10 Things You Need to Know Before Hiring a Digital Marketing Agency

Don’t just choose the first digital marketing agency that you come across and hope for the best. Take the time to review your current business objectives. Go into the hiring process with a clear vision of the online presence you want to have. The goal is to find the right digital marketing agency, whose services align with your objectives and help your business grow.

Here are 10 things you need to know before hiring a digital marketing agency:

1. Why you want to hire a digital marketing agency

Knowing exactly why you want to hire a digital marketing agency to help support your business is important. Take this opportunity to identify the strategies that are currently working, while addressing any challenges that may require extra support.

2. Understand your business goals

Having a clear grasp of your business goals helps determine the types of services you want. Reanalyze your business, creating a precise definition of your goals and the outcome you expect from the digital marketing services.

3. Know your target audience

Before you begin building a digital marketing strategy, you need to know who your target audience is. Review the demographic you are currently focusing on, and outline the strategies you are using to reach them.

4. What are your competitors doing?

Every business has competition. Being familiar with your competitors and the strategies they are using to engage audiences will help you determine which areas of marketing you need to explore.

5. Industry and Experience

Finding an agency that has experience working in your industry can be useful for achieving specific goals. Some digital marketing agencies specialize in one specific type of service, where others offer a wider range. If you have a specific conversion goal or outcome in mind, you may want to find an agency that had success with similar strategies.

6. Services and Skills

Digital marketing agencies can range from highly specialized, such as focusing on SEO or reputation management, to offering multiple services. Determining which will be best for your business depends on the goals you have in mind.

7. How is success measured?

Before hiring a digital marketing agency, you should be aware of how success will be measured. Be sure to ask how the data for each strategy will be collected, and then shared with you. A good digital marketing agency needs to present results in a way that shareholders understand while aligning with their goals.

8. How does the agency handle communication and collaboration?

Digital marketing agencies vary in the frequency and formatting of reporting. When selecting an agency there should be a clear expectation of engagement, whether that be daily reporting or monthly meetings. Take into consideration your time and resources when setting deadlines.

9. What will the first 30 days look like?

An experienced digital marketing agency will have the expertise to provide direction that helps transform your business from day one. To get an idea of what your potential agency has planned, ask for an overview of the first 30 days. Once you’ve seen their deliverables and processes, you’ll know if they have the right vision for your business.

10. Pricing

When choosing the type of digital marketing services you want, it’s necessary to review your business’s immediate position and resources. Pricing for a digital marketing agency can vary, often depending on the type of pricing model they offer. Most agencies tend to work under a retainer structure, however, some provide a performance-based model where payment is only required after results.