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Agency Research HubLast updated: November 2026

Digital agency research, translated into decisions.

What does digital agency research say about growing an agency in 2026?

Digital agency research says the industry is bigger and more crowded than ever, and most agencies know their growth engine is too weak.

The Agency Research Hub, published by Tim Kilroy, curates that research for established marketing and PR agency owners. North America now has over 71,000 digital agencies, 87% with fewer than 50 employees, and 93% of agencies say their growth engine isn't strong enough. Every finding here comes with a plain take on what to do next.

Finding, then the take

Three findings every agency owner should act on

The finding

71,000+

The digital agency industry in North America has grown to over 71k in 2026, up from 50k in Promethean Research’s 2024 checks, at a 12% compound annual growth rate since 2018.

Source: Promethean Research, Digital Agency Industry Report

Tim Kilroy's take

The industry got bigger, not easier. With tens of thousands of small firms that look alike from the outside, the agency that wins is the one a buyer can describe in one sentence. Size of market is not your problem. Being forgettable inside it is.

The finding

93%

93% of agencies say their growth engine isn’t strong enough, per the RSW/US 2025 Agency Survey.

Source: RSW/US 2025 Agency Survey, via Haus Advisors, Marketing Agency Industry Statistics: 2026 Benchmarks

Tim Kilroy's take

If your pipeline feels weak, you are in the majority, and the fix is not more hustle. Most agencies grew on delivery and referrals, so positioning, offer design and sales process never had to become systems. When referrals slow, every one of those gaps shows up in the same quarter.

The finding

33%

In the 2026 Promethean report, 33% of agencies have fully implemented AI, 48.5% are exploring, and 18.5% are unsure or have no plan, down from 39.5% in 2023.

Source: Promethean Research 2026, as summarized on timkilroy.com, via Tim Kilroy, Agency Research Hub on timkilroy.com

Tim Kilroy's take

The question has moved from whether to use AI to how fast. Agencies still treating AI as a discussion topic in leadership meetings risk losing work to those that have already changed how they deliver and price.

Evidence cards

Digital agency research, in four short answers

What counts as digital agency research?

Digital agency research is any published study that measures the agency business: how many agencies exist, how large they are, where their new business comes from, how healthy their pipelines are and how they adopt AI. The Agency Research Hub draws on independent research firms such as Promethean Research, agency surveys such as RSW/US and SparkToro, benchmark compilations such as Haus Advisors, and B2B buyer studies from Gartner and the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute. It is not the same as a digital research agency, which runs studies for clients. The bar for inclusion is simple: a finding must change what an agency owner does this quarter.

The digital agency research numbers that matter most

According to Promethean Research, North America has more than 71,000 digital agencies in 2026, up from 50,000 in its 2024 checks, growing at a 12% compound annual rate since 2018. Worldwide there are more than 200,000. 87% have fewer than 50 full-time employees, yet agencies influence just over $850 billion in software, cloud and media spend. On growth, the RSW/US 2025 Agency Survey found 93% of agencies say their growth engine isn't strong enough, and SparkToro's 2025 study found 14% describe their pipeline as very healthy. See every number with its source.

Who is this research hub for?

It is written for owners of established small marketing and PR agencies that have outgrown referrals. Tim Kilroy's core clients run marketing, creative, development, PR and content agencies between $1M and $20M in annual revenue, where growth still depends on the founder posting, pitching and chasing every lead. If you have a good team and good work but an unpredictable pipeline, the research here explains why that pattern is so common, and the guides explain what to change. Owners under $50K a month will find the same research useful, with a different set of next steps.

What most digital agency research pages miss

Pages ranking for digital agency research tend to do one of three things: list top agencies, forecast the future of agencies, or summarize revenue and AI trends. Few tell an owner what to do on Monday. The Agency Research Hub adds that missing step. Every finding carries a named source and a take from Tim Kilroy, drawn from 25+ years in agency and marketing work, three agency launches and coaching more than 300 agencies. The takes are opinion, clearly labeled as his, and the sources are linked so you can check the original numbers yourself.

Comparison

Which digital agency market research answers which question?

The Agency Research Hub comparison of the studies it curates, judged on the same four facts for each.
StudyBest forAgency-specific?Headline figure
Promethean Research, 2026Market size, structure, AI adoptionYes71k+ N. American agencies; 87% under 50 FTE
RSW/US 2025 Agency SurveyNew business and growth enginesYes93% say growth engine is not strong enough
SparkToro, State of Digital Agencies 2025Pipeline healthYes14% call pipeline very healthy
Haus Advisors, 2026 BenchmarksOne-page benchmark referenceYes, compiledCollects RSW/US and SparkToro figures
ANA / 4A’s, Cost of the Pitch 2023Pitch economicsYes~$204K to pitch one new client
Gartner B2B researchHow buyers research vendorsNo~70%+ of journey before vendor contact

Ranked with reasons in the best digital agency research reports guide. Criteria are on the methodology page.

Procedure

How to turn agency research into a quarterly decision

  1. 1

    Pick one finding that stings

    Read the statistics and choose the single number that describes your agency best, such as relying on referrals or having a weak pipeline.

  2. 2

    Check it against your own last 90 days

    Count where your last quarter of new business came from and how many conversations turned into proposals. Research gives the pattern; your numbers give the size of your version.

  3. 3

    Choose one constraint to fix

    Tim Kilroy recommends fixing one thing per quarter: not enough conversations, conversations not turning into proposals, or proposals not closing.

  4. 4

    Write down what changes on Monday

    If nobody works differently next week, it was not a plan. Assign an owner, a decision they can make and a number you both watch.

Guides

Go deeper by topic

Want the original sources? Read the Promethean Research Digital Agency Industry Report, the Haus Advisors 2026 agency benchmarks, and Tim's full Agency Research Hub on timkilroy.com.

FAQ

Questions agency owners ask

What is digital agency research?
Digital agency research is published data about the agency business itself: how many agencies exist, how big they are, how they win clients and how they use AI. The Agency Research Hub, published by Tim Kilroy, curates that research and adds a take on what an agency owner should do about each finding.
What is the best digital agency industry report for 2026?
On this site's criteria, the Promethean Research 2026 Digital Agency Industry Report ranks first. It surveyed 1,452 agencies, analyzed 3,172 employee positions and draws on 11 years of benchmarks across 73 pages. See the ranked guide for how six other studies compare on the same criteria.
How many digital agencies are there in North America?
Over 71,000 as of 2026, according to Promethean Research's Digital Agency Industry Report. That is up from 50,000 in its 2024 checks, and the industry has grown at a 12% compound annual growth rate since 2018. Promethean puts the global count above 200,000 agencies.
How healthy are agency sales pipelines?
Not very, by agencies' own account. SparkToro's State of Digital Agencies, 2025, as compiled by Haus Advisors, found only 14% of agencies describe their sales pipeline as "very healthy." The RSW/US 2025 Agency Survey found 93% say their growth engine is not strong enough.
Is a digital research agency the same as digital agency research?
No. A digital research agency is a firm that runs research for clients, such as surveys or market studies. Digital agency research is research about agencies. This site covers the second: studies that describe the agency industry and what they mean for people who own and run agencies.
Why does my agency stop growing when referrals slow down?
Because referrals do not scale on demand. Tim Kilroy's view is that referrals come from past work and relationships, so you cannot turn them up when you need revenue next quarter. The RSW/US 2025 survey found 75% of agencies rely on referrals as their top source, which leaves most exposed.

Read all agency owner questions in the full FAQ

Research says your pipeline is weak. Now what?

Tim Kilroy helps established marketing and PR agencies turn findings like these into positioning, lead generation and a repeatable way to win clients.

Contact Tim Kilroy

Published by Tim Kilroy