Pairing the right digital marketing agency with your business will prove to be a fruitful endeavor. By means of various digital channels, primarily the internet, digital marketing attempts to promote a brand or service by directly reaching out to consumers in hopes of capturing their interest. Essentially, digital marketing should be seen as an investment rather than an expense. In the words of Valerie Brown-Dufour from WSI World,
If you engage with the right agency, marketing won’t cost you money in the long-run – it’ll make you money.
Although every business needs marketing to support and encourage their brand, it is important to find an agency that is best aligned with your interests and budget.
Before contracting with an agency, spend ample time researching and comprehending the different forms of digital marketing. This will allow you to consider the best approach for your business to utilize.Today, the most popular types of digital marketing are Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Pay-Per-Click Advertising (PPC) and social media marketing.
In a nutshell, SEO and PPC strive to increase traffic to your website from search engines. Considered one of the first and strongest long-term tactics, SEO deals with the relationship between website and search engine. According to SEO Theory, “the website grants permission to the search engine [mainly Google and Bing] to crawl, index, and utilize data from the site in exchange for the opportunity to receive search referral traffic from the engine.” Furthermore, a website’s rank on a search engine is determined by content grounded in keyword research. Due to the fact 94% of all clicks in search results go to organic listings, SEO should not be overlooked. While only considered a short-term tactic – as after payment ceases so does the “sponsored” link – PPC for a website to rank above organic listings for a set price. When choosing keywords relevant to your search, proceed with caution as unsuccessful campaigns can quickly turn into a money pit.
Coupled with gaining brand awareness, social media marketing aims to build upon new and old customer relationships through easily accessible social platforms, such as Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn. These networks not only offer a business the opportunity to engage with their audience, but also learn from user feedback to improve their product or service accordingly. Social media should not be discounted as a passing marketing interest due to the fact it has the potential to attract more customers, generate more traffic and obtain more conversions for your business.
After defining your business’s objectives, decide on your preferred avenue of digital marketing and then choose an agency that specializes within that niche. Do not be afraid to talk to the agency’s clients. By doing so, you can gain insight on how the agency conducts business through their creativity, accountability and commitment. A team-oriented agency that has a proven track record of industry experience will supply you with a mutually beneficial relationship.