The world of digital marketing is constantly evolving, and the platforms, tools, and techniques that proved successful a few years back aren’t always the ones that can benefit your business today. Finding the right agency to help you navigate the ever-changing tides of the online environment is critical to the success of your marketing plan.
An agency that is constantly reviewing the effectiveness of all of their strategies and implementing new techniques and tools to serve your needs will be the best guide to successful online marketing.
Why Should You Work With An Agency?
The benefits of working with an agency are many. First, having an agency manage your digital marketing efforts gives you the opportunity to focus on what is most important to you while giving the team of experts a clean slate to work with. An agency can take on a wide range of responsibilities, from SEO to web design, content creation to social media management, and more, so they can ensure all of your online marketing efforts are covered.
Second, agencies can provide analytics so you can track the success of your campaigns. An agency representative should be able to walk you through the process of setting up Google Analytics accounts and helping you interpret the data so you can accurately determine the performance of your campaigns. This, in turn, will allow you to set future goals and review how you are doing on a regular basis.
The Different Kinds Of Agencies Available
Whether you have a specific agency in mind or are simply looking for the best overall fit, there is more than one type of agency that can help you with your digital marketing efforts. To determine which agency is right for your needs, it is important to consider several factors. First, find out what skills they have that you can benefit from. This will determine how effective they can be in getting the results you are looking for. Next, consider their pricing structure so you can align your budget with their services.
Deciding which agency is right for your needs isn’t easy. To help you make the right decision, we have compiled a comprehensive list of everything to consider before making a contract with an online marketing agency. This article will cover everything from how SEO affects conversion to the advantages and disadvantages of working with a larger agency.
How SEO Affects Conversion
Search engine optimization (SEO) is a process designed to improve your rankings on search engines such as Google. Essentially, SEO helps your website show up when potential customers search for your products or services online.
You can have the best website in the world, but if you aren’t showing up in the right places when your visitors search for you, then you are losing out on a potentially huge audience. When performed responsibly and effectively, SEO can increase not only your website traffic, but also your conversions- meaning more people are likely to buy your products or services when they see them on your site.
This is why, when choosing an SEO agency, it is important to consider their approach and the tools they use to ensure your site shows up on the first page of results for your chosen keywords. It is also important to consider whether you want to use an inbound or outbound approach to SEO, as each has its perks and downsides.
Advantages Of An Inbound Approach
An inbound approach to SEO focuses on attracting, engaging, and delighting customers instead of focusing on getting immediate results. The idea behind inbound marketing is to attract people to your website, convert them into paying customers, and keep them coming back for more.
Inbound marketing is all about creating compelling content that will keep your visitors interested and coming back for more.
The most successful businesses across all industries follow this approach, and for good reason. Not only does it help build credibility and trust with your audience, but it also attracts qualified leads which can be converted into paying customers. This, in turn, helps you build a more stable foundation for your business.
Disadvantages Of An Inbound Approach
While inbound approaches to SEO can be beneficial, it isn’t always easy. Inbound marketing requires you to constantly be creating compelling content for your audience which may be difficult for some businesses. It can also be tricky to measure the success of your inbound campaigns as you don’t always know exactly what you are aiming for.
Inbound approaches to SEO can also be quite expensive. In order to get the most out of this strategy, you will need to hire a dedicated team of content creators, copywriters, and editors who can crank out compelling content on a regular basis. This will add up quickly if you aren’t already spending enough on your ads.
Outbound marketing is very similar to inbound marketing, but instead of attracting potential customers, you are reaching out to potential customers directly.
Outbound marketing is commonly used in the telecommunication industry where companies use marketing agencies to send emails to potential customers encouraging them to make a purchase. Outbound marketing requires a bit more work as you need to get in touch with the potential customers yourself and pitch them the merits of your product/service over email.
Outbound marketing is also an expensive strategy and requires a lot of manpower in order to be successful. Building and maintaining a quality email list is a long and tedious process, and you will need someone to manage this contact list on your behalf. This is how businesses end up spending more money on outsourcing than they actually have.
Why Should You Work With An Agency For Your Outbound Marketing Efforts?
Whether you decide to go with an inbound or outbound approach to SEO, you will need someone to help you implement and manage these campaigns. This is where agencies come in. Agencies can take on the responsibility of executing your digital marketing strategy, from SEO to social media management, while you focus on what is most important to your business.
The fact that agencies are generally cheaper than individual freelancers is also a big draw for companies looking to outsource. This is why working with an agency for your outbound marketing efforts makes perfect sense since you can get the volume discount.
Pricing Structure
One of the first things you will want to consider before signing a contract with an agency is their pricing structure. Agencies can be pretty flexible when it comes to their pricing structure, so it is important to remember that you can’t truly know how much you will actually be paying until you get a quote. This is why it is best to work with a reputable agency that is clearly marked up-front about their prices.
There are, however, a few tricks you can use to get a lower rate from an agency. First, ask about their discount for students or military personnel. Many businesses will give you a break for those who qualify, so it is in your best interest to ask. Second, ask about their discount for volume orders. Many agencies will give you a percentage off your total order, so be sure to ask about this also.
It is also important to find out what level of service you will receive. Some agencies offer a basic service level, which is good for those who don’t necessarily need a full-time marketer, while others offer a premium service level, which includes advanced techniques and higher profile clients. It is important to decide what level of service you need before booking an agency since not all agencies can provide everything you may need.
Location, Location, Location
Just because an agency is located in a far away land doesn’t mean they will be able to help you out with your needs. Sometimes you need somebody close by, especially if you are a small business looking to grow. In order to provide the best possible service, agencies may operate out of larger cities or in more rural areas. While in some cases it may be beneficial to have an agency close by, it may also be detrimental to your business. You must weigh the pros and cons of this option carefully.
Credibility
Having a third-party vouch for your business’ legitimacy is always a great way to build credibility. When customers have confidence that a business is established and accredited, they are more likely to do business with that company. There are a few ways you can gain credibility as an indie business, including creating a compelling brand voice, having a physical address, and establishing a level of service. However, none of these can ever take the place of a simple Google search.
When it comes to marketing, it is important to remember that not all experts are made equal. While Google may be the ultimate arbiter of what content is most useful to customers, this does not mean that all SEO agencies are created equal, and it is important to do your research before booking a consultant.