I get this a lot: who is the best person in digital marketing in Egypt?
And my answer always disappoints the asker: there isn't one. Not out of modesty or diplomacy, but because the question rests on a wrong assumption — that one person is best for every business.
Why is there no single best?
The field contains completely different specialisms. Someone excellent at e-commerce advertising is not necessarily excellent at marketing services to companies. And whoever understands SEO does something entirely different from whoever builds content on TikTok.
And even within one specialism, experience sits in a sector: someone who worked five years with restaurants will help you more than someone more famous who worked entirely with real estate.
The right question
Instead of "who is the best?", ask: "who has worked with a business like mine and produced a result I can verify?"
That question has an answer, and it leads you to real people rather than famous names.
Fame is not evidence of skill
The most famous name in the field is whoever markets themselves best, which is a respectable skill but not the same skill as producing a result for your business.
There are many very capable people nobody has heard of, because they are busy working. And there are famous people whose work is average. Do not choose by follower count.
How do you choose properly?
- Ask for cases in your sector. Not client names, but a problem, an action and a result with numbers.
- Ask about failure. "What project didn't work and why?" — someone who answers honestly is usually honest, and someone who says everything succeeded is usually exaggerating.
- Watch what they ask. A professional asks about your numbers, your margins and your customers before proposing. Anyone proposing immediately with no questions will not understand your business.
- Speak to a current client of theirs. The most accurate source there is.
- Start with a small project. A limited trial beats a year's contract with someone you do not know.
Warning signs
- Exaggerated guarantees. "First page of Google in a month" or "we'll double your sales" — nobody can guarantee that.
- Talk about tools rather than results. What matters is what your business gains.
- Refusing to let you own your accounts. A clear danger signal.
- A very cheap offer. It usually means shallow work or someone who will leave you in two months.
- No questions about your budget and margins. Meaning they will not be able to tell success from failure.
A person or a company?
A freelancer gives you personal attention and a lower cost, but a limited specialism and the risk of disappearing under pressure.
A company gives you a range of skills and continuity, but costs more, and you may find yourself dealing with someone less experienced inside it. Always ask: who exactly will work on my account?
What real skill looks like
In my experience, the skilled person is not the one who knows every tool. The skilled person understands the business before the marketing, tells you no when you ask for something against your interest, measures and admits when something did not work, and explains in language you understand.
Those qualities do not appear in a profile or in a follower count. They appear in the first two meetings.
And you are part of the result too
The best person in Egypt will do nothing if information does not reach them, if approvals take two weeks, or if you change direction every month.
The result is a partnership. Whoever gives information, quick decisions and clarity of goal gets a better result from exactly the same person than another client would.
In short
There is no single best, there is a right fit for your business. Ask for cases in your sector, ask about failure, watch what they ask you, speak to their clients, and start small.
And beware of exaggerated guarantees and very cheap offers — both cost more in the end.
This is part of a series on ads and SEO — which also covers why we do not take a percentage of ad spend, and when not to do digital marketing.