How to Choose a Digital Marketing Agency

Whether you’ve been in business for a while or you’re just starting out online, a digital marketing agency can be an asset to your marketing strategy. 

From how to increase your search engine ranking to creating impactful ads that drive conversions and sales, there’s a lot to learn — that’s where a digital marketing agency comes in.

Choosing the best digital marketing agency means putting your online marketing into the hands of experts who will create a specific strategy, plan out your launch, track and analyze your campaigns and report on the results. 

However, there are thousands and thousands of digital marketing agencies out there. How do you know which one to choose? 

Short on Time? This Article Has You Covered With:

• How to research potential agencies
• Which questions to ask before you hire
• Red flags to avoid when hiring a digital marketing agency

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at how to narrow down your options from the sea of digital marketing agencies out there and zero in on one that’s perfect for you. 

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Create a Shortlist of Goals You’re Aiming to Achieve

The first step in hiring a digital marketing agency is about you and your goals.  That means taking the time to ask yourself: 

• What is the end goal of hiring a digital marketing agency? 
  • Do you want to improve brand awareness? 
  • Generate leads? 
  • Boost conversions?
• Do you need specific services like SEO (search engine optimization), paid ad management, social media management, content marketing, or web design? 

Having clear goals in mind will make it much easier for you to search and choose the right digital marketing company for your needs. 

Research Potential Agencies that Fit Your Needs

Next, research specific agencies that offer the services you need. Keep in mind that even within what seems like specific categories (SEO, content marketing), some digital marketing agencies will specialize in certain industries within those areas. 

For example, an agency might specialize in content marketing for SaaS companies or web design for e-commerce sites. 

Once you’ve narrowed down the companies, check the portfolio and case studies of the ones you’re interested in. Take a closer look at their portfolios to see their past work. 

Case studies illustrate the kinds of results these companies have been able to deliver for similar clients. 

Take the time to read reviews on platforms like Google, Facebook, or other social media. 

Both case studies and reviews can help you better understand how satisfied clients are with the agency’s services and can help you spot potential red flags before you hire. 

Understand Which Services the Agency Offers

There are a lot of services that fall under the “digital marketing” umbrella. Be sure that the company you want to work with offers what you’re looking for. Some of the most common services that digital marketing agencies offer include: 

• Search engine optimization: to improve organic search engine ranking.
• Pay-per-click advertising: to create paid ads and display advertising that quickly generates traffic and leads.
• Social media marketing: grow and engage an audience and attract new leads with social posts and ads.
• Content marketing: create, publish and promote blog posts, email campaigns, videos, guides and more.
• Web design & development: create a mobile-responsive, user-friendly website experience.
• Email marketing: nurture leads and boost conversions.

Some digital marketing companies will offer all of these services or a select few. Keep your goals in mind as you continue shortlisting the agencies. 

How Does The Marketing Agency Communicate?

The way the company communicates with you matters.

• How do they report on your site’s progress? 
• How detailed are the performance reports and what do they include? 

The agency should be more than happy to elaborate on the strategies they plan to use, the timelines, and the costs. 

Be aware of those who make vague claims or promise to “increase your organic ranking overnight.”

How Does Their Team Operate? Which Tools Do They Use?

Remember when choosing a digital marketing agency that you’re not just hiring “the agency” itself, you’re hiring its people. Their experience and expertise can impact how well your campaign performs. 

With that in mind, don’t hesitate to ask about the team who will be working on your project. Reputable digital marketing agencies often hire specialists with experience using marketing tools like Google Analytics, HubSpot, Semrush, Ahrefs and others to track and optimize their campaigns. 

Setting Budgets and Pricing

Before you settle on a particular marketing agency and sign a contract, be aware of how their pricing structure works and whether or not it aligns with your budget. Some charge hourly, by project, or require a monthly retainer.

Keep in mind that the cheapest option isn’t always the best in terms of ROI. Consider what the agency brings to the table in terms of value and how their approach matches your goals. 

Request a Proposal and Ask Questions

Once you’ve narrowed down your choices, ask the company for a detailed proposal. 

A proposal should outline:

• Planned strategy
• Deliverables
• Timeframe
• Projected outcomes
• Follow-up reporting (with ROI, KPIs, and other growth metrics)

At this stage ask the agency how they plan to measure success and ROI, as well as how often you plan on having check-ins or strategy calls to make revisions or discuss the next steps. 

Review the Contract and Terms of Service Carefully 

Before signing a contract, make sure you fully read and understand the digital marketing agency’s terms of service. The contract should include: 

• The Scope of Work where all of the different deliverables are clearly defined.
• A Termination Clause which specifies what will happen in the event that you need to cancel.
• Ownership Rights, which outlines that you’ll own your content or any other assets created on your behalf after the contract ends. 

Should You Hire a Digital Marketing Agency or a Full-Service Agency?

Whether you select a type of marketing agency that specializes in a particular area such as digital marketing or a full-service agency with a wide range of services, depends on your brand and your marketing goals. The most important thing is that they’re able to adjust their strategies to fit your business and goals. 

Red Flags to Watch Out For

When choosing a digital marketing agency, keep an eye out for red flags such as: 

• A promise or “guarantee” of instant results. Digital marketing, particularly search engine optimization, can take a considerable amount of time to generate results. Digital marketing is not a “once and done” step but rather an ongoing process. 
• Lack of communication. If the agency doesn’t respond or when they do respond, it’s vague and confusing, it may result in communication issues down the line. 
• Refuse to show any metrics or KPIs (Key Performance Indicators). The right digital marketing agency should be focused on implementing strategies backed by data and be willing to report their results to you over time as your business grows. 

Choosing a Digital Marketing Agency: Next Steps

In order to work with a company that will be promoting your business and your brand, you have to be clear about your goals and what your business needs. 

Evaluating different digital marketing companies according to these steps will help you narrow down the list and work with professionals who understand your goals and growth metrics. 

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Learn more in our article series on marketing agencies:

• What Is a Marketing Agency?
• What Does a Content Marketing Agency Do?
• What Does a Marketing Agency Do?
• What Is a B2B Marketing Agency?
• What Is an Influencer Marketing Agency?