Digital marketing; have you heard that term used lately, but aren’t sure what it is? Basically, digital marketing is where you promote your products or brands using electronic media platforms. The great thing about digital marketing is that you can usually tell what’s working and what isn’t, all in real time! For example, you can see exactly what is being viewed on your website, for how long, your sales conversions, what doesn’t seem to be working on a site, and more. While the internet is probably the biggest platform used when it comes to digital marketing; instant messaging, apps, podcasts, TV, and radio all count too.
There are literally thousands of these agencies all over the world; from digital marketing agencies in Melbourne to New York. So, how exactly do you choose the best one for you? Here’s how to make a short list of possible agencies you could work with:
- Get recommendations from friends and old colleagues. Are there any agencies out there they would be happy to recommend to you?
- Join LinkedIn (if you havn’t already), and ask your links on their for recommendations. Make sure you state that at this time, you aren’t accepting any direct approaches from agencies. You’re going to weigh up your options first (also bear in mind that you may not know people personally on LinkedIn or in LinkedIn groups, so take their recommendation with a pinch of salt before doing some research).
- Search on Google, and be specific on the area if you find that important, as well as the services that you’ll require. This should bring up a selection of agencies that offer the services you’re looking for; you can then read customer testimonials, and see what they’ve done for different businesses.
You then need to ask a variety of questions to determine which agency is the right one:
- Is the agency up to date with the latest trends? Is their blog regularly updated with news in the industry? Have a snoop around their site!
- What’s going on inside of their agency? Does the agency take an in-house approach to marketing with a full team of staff? Can you find out what the company culture is like?
- What is their experience with working with small to medium sized businesses? The agency you choose should be able to help businesses both small and medium, and give you ways to measure the investments you’re making.
- What is their pricing structure? The fees you pay will usually be based on the project, experience, and company overheads. Make sure you find out what you’ll be expected to pay from the very beginning, so you don’t get any nasty surprises down the line.
By asking as many questions as possible you’ll be able to narrow down your shortlist and select the right agency to help your business grow into a bigger, more profitable brand. The right agency will help you to stay fresh and competitive in the ever changing world of digital marketing, and take advantage of all new opportunities that come your way. In short; you’ll be able to keep your existing customers and obtain new ones using exciting techniques!
