STEPS TO PICK THE RIGHT DIGITAL MARKETING AGENCY

Do you have a new, upstart brand? Do you have a well-known, legacy company that needs an integrated digital strategy? If so, it’s likely time to think about going the agency route. 

Digital marketing agencies operate as extensions of their clients—they are hired to offer a holistic approach to strategic marketing services, which means they are experts in everything from keyword research and conversion optimization to customer experience management and search engine optimization (SEO). Finding the right agency can be daunting for brands at any level. With that in mind, here are five steps you should take before even approaching a digital marketing agency.

Know What You Want From a Digital Marketing Agency

Before you start the hunt, make sure you know what kind of digital marketing agency you need. 

• Do you need a company that understands the nuances of your industry or sector? 
• Do you want a one-stop shop that'll handle all your online marketing needs?
• Are you looking for someone who will work on a long-term, strategic approach to digital marketing?

Once you've answered these questions, it's time to take a look at some agencies in your field. To get started, find a few agencies who are doing similar work and contact them to set up an introductory meeting. After the introductory meeting, wait for feedback from those firms before making your decision.

Define Your Brand’s Digital Marketing Goals

The first thing you need to do is identify what your brand’s digital marketing goals are. What do you want your company to accomplish? What will you be communicating and how? These are the things that need to be established before you even think about looking for a digital marketing agency, because it's going to be important in terms of what the agency is willing and able to provide. 

A good way of identifying these goals is by collecting information on competitors. Doing this will help you understand what they're doing, and it'll also show you where they're falling short. This type of research not only impacts how an agency can help you grow, but it also helps ensure that your needs are met.

Ask the Right Questions

Do your research. Take some time to assess the digital marketing agencies out there and find one that fits both your budget and your needs, with a focus on performance. Ask yourself what it is you want from an agency partner: are you looking for someone who can produce specific results for your brand? Or, do you want someone that can help establish a foundation of brand-specific marketing activities? 

As part of this process, think about how far along in the planning process you are. If you are just getting started with your marketing strategy, consider partnering with a digital agency at an earlier stage of the process. If you need help executing campaigns or have been doing it on your own, then bring on an agency later in the game.

Take Stock of Staff and Expertise

First, look at the size of your staff and the size of their expertise. Starting with a small team can be beneficial as it’s easier to ensure that you have time to dedicate to the agency and its work. However, if you need more hands-on help with your project, maybe it’s time to outsource some parts of the process.

Second, take stock of where your company is today in terms of digital marketing strategy. Have you outsourced any parts of your strategy prior? What are your goals for this new agency? Do you want it to create a cohesive digital strategy, or do you want them to execute on a plan already in place?

Third, assess agency culture and how they handle their clients. Does their approach match what you are looking for? Are they open about communication or do they hold back information from clients or prospective clients? How long have they been in business? Are there any references from current clients who could speak on their behalf?

Fourth, consider the price point and how much control or access you want over the account. Some agencies offer full control over accounts while others will take a percentage commission structure based on deliverables met.

Fifth, familiarize yourself with their portfolio so that you understand what level of work--and what level of quality--they typically produce for each client type. This will be important as it will help guide your decision around which agency is right for your brand.

Negotiate Accordingly

Before you hire a digital marketing agency, you have to know what their rates are, what their services entail, and the time frames involved. You’ll need to negotiate. You may not be able to find agencies with what you want on your first pass, or they may not have the resources available, so start negotiating before hiring them. Negotiating is important because it helps establish clear communication and expectations from the get-go. If a company says they can do something for $1 million per year, but then ask for $2 million in turn, chances are that this is not a relationship that will work for long-term success.

Don’t Rush the Decision

It’s important to take your time when choosing a digital marketing agency. You want to make sure you find the right partner that has the expertise and experience you need, whether it be in SEO, PPC or conversion optimization. If your brand is small and just starting out, it might make sense to start with a smaller firm that can provide consulting services on an ongoing basis as you grow.

If on the other hand your brand is more established and requires more hands-on support from a dedicated agency, then it might make sense to aim for an agency that already has pre-existing relationships with industry players such as Google and Facebook. This will ensure they have insight into how these platforms work and can build strategies accordingly.

Asking Questions

The first step in choosing the right digital marketing agency is to have an idea of what you want them to do for you. 

Think about some of your aspirations for your business. What do you hope to achieve with a digital marketing agency? Will they create SEO strategies, or will they just help manage the SEO efforts of your website?

Asking yourself these types of questions can help you determine whether a given agency can help you meet your needs. If not, keep looking. 

Additionally, establish what kind of budget you are willing to spend and give that information to the agencies in question. Ask them how much it will cost for them to implement the strategies you are considering for your brand—and be specific about how long it will take before those strategies get executed.