A great agency will understand your business objectives and will make sure their marketing strategies are aligned with those. Ask how thorough they will be in their “discovery” process and what kind of data they will provide you with on a regular basis.
Evaluate your prospective agency’s web presence and social media to get an idea of how they promote themselves. Look for testimonials and awards to gauge their client satisfaction levels.
1. Experience
A good digital marketing agency will be able to provide you with measurable results from their previous work. They should also be able to answer questions about your specific business, such as how long it may take before you see results.
You want to find an agency that makes learning and innovation a priority. This will allow them to avoid the trap of overpromising and instead focus on what works for your business.
2. Portfolio
Digital marketing agencies can help businesses grow their online visibility and e-commerce sales. They can also create, run and measure their social media campaigns.
Ask your prospective digital marketing agency how they plan to measure success. Some will rely on data-driven KPIs like traffic and conversion, but others might focus more on branding, awareness and engagement metrics.
Make sure they can answer this question confidently and explain why they think their strategy will be successful.
3. Reputation
A digital marketing agency online reputation is a reflection of how well they meet their clients’ needs. Look for an agency that reports on measurable, tangible results—increased traffic, organic growth, and conversions are the most important metrics to evaluate.
Check an agency’s website for transparent pricing and testimonials. Also, see if they’ve worked with companies in your industry. This is a great indicator of their expertise.
4. Flexibility
As a client, you want to be able to communicate with your agency and share your feedback with them. You also need to know how they track and report on their work, ensuring that it’s working for you.
A good digital marketing agency should be able to tell you how they’ll improve your SEO ranking and provide concrete data that shows their results. They should also be able to respond quickly to any questions you have.
5. Value for money
It’s important to find an agency that offers value for money. There are agencies that charge a lot for access to their most experienced execs while others are more affordable.
Often, hiring an agency will save your business money compared to hiring in-house marketing talent. Make sure the agency you choose reports on metrics that matter to your business and can adapt their reporting to your specific needs.
6. Transparency
When you’re paying an agency a monthly retainer, you want to know exactly what they are doing with that money. Ask them what tools they are using to promote your content, monitor traffic and more.
The best digital marketing agencies will have a clear track record of reporting to clients. They will also be able to provide specific projections on your success based on their past experience.
7. Reliability
Reliability and validity are concepts that are often used interchangeably. However, they are two separate aspects of research and evaluation.
Reliability is about consistency; if you measure the same thing several times, it should give you the same results. For example, a reliable thermometer gives the same reading each time it’s used.
A good digital marketing agency should be able to show you the KPIs they will monitor for you, and make sure those are relevant to your business goals.
8. Expertise
Digital marketing agencies come in all shapes and sizes. Some are just social media specialists, while others offer full-service campaigns from start to finish.
You’ll want to find an agency that has experience with similar projects to yours. Ask for testimonials, reviews and case studies to see what they’ve achieved in the past. Also, meet the whole team if possible. This will help build a great partnership.
9. Personality
Digital marketing agencies should have a good understanding of your business. This includes your marketing goals and objectives, target audience, sales funnel, and more.
The best digital marketing agency is passionate about their work. They love what they do and are always striving to improve their skills. They are also creative and imaginative. This means they are open-minded and can see things outside the box.
10. Flexibility
Big agencies can provide stability and a breadth of services but they also may have set processes that can stifle innovation. Small agencies can be more flexible and personal. If you are looking for a responsive and attentive digital marketing partner, consider working with a smaller agency. They will be able to react quickly and respond to your feedback more effectively. This can be very important for startups or entrepreneurs.
