Finding a digital marketing agency that has just the right balance of expertise, personality, and transparency can be tough. To help you find your perfect match, we’ve shared the 7 questions you should ask a digital marketing agency before you hire them, as well as 3 red flags that should send you running in the opposite direction.
Transparency is key to a good partnership, so you should expect access to reporting platforms as well as regular meetings to go over results. To get the most out of your partnership, expect your agency to review the data, its significance, and how it impacts your future strategy.
A digital marketing agency should be an extension of your team. Ask how the agency will work with your core team of employees and how much collaboration and communication your employees should expect. Be wary of any agencies that want to limit their interaction with you or team members. To be most successful, you’ll want an agency that establishes clear lines of communication and regular updates on your business’ progress.
To give you the best marketing strategy, a company should have an in-depth onboarding process to help them fully understand your business and your industry. Ask what kind of research, competitive analysis, and assessments the agency will do to prepare for your partnership.
There’s a big difference between custom/semi-custom strategies and plug & play marketing models. Understanding how the agency plans on building your marketing strategy will tell you if they’ll re-use past formulas or create an individualized plan for your business.
A reputable agency should have case studies or examples of their work Not only will you get an idea of the quality of their work, but you’ll find out if the agency’s approach matches your business’ style and values.
Since internal communication is easier when employees are in-house, these teams may focus more on their clients and be able to get up to speed faster than contract-based agencies. If you highly value close collaboration with your agency, you’ll probably prefer an in-house agency. If those aspects are less important to you, a contract-based agency may be right for you. Either way, ensure you know who is doing the work and how you can expect to work with them.
An agency’s cost and payment structure has a big impact on determining if you’ll hire them. Some agencies charge monthly or yearly retainers, while others may charge hourly rates or project-based fees. Understanding the agency’s fee structure can help you tell if it’s a good fit for your needs.
Throughout your conversation with your potential digital marketing agency, be on the lookout for these red flags:
Hiring a digital marketing agency is a decision you shouldn’t make lightly – after all, they can greatly impact the visibility and reputation of your business. To see the best results, make sure to take the time to find an agency you feel confident partnering with.
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Lynne Craig is a Senior Account Director at Fruition. Lynne has more than 15 years of data analytics and digital marketing experience. She enjoys working with her clients to promote their brands and deliver customers through digital media channels. This self-proclaimed data geek is passionate about putting data-driven digital marketing solutions to work. She also has an innate ability to proactively identify solutions that address the needs of our partners and internal teams. At Fruition Lynne leads the multi location healthcare group and works with travel and hospitality clients.
Digital Marketing For Smaller Businesses
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