Digital marketing is now the go-to for any business. However, not every business can handle its digital marketing in-house. Luckily, there are many digital marketing agencies available for hire. Below are the factors you should look for when hiring a digital marketing agency to represent your business.
Any digital marketing agency you consider should have a strong portfolio to show potential clients. This will show you previous work they have done for clients, and the results they achieved. If an agency can not show you any previous work, or their portfolio does not include result metrics, consider that a red flag. The portfolio should include;
These case studies should show detailed results of campaigns they have created for clients to achieve specific goals. Look for real data showing the campaign's efficacy, not just pretty graphics and charts. Ask for a case study if one is not included.
Happy clients will often happily give a testimonial if the agency has performed well. Look for a digital marketing agency that has a range of testimonials from various industries to show their versatility.
A good digital marketing agency should be able to show the growth of its clients. Look for increases in website traffic, conversions, and engagement.
You want to ensure that the agency you hire, understands who your customer base is. A great digital marketing agency should be able to create a personalized customer persona for your business. From here, they can create effective marketing campaigns that target your ideal audience. Look for an agency that does in-depth research on your customer persona by using marketing tools like surveys and focus groups.
The agency you choose to represent your business should be able to create a custom marketing strategy for you. Using a one-size-fits-all approach simply will not work in the digital age. A good digital marketing agency will begin by asking about your business goals for the next quarter, year, and five years. Your business goals will help the agency to create a custom marketing strategy in line with your goals.
Consider the agency's experience within your industry during the selection process. While experience helps with industry challenges, it is necessary for success. However, if they don’t have experience in your industry, ensure they have worked successfully in a variety of industries before hiring the digital marketing agency. Note that agencies with previous experience in your industry may get faster results, as they already know what campaigns work, but they may be less personalized to your business initially.
Creating a return on investment or ROI is the main focus of marketing. Therefore, you want to be hiring a digital marketing company that can show you these results. Ask the agency to show you how they plan to increase leads, sales, and website traffic for your company, and how they will track this data. After all, you want to make sure your investment pays off.
When hiring a digital marketing agency, there are many considerations to keep in mind. The five above are some of the most important, but you should also consider communication, availability, and knowledge of the latest social media platforms.