Top Things to Look for in a Digital Agency

Your business needs digital marketing to grow and remain competitive. But how do you fit that in when you’re already so busy with many other mission-critical tasks?

The average SME can really benefit from a partnership with a digital agency to help them create and deploy an effective online marketing strategy. Still, there’s a challenge ahead. It’s difficult to find an agency when the market is absolutely flooded with digital marketing brands vying for your attention. 

To make things worse, many of these agencies are started by people with very little relevant experience. 

The average business doesn’t have time or resources to waste testing out various agencies to see which one truly gets the job done. Instead, it’s necessary to take a results-oriented approach. 

The best news? That can be done by hiring the right performance-based digital marketing company. Below, we’ll share a guide to identifying the right digital agency for your business.

List Your Needs and Create a Budget

It’s important to understand exactly what you need from a digital agency. After all, your ability to articulate precisely what you need an agency to do will help you to get the best outcomes.

Consider the various areas in which a digital marketing agency can help, including:

• Website design
• SEO
• PPC
• Social media management and support
• Content creation

Then list out the performance areas under each of these categories that are most important to you.

Next, you’ll need to set a budget. However, this has to be done with an understanding that no reputable digital agency is going to guarantee results for a set price. Instead, they will work within a reasonable budget to help you to reach your digital marketing goals. 

Don’t forget that you’ll need to manage your expectations based on the amount of money you are willing to spend.

Characteristics of a Good Performance-Based Digital Marketing Company

There are characteristics that every brand should look for in any digital marketing agency they are considering.

Results Should Be Verifiable

Unfortunately, it’s all too easy to register a domain name and use a website builder and launch a digital agency. The truth is that many agencies are started by people who think that their very thin experience qualifies them to dispense marketing strategy advice. Be wary of any agency that doesn’t publish the following:

• Recent/ongoing work samples
• Case studies
• Client list
• Company bio
• Client references, if asked

It should be clear from the start that you are dealing with a legitimate company with an established client base.

Credibility is Key

It’s important to check out the reputation of any business that you partner with. By all means, read the agency’s reviews and testimonials. Are they positive? Are they believable? 

Look for red flags such as multiple positive reviews being left at the same time or an utter lack of feedback.

Ask for client references. Call those references, rather than emailing them. You may find that you learn more from a phone call than you would a text or email.

Finally, review the agency’s website and social media pages. These should be updated regularly with great content. Check for positive engagement on social platforms and a website that appears to be professionally designed.

Don’t Get Too Hung up on Industry Experience

Industry experience can be a positive, but don’t assume that an agency with experience in your industry is automatically the right one for you. Instead, inquire about their experiences working with brands in your niche, as well as their approach and outcomes. 

If they haven’t worked in your industry, ask how they cover any knowledge gaps while also providing the best service.

Keep in mind that many agencies that do focus on specific industries often take an assembly line approach. They assume each brand is the same and will use the same tactics and solutions for each one. That’s not a strategy that’s going to make any company stand out above the rest!

Insights ABM is a full-service digital agency that uses account-based marketing to help brands target prospects that are most likely to get results. We’d love to help you to develop a digital strategy that allows you to grow and scale your business. Give us a call today to learn more!