Are you planning to outsource your online marketing needs? In such a case, you need a digital marketing and branding partner to navigate these tasks on your behalf.
Nowadays, everyone seems to be offering such services to businesses, which complicates the choice of finding the best provider. Most providers have limited experience and learn on the go. Therefore, making an informed decision is a must for having the best digital partner on your side. The wrong agency can drain your budget and have a negative impact on your brand.
There are numerous digital marketing and branding agencies, such as DriveCreativeAgency, offering experienced teams of strategists, developers, digital marketers, and problem solvers.
Follow the tips below to hire the best company.
Consider their portfolios and list of past clients
When choosing such an agency, you should start by considering their portfolios and lists of past clients. It’s important for these agencies to have an extensive range of clients from various industries. Do your best to discover the industries in which they have worked and the years of experience they have in this field.
Small digital marketing companies tend to inform potential customers about their partnerships. Although it isn’t necessarily important for you to get informed on the exact names of clients, you should still see some examples of the work they have performed so far. Keep in mind that certain types of services are tricky to display, such as SEO and content marketing. Consequently, these cannot be showcased in the portfolios of agencies specializing in those exact areas.
Nevertheless, a list of past clients is always a good experience indicator. In the case of other services like web development and graphic design, digital marketing companies are supposed to showcase their type of work in a portfolio. You should also get in touch with other clients to discover the length of their relationship and the level of service they have received.
Check the experience of team members
The following consideration when choosing a digital marketing and branding company is the experience of team members. Irrespective of the service you intend to hire, each agency should have an experienced and skilled team of professionals to work on your project. Just imagine hiring a firm to create a logo on your behalf, only to realize their team lacks a graphic designer. Click here for a graphic designer job description.
A great place to get introduced to team members is the about us page, as all employees are usually listed here. In case you find no such list, go to LinkedIn and search for the particular agency. Once you’ve found the agency, visit the people section to see the employees working there. Anyhow, this section might not always list all employees, as it doesn’t show any freelancers. In any case, LinkedIn is a great starting point for getting introduced to an agency’s team. Additional information can be revealed during consultations.
Consider social proof
Another aspect worthy of your attention when looking for a digital marketing and branding company is their social proof. Such proof is available in the form of customer reviews and testimonials, providing detailed insight into the work of an agency. Marketers are aware of the importance of displaying testimonials and reviews on their websites to appeal to potential clients.
Both positive and negative reviews shed light on the expertise of agencies. The way digital marketing companies handle negative reviews speaks volumes about their relationship with customers and their motivation for self-improvement.
Check their websites
The next step of your quest for the right digital marketing and branding agency is checking the websites of candidates. Digital marketers know the significance of a well-designed website, as it has a tremendous effect on visitors. Unless visitors find a site appealing, they’ll soon leave it to search for a better one. Marketers are expected to execute internal projects in the same way as they execute external projects.
Consequently, if the website of a particular agency isn’t well-designed and functional, there’s little hope your site would look any better. This is particularly valid for companies providing web development and web design services. Any site that seems of low quality should be disregarded, and you should keep on searching for one that features an appealing design and delivers the best customer experience.
Do not trust unrealistic promises
In your search for the best digital marketing and branding agency, you will come across unrealistic promises. The most important thing is not to trust them. Agencies make promises on their websites and during consultations. Any provider making claims to boost your ranking on Google in no time isn’t aware of the continuous work it takes for marketers to improve a client’s ranking.
Hence, companies making such outlandish promises aren’t to be trusted with website optimization. Impossible promises are considered a red flag that no business should disregard. Even though these stories sound appealing, they are too good to be true. You should always stick to professionals offering transparency and promises that are realistic.
Consider the way you can contact them
The best providers of digital marketing and branding services on the market make the process of getting in touch with them convenient. Their sites are easy to navigate, while their contact information is only a click away. Call-to-action buttons should be provided for visitors to get directions on the following steps. Some agencies prompt visitors to make an appointment, while others ask them to submit a contact form to get more information.
Check their culture and core values
The culture and core values of your business should match those of the marketing company you hire. Your team of employees should work well with the external team by valuing the same principles and operating in the same manner. Spare some time to read the missions of companies and see if their expectations align with yours.
The bottom line
The tips above will pave your way to finding a digital partner.
Follow them!