Your business and your digital marketing agency, it’s an important relationship. You’ve searched for companies that look like they’ll fit your needs and you’ve made a shortlist. So now it’s time to get the detail down and choose the right one for you. At Revive.Digital we think below are some of the most important qualities you need to look for when you’re choosing an agency.
Culture
At Revive.Digital we understand that the relationship you have with your agency is easily the most important thing on the road to success. Apply for digital marketing course in hyderabad to learn more.
Let’s say the agency ticks all your other boxes – talent, experience, professional – but the culture just doesn’t sit with your business. You’re going to find it hard to get along. Are you easy going and they’re analytical? It’s two different mindsets. You could argue that you need both, but don’t confuse being analytical with being professional. Easy going professionals will still give you the answers and the detail you want just as much as someone who is more clinical in their approach.
We think it’s really important not to overlook this area and don’t head straight for the agency that presents the most impressive looking spreadsheet.
Website
This can be a red flag, definitely. As a business, over the years, you may have been cold called by companies claiming they could boost your Google rankings and revitalise your SEO. You do a quick search online and see that the same company isn’t ranked on page one, two or even page fifteen of search engines… you get bored of looking before you find them.
‘We’re too busy working for our clients to focus on our own site..’ says the phone salesman.
If your agency’s website doesn’t cut the mustard in terms of what you want to see, then it’s probably a good sign that it’s not the agency for you. Good agencies understand that you get your own home in order first before anyone else’s. An agency might be wanting a refresh and genuinely is trying to find the time. But if what you see isn’t what you want to see, consider the flag raised.
Experience
Perhaps a no brainer, but does the agency have experience in the areas you need to work on? You’ll also want to know what tools the agency uses and that they’re proficient at using them. If you’re looking for a complete package then you’ll probably want to think about the following:
- Website design and development
- Graphic design
- Branding
- Video
- Copywriting and content writing
- SEO
- Social media
- Email marketing
- PPC and paid search
Which leads us to the next point…
The Individuals
Is the agency the Led-Zeppelin of the marketing world, where each member is seriously talented? Or is it a place where teamwork rules? You might argue that you’ll get better results from an agency that is a powerhouse of talent all working towards your goals. But this is not necessarily so. It can often be the case that where there is a team of superstars each one is working towards their own aims – success, glory, power – leading to more internal conflict. Where a team has one or two lead players the conflict is often reduced with other team members constantly striving to learn. That learning element is really important.
When you use a full-service agency it’s crucial that they work together as a team, executing those different areas of your marketing as one unit. After all, each marketing area is specific but still needs to be consistent across every area of your business. A new website won’t work if dev, design, content and SEO aren’t aligned, for example. It’s how your brand will succeed.
It’s a judgement call on your part. And it’s your relationship with them that is by far and wide the most important thing.
Measuring Success
It’s how you know if an agency is working properly. They should be a partner who works alongside you to achieve your goals.
Define your targets and how you will measure success. Then define the milestones to see how often you need to see if you’re on course.
One big thing for us at Revive Digital is honesty. We’ll advise you if we think the targets might need adjusting, or ways to improve areas that you may not have thought of. We think this integrity is crucial and it’s better to have those conversations up front.
Ask Questions
The ‘secret’ to understanding whether an agency is right for you (and remember its not necessarily about good or bad, just whether it’s a good fit for your circumstances) is asking questions. Do your research and ask questions. If you’re not happy with the answers move on on press further until you are.
Break down individual questions for each area of your business they are working on. If they’re building a site is it a template or custom built? If it’s content how do they know what makes good, valuable content? If it’s SEO how will they build backlinks? Others might include:
- What keywords will they look for?
- Do they work with any of your competitors?
- How often will they meet with you?
- How often do you get a report?
It’s your brand so trust in your instinct. No one should baffle you with jargon, to make themselves sound like experts and unfortunately it’s easily done in marketing. People who enjoy what they do and are good at it are happy to be leaned on for their advice and expertise. If they’re not happy you will probably want to move to the next agency on your list. You can know more at digital marketing institute in bangalore about this.
