Looking to start working with a digital marketing agency?
Ready to boost your online presence?
Digital marketing is critically important for startups or businesses of any kind. However, while you may be eager to get started, it’s best not to go with the first digital marketing agency you come across. Skillsets, reliability, and results can vary from agency to agency.
If you’re looking for the perfect agency to work with, be sure to look for the following 10 things to make sure they’re the real deal.
When looking for a digital marketing agency it needs to be clear that they have years of experience in the industry. Look for professional credentials and past successes.
Also, do what you can to research the individual experience of anyone who works for the agency. See what kind of past experience they have in the field and if they have any degrees that make them qualified in the marketing and technology fields.
In an industry such as digital marketing, backgrounds can definitely vary greatly. But by taking the time to determine the experience of a company you’ll know who you’re working with and if they have what it takes to deliver on your needs.
In addition to notes on their experience, great digital marketing agencies should have plenty of testimonials on their site. An agency that has been in business for a while should have plenty of satisfied customers who can attest to a business’ expertise.
You should also look for reviews and opinions across the web. If you see plenty of poor reviews online you may want to turn the other way. Great sites to look for reviews include Google+, Facebook, Yelp, and the Better Business Bureau.
Additionally, ask for recommendations from contacts and friends as they may have experience with a particular agency you’re considering working with.
A professional agency will be able to put you in contact with references. It’s important to evaluate the success that past clients have had with an agency and to communicate with them to get opinions on the agency.
An agency may also be able to show you a measured and full report of what they have achieved for businesses in the past and will be able to prove their success and know-how to you.
If they can’t provide you with concrete evidence of success in the past, they may not be able to help your company achieve results in the present.
If you’re choosing a digital agency to work with, you should consider examing their own online presence and marketing efforts. Check to see if their own site is ranked in Google if their website looks professional and if their site seems to be well optimized for SEO.
However, in some cases be aware that this can be misleading. The agency may just be so focused on their clients that they fail to keep up with their own site.
While it’s not always the case that an agency’s own digital presence will reflect how they’ll handle the marketing for your business, this can still be a good thing to consider to see if their money is where their mouth is.
You also need to be aware that different digital marketing agencies will have different areas of expertise and specializations. Consider what you most need out of a relationship and go from there.
For example, if you are a local business you may need an agency that is well-versed in local SEO tactics.
Additionally, some agencies will be more geared for helping your business with PPC and paid search tactics, while others will be focused only on search engine marketing (SEM) and SEO.
Finally, you should also consider if an agency has experience or expertise working with your specific industry. If you’re in healthcare, for example, you may want to look for a digital marketing agency that focuses on that industry and knows the specific needs of a healthcare organization.
Any agency you consider should have solid strategies and operation methods in place that they can explain to you with clarity. If you ask them about their tactics and they have a wishy-washy response or can’t fully describe just what it is they do, this may be a red flag.
A digital marketing agency should have a tested plan that will provide you with attainable, measurable results. They should be able to tell you about what they expect to achieve, what they have achieved in the past, and how each tactic they use will help your website or business succeed.
Continuing off of the point above, a digital marketing agency should have a way to communicate what results they have achieved for your business. It’s one thing to have a plan, but they need to show you that their plan is achieving the results you want throughout your relationship with them.
A reliable agency will be able to provide you with a regular report that shows statistics and analytics. These reports should show exactly what they have achieved for your business whether your goal is to gain more leads, website visits, or sales.
You need to also look for an agency that is the perfect size for having a relationship with your business. While there is no right answer, different sized agencies will have different strengths and weaknesses.
A small agency, for example, may be able to give you more personalized attention. They may also be a bit easier to communicate with, although this isn’t always the case.
On the other hand, a large digital marketing agency will likely have a wealth of resources and tools at their disposal that a smaller agency may not have. However, in many cases, they won’t be able to provide the personalized attention and easy communication that you may crave.
Like the size of an agency, there isn’t necessarily a correct cost. The right costs can vary from agency to agency and will depend on your needs. However, you need to consider the potential drawbacks of working with a marketing agency who charges too much or too little.
An agency who charges very little for their services, may not be able to deliver the results you need. You may get what you pay for and receive service that is less than satisfactory.
On the other hand, an agency that charges too much can also be disappointing. Some agencies are charging so much because they’re relying on a well-marketed brand name rather than on the value they provide.
You should also ask a digital marketing agency what tools they use and what kind of resources they have at their disposal.
A professional marketing agency will use many kinds of tools to achieve results for your business and get the job done right. These tools may be used for analytics, research, development, site optimization, management, or media buying.
While smaller agencies will likely have fewer tools than a large marketing firm, all professional agencies should have some professional tools that they will rely on to more effectively market your business.
Digital marketing couldn’t be more important for your business. However, it’s important that you find an agency that you trust and that you can build a relationship with
Take the time to look for all of the things and you’ll make sure that whichever digital marketing agency you choose if fully capable of helping your business and getting the job done.
Ready to boost your online presence? Contact us today to see how The Web Ally can help your business succeed.
Contact us today to see how The Web Ally can help your business succeed.
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