The digital marketing company that you choose is important – it has to be able to propel your business online. The problem is that there are many that promise their clients everything and then offer them nothing in the end. There are others that are simply frauds. If you are s a small business with a small marketing budget, these are things that you cannot afford. You have to make sure that every dime that you spend on digital marketing is put to the right use. This is why you must choose your digital marketing company with care.
We’ve rounded up the following tips to help make your decision easier…
1. Service offering
You need to know the service offering of any digital marketer before you hire them. Do they do the specific things that you need done? There are some companies that specialize in just SEO, others that are only design agencies. Be sure to ask agencies what they offer and their specialities before making a decision.
2. Experience
This is probably the most important thing to look for. You want to know how long a company has been in business and how long they have been working with businesses like yours specifically. Ask to see a portfolio, testimonials, or case studies – most reputable companies have these ready for potential clients. You should call or email a few of the clients on the portfolio to find out whether they are happy with the services offered and whether given a second chance they would hire them again.
3. Pricing
It is very important to discuss this early on – how much will you be paying and for what? The pricing is usually determined by how many hours are spent working on your project and also how many people are involved. Most digital marketing companies usually offer several pricing options that clients can choose from. Each option contains different services and lasts a certain duration. Make sure to get a quote before you proceed. Another important thing to mention about pricing is that cheap isn’t always good. A company may look cheap but give substandard results because they outsource work top avoid overheads.
4. Who is your point person?
Good digital marketing agencies always make sure that their clients have an account manager that they can contact at any time with questions or concerns. When you are dealing with just one person it is easier to keep track and also to maintain accountability.
5. Can they scale?
Every small business owner hopes that their business will grow. Can the company that you are considering handle growth? What happens if you introduce a new product? Do they have the in-house capacity to market it as necessary? Before you commit make sure that the company can scale – you will otherwise, before long, be forced to look for another digital marketing agency.
6. Performance guarantee
Sounds like a good thing, right? Actually, wrong. Never hire an internet marketing company that promises you certain results within a certain time frame. The internet doesn’t work like that – it is unpredictable (especially when it comes to SEO). What you should be talking about instead is progress – how much of it can you expect to see over what period of time? Digital marketing is a marathon and not a sprint.
7. Reporting
How often do they report to you and what is contained in their reports? You want to see things like the number of leads generated, where they are, how long they stay on your site and ultimately, how many decide to buy. These kinds of reports help to adjust strategy when necessary.
You can achieve online success but for that to happen you have to partner with the right digital marketing company. Use these tips to find the best one.
