It seems to be a given now that, regardless of what industry a business operates in, a strong online presence is needed if its executives are serious about growth. However, a strong online presence means more than just having a fancy website. The Internet is so large that without actively marketing them to people, most websites just disappear into the ether.
Many businesses lack the expertise and time needed to constantly promote themselves online, which is where digital marketing agencies come into the picture. However, agencies are not all equally effective or well-suited to every business. The challenge is choosing one that understands and can meet your business goals. This article is here to help you learn how.
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Have Clearly Defined Marketing Goals
In order to find an agency that can meet them, you need to be very clear about what you want to achieve through digital marketing. Some examples might be increasing your website’s rankings in search results, getting more people to follow or engage with your brand’s social media, or just simply getting more sales on your online store. Each of these goals falls under a different branch of the broad umbrella term that is digital marketing, and each requires different tools, tactics, and expertise in order to be achieved. Some agencies specialise in one thing, such as SEO, PPC advertising, or social media marketing, while others cover everything.
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Seek Out Relevant Experience
One of the reasons why some firms prefer to keep digital marketing in-house is because they feel that their in-house team has a better understanding of their brand identity and customers. There may be some truth to this, as agencies often take on many clients across a variety of industries. They may not have time to really get to know each one. But if you have not got the time to have your own staff handle digital marketing, or you believe that the benefits of outsourcing are more convincing, then you should at least look for an agency that has experience working with businesses like yours. Most are happy to provide case studies or refer you to past clients who can vouch for them.
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Make Sure Their Culture and Values Align With Yours
You will be trusting your agency with your business’s online presence and reputation, or at least some part of it, and that is no small thing. It is important to make sure that the agency you choose aligns with your company’s culture. If your company culture is very serious, traditional, and hierarchical, you might trust a marketing agency more if it also operates that way. By contrast, the popular Australian agency King Kong opened a new US office recently, and you can see from their website that their approach is more fun and lively. They might be a more suitable choice for modern companies and tech firms with younger staff and less hierarchical structures.
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Get an Audit and Proposal First
The first time you will really be able to assess an agency’s performance for your account is when you request that they do an audit of your current digital marketing efforts and present a plan of how they are going to improve them and meet your goals. This will give you a chance to assess how well they meet deadlines, communicate with you, understand your business and its needs, and come up with a strategy to achieve your goals.
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Price Matters, but It’s Not Everything
Like so many other things we buy, you get what you pay for when it comes to digital marketing. If an agency is offering very cheap rates to attract clients, there is usually a good reason why it needs to do so. However, this does not necessarily mean that the most expensive agency will be the best. What you should be looking for is who provides the best value. For the money you pay, who offers the most relevant experience, the best fit, and the most convincing plan to achieve your goals?
Conclusion
There are plenty of digital marketing agencies in the US, but picking one that will work for you does not need to be difficult. By approaching the task with your goals in mind and checking off each item on this list, you should be able to find a partner that will help your company thrive online.
