How To Choose The Right Digital Marketing Agency

The right digital marketing agency can help take your business to the next level.

Are you considering outsourcing your digital marketing?

Hiring a digital marketing agency can be a smart move, particularly if you are ready to take your online visibility to the next level.

Advertising professionals can ensure that your paid ad campaigns, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) efforts, and website design are all performing at their best.

It may be tempting to hire the first digital marketing agency you come across. This is particularly the case if you find yourself overwhelmed by the many options out there.

However, it’s essential to be mindful as you select the right agency. A hasty decision can be costly and, ultimately, harmful to your marketing strategy.

In this post, we’ll look closely at what you can do to ensure you choose the best marketing company for your needs. Read on for insight!

1. Know Your Marketing Needs

It’s difficult to shop for anything if you are unsure about what you’re actually seeking. Before researching digital marketing agencies, it’s essential to identify your company’s specific digital marketing needs.

This may prove tough, particularly if you are relatively new to the world of digital marketing. Nonetheless, even a few key pointers can help you narrow down the extensive list of available agencies.

Digital marketing is a broad term and is only likely to continue expanding as new technology and advertising methods emerge. As of now, digital marketing efforts can include your website and design, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), content marketing, email campaigns, social media, paid ads, and more.

If these terms are dizzying, it may be helpful to bring a larger, strategic approach to the table. Consider how digital marketing fits within the scope of your greater advertising aims.

Are you seeking to elevate your current conversion rates through online platforms? Are you a brick-and-mortar local institution craving more local customers? Do you want to jump aboard the social media train in a way that doesn’t feel overwhelming?

This pondering will also have much to do with your current budget. Assess how much you’ll feasibly be able to allocate to digital marketing services in addition to your general advertising efforts.

If you’ve already taken advantage of some of these digital marketing channels, you may be seeking professionals to help hone these efforts.

Whatever the case, take some time to identify your company needs, aims, goals, and budget. These pieces of information can help you identify agencies that cater specifically to your intentions.

They can also streamline the agency selection process and give you a better first impression of agencies themselves.

2. Keep Scalability in Mind

Digital marketing is only likely to evolve, as are your current advertising needs. As you prepare to research a digital marketing agency, keep your business’s own scalability in mind.

In most cases, the best digital marketing agencies create long-term, personal relationships with their clients. They accommodate growth and provide scalable services with your company’s trajectory in mind.

If you anticipate adding a product line, launching a new location, or acquiring new partnerships in the future, then look for agencies that can make room for these changes.

On the other hand, if you don’t foresee a lot of growth in the coming years, seek out agencies that prefer shorter-term relationships or offer more of a consulting role.

3. Choose Local or Remote

It’s possible to hire digital marketing services from an entirely remote agency. After all, digital marketing is purely digital! Other services are locally-based and may cater to specific geographic locations.

Choosing a local digital marketing agency is far different than selecting a remote company. Local agencies are more likely to specialize in services specific to a certain region, such as local Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

Remote agencies may also offer this; however, they are more likely to be more comprehensive and “global” with their services.

Your selection of a local or remote agency will depend on your company’s needs, naturally. But it may also depend on your preference for the type of relationship you wish to have with your marketers.

Some business owners prefer meeting with consultants face-to-face or supporting local companies. Others may wish to engage virtually with marketers given their busy schedules.

If the distinction does not truly matter to you, that’s fine, too.

4. Examine Portfolios

Most digital marketing agencies will offer portfolios or case studies of past exemplary work. Some will present these on their websites, while others offer them to potential clients upon request.

Avoid any marketing agencies that don’t have such a portfolio or presentation of their best work. The most competitive agencies will be keen to impress and proud of their excellent performance.

When browsing portfolios, prioritize the ones that demonstrate the most versatility, highest success rates, and personality. Look for companies that can prove they’ve done the work that you are seeking–and have done it well.

Portfolios can also give you a sense of an agency’s creativity and flair. This is important, as many digital marketing relationships are exactly that: relationships. It’s essential to choose an agency that is most likely to be a “good fit” in personality and style.

5. Browse Client Reviews and Testimonials

This is one of the most important steps to take when seeking out a digital marketing agency. Client reviews can give you the nuanced insight you require into what it’s actually like to work with a specific marketing company.

Many agencies will list out testimonials on their websites. It’s important to peruse these, but keep in mind that agencies are likely to only present their very best responses on their sites.

For this reason, look at other review platforms like Yelp or Angie’s List. Some agencies may be registered for Google Reviews, too.

Look for agencies that have a consistently positive track record. Also, prioritize the companies that have many recent reviews. Recent reviews are more likely to best approximate the nature of an agency’s services.

Avoid any agencies that have slim or spotty reviews, as well as those with consistent negative ratings.

6. Don’t Shy Away from High Price Tags

It may be tempting to avoid agencies that have high price tags for their work. However, digital marketing services can be an investment, and for the right reasons.

Higher value work, in general, is going to cost more. In many cases, a higher price tag may mean faster and better results.

Naturally, it’s important for an agency to back up expensive fees with a solid reputation and professional work. If the work of any digital marketing service doesn’t seem to live up to the price, then it’s time to look elsewhere.

When researching agencies, be sure to ask frankly about prices up-front. This can help identify agencies that are transparent and honest about cost, and not likely to incur any hidden or additional fees.

7. Prioritize Expertise and Flexibility

Digital marketing is a relatively new industry, and it is constantly adapting to advances in technology, search engine algorithms, and consumer preferences. For this reason, it’s important to stick to a digital marketing agency that can keep up with these trends.

It’s also key to find an agency that has already been well-immersed in these industry changes and trajectories.

Look for companies that have been around for at least a few years, if not a decade. These agencies are more likely to be fluent in all things digital marketing and to adapt to what’s on the horizon.

It can be hard to assess these things by glancing at a website alone, no matter how attractive and informative that site is. Thus, we recommend chatting with an agency representative before making any formal decision.

8. Speak to Representatives

The best way to truly identify a digital marketing agency’s personality and viability is to consult a marketer him or herself. Contact potential agencies and speak with a representative.

Some agencies may offer free consultations, depending on your marketing needs.

Whatever the case, do your best to communicate with a live human rather than via email. Doing so can give insight into the type of relationship you can expect to have with an agency.

During your conversation, mention your company’s marketing needs. Ask directly how the agency can help meet these needs. Inquire about prices and what the relationship will be like between client and marketer.

Most importantly, ask what solutions the agency can provide to specific problems. This puts the ball in their court and can give you insight into how they might work with your company’s needs.

Stick with agencies that are responsive, invested in your company’s mission and needs, and highly communicative.

Final Thoughts: Choosing the Best Digital Marketing Agency

Outsourcing digital marketing services may just be the best decision you can make for your company. Entrusting professionals with your SEO campaign or web design can mean finally achieving the results you desire.

When looking for the best company, be sure to identify your marketing needs ahead of time. Think about whether or not you prefer to work with a company that can scale for growth or accommodate local advertising efforts.

Review agency portfolios and reviews, prioritizing the companies with extensive experience and positive testimonials.

At the end of the day, the best way to find the agency you need is to chat with an agency representative.

At Digital Envy, we love making our clients the envy of their competitors. Start a conversation with us now to get started!