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Are you in search of a digital marketing agency? Well, even though digital marketing is essential for the big corporate giants, it is really the budding companies and small businesses whose success online is really dependent upon terrific digital marketing strategies. However, while people have now learned the importance of digital media marketing, they still are unaware of how to go about it when hiring a digital marketing expert. So we have prepared a list of questions that you must ask your expert or agency so that you have a long term healthy association with them. Without further ado, read on.

1. Is your digital marketing expert working with more than one client?

 

Chances are that if you go with a larger agency, then you might be able to allocate more budgets for advertisements and hitch contracts well. However, if your chosen agency has excessive clients, they might not be able to focus more on the digital marketing for your business. On the contrary, smaller agencies usually have ample time to cater to your digital marketing requirements. So they are the ones that will understand your wants and be more attentive.

2. What is their reporting methodology?

 

Usually, the reporting must be done at least once in a month. But if you have more stringent tracking requirements, you can ask your digital marking agency or expert to report more often. If your prospective agency states that they will make reports quarterly or bi-annually, you should reconsider their services. This is a sure sign that the agency you are looking at is deeply overworked and will not be able to give your projects a dedicated time. You must also ask your marketing agencies to show the report that you can easily comprehend. Rather than simply showing results in metric like web traffic, follows and like on social media, impressions of paid advertisements etc., the digital media marketer must depict them in comprehendible terms like:

  • Prospective leads
  • Customers
  • Revenue

A good agency will always talk in the aforementioned terms. The sales orientation of the digital marketeer will help you know the effects your online marketing strategies are having on your customers, leads and if they are even assisting in revenue generation.

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3. How are the results tracked?

 

In line with the aforementioned question, the answer to this query will always yield better results in the long run. A good digital marketeer or agency will always be able to give you results upon any desired metric that is essential for you such as:

  • Conversion rates (the web visitors who take a desirable action like subscription, registration, product sales)
  • Search visibility
  • cost per click and pay per click
  • Domain Authority (the ranking of a particular domain in Google search results)

4. How do they conduct SEO audits?

 

The one thing that should put you on high alert for phony digital marketing experts is that they charge you an amount to conduct an SEO audit.  You are being fooled. Always remember: SEO audits are supposed to be free. SEO audits are equally important to you as well as your agency because:

  • They assist the digital market expert/agency in developing a keen understanding of things that need major attention and provide with a straightforward and reliable quotation.
  • An audit helps you recognize your flawed zones and help you visualize the areas that need your attention.

You can try a free SEO audit on our website. The audit is completely free.

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5. What are the specialization areas?

 

You must always specifically ask these questions to the digital marketing agency. There are several agencies that are pros at all or some of the following:

  • Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
  • Pay Per Click (PPC)
  • Content Marketing
  • Social Media Marketing
  • Digital Consultancy for e-biz, B2C, SEO strategies etc.

Hiring a digital marketing expert who is well-versed in a multitude of arenas might actually be fruitful for small businesses that have only recently emerged on the platform of online marketing. A versatile approach will help targeting and nailing down potential prospects. In contrast, if you are already know the exact areas which need scrutiny and improvement, then you must know what are the specializations of your digital marketing experts.

6. What is the general perception about the digital marketing company?

 

No matter which consultant you are hiring, reviews are one thing that you must always pay attention to. Surf the web to discover reviews online about your digital marketing agency. Go to their website and find out more about the references of their staff on LinkedIn.

7. Is your digital marketing agency local or not?

 

Local online marketing companies are easily approachable. They also know a great deal more about other local websites who can assist you in your SEO promotion. However, a great advantage of off-shore internet marketing agency is that they might be able to provide you service, answer your calls and respond to your emails outside the standard work hours. These agencies that go beyond their normal durations are really a lifesaver, especially during crunch times.

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8. Does the marketing agency blog?

 

Digital marketing agencies that blog, goes on to show how passionate they are about what they are doing. Visit their website and read some of the blogs. You will at once know   whether your digital marketing experts are market leaders or not. If you discover that the information on their web is informative, bingo, you have hit upon an agency that knows their game well.

9. Are you making use of any digital marketing tools?

 

The digital marketing industry is becoming increasingly intricate. What may have appeared impossible a few years back is now one of the things that play a vital role in building successful digital marketing strategies; the digital media marketing tools. The landscape of digital marketing has changed significantly. So it is imperative that you know the software your marketing expert will be using. This is to ascertain that the goals achieved with the software are in line with your objectives. Nowadays, there are gazillion of marketing software available online. These software help you to achieve a multitude of tasks such as:

  • Providing optimization on Google Maps
  • Founding businesses online and assisting in generating leads
  • Enhancing the social media presence and visibility while monitoring your progress
  • Engaging with clients through other platforms like SMS, email and various social channels

Read complete profiles and reviews about some of the digital marketing software over here. While according to Forbes Entrepreneur (2013) those companies who spread their word across in an efficient manner are really the ones who build a clientele and retain it too.

10. How much time will be spent on your account?

 

Even though your respective digital marketing agency might not be able to tell you exactly how much time they will spend on your account in a week, it will suffice if digital marketing experts are able to convey a rough estimate to you. For this you will also have to communicate your own business development goals, maybe even identify your key competitors and your content production requirements. Knowing how much time will be spent on your account will help you realize whether you are getting enough value for the money that you are spending.

11. What are the agreement terms?

 

You must be fully aware of the way the particular digital marketing agency enters into an agreement with you. Will there be a contract restricted by a well-defined time frame? Or will they get paid only after the desired results are observed, such as achieving the desired rank on the search engine?

12. Is the Digital Marketing Agency able to furbish results from the previous client?

 

The digital SEO marketing agency might not be willing to provide you with private details like conversion rates, revenue generation or exact web traffic. However, they should be able to inform you about the particular targeting keywords for past clients and the success driven from them.

13. Who will manage your accounts and related work?

 

It is imperative that you know the answer to this question. There are two ways a digital marketing agency can manage your work:

  • Outsource your work to offshore content management workers
  • Have an in-house team to manage your work
  • Accomplish tasks with the help of both external freelancers and a team of internal strategists

No matter which method the digital marketing company uses, you have a right to know the expertise of the people dealing with your work. You must have confidence in these people as their work reflects directly upon your success. Since you are paying your digital marketing agency massively, you do deserve a person who has an extensive experience pertinent to SEO and digital marketing to manage your accounts. Ask your digital marketing experts to ensure that the people dealing with your accounts have adequate knowledge and can work in competitive environments.

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