With the current global climate, the age of the internet is growing more than ever before and digital marketing agencies are popping up like mushrooms after the rain. With so many agencies to choose from how do you pick the right one? Choosing the right digital marketing company for your business can be an overwhelming and almost impossible task, especially if you don’t know where to start.
Know your needs and goals.
There are many things that digital marketing agencies can help you with or do for you, so you can fully focus on running your business. Do you want to bring more people to your website? Do you want someone to run your social media marketing or someone to create content for you? The clearer your goals are the easier it will be to find the right digital marketing agency.
Understand your budget.
Understanding your budget and knowing how much you are willing to spend is another important step to take in order to find the right digital marketing agency. There are no set prices, every agency is different and so is every project. The crucial thing is to look at the expenses related to hiring a digital marketing agency as an investment.
What to look for in online marketing agencies?
- Proven results and industry knowledge.
There are many digital marketing companies that claim they are the best. How can you be sure they are speaking the truth? Read through their client testimonials at their website, get in touch with their clients or check the agency’s online presence. If you can not find any of those on the agency’s website, you might want to give this one a miss. Online marketing agencies are proud of their work and happy clients, so they make sure to include all the information on their website.
- Company culture and shared values.
Working with someone who does not share your values can be difficult and very stressful. You should make sure the digital marketing agency shares your values so you can find yourself on the same page. At the end of the day, the agency represents your business and you want to make sure they are able to deliver your message. There are many agencies that use the same generic marketing strategy for multiple businesses. Make sure the company you choose can come up with a marketing strategy tailor-made just for you.
- A well-designed website and easy to get in touch with.
A well-designed website is a must when it comes to online marketing agencies. It is essentially an example of their work. The website should be easy to navigate and lack any typos. The design of the website goes a hand in hand with the accessibility of contact information. This should be easy to find on every page of their website.
- Understand their process.
Every agency is different and works in a different way but the essential steps should be pretty much the same across all the agencies. First of all, the agency should listen to you and get to know your business as much as possible. They will ask a lot of questions in order to understand your products, services and UPS’s. After auditing your marketing they will highlight room for improvement and offer recommendations. The next step should be developing a marketing proposal which should be carefully explained to you so you can understand the reasoning behind it. And if you agree it is time to start building your relationship.
- One-stop shop.
You do not need several online marketing agencies to take care of your business. There are many aspects to online marketing and not all agencies can do it all. Try to find the one that keeps everything under ‘one roof’ and save yourself time and money.
- Transparency and communication.
You shouldn’t be guessing what is happening. The agency should keep you updated and not withhold any information from you. If you have any questions or you are not sure how the processes work, ask them. A good digital marketing agency should be able to keep you in a loop and explain every step of the project. You should also be informed about who is working on your projects and be able to communicate with the people directly without any middle man.
- Intellectual property.
Many digital agencies keep the intellectual property of the marketing accounts as their hostages. If you decide, for whatever reason, to change an agency they will not provide you with the contents of the said accounts. You should look for agencies that list you as the sole owners of the intellectual property of the marketing accounts. This helps to build trust between you and the agency.
Conclusion
Choosing the right online digital marketing agency should be intuitive. Go with your gut, find the agency that makes you feel like they understand and share your values. An agency that understands your needs and is willing to go the extra mile to meet them. Hopefully, this article helped you to know what to look for when choosing the right agency for you and your business.
