Practices That Differentiate a Great Digital Marketing Agency from Others

In this day and age, no business can deny the importance of digital marketing. And while some companies choose an in-house approach, many still prefer to hire a marketing agency. The good thing is, there’s plenty to choose from. Some agencies cater to a specific niche or industry, while some have more generic expertise. The hardest part of hiring a digital marketing agency is choosing one that fits the needs of your business. What is the best way to simplify the selection process?

Begin by identifying specific goals and desired outcomes

It’s not realistic to generalize digital marketing agencies. All of them are different, in the same way, that each business has unique needs. That’s why it’s critical to begin the process of selecting an agency by setting goals and determining the desired outcome. For example, if the company wants to run an automatic blog that requires little to no effort on the company’s part, what specific tasks are necessary to achieve the desired result? How will the agency be able to help in realizing the outcome?

Of course, apart from identifying specific goals, it’s equally essential to determine best practices that make a great Phoenix Digital Marketing Agency stand out from the rest of the competition.

Best practices and characteristics of a great digital marketing agency

 Knowing what to look for when vetting agencies to work with is a time-consuming process. It helps when you already have a list of characteristics and best practices to narrow down your selection. Here is our take on what every business should look for when hiring an agency.

1. The marketing agency should have a good reputation within the industry. You’ll know right away that a marketing agency is doing well when there’s plenty of social proof referring to their exceptional performance. What we’re referring to are feedbacks, testimonials, and reviews from previous clients. But, reading a few neutral or negative comments shouldn’t be a deterrent. On the other hand, these should give you an idea on certain strengths and weaknesses that provides better insight into how the agency works.
2. A high-quality, well-maintained website. First impressions do matter when choosing a Phoenix Digital Marketing agency. As such, the agency’s website should provide a sneak peek into their services. Marketing agencies showcase their work through their website, and if the interface is well-designed, it means that the agency is putting in the effort to attract potential clients.
3. The agency doesn’t make outrageous promises and commitments. The expectations set by the agency show their grasp of the industry. No agency should promise to be able to achieve the top spot on Google search within an unrealistic amount of time. As the potential client, it’s also your responsibility to know which expectations are realistic, depending on your knowledge of how digital marketing strategies work.
4. The size of the agency’s portfolio. Working with the most popular digital marketing agency may be the most reasonable path to take, but isn’t always practical if you’re a small business owner. Instead, what you need to do is check the portfolio size and list of previous clients. Compare their body of work with how long they’ve been in business.
5. Team members that are experienced and experts in the field of digital marketing. It doesn’t matter if you only need one particular service from the agency, as long as there’s a team member with the right experience and expertise to get the job done. For example, every agency should have a roster of graphic designers who work on logo design, website design, and similar services. However, some agencies also work with freelancers so you may need to request for the member’s details which you can use to search using other sources such as LinkedIn.
6. Company culture and values align with your company. If you want a smooth working relationship with the agency, it’s also vital to assess their culture and values. In the end, hiring an agency means you’re extending your business operations with a third party. If the agency adhered to the same values and preferred the same working environment as your business, you’re more likely to mesh well.

Lastly, the marketing agency should ensure easy and efficient communication with clients. Their website should list all channels and hours of operation. Inquiries should be answered promptly and in detail. And, the agency should be eager to make appointments or be willing to assist a potential client in any way possible.

In conclusion, finding a perfect digital marketing agency isn’t the goal. What’s essential is finding the right fit for your business so that you can accomplish your desired goals, and stay within budget. Therefore, these best practices and characteristics should be your guide in finding the best agency to hire.