads a month than those that do not.

Comparison table: performance vs content – differences and synergies

AspectPerformance marketing agencyContent marketing agencyGoalA fast result: leads, salesBuilding brand and visibilityKPIsCPL, ROAS, CAC, LTVOrganic traffic, SEO visibility, engagementTime to resultsShort term (days/weeks)Long term (months/years)CostsMedia budgets + fee (e.g. 8–15% of spend)Retainer from PLN 5,000–15,000 a monthSynergyAds drive traffic to contentContent lowers lead costs and supports remarketing

Costs and billing models in 2025

Retainer, success fee, hybrids

Performance marketing agencies usually work on a commission on the media budget (e.g. 8–12%) or a retainer + success fee (a bonus for results, e.g. ROAS > 400%). Content marketing agencies prefer a fixed retainer covering copywriting, SEO and distribution hours. Hybrid models are also increasingly popular – e.g. a fixed base plus a bonus for growth in visibility or leads.

Sample budgets and scopes

• B2B performance campaigns: from a PLN 10,000 media budget + PLN 3,000 fee a month.
• E-commerce campaigns: from a PLN 20,000 budget + 8–12% fee.
• Content marketing (SEO + articles + distribution): from PLN 8,000 to 15,000 a month.
  In practice it often pays to invest in both in parallel – e.g. performance for fast leads and content for SEO and a cheaper CPL over the course of a year.

FAQ – the questions clients ask most

What does a performance marketing agency do?
It creates and optimises online advertising campaigns (Google Ads, Meta Ads, LinkedIn Ads) whose results are measurable – e.g. cost per lead or return on ad spend.

What does a content marketing agency's work involve?
Creating and distributing content (articles, video, podcasts, e-books) that increases visibility in Google, builds trust in the brand and supports sales.

When should you choose performance and when content marketing?
Performance when you need fast results and precise targeting. Content when you want long-term visibility and organic customer acquisition. The best results come from combining both.

Summary – key takeaways

A performance marketing agency delivers fast results and clear KPIs, while a content marketing agency supports brand building and organic growth. In practice they are not competitors but two pillars of an effective strategy. In 2025 companies that can combine both approaches – paid campaigns with SEO content – achieve a lower customer acquisition cost and higher LTV. The choice is therefore not "which agency" but how to integrate them.