HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST DIGITAL MARKETING AGENCY IN 7 STEPS

HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST DIGITAL MARKETING AGENCY IN 7 STEPS

When it comes to choosing a digital marketing agency for you, it’s no small feat. More often than not, many businesses opt for a  digital marketing agency over  internal marketing, simply because it is difficult to maintain. With an abundance of new marketing tactics appearing every day, it can be nearly impossible for busy businesses to stay on top of the latest trends, to find the best ways to use different platforms;  essentially becoming a ‘jack of all trades’ in all areas of digital marketing. As a result, this is why having someone else do it for you can be of great benefit.

But when it comes to choosing the right marketing company, it’s not a decision that should be taken lightly, especially if it’s your first time. Follow these  seven steps  to make sure you choose the right digital marketing agency for you …

CHOOSE A DIGITAL MARKETING AGENCY IN 7 STEPS 

1. DETERMINE YOUR BUSINESS MARKETING NEEDS

When you start researching the best digital marketing companies, you need to prepare yourself and ask yourself a few questions, such as what do I want to achieve with an agency and how much am I willing to spend to achieve it? Understanding exactly what you want will help you find and refine exactly what you want, rather than wasting your precious time and resources.

Once you’ve determined your business needs, whether it’s increasing your business online presence or redesigning your brand, you’re ready to start actively researching the best digital marketing agency for you. .

2. FIND AN AGENCY THAT MEETS YOUR NEEDS

You may be wondering “how do I choose an agency for me?” First, assess the packages offered by a company: do they match what you want your company to achieve? This is an important question to think about, because if their marketing strategy was not what you are looking for, the agency is not “The One” no matter how much you love them.

Moreover, the cost is also a factor to consider. Remember, it really isn’t worth spending an arm and a leg on a digital marketing package that doesn’t meet your needs.

3. DO YOUR BACKGROUND RESEARCH

Before moving forward in the process, it is essential that you do some thorough research on the digital marketing agencies that you have investigated. Are they practicing what they preach? The main way to know if an agency is right for you is to look at the results they have produced themselves.

For example, if you are considering hiring an agency to do  content marketing  , how does it run its own blog? If you are considering hiring them for  social media  how do they handle their own social media – is it successful? The same goes for SEO; how do they rank in search terms for their industry? Did you find them on the first page of Google? If they do not “practice what they preach,” they may not be able to achieve what they promise or be able to provide the services they offer.  

Plus, another great way to find out if a  digital marketing company  is the best is through recommendations. Ask your friends and family if they have anyone in mind or if any friends of friends know about it. Alternatively, consider asking your professional network on LinkedIn, as there may be an acquaintance in your industry who has a specific suggestion for you.

Reboot  tip : Be very careful if you are considering hiring an overseas digital marketing agency. Agencies overseas often charge low prices, so you might think you’re getting a lot, but in reality you might have to deal with poor service. Not to mention the jet lag which can be a problem …

4. ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS You may be thinking, what to ask a digital marketing agency? You’ll likely have a hundred and one different questions, but it’s important to make sure you’re asking the right questions.

HERE ARE FIVE KEY QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD CONSIDER ASKING YOUR POTENTIAL NEW AGENCY:

        – Can I see examples of campaigns?

Ask the company for a  portfolio of successful work  , whether it’s effective PR campaigns,  keyword ranking,  and producing quality content with high click-through rates and  low bounce rates  .

        – Who will complete the work?

You may need different teams, like an  SEO agency  with an in-house content marketing team. Take the time to review the company and ask yourself, “Would I be happy for people to find this work on my company site?” “

        – How long do you keep your clients on average?

In short: the longer, the better.  

        – What results can you promise me? 

Keep in mind that if you’re in a fairly competitive industry, a digital marketing agency  shouldn’t promise ‘bottom-of-the-funnel’ results  because there are too many factors at play – it’s inevitable that results take longer if you are in a more competitive market.

        – How will the results and the ROI be measured?

Make sure it’s clear how the results will be measured, as well as your return on investment (ROI).

5. SEND A “REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL” (RFP)

Once you’ve narrowed down a selection of digital marketing agencies that you’re happy to continue with, contact the company to express your interest.

The next step is to send a  “Request for Proposal”  (RFP) to your selected few agencies to help you in your decision to choose the best digital marketing agency. A call for tenders allows you to collect information from different companies and select the company that best meets your criteria, both in terms of skills and budget. This should make it clear which agency works best for your business and which digital marketing contract you need to sign.

6. SEND THEM A JOB AND REVIEW

If you’re tired of reading testimonials and reviews and want to see what the business can achieve for you, consider asking them to perform a task for your business. This lets you know what they are capable of and if their clients’ results are still good as they can suggest on their website.

Have them create a  digital PR campaign  or content marketing article for your business, and have them prepare ideas to present to you. The best idea will then be implemented by the digital marketing agency, and you wait for the results to kick in. This can take the form of media coverage (links) or high post rankings (although it takes longer).

7. HOLD A MEETING WITH THE AGENCY

If you’ve been happy with everyone so far, it’s time to have a meeting with the digital agency . It is a good way to  get to know the team  and an opportunity to sort out any issues with the team before signing a contract.

This is where personality conflicts become evident, which can hamper the success of your business. Some people call it “the beer test” and it’s often used as a recruiting method: would you invite them over for a beer at your local pub or run a mile in the other direction? The answer to that speaks volumes.