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Imagine that you run a small business and have to do a million different things at once to keep your "ship" afloat. You're also trying to get new customers to help your business grow.
Putting two and two together, it's probably safe to say that you don't have the knowledge or skills to come up with and run a digital marketing campaign, make improvements to your website, or do something called "SEO." So, you can either hire your cousin who tried his hand at marketing once, or you can hire a digital marketing agency.
Let's say you don't have a cousin and you need to hire a marketing agency. How do you check one out?
If you Google "digital marketing agency," you'll get a list of agencies from around the world and in your area that offer all kinds of services. As you look at each one, it can get boring and wear you out.
Why choosing a digital marketing agency isn't easy
It would be hard for most small and independent businesses to find an agency because of the following:
1. There are no barriers to entry.
Digital marketing firms can be claimed by anyone with a website. You don't need a certain level of education or experience to start offering services. Anyone with an internet connection can call themselves an agency and offer you digital marketing services from anywhere in the world.
2. There was no verification from the industry.
Digital marketing agencies are not accredited or checked by any industry group. When you look at someone's website, it's very hard to figure out how trustworthy they are. Unlike traditional advertising agencies, which belong to international and national groups, the digital marketing industry doesn't have any such group.
3. You don't realize how little you know.
If you run a small business and have never done digital marketing before, it would be hard to judge someone's skills. Since you might not have people on your team who are good at, say, managing social media, it would be hard to judge someone else's skills.
4. The goals aren't clear.
If a small business wants to do digital marketing, they might not know what strategy to use or what channel to use. It's hard to choose an agency that doesn't have clear goals because they usually focus on what they do well instead of what your business might need.
How small businesses should check out a digital marketing agency
If you hire the right digital marketing agency, your marketing efforts will be more effective, less stressful, and more profitable. You'll be able to make high-value digital assets (websites, ads, etc.) that are both cost-effective and perfect for your needs.
Here are some tips on how to check out a digital marketing agency to make sure you hire one that is trustworthy, good at what it does, and fits your needs.
1. Set your goals, terms, and budget.
You should know what you want from your digital marketing before you start looking at agencies' websites.
Do you want more people to know about your brand? Do you want to move up in search results? Do you want to get more people to visit your site?
These are merely a few examples. You can have more than one goal, but you should know how to rank them.
When you know what you want your marketing agency to do, you can figure out how you like to work. This part is easy, but you need to make sure your goals are reasonable.
What's your schedule? How much do you want or need to get involved? Are you ready to give up complete control over your work?
When you're evaluating agencies, you should ask yourself these questions so you can figure out how they work and if it fits with your schedule and way of working. If you do this, you'll have less stress and better communication in the future.
Lastly, know how much money you have. When talking to agencies, you will save a huge amount of time if you are clear about your budget. Tell an agency about it in the first two sentences of a conversation. They will be grateful to you, and you will be grateful to yourself.
2. Check their portfolio.
Digital marketing firms that have run campaigns well will have a lot to show for it. They would have a strong portfolio of work that they would be happy to show you. On their website, it is easy to find them.
Do keep in mind that an agency's website can't show all of the services they offer. They will be able to share screenshots of landing pages, logos, and other graphic designs they made.
But you might need to ask for more information about work that has to do with search engine optimization (SEO), organic video marketing, social media management, and so on.
See if the websites in the portfolio are still online and using the same design. This is more important than how the portfolio looks. That would show what the agency can do in the real world.
3. Check their reputation.
For a digital marketing agency to say that their clients love them is one thing. What about the customers? Like working together with the service provider? The easiest way to find out is to look at the agency's website and see what people have said about them.
You should look for specifics in testimonials. Do the clients talk about how fast the agency works or how creative they are? Are the clients happy with how the team keeps helping them? Has anyone on the team been called by name? With these details, the praise sounds more real.
But keep in mind that some shady agencies will make up fake testimonials from real or fake companies. You can look up the company online and see if they've worked with the agency. When you search online, you can also find reviews that other people have written. You could hear from former customers or even former employees. That will show you what's really going on.
4. Check their digital presence.
This is one of the best ways to figure out how good a service provider is. You hire a marketing firm to help you improve your online presence. So, the agency needs to have a set of digital assets that are good and inspiring.
Check out how fast their website loads. Does the homepage look interesting and draw you in? Does it have easy-to-find places for all the important information? Do you see a lot of stuff on the page? Is it set up to work well with search engines?
The quality of a website doesn't tell you everything you need to know about an agency's skills. But it will show if they care about their jobs or not.
Besides their website, you should also check out how they use social media. Are they present on all the important platforms? How many people follow them? Are there other businesses that follow them? How often does the agency post original content? How involved are they with the people who follow them?
These will tell you more about the agency than their presentations. If an agency says they can manage your social media or make digital videos, they should be doing those things for their own business.
5. Check if they have outrageous claims.
It takes time for digital marketing to show results. You need a partner who will take the time to learn about your goals and pain points and then come up with a workable plan that fits your budget. No matter how dedicated and skilled they are, it will take some time for the campaigns to show results.
Every good agency knows this. But some will send you a proposal or meet with you and make crazy promises. Even though it may be tempting to believe them, you should know that this isn't a game of quick wins.
What they say they will do should meet industry standards. They should also be able to measure and show you the results of their work in an open and honest way. They should talk to you about the partnership's short-term and long-term goals, as well as what they can realistically do for you and when.
6. Check if they share your values.
You want to work with someone whose values are the same as yours. You want a group of people who understand your needs and challenges and, most importantly, see things from your point of view.
They should know what your business stands for and how you treat your partners and employees. If they are the type to force their ideas on you all the time, there will be trouble. If you don't like how their team members act, there will be trouble.
How the agency describes itself and how other people describe it will help you figure out what kind of culture it has. When you meet the agency, pay attention to their attitude, the words they use, and their soft skills.
7. Check their relevant industry experience.
Make sure you look for clients who are in the same industry or who had similar business goals. Let's say you want to do better in organic search. If that's the case, there's no point in looking at a service provider who specializes in social media management, no matter how good they are at it.
You should also look at how big their clients are and how much they spend on marketing. As a small business, you should look for agencies that can run campaigns on small budgets. If they spend more money on marketing, they might be able to hire a social media influencer, which your company might not be able to do.
The other part of category experience is how long people have known each other. Do they work with clients for a long time or just for short projects? If they only work with businesses for a few months, that could be a warning sign if you want to work with them for a long time.
How can I make sure that the social media agency understands the voice and identity of my brand?
To make sure the fit is perfect, ask for case studies or examples of their past work that show they can adapt to different brand voices. Set up a discovery session to talk about your brand's values, target audience, and preferred messaging. This will help you figure out how well they can represent your brand in a real way.
How do I know if the agency keeps up with the latest algorithms and social media trends?
Ask them how they handle learning new things and improving their skills. Ask them if they go to industry conferences, get relevant magazines, or take part in workshops. A socially savvy agency will show that it wants to stay ahead of the curve and use the latest trends to their fullest potential.
What metrics should I expect the agency to keep track of and report on?
Key performance indicators (KPIs) include things like engagement rates, reach, click-through rates, and conversion metrics. A good agency should give full reports on these things. Also, they should be able to give information about the audience's demographics and how they act so that future plans can be made.
How can I be sure that my private data and information will be handled safely?
Talk to them about how they handle data and ask if they have any relevant certifications or privacy compliance measures in place. Also, you might want to ask for references from clients to find out how good they are at keeping secrets and keeping sensitive information safe. This will help build trust and make sure the partnership is safe.
Final Thoughts
Choosing the right agency is one of the most important steps to success. By following the tips in this post, you can be sure to work with an agency that shares your brand's vision, stays on top of trends in the industry, and puts data security first.
Now, take action to ensure your social media success. Reach out to potential agencies, ask the right questions, and make an informed decision that will take your brand to new heights in the digital world.
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