How to choose an internet marketing agency
Emerging technologies are actively digitizing the market. Many entrepreneurs, having understood the strict need to indicate the presence and promotion of their brand on the network, have identified for themselves the need for the services of Internet marketers.
But the work of attracting and retaining customers in the network is very diverse and includes a long range of areas, each of which itself represents a wide area and requires a large variety of professional knowledge and skills.
Why do I need an agency and not a staff member?
A set of all the necessary competencies can rarely be found in one specialist, so it is often very difficult for companies to find a competent full-time Internet marketer who will draw up a well-calibrated promotion strategy and will responsibly carry out all the required work aimed at its implementation. It is simply not possible for one specialist to cover all the tasks required to carry out the most effective integrated marketing.
If there is a real professional with extensive work experience, then it will cost the employer quite dearly. The average salary of an Internet marketer at the junior level in Russia, according to hh.ru, is at the level of 50,000 rubles. And the incomes of full-time specialists with rich experience and achievements in the profession are often at the level of 100,000-150,000 rubles.
Most of the marketing specialists are Middle Digital Marketer with a median of $ 760. The salary level has changed significantly among specialists with the Senior competence – an increase in the indicator by 200 USD. Serpstat
At the same time, you need to understand that the costs of Internet marketing are not limited to the costs of a specialist, who, by the way, still needs to create a job and provide a social package. In addition to all this, you need to take into account the costs associated with paying for various services required for work, as well as the costs of advertising companies.
In this regard, the transfer of Internet marketing for outsourcing to the agency, with a well-functioning work, an established team, access to all the necessary services and tools, for many entrepreneurs is the most optimal and effective way to promote their business on the network.
However, choosing an agency is also a rather difficult task, because there are enough offers on the market in this area. And, before giving preference to any studio, you often have to go through dozens of options.
Criteria of choice
Customers in this area usually do not have enough time to thoroughly study the subject and the market. Therefore, we have prepared a list of the key points to look out for when choosing an internet marketing agency.
Corporate website
A shoemaker may be without boots, but people involved in development and promotion simply must have a site that must meet the requirements of the time, have a modern look and be adaptive. It is unlikely that an agency with a really good position in the industry will have a corporate website of three pages with a description of services in two paragraphs. This is the first and most obvious thing to pay attention to.
Portfolio, reviews, certificates
A portfolio with examples of work and successful cases, which give a clear idea of how and on what projects the agency worked on and what came of it, will help to make a more or less meaningful idea of the level of a web studio.
Also, a general idea of the company’s experience helps to draw up positions in various ratings, partner certificates, profiles on social networks and quantitative characteristics, such as the total number of projects, customers and employees. If there is no such data, then most likely the agency has nothing to brag about.
Web studios that have successfully submitted their projects usually ask customers to leave feedback with an assessment of the work done. Reviews in the form of simple comments are often fictitious, but if they contain verifiable information about the customer and, for example, are presented in the form of official letterheads with seals, then they can be trusted.
Confirmation of expertise
It will not be superfluous to pay attention to the internal blog of the company. High-quality, informative articles on specialized and related topics, useful for a wide range of readers, are a good sign that you are dealing with professionals who are constantly in the current information field, do not miss important changes in the industry and they always have something to share with their audience.
Location
Customers always have a choice between specialists who mainly work in the regional market and those who operate throughout the country. As a rule, the leading market players are in the most developed areas, however, a contractor from the customer’s region has some advantages, since you can always meet with him personally and convey all the necessary information. After all, the customer does not always understand the material. Therefore, it can be quite difficult to convey all your wishes remotely so that the performer understands everything to the smallest detail and does exactly what is needed. In addition, the contractor is always better versed in the specifics of the business of the region where he is located.
Promotion strategy and complex work on the site
Many agencies that promote business on the Internet offer their services separately, in specific areas, for example, SEO, SMM or contextual advertising. The present conditions of competition, in almost any area, necessitate the use of a range of services.
What is needed is not a number of services, but a unified promotion strategy, the limitations in Internet marketing tools reduce its effectiveness. Therefore, you should choose agencies that can manage your online activity as a single project and work on all aspects of your site that affect its visibility in search engines, traffic, and user experience.
