Internet marketing is a vital component of any marketing strategy, whether you’re operating entirely online or not. However, when you’re looking for a digital marketing company to work with, you want to be sure that the company is a right fit for your business goals and objectives.
Here are some things you should look for and questions you should ask before you hire an internet marketing company to help you grow your business.
- What Digital Marketing Services Do You Specialize in?
There are many different facets to internet marketing, from SEO optimization to email campaigns, automation, social media, content creation, and visual ads. If you need a well-rounded team, you want to look for a marketing agency that can take care of all of this and understands the value of each element as a part of the working whole.
- Can You Explain What You Do to Someone Who Doesn’t Understand it?
A good digital marketing team knows their stuff and is always on top of the game in terms of the latest trends, important algorithm updates, internet marketing strategies, and other impressive marketing techniques. If the company you meet with truly is knowledgeable, they should be able to explain what they do to you in a way that you’ll understand with enough detail to make you feel comfortable that they know what they’re doing.
- What Case Studies or Client Portfolios Can You Show Me?
Most digital marketing companies have plenty of case studies or previous client work they’ll be happy to show you so you can see some of the work they’ve done for other clients. Take a look at their portfolio, as well as any case studies with previous successes, and make sure that it aligns with some of the goals you’re working on.
- What Does Their Own Marketing Strategy Look Like?
Take a look at their website, current ads, SEO rankings, and social media content to get a feel of what they put out there for their own company. A good marketing company should practice what they preach and put forth high-quality marketing materials for themselves as well as their clients. For example, a company that boasts high success rates in SEO strategy should have a decent ranking in Google search results. If they’re hard to find, that’s not a good sign.
- Do They Make Realistic Promises?
Be wary of marketing professionals who promise you immediate success and extravagant results. Good marketing agencies know their limitations and they won’t try to sell you on something that won’t be realistic for your own business. They should be transparent and honest with what you can expect and avoid making empty promises.
- What KPIs Will They Track?
Internet marketing comes with a variety of potential KPIs, but some are more important than others. Vanity metrics (likes, comments, followers, etc.) are great to have, but don’t translate to sales. Will your digital marketing agency focus on how many likes your post gets, or how many conversions you receive? There’s a big difference between the two.
- What Prices Do They Charge?
Your budget is a priority, but going with the lowest cost option isn’t always the best idea when it comes to internet marketing. More often than not, low-cost marketing tends to lead to lower quality marketing and won’t translate when it comes to your ROI. Find a company that works within your budget, but don’t sacrifice cost when it comes to your business growth.
- How Are Their Reviews?
Checking reviews is important when it comes to making a purchase of just about anything, so marketing agencies are no different. Take a look at the reviews your potential marketing company gets – not just on their own site, but on websites such as Glassdoor and Google Reviews.
- What Kind of Tools Do They Use?
It’s important that the marketing company you choose has a variety of tools (and proficiency in using them) within their toolkit that can cater to different client needs and goals. For example, some tools include HubSpot, MailChimp, SalesForce, CMS systems, marketing analytics tools, and so on.
Author Bio:
Cindy Williams is a blogger in Toronto. She is working as an outreach coordinator for Web Sharx. She graduated with honors from University of British Columbia with a dual degree in Business Administration and Creative Writing.
Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/williams.cindy.ms
