Why investing in a digital marketing agency just makes sense

By Jocelyn Van Saun, SOCIUS Marketing. 

From marketing to optimization, there are a variety of reasons a digital marketing agency can help your business grow. Learn how and when to hire one! 

As the world continually develops and grows into the digital age, finding a trustworthy partner to help you increase your online presence and marketing is key to success now. Hiring out help is key because it builds your customer base without having to sacrifice your own time or the quality of the work you are already doing. The types of agencies help foster your business’ growth by building brand awareness, collating better reviews and improving word of mouth knowledge through things like data monitoring and strategic planning. 

But hiring a digital marketing agency can be a daunting task. You might be struggling to determine things like which companies are trustworthy and how much pay is fair. Here at SOCIUS, we have put together the following guide to what digital marketing agencies are, what they can do for you and how to pick one to work with. If you have more questions after reading, you can get a free digital marketing assessment from our team! 

What is a digital marketing agency?  

A digital marketing agency is hired to manage digital marketing activities such as brand awareness, lead generation and customer retention. This can include developing a social media strategy or optimizing your website pages so that your ideal clients can more easily find your business online.  

A team of digital marketing experts will perform an analysis of the state of your business and help you define goals for the next six months to a year. Depending upon the size and scope of your needs, the agency will develop short-term and long-term goals that will determine the future success of your business.  

In fact, this is exactly the kind of thing Socius does in our FREE digital marketing assessment. We’ll take a look at everything from design, user experience, conversions and backlinks to Search Engine Optimization (SEO), local optimization and social and paid media.  

What services do digital marketing agencies offer?  

Digital marketing agencies offer several specialized services that can boost your online traffic as well as increase engagement, sales and revenue. Which one is the right partner for you will depend upon your goals, but in general, here are a few services agencies typically provide:  

• SEO to ensure your company is found on search engines like Google.  
• Social media marketing to get your brand on relevant social media platforms.  
• Content writing to keep your content fresh and drive more traffic to your site.  
• Digital strategy consulting to determine the best methods and techniques for your budget.  
• Website optimization to communicate your brand personality and messaging to the right audience.  

Why hire a digital marketing agency?  

Many businesses don’t have the budget to hire a full-time internet marketing staff and don’t have the time to develop in-house marketing efforts — which is why so many struggle to grow. Ideally, an agency can offer you three core competencies:   

1. Industry expertise  
2. Transparent reporting   
3. Full ownership   

Traditionally, there are many benefits to hiring a digital marketing agency to take the reins on developing and executing your company’s marketing plan. Here they are in no particular order.  

Gain expertise and resources  

Prospects looking for home improvement, home services and healthcare services don’t shop the same way they would for retail or restaurant items. A marketing agency that understands the nuances of your business and the best approach to finding new customers can determine how, when, and where to promote your business so your ideal prospects find you — and provide the resources to get there.  

Our vast experience in these industries means we know which strategies and messages will engage your desired customers and generate high-quality leads. Get in touch for your free digital assessment and to learn more.  

Increase your marketing ROI  

Because specialized agencies are deep in the weeds of digital marketing for your industry, they can fine-tune your campaigns to get the best results for the least investment. With experience across paid Google ads, social media, SEO and lead generation, agencies like Socius Marketing share a wealth of advice and direction about which strategies are the smartest for your company and budget.  

We provide a range of marketing services, including website design, content creation, SEO, lead generation, paid search (PPC), email marketing and social media management – ensuring you get the right marketing mix and great ROI.  

Get a second opinion on strategic planning  

You should hire a digital marketing agency that can walk you through the strategic planning process from beginning to end and help you identify your marketing goals.  

Some questions to consider for any agency: 

• What does success look like for you? 
• Have you properly defined your target audience? 
• What kind of content speaks to your target audience? 
• Where are they most likely to see that kind of content?  

Having an outside perspective on these questions will help you get your digital marketing off on the right foot.  

When should I hire a digital marketing agency?  

Several signs indicate that hiring a digital marketing agency will benefit your business. Take a look at your marketing costs. If you are a small to mid-sized business, then perhaps hiring your own in-house team is too expensive. Another sign is that you are too focused on short-term money goals. Investing in a digital marketing agency should grow your business. This often means that you have a vision for your business five years from now.  

You should also take a look at your website. Is it in need of an update? Your website is a representation of your current state of business. If you don’t have a plan to update your content or connect to social media, you are sure to lose to other competitors who are betting that you won’t invest.  

How to choose the right digital marketing agency  

You want to choose an agency that has deep industry knowledge – whether in the area of home improvement, home services or the dental industry. When seeking out a digital agency for you, be sure to ask about their experience and proven reputation working with companies like yours. Do they align with your business goals? Or is there a push to be a company that doesn’t fit with who you are?  

Experience and reputation  

How long has the digital marketing agency been in business? What you want is an agency that has proven results. Take some time to talk to current clients, read online reviews and scour case studies to find out how their business has changed after working with the agency you’re considering.  

Alignment with business goals  

Does the digital marketing agency know how to align its strategic action with business goals? Again, this starts with a deep dive into understanding who you are as a company. What separates you from the crowd? Be sure to audit your current marketing efforts so you can assess whether or not what you are doing is working and identify what elements need tweaking. Not ready to take on an audit yourself? This could be a good starting place in your engagement.  

Industry knowledge  

Take some time to find out if the digital marketing agency you want to work with is knowledgeable about your line of business. Why? Because cut-and-paste digital marketing strategies don’t work across all industries. You want an agency that is willing to get to know why your company is special and what can be done to help you stand out from the competition. And if they have multiple examples and case studies of the results they’ve gotten for businesses like yours? Even better.  

Original article source: SOCIUS