Whether you’re looking to implement an impressive growth strategy or are just interested in taking your first steps into the world of Digital Marketing, it’s important that you find an agency that aligns with your needs.
Trying to choose the “right” Digital Marketing Agency can be a little daunting with the internet seemingly saturated with so many options. Luckily, we’ve got a few pointers for you, read on for the key things you should consider when making the choice.
1. Outline your goals
It may take a little time, but it’s worth sitting down and considering exactly where you’d like to be in 6 months, a year and 5 years’ time. Will this agency be able to help you achieve this vision? Can they provide what you need, not just for now, but for your long-term expectations? Ideally, you’ll be wanting to pick an agency that has everything you think you’ll need to succeed at every point of your journey, even if you’re currently only willing to commit to that first step.
2. Rely on reviews
We live in a digital age where companies can make themselves appear as a slick, multi-faceted operation when that’s not always the case (the power of marketing, eh?). Lucky for you, living in a digital age also means you can access up-to-date reviews and research how other clients are getting on with them. There’s no longer a need to commit in good faith, when you can commit in good knowledge instead.
Savvy agencies will have ‘Google My Business’ set up, this is one of the best places to read honest reviews of real, and often recent, experiences with the agency in question. A simple search on Google will reveal those reviews. Don’t forget to utilise sites like LinkedIn and Facebook too, this will give you a broad view of just how good (or bad) the agency is.
3. Are they qualified?
Another way to determine if an agency is as good as it says is to check their accolades. It’s always a good sign when an agency endeavours to keep up-to-date with industry best practice. There are many ways they could do this, but a few main ones to look out for are: Facebook Partner, Google Partner & Bing Partner. These partnerships mean the agency meets the highest standards of performance and service for that online platform, so if you’re looking to include social advertising or SEO in your marketing strategy then these could offer assurances that you’re in good hands.
4. Send a Request for Proposal (RFP)
Satisfied that the agency passes the first three steps? Then it’s time to reach out to them. Sending a Request for Proposal will allow you to discover their strengths and weaknesses and give you a taster for the type of service you can expect from them.
You may still be undecided and have a few agencies in mind, if so this is great way to compare their different strategies and price points. It’s also a great opportunity to get a feel for the agency and see if they’re a good fit for your business. Don’t be afraid to ask to see Case Studies and examples of similar campaigns, at the end of the day marketing can be a big investment for some, so it’s important you feel you’re making the right decision.
Remember, you should never feel pressured in to immediately booking with an agency just because you’ve sent a Request for Proposal.
5. Decision Time
Based on the steps above you should now have a clear idea of the agency you wish to use and, from step 4, a good understanding of the custom strategy they’d implement, but after the deal is done, be sure to schedule regular check-ins. A good agency will not only send you regular campaign reports, but also contact you whenever they feel like your marketing efforts aren’t bringing in the results they could be. This may seem like a negative, but it means your campaign is being closely monitored and ultimately, you will see less wastage from your marketing investment.
If you’d like to find out how LOCALiQ can help you streamline and manage your marketing efforts then please feel free to contact us.
