How to choose a digital marketing agency

Online presence is the make or break of many companies.

With all the other things on your plate, writing SEO-optimised content for your website or planning weeks’ worth of social media posts at a time likely hasn’t crossed your mind.

But the importance of these things shouldn’t be underestimated, as they play a huge part in the success of your business.

Whether you know next to nothing about digital marketing and need help getting started, or you simply don’t have the time, outsourcing these duties is the best way to reach your customers, build a positive brand image and increase your revenue whilst still being able to focus on your day-to-day tasks.

But how do you choose the best digital marketing agency for your business?

Our digital marketing experts at Paramount Digital share the top things you should consider when choosing a digital marketing agency.

1.    Define your goals

Before you do anything, you need to have an understanding of what it is you want your business to achieve.

Do you want to increase your website traffic? Boost online sales? Build awareness of your brand?

These are all questions you should ask yourself before turning to a digital marketing agency.

Think of it this way – if you haven’t defined your objectives how is a digital marketing agency supposed to deliver the results you want?

Having a clear game plan and communicating this with your chosen agency is a surefire way to success.

2.    Experience

Based on your goals, you need to be confident that the agency you choose has the experience to take your brand where you want it to go.

Let’s say, for example, you want to create an omnichannel marketing strategy, that covers everything from website design and SEO to social media strategy and paid advertising – you’ll need to search for an agency that has experience in all these areas, rather than just one or two of them.

You should then take a look at the work they’ve done for their past and current clients, and weigh up whether or not their experience lines up with your requirements.

3.    Expertise

If you need specific services, it may be best to search for an agency that specialises in your area of interest.

When doing your research, you may come across a few different types of agencies, including:

• Advertising agencies – These firms specialise in the planning, implementation and management of paid advertising campaigns, like on Facebook or Instagram – overseeing your strategy and providing suggestions for growth.

• Promotional agencies – Agencies who work largely with SEO, PPC and email marketing campaigns, and can help build your brand, drive traffic and convert leads into paying customers.
• Social media agencies – Social media agencies will help manage all aspects of your social media presence – both paid and organic – creating and scheduling content, monitoring and responding to comments and building an effective strategy to engage your audience.
• Public relations agencies – PR agencies focus on generating positive press coverage (news and press releases, speaking engagements, etc.) for their clients by leveraging relationships with journalists working for newspapers, magazines and websites across all industries.
• Digital agencies – Digital agencies have experience with all the above services and have specialist in-house teams that can help with every aspect of your online strategy.
  
  

4.    Communication

Possibly the most important thing to look for when choosing a digital marketing agency is how well they communicate with you.

Good communication is key and vital to your online success, and when monitoring communication, you should keep an eye out for:

• Responsiveness via phone, email and text
• How well they answer questions (are they happy to answer questions, or do they skirt around them?)
• How enthusiastic they are about your potential partnership
• If they send recap emails from meetings, phone calls, etc
• If they provide regular performance reports
• How quickly they take action and follow up on tasks
  
  

5.    Budget

Having a clear idea of how much of your budget you want to allocate to digital marketing is a must before you contact any agencies.

Of course, all digital marketing agencies charge differently for their services – with some charging a set fee per month and others charging hourly rates – so be sure to evaluate whether their fees align with your budget, and if everything you need will be included in the cost.

6.    Reputation

Before working with any agency, it’s important you know what you’re getting yourself into, and looking at testimonials left by past and current clients is a great indicator of their reputation.

By reading reviews on Google and company sites and looking through case studies, you’ll get the best idea of how well an agency ranks in terms of performance, trustworthiness and collaboration.

Looking for a digital marketing agency in the North West?

If you’re looking for a digital marketing agency in the North West, Paramount Digital is the company to call.

With several decades of combined experience among our in-house teams, we have all the skills, tools and knowledge at our disposal to help your business reach new heights.

Give us a call on 01744 747474 to discuss your project with our friendly specialists, or email us at marketing@paramountdigital.co.uk and we’ll be in touch with the next steps.

Alternatively, you can leave your details here for a FREE digital marketing audit!