How to Find the Right Digital Marketing Agency?

Hiring a digital marketing agency isn’t as simple as it sounds.

In today’s world, anyone with an internet connection can develop a website and start selling digital marketing services online.

Which is why, not all the digital marketers out there are experts, and not everyone can make your business grow.

In this article, you’d learn everything about how to choose a top digital marketing agency, recommendations on what to avoid, an insight into the features of best digital marketing companies, as well as guidance on how to align your team and get the most out of your investment in digital marketing.

So, let’s get into it!

Before we move on to the details, let’s cover the basics first.

As a business owner who’s in search of ways to grow their brand, increase leads, elevate sales, and boost revenue generation, properly planned and strategized digital marketing efforts is what you need.

But should these efforts be in the form of content marketing, social media campaigns, Search Engine Optimization, or any other medium?

Analyse Your Needs, Know Your Goals, Recognize Your Desired Results

Every business differs from the other, and so do all the digital marketing agencies.

Let’s consider this scenario:

You own a business in UK and are up for hiring a digital marketing agency.

For sure, you’d come across numerous options, ranging from freelance digital marketers, to small companies and giant agencies.

The difference isn’t just in their size. Each agency also specializes in a certain service/s, and they’d be always inclined towards getting projects that they can handle well.

What you don’t want … is to choose a digital marketing agency in UK that can’t actually help you achieve your goals.

For example:

Your business in UK needs a company blog that would run continuously on autopilot without any work required from your side.

What you need: A fully-managed content marketing strategy.

What’s your goal: Increase the web traffic to your site through high-quality content.

What’re your desired results: A web blog managed completely by a team of expert digital marketers.

Now you can start looking for a digital marketing company in UK that specializes in content marketing, has the potential to understand your business, and can provide the desired outcomes.

Characteristics of the Best Digital Marketing Agency in UK

After you’ve analysed your goals and know what end results you’re looking for, it’s time to move on to the decision-making process.

Below, I’ve enlisted some major characteristics that make up a great digital marketing agency so you can easily decide who you want to hire:

1. Numerous Trusted Clients

Any leading digital marketing agency in UK would be proud of their work and would make a display out of it. You’d be able to see the proof of this on their website and from there you can learn about their partnerships and clients.

Can’t find any testimonials, list of previous clients, or examples of their work?

I’d tell you to not hire them. Because, clearly, they don’t have much experience in the field and are probably a newbie.

But if you’re facing budget constraints, then it’s okay to consider partnering up with a small company or start-up. However, do make sure they have a capable team of experts.

Also, know that not all digital marketing projects can be displayed.

For example, if a digital marketing agency in UK specializes in SEO, Google Ads, or content marketing, there won’t be a portfolio to showcase the work. In this case, a client list or testimonials can be validation enough.

2. A Team of Knowledgeable Experts

Whether you want to optimize your site for search engines or engage your target audience on social media platforms, it’s essential to ensure that your chosen agency has a team of certified and experienced professionals.

For instance, you wouldn’t want an SEO expert to do copywriting for your business.

Similarly, if the agency doesn’t have a graphic designer, you won’t partner with them in order to have your logo designed.

Go through their ‘About Us’ or ‘Our Team’ page to have a look at the people who’d be working for you.

You can also view their LinkedIn profile for details such as this.

Note that if the company has any freelancers on board or a temporary resource, they may not show on their website.

You can ask any further question regarding their team from their sales representative, or during consultation.

3. Strong Reputation or a Social Proof

Any best digital marketing agency would be known to be the best in market.

In a sense, they would have earned great customer reviews form their clients. These reviews would provide a deep insight into the agency’s work quality and that would help you decide whether or not should you partner up with them.

Are their clients satisfied with the services they’re getting? Do you see a lot of negative reviews or complaints? Does the agency respond to the negative reviews?

Overall, reviews on social media platforms, Google My Business, and other such places can help you make the right decision and steer clear of future regrets. You’d know what you’re getting into.

Note: if you want to look at in-depth reviews, see what others in the industry have to say about them. A comparison with the competitors can also be helpful.

4. An Attractive and Well-Designed Website

Next thing to check when choosing a digital marketing agency in UK is their own website.

Any good marketer would know the importance of visuals.

If they’re an expert at what they do, it would show through how they’ve built their own brand.

Is their website well-designed and engaging? Or is it difficult to navigate through and confusing?

The answer would let you know whether to make a purchase or look for someone else.

Similarly, if a business isn’t ranking on the very first page of Google’s search results in their own niche, or at least for their own brand name, choosing them for your own site’s SEO may not go well.

Remember, if a company is unable to execute their own internal projects flawlessly, they’re not yet ready to handle your business growth.

5. They Don’t Overpromise and Underdeliver

Okay, this is something a lot of new entrepreneurs and start-ups do for attracting new clients.

They’d tell you they can make your local business rank on the top of search results within weeks, increase your organic traffic like crazy, help attract and engage customers through unique content, and more.

But it’s clear they don’t know that SEO is not just a one-time thing. It’s a continuous process made up of both short-term and long-term strategies.

So, partnering up with such a digital marketing agency in UK is probably not the wisest thing to do.

Before you close the deal, pay close attention to what they’re offering. If their claims sound like campaign promises made by politicians, ask them about the process.

If you want to get the most out of your digital marketing investment, steer clear of outlandish promises.

6. They Should be Easy to Contact

A marketer would always make it easy for prospective clients to reach them. That’s like half of their job and something they’d be doing for you too.

If a digital marketing agency in UK is good at what they do, their website wouldn’t feel like a complex labyrinth.

You’d come across clear call-to-actions on all their web pages. And the contact info shouldn’t be more than a click away.

Also, they’d be easy to reach through various social media platforms, as well as live chat, email, and phone call.

Furthermore, you should be clearly guided through the buying process. Such as, if you wish to schedule a consultation, there should be a contact form that you can fill, or a custom quote.

How to Get the Most Out of Your Digital Marketing Investment?

Want to maximize your results and make every single penny count?

There’re some things that you can do to make your collaboration with a digital marketing agency in UK successful.

Get Your Team Ready

It is important for everyone to be on the same page.

Have a meeting with your team members and let them know about the new project and your partnership with a digital marketing agency in UK.

If you owe the agency any kind of information and details related to your business, let them know it all as soon as possible.

Keep things together and well-aligned.

Gain a Deep Understanding of the Process

Before things start, make sure everyone is agreed on a single scope and timeline – your team as well as the experts of the agency you’ve chosen.

Know that all digital marketing projects go through a process that includes:

Understanding the business and its competitors.
Planning a strategy
Executing the plan
Measuring the results and review

Don’t Hesitate to Ask Questions

If you’ve never hired a digital marketing agency in UK before, you may not be familiar with the terminology, procedures, strategies, etc.

It’s okay if you can’t get what’s happening. And it’s best to ask questions in such scenarios.

All in all, when choosing a digital marketing agency in UK, or anywhere else around the globe, remember to find a reputable one, view their portfolio, and don’t forget to read their past customer reviews.

By VROX Content Team - 16 Oct 2020

How to Find the Right Digital Marketing Agency?