The Do's and Dont's of Hiring a Digital Marketing Agency

As a business owner, you know the value of putting in hard work and dedication to grow your company. But did you know that 51% of website traffic comes from organic search, and 50% of all searchers use four or more words in their queries? These statistics highlight the importance of effective digital marketing in driving traffic and revenue.

However, not all digital marketing agencies are equal, and it's important to carefully consider your options before making a decision. In this blog, we'll provide you with tips and advice on how to hire a digital marketing agency that will help you reach your goals and take your business to the next level. By understanding the key factors to look for and the common pitfalls to avoid, you can make an informed decision and find the right partner to help you succeed online.

When it comes to choosing a digital marketing agency, there are a few key factors to consider. First, it's important to look for an agency with a proven track record of success. This might include a portfolio of past clients and case studies demonstrating their ability to drive traffic, increase conversions, and achieve other key business goals.

Additionally, you should consider the agency's expertise in the specific areas you need help with, such as search engine optimization (SEO), social media marketing, or pay-per-click (PPC) advertising. It's also a good idea to choose an agency that is transparent and communicative, and can provide clear, regular reporting on the progress of your campaigns.

By keeping these factors in mind, you can find a digital marketing agency that is the right fit for your business and your specific needs.

How the wrong digital agency can hurt your business

When it comes to choosing a digital marketing agency, it's important not to make the mistake of selecting based solely on price. A cheap agency may seem like a good deal at the time, but it can end up costing your business more in the long run.

Let’s review some of the pitfalls that you may witness when you fail to do your due diligence. Here are a few ways that the wrong digital agency can hurt your business:

1. Inconsistent marketing collateral

When looking for a digital marketing agency, it's important to consider how their teams and departments work together. Some agencies use outdated processes that can result in inconsistent marketing collateral and a lack of cohesiveness in their campaigns.

To ensure that your project is completed in a streamlined and effective manner, look for an agency that has a cohesive team structure. This might include:

• Blog content writers working closely with PPC ad copywriters to ensure that the messaging and tone are consistent across all channels
• SEO experts collaborating with analytics teams to track and measure the success of campaigns
• A unified vision and approach to digital marketing, with all departments working together to deliver a seamless project

By choosing an agency with a cohesive team structure, you can avoid the pitfalls of inconsistent marketing collateral and ensure that your digital marketing campaigns are effective and successful. Be sure to inquire about the agency's team structure and how their departments will work together to complete your project.

2. Discussing services rather than solutions

When it comes to choosing a digital marketing agency, it's important to look for one that focuses on solutions rather than just offering a range of services. The right agency will take the time to understand your business and its goals, and will be able to offer a tailored, well-balanced strategy to improve your online presence and drive results.

Here are a few key things to look for when consulting with a digital marketing agency:

• A focus on solutions: The agency should be more interested in understanding your business and its challenges than in simply selling you a range of services.
• A well-balanced approach: A full-service digital marketing agency should be able to offer a comprehensive strategy that includes a range of tactics and channels to achieve your goals.
• An understanding of your business: The agency should take the time to interview you about your business, its goals, and the challenges you're facing in order to offer tailored solutions.

By choosing an agency that focuses on solutions and understands your business, you can avoid the pitfalls of paying for services you don't need and ensure that your digital marketing efforts are successful.

3. Not considering your long-term budget

When considering a digital marketing agency, it's important to not only think about your initial budget, but also your long-term budget. Digital marketing is an ongoing effort, and you need an agency that you can afford to work with long-term.

Here are a few key things to keep in mind when it comes to your budget:

• Digital marketing levels the playing field: Unlike traditional marketing, digital marketing allows small businesses to compete with larger companies, even on a limited budget.
• Ongoing efforts: Digital marketing is not a one-time effort, and you need to be able to afford ongoing services to maintain your online presence and continue to drive results.
• Avoid overspending: If an agency doesn't take your long-term budget into account, you risk overpaying and burning through your budget too quickly, hindering your digital marketing efforts.

By carefully considering your budget and choosing an agency that is affordable and transparent about their pricing, you can ensure that your digital marketing efforts are successful and sustainable.

4. Ignoring building relationships and chemistry

Businesses are run by humans so it makes sense that customers build relationships with them. In doing so, you can make working together a seamless process.

Building a good relationship with your agency can make the process of working together smoother and more effective, and can help to avoid misunderstandings and miscommunications.

Here are a few key things to consider when it comes to building relationships with your digital marketing agency:

• Meet the team: Take the time to meet the individuals who will be working on your campaigns, and get a sense of their approach and style.
• Test the waters: Agree to a few test assignments to see how things go, and pay attention to your instincts if you feel like something isn't quite right.
• Focus on chemistry: Building a good relationship and having good chemistry with your agency can make the process of working together more enjoyable and effective.

By prioritizing relationships and chemistry, you can ensure that your digital marketing efforts are successful and that you have a positive experience working with your agency.

5. Disconnection with your business teams

When working with a digital marketing agency, it's important to ensure that their teams are aligned not only with your business, but also with each other. This can help to ensure that your vision and goals are incorporated into the content and campaigns being created for your business.

Here are a few key things to consider when it comes to team alignment:

• Include your team in meetings: If meetings are being held with the agency, make sure that your team is included. This will help to ensure that your business needs are understood and incorporated into the campaigns.
• Focus on coordination: Coordination between the agency and your team, as well as within the agency's teams, is key to ensure that projects are completed in a way that works for your brand.
• Avoid wasting money: If the agency doesn't prioritize team alignment, you risk having projects completed in a way that doesn't align with your brand, resulting in wasted money and ineffective marketing efforts.

By prioritizing team alignment, you can ensure that your digital marketing efforts are successful and that your business needs are always met.

6. Focusing on outputs vs outcomes

When it comes to marketing your business, having clear goals is crucial to achieving a good return on investment. This should be the focus of all your marketing efforts.

However, not all digital marketing agencies are the same. Some care more about output than outcomes. These agencies may focus on meeting content goals, like publishing weekly blog posts and scheduling social media posts, without considering how this output affects the outcome of your business goals.

Effective digital marketing agencies, on the other hand, tie all of their efforts to the outcomes of your business. For example, if your blog posts aren't reaching the right audience, the agency may recommend changing your targeted keywords or promoting on different channels. If your blog posts are driving traffic but not resulting in conversions, the agency may suggest switching up the topics and using more targeted keywords.

Digital marketing is a process of constantly experimenting with campaigns to see what works best. By choosing the right digital marketing agency, you can ensure that your marketing efforts are focused on achieving your business goals.

How to choose the right digital marketing agency

Now that you know the potential pitfalls of choosing the wrong digital marketing agency, it's important to learn how to avoid making the same mistake.

First and foremost, it's essential to understand your own needs. Without a clear idea of what issues you need to resolve, it will be difficult to find a company that can offer the best solutions. Take some time to assess your business goals and the challenges you're facing in achieving them. This will help you narrow down your options and make it easier to find an agency that can help you succeed.

Once you have a good understanding of your needs, you can start researching different digital marketing agencies. Look for companies with a track record of helping businesses like yours achieve their goals. Ask for references and case studies, and don't be afraid to ask tough questions. A good agency should be transparent and willing to discuss their approach and how they plan to help you achieve your goals.

By taking the time to understand your needs and carefully researching your options, you can avoid making the mistake of choosing the wrong digital marketing agency. This will help you find a company that can help you achieve your business goals and get the best possible results.

1. Identify the issues your business needs to address

2. Ask about their marketing practices

You can learn a lot about a company by analyzing its practices. When considering a digital marketing agency, it's important to ask about their marketing practices. This will give you a good idea of how they approach their work and whether they can help you achieve your business goals.

Here are some things to look for when asking about their marketing practices:

• Avoid agencies that use cookie-cutter strategies. Instead, look for an agency that takes the time to understand your business and offers customized solutions.
• Look for an agency that focuses on leads, sales, and conversions. This indicates that they're focused on helping you achieve your business goals and get a good return on investment.
• Ask about the sales productivity of the different marketing solutions they offer. This will help you determine which services are worth your time and money.
• Don't be afraid to ask tough questions and get clarification from the agency. A good agency will be transparent and willing to discuss their approach and how they plan to help you succeed.

By asking about their marketing practices, you can learn a lot about a digital marketing agency and whether they're the right fit for your business.

3. Ask about the marketing tools used

When choosing a digital marketing agency, it's important to ask about the tools they use. A company that uses outdated tools or none at all is a red flag. The right tools can make tracking and analyzing campaign-related metrics much easier and more efficient.

Here are some things to look for when asking about the tools they use:

• Make sure the agency has tools for different aspects of digital marketing, such as social media, content, and PPC ads.
• Look for automation tools that can help ensure email, social media, and content marketing are on schedule.
• Ask about analytics tools that can be used to track traffic, conversions, and sales, and ensure goals are being met.
• Some professional tools used by leading digital agencies include HubSpot, ClearVoice, Sprout Social and SEM Rush.

By asking about the tools they use, you can get a better idea of whether a digital marketing agency is equipped to help you achieve your business goals.

4. Ask for references and portfolio

Always ask for references and to see their portfolio when choosing a digital marketing agency. This will give you a good idea of the agency's capabilities and whether they can help you achieve your business goals.

Here are some things to look for when asking for references and seeing their portfolio:

• Ask to see examples of the agency's work, such as snapshots or case studies of their past campaigns.
• Request references so you can speak with past clients and get their perspective on working with the agency.
• Do your own research, such as looking for online reviews from past customers. This can give you additional insight into the agency's work and reputation.
• Look for evidence of successful campaigns and results. This will help you determine whether the agency is capable of helping you achieve your business goals.

By asking for references and seeing the agency's portfolio, you can get a better idea of their capabilities and whether they're the right fit for your business.

Selecting the right digital agency

As a business, it's essential to invest in a marketing strategy that will help you achieve your goals. The right digital marketing agency can make all the difference, providing the expertise and support you need to succeed.

At gardenpatch, we have a team of experienced professionals who are dedicated to helping businesses like yours. We specialize in inbound marketing, using a holistic approach to develop and execute a strategy that's tailored to your unique needs.

Our team is committed to helping you achieve your goals, whether you're looking for more traffic, better conversions, more subscribers or followers, or more engagement. We use the latest tools and techniques to track and analyze your campaigns, ensuring that we're always working towards the best possible results.

If you're looking for a full-service digital marketing agency with a proven track record of success, reach out to us today. We'd be happy to discuss your needs and how we can help you succeed. Get a free consultation with an expert, today!