Not sure where to start when looking for a digital agency to work with?
Perhaps you’re hoping to increase your social media following and audience engagement? Or, build a content marketing plan to drive more conversions on your website? No matter what your main goal is, there will be a digital marketing agency that is right for you.
We realise it can seem like a challenge to choose one agency that is definitely right for your company – so, here we have put together a brief guide to making the right decision:
Determine your business objectives
This might sound obvious, but it’s important to first understand your unique aims and goals before choosing an agency to help you. When approaching an agency, it will be helpful for both you and them if you have a better understanding of where you want your campaign to take your business.
For example, if you want to improve your content marketing performance, it is worth having an idea of the format/s you want to try (do you want more blog post content, or to try something more creative like a GIF?) – you might also want to think about whether you want to improve your on-site content or off-site, or both. Another example might be if you want to improve your local SEO – you could consider where your target audience are based and what action you’d like them to take when visiting your site.
When your business goals are clear – the right agency for you will be able to help you to reach them in the best way.
Know your budget
Understanding where to set your budget for your digital marketing campaign is always an important first step – alongside defining your goals. It’s important that you try to avoid overspending or underspending – while not seeing the best results in return. We suggest considering several things before setting your budget, including
- What you can afford to put into this marketing channel alongside any other costs
- What ROI (return on investment) you’re hoping for from this campaign
- The goals you are trying to achieve from your campaign overall
Think about how you want to work
Do you want to find an agency that will handle everything so you can spend time focusing on other aspects of your business? Or, do you want to work alongside an agency and be involved in the whole process? It’s important to consider how much time you want to spend on your campaign, and how much involvement you want throughout the process. Other questions to ask yourself could be – would you prefer working with a large agency who cover a range of services, or a niche agency who specialise in one type of marketing? There is no right answer – it depends on your goals and preference.
Establish communication
The agency you choose to work with will have control over your digital marketing efforts – which is a huge part of your overall business success! For this reason, it’s good to establish an agreement about who you will be communicating with throughout the campaign. We’ve suggested a few questions you could ask them:
- Who will be the main point of contact and who can you discuss any new ideas or raise points of concern with?
- Does the agency have one or more people working on the channel you’re using?
- How often will you be able to see reports and reviews to monitor campaign progress?
- When will you know how effective your campaign is?
Consider company culture
It’s important to understand an agency’s culture and approach – you will find your digital marketing campaign will seem like less of a task if you are working with a like-minded agency. You should choose an agency who you believe will take the time to understand your marketing goals – rather than using a generic marketing strategy for all of their clients without personalising it. The right agency for you will recognise your unique needs and cater to them accordingly.
Understand the agency’s process
Every agency is different – which is why it’s worth taking the time to pick the one right for you. It’s worth looking at how an agency works with its clients in general. For example, do they have a standard process they follow to deliver results? Have they shared any information on their different services and marketing channels? Will the agency adjust their process to suit your needs?
We suggest checking if the agency you’re interested in is following a similar process to this:
- Research – taking the time to research and understand your product, service or USP (unique selling point)
- Understand – Understanding how your company works and treating your brand as unique
- Define – develop a strategy and plan depending on your specific marketing goals
- Deliver – managing multiple projects and ensuring clients get value for money and produce real results
- Reflect – Any digital marketing campaign should be tested, adjusted and optimised to make sure you’re seeing the best results possible. For example, will the agency do split tests to see what works and what doesn’t? Will they involve you in reports and monitoring?
Getting the best value
When it comes to it, you should be working with an agency that will help you to get the best value for money and use your time in the most effective way possible. The agency you pick should be transparent and easy to communicate with – (rather than confusing you with terms you might not understand!).
Often, companies assume that choosing the cheapest agency is the right thing to do – but spending less at the beginning of the process could lead to spending more money long-term as the process will take longer. It could also be the case that you think more money automatically means better results – again, it is more about what suits your needs with a particular campaign. We suggest looking at the advice mentioned here and comparing it your budget and goal.
If you’d like to discuss any of our digital marketing services or find out a bit more about how we work as an agency, please get in touch.