Selecting the Right Digital Marketing Agency

by Robert Long | Dec 14, 2021 | Online Business, Online Marketing Articles, Social Media Marketing

Most businesses find it difficult to select the digital marketing agency that will be best for them to fulfill their objectives. Any freelancer with an internet connection and a computer can present an impressive website and claim to be a top-notch global company. How does a business, especially a small and medium-sized business person with limited knowledge of the subject go about separating the chaff from the wheat?  Many business owners have had a bad experience with fly-by-night operators who either take their money, vanish, or just don’t have it in them to deliver on their tall promises.

We have selected the major characteristics of good digital marketing agencies to make this decision-making easier for you.

Wide and complete range of SEM services under one roof

The services the agency offers should have a wide range. Do they know digital marketing, email marketing, SEO services, and search engine marketing well enough and skilled enough to increase your organic search results and have digital marketing strategies in place to ensure your traffic, conversions, and leads increase over time?

The digital marketing business requires constant study to be up-to-date with the fast-changing developments in the field. The agency should offer a wide range of related services under the same roof. They should also be able to offer services to a wide range of domains for which a good knowledge of specific needs of various trades and industries is necessary.

Customers would rather have their web development, social media marketing, SEO, digital optimization, blog writing, all under the same roof, so that they do not have the problem of coordination between agencies. When all the services are provided by an agency under one roof, the communication becomes painless and only one agency is responsible for the outcomes rather than multiple agencies throwing responsibility around. 

Top digital marketing firms have extensive knowledge of a wide range of internet platforms. The more experience they have, the more chances you’ll have to receive services that will help you grow your company.

Online Marketing Services Customized to Your Objectives

 A good digital marketing agency will not offer a ready-made package of services listing every service under the sun. They will first listen to you carefully, understand your business and that of your competitors, study their social media, the market, and understand what your objectives are. Your objectives could be just to get more customers, to establish your brand, or to be known as an industry leader. They will also study your target audience, the geographic area of your market, and the niche you want to address. 

They will then come out with a strategy and plan to achieve the objectives which spell out each activity, when and how it will be done custom made especially for you. You should ask the digital agency why they recommend particular social media platforms from the large numbers available and what tools they will use for your specific needs. Customizing specific to your needs ensures that resources are spent only where they are needed. 

Marketing Implimentaiton Transparency

Transparency is crucial when it comes to establishing trust. You are entrusting your brand along with a significant sum of money to your agency. You should be able to keep track of what’s going on! Leading digital marketing agencies are always willing to share information with you. If they are not transparent it means they are hiding something from you and you will have to be constantly on the alert worrying if they will take you for a ride. If you are entrusting them with your brand and growth to them besides a good amount of money, you have full right to know what is going on. It’s time to look for a new agency if you’re being put on hold and rarely seem to get answers.

A personal relationship with clients

Your digital team should see you as more than just a client. Agencies with a personalized approach invoke confidence and do not show you rules and regulations each time you want some small changes. How an agency interacts with its clients is more of a matter of organizational culture and can be found out in just a meeting or two.  Agencies who do not make efforts to know you are not likely to go deep into your needs and may not be able to do justice to your brand in their marketing effort.  

There is a beer test the agency representatives should pass. It simply means if they have come close enough to you that you can invite them for a beer, they pass the test!

If they take on a lot of clients and are unable to give your personal attention, it’s because they’re simply interested in your money and don’t care about your success. 

A powerful portfolio of past clients with case studies

Nothing boosts your confidence like seeing that the organization you’re working with has had consistent success! Portfolios of the top digital marketing agencies will be easily accessible for potential clients to view. Many put them on their websites.

Data from previous marketing initiatives, website examples, content examples, increased sales numbers, and so on are common examples. Remember to check if the agency has received awards or recognitions in the past.  Make sure that the awards of the data they present to you as success is not very old because in this business there are fast changes and what was good last year may not work anymore.  

Team with good experience and qualifications

Organizations are made by their people.  Make sure that the agency you select has people who have considerable experience qualifications and skills in the specific areas in which you want their services. 

You can’t anticipate the same results from a 1-year experienced agency employee as you can from a 10-year experienced one. Experience helps tremendously in solving problems and in getting work done fast and effectively at minimum cost. 

A well-designed website and social media platforms showing creativity 

If digital marketing agencies cannot make a state of the art website for themselves what will they do for you in the field of digital marketing? A well-designed website is crucial for any digital marketer. The same goes for their social media platforms. You can easily get a checklist to evaluate websites and social media and see how many blocks get ticked. 

Reasonable promises and similar values

One sure sign of a digital marketing agency you should reject is one making tall promises which seem even at first sight impossible to keep. Looking at the adjectives they use to describe themselves will give you a good idea about them. 

Digital marketing companies who accept their mistakes are more likely to perform better as they will be open and will work with you on a collaborative basis rather than hide them, leaving you in the lurch at the last moment. Companies that have openness deliver better on their promises. 

Working with a digital marketing agency that shares your values and operates in a similar environment is important. They will blend in and work effectively with your team. In the end, an agency serves as an extension of your company. It’s just as vital to choose an agency with the correct values and culture as it is to know the quality of their work. 

Measurable results with appropriate tools

Every competent digital marketing firm should strive to achieve results for its clients. If you’re thinking about associating with an agency, search for case studies, measurable success data, ROI, and testimonials to see how they’ve helped their clients succeed. 

Keeping what is mentioned above in your mind will help you to select the right digital marketing agency which will be a good fit for you and will help you grow in profits and establish your brand better.