There are many methods of digital marketing, and it can be hard to know which is best for your business. Moreover, there is often a lot of work involved and a long time to wait to really see it pay off. For these reasons, many businesses outsource their digital marketing.
If that’s the route you’d like to take, then you’re probably wondering how to choose a good agency. Here are a few essential things to consider:
- Measurable results: Any agency can promise results, but not all can deliver. A good sign that you’ve found a reputable agency is when they can show you actual data, for example, the return on investment (ROI) that they achieved for their existing or previous clients. Finding an ROI-focused online marketing agency will help ensure that they are putting your company’s needs first.
- Data-driven: Over the long term, ROI is what you are interested in, but in the short term there are many other performance indicators that your agency should be on top of so that they can see if the strategy is working and tweak it if needed. Be sure to find out what data they are measuring and how they are monitoring the progress of your business.
- Regular contact: You’re likely hiring an agency because you are already too busy to handle your online marketing in-house. It is not helpful then if you have to micromanage the agency too. The ideal agency will work independently to achieve your goals, but with frequent progress updates for you, including ones that you request.
- Flexibility: Like every industry, digital marketing is subject to trends. The methods that work are shifting all the time, and you want to choose an agency that is on top of them and which can pivot when needed to put your business ahead of the competition. Flexibility is difficult to evaluate objectively, but if your agency is active on social media or has a newsletter or blog, these can give you an insight into their thinking.
- Specialists: As mentioned before, there is a lot of work involved in digital marketing and there are many different approaches. There is too much for one person to be an expert in every area, so look for a team made up of specialists in different areas, e.g. SEO, social media.
Your online business can be seen as a destination that, in theory, anyone in the world can visit. However, people are liable to get lost or distracted going there. Choosing a reputable marketing agency with the right focus will make sure that the journey is well-signposted and smooth.