Finding a good digital marketing agency is not an easy task, which is one of the main reasons that most businesses do not have their website designed and developed by true professionals.
In fact, it is so difficult to find a reputable company these days that some agencies have even started offering low cost services.
Sadly, this situation can be very detrimental for you as a business owner.
You will get poor quality web design that ends up costing a lot of money, or content creation that doesn’t seem like it was put much effort into. This is why it is important to make your search for a new agency careful and thorough.
Finding a professional digital marketing firm that does great work won’t happen quickly, but it is definitely worth the investment. Luckily for you, we have gathered several tips here that may help you along the way.
Ask friends for recommendations
Finding a good digital marketing agency is not an easy task, which is why it is always recommended that you ask your friends or colleagues for their input. If they recommend someone, then take them seriously and do some research on these professionals.
Review websites and read reviews about this company to get more insights into how people were helped by them and what services they offer. This will help give you a better picture of whether or not they are worth hiring.
It’s also important to look at past projects that they have completed. Did everything come out well and was everything to perfection? If so, then chances are they are going to put in the same amount of effort for you!
Another way to evaluate a potential agency is to compare prices across different agencies. An experienced firm will usually cost more than a start-up but his or her quality products and services might (not always) be worth the extra money.
Look at their website
After checking out their website, make sure it is easy to navigate. It should contain clear information about them, as well as how to contact them. Also look for photos or testimonials of past projects!
Stay away if it’s not very professional looking or if you can’t identify with who they are and what they do. Make sure they also include an “about us” sections that you can go through to find more information.
Intermediate and advanced level professionals will probably take a look at your personal social media accounts before booking you as an agency client. They want to make sure no one has tagged you in inappropriate content or posted anything controversial.
And finally, ask around. People who work in related fields to yours should be able to tell you some good things about this company.
Ask them about their experience
Now that you have your list of candidates, the next thing to do is ask each one some questions.
Ask each candidate what past clients they’ve worked with and whether or not those relationships helped them achieve their goals. You want to know if they’re willing to put in the effort needed to succeed and if they take responsibility for failures.
In addition to looking at their success stories, get a sense of how much autonomy they give their employees. If someone has to go through several levels of management to accomplish something simple, chances are good that employee will face more hurdles in getting things done.
Asking about potential pitfalls and giving honest feedback are also important indicators of how committed this person is to helping you reach your goal.
You don’t need to hire anyone yet — but you should at least form some initial impressions based on these questions and conversations.
Ask them what they know about your industry
Even though an agency may have lots of flashy marketing strategies, that doesn’t necessarily mean they are going to be effective for you. In fact, more than half of all agencies don’t actually use any specific tools or techniques in their own portfolio!
An agency that is trying to make as much money off of you as possible will probably invest in their own proprietary software and gadgets to help with marketing.
It’s important to remember that an agency isn’t hired because they are professional and savvy at digital marketing, they get paid to be so. If you want results, you need to hire professionals who will work hard to achieve those results.
Check their portfolio
After you have done some research and gathered information about a potential agency, your next step is to compare them with other agencies to see what services they offer and which ones they are best in.
It’s not enough just to look at their website or social media pages, you should actually meet with and talk to representatives from each company so that you can get an idea of how professional they seem and if they seem like people who care about digital marketing.
You want to be sure that they are going to do good work for you and that you will feel comfortable working with them!
There are many ways to compare companies online, but no one way is best all time. So why not try meeting these professionals in person to get their insights directly?
That way you can determine whether or not you trust them and whether they seem like the kind of person who cares about his/her job and strives to achieve great results.
Ask them to provide you with a list of testimonials
Asking for a list of testimonials is one of the best ways to determine if an agency is going to be a good fit for your business.
Most agencies will have access to at least a few glowing reviews from their past clients, so ask to read some of these!
However, it’s not just about reading what people say about the company you want to work with, but also how they say things.
You should look for examples of strong communication, professionalism, and accuracy in content. Make sure to check out both positive and negative comments, as well as reading between the lines to see if anything seems off or if there are any warning signs.
Overall, looking at several sources can help give you clear signals about whether this business is right for you.
Get personal with them
Finding a good digital marketing agency doesn’t happen by looking at your business stats or listening to reviews. It also takes getting to know the people you want to work with, and making sure they can do what they say they can do.
Interviews are an excellent way to evaluate a potential partner’s skills. But instead of asking about their past achievements, ask them about themselves. What subjects did they study at university? What sports do they watch?
Ask if anyone ever gave them feedback, and whether they listened to it. If they don’t seem particularly passionate when talking about their field of expertise, run like hell!
And while no one is perfect, there are things we can look for that indicate a person who will treat you well. Make eye contact, listen to how they speak, and get a sense of their personality.
Is the person you talk to a manager?
As mentioned earlier, most digital marketing agencies have at least one person that is considered their in-house manager. This individual is typically the one who interacts with clients, managers of other departments, and others within the company who require his or her expertise.
This can be difficult for you as a customer because there are so many things they do! They may handle social media management, advertising, website design, content writing, etc. It really depends on what projects the agency has going on at any given time.
To determine if an agency has someone that fits the description of a manager, ask about their level position. If they tell you that they are only a junior employee then chances are good that they cannot effectively manage those higher up employees.
Also, look into whether or not they have direct reports. An agency with no direct reports is probably looking to grow through referrals.
Ultimately, you want to make sure that your business is in good hands and managed by someone with the right knowledge and expertise.