When it comes to marketing your business, you have a lot of options. Traditional advertising like TV and print media are still popular, but it can be expensive and may not reach the right people.
Moreover, advertising trends have evolved dramatically and given rise to digital marketing. It is an incredible option considering both its better reach and affordability.
But with so many companies out there, how do you choose the right digital marketing company for your business?
Here’s our take on it!
1. An impressive portfolio or client list
In today’s world, businesses focus more on creating impressive portfolios to prove their credibility and worth, especially digital marketing companies. They are proud of their clients and their work. So, they display their collaborations wherever possible for all to see.
Though it’s not mandatory to know who their previous clients are, it’s better if you do. If you can’t locate the firm’s former clients or previous work samples, it’s a sign of their inadequate experience.
There is nothing wrong with hiring less experienced companies if you’re on a tight budget. But you better go for the best if you have no such constraints.
However, some services, such as content marketing and SEO, are difficult to advertise or exhibit in a portfolio. In that case, a customer list is a good indicator of their experience.
2. A well-crafted website
Your website is like a warm welcome mat for your customers.
Needless to say, smart digital marketers understand the value of a well-designed website. So, they need to have an exceptional website for themselves first. It’s a sign that they know what they’re doing.
If they’re lax with their website, you cannot guarantee better work with yours. So, browse through the company’s website and see if it’s good. Some other ideas to consider here are;
- Their websites should be optimised and ranked for relevant phrases.
- They should have at least one active and engaging social media channel.
- Their Google Business Profile should be owned and branded.
- Any advertisements, social media postings, or emails should be consistent and on-brand.
You can make your decision after looking into these areas.
Furthermore, you can analyse their site via SEO tools like Moz or SEMRush. A few things to check are their ranks for organic search words, backlink structure, and even Google advertisements.
3. Uses current methods
One of the fastest-evolving industries today is digital marketing. Seeing a new phenomenon every other day is the only constant here. That is why it’s vital to check a digital marketing company’s methods before hiring.
For example, updates to features and algorithms on the following platforms can have a significant influence on how you sell your product or service:
- Google’s ranking criteria and algorithms
- Google AdWords
- Search and rankings on Bing
- Microsoft Marketing (before Bing Ads)
- Other search engines and their ad networks
- Amazon’s search results and rankings
- Amazon adverts
- Social media platforms & advertising
- Email marketing platforms
So, when looking for a digital marketing firm, ask questions to evaluate their methodology and familiarity with any current developments. To do so, you must be acquainted with the subject yourself. You don’t have to know it all, but a basic grasp of new changes and trends helps you to ask appropriate questions.
You can keep up to date by subscribing to SEO, social media, and content marketing newsletters.
4. Well-versed in all aspects
You may hire a digital marketing company to focus on one specific area. But you still need them to understand how all areas of digital marketing interact. An agency may or may not offer all services, but they surely need knowledge in every connected area.
Suppose the firm you hired doesn’t provide in-depth SEO help, but it’s crucial for your business. Then you need to hire a different SEO agency, which becomes a hassle. Therefore, make sure your agency is well-versed in all aspects of digital marketing.
You should also know that:
- Both technical and on-page SEO is necessary.
- SEO, social media, advertising, and email all contribute to the success of content marketing.
- Social media has an indirect influence on SEO.
- Link building is an important feature of SEO and is frequently associated with content marketing.
- Most marketing platforms lead visitors to a specific or personalised landing page on your website.
Because while working on a project, it is also essential to consider the effects of one aspect on the other.
5. Effective reporting
Transparency and engagement with your marketing agency are essential for quality reporting. In digital marketing, reporting is crucial because you know what works and what doesn’t. This way, your campaign may be adjusted accordingly, helping to perform better.
Ongoing reporting meetings should take place throughout the campaign to allow you to interact with your agency and explore potential improvements. The reporting goes on a trial-and-error basis until you reach optimum potential.
You may also request a sample client report from prospective agencies to get a sense of their reporting methodology. It will give you an idea of the kinds of insights they can bring to the project.
Remember, if you are hiring a digital marketing company, you should get that expert-level boost to your marketing strategies.
6. Simple & straightforward communication
A great digital marketing company’s website should not feel like a nightmare to navigate. They make it as simple as possible for prospective clients to contact them. Your initial move is brutally obvious on their website, with a clear-cut call to action and easy navigation.
Do they want you to download their price catalogue? Or schedule a consultation? It will be crystal clear about how they want you to communicate with them.
If it isn’t evident, or you’re having trouble figuring out how things work, consider hiring a different digital marketing company.
7. Promises not quick, but long-lasting results
There are some companies that promise too quick to be true results. Because not all promises are practical, some promises, like contract fulfilment, meeting deadlines, and finishing a project according to specifications, are all things that may and should, be guaranteed.
However, scams are unfortunately common in our sector. Be wary of any digital marketing company that claims to get your website to rank first in search results or attain a particular domain authority.
A few more phoney promises can be achieving a specified email open rate or click-through rate for your site or attaining particular social metrics targets such as likes, follows, and comments.
These goals are too difficult to predict and promise.
8. Social proof
A portfolio tells an agency’s experience in the industry, whereas social proof reveals its work efficiency and client satisfaction. Social proof can be testimonials in the form of text or videos, case studies, or ratings on its website.
Usually, digital marketers know the importance of good social proof, so they advertise it on their official websites. If you don’t see any, it might be a hint to rethink your decision.
Aside from good ratings, neutral or negative reviews might highlight areas where the agency struggles. If that particular area is of prime focus to you, move on.
Finally, you can use Google to look for in-depth reviews to see what people have to say about their experiences with the firm.
9. The deal
Price matters! A deal matters even more. Pay attention to what services they offer in the deal for a price, and see if that suits your business needs. Nothing else matters if this doesn’t work out.
You should also check for any extra or hidden fees in the deal. If any, discuss what they are with the agency. Remember, this is not a one-time deal; this goes for a specified period. So, overpaying can become a massive hindrance over time.
Conclusion
These were the 9 essential qualities of a great digital marketing company.
And after going through such detail-oriented research, you might question whether it’s even worth hiring a digital marketing company.
One word. YES!!
