So, you're thinking about hiring a digital marketing agency?
That’s awesome! A digital marketing agency can do wonders for your company, from helping you develop strategies for revenue growth to developing a website that's a lead-generating machine.
As a digital marketing agency, our experts love helping businesses grow and exceed their goals. If you’re ready to partner with an agency but don’t know how to find the right match, this blog is perfect for you. You’re about to get the inside scoop on the best questions to ask a digital marketing agency before you decide to work with them.
The Top 10 Questions to Ask A Digital Marketing Agency Before Hiring Them
Choosing the right marketing agency is crucial for your business’s success, but knowing which questions to ask can be the difference between a partnership that elevates your brand and one that falls short.
Here are the top ten questions to ask a digital agency before you sign, broken down according to expertise, tools and technology, performance, metrics, communication, and more.
Agency Expertise
1. Can you show me case studies or examples of previous work?
When hiring a marketing agency, the first step should always be to ask for references, case studies, examples of previous work, and reviews from clients. It's important to see what they've done so you can gauge whether they have enough experience in your industry and whether their strategy can deliver the results you're looking for.
Digital marketing agencies are everywhere, and no two are exactly the same. Some just design websites. Others focus specifically on social media or PPC. But most of these digital marketing agencies will tell you they can get you the leads you want, for less.
Make sure you're hiring an agency that walks the walk. Ask to look at some of their previous work through case studies or see if they'll walk you through some of the projects they've done in the past. The more you know, the more comfortable you'll be signing a contract with that agency.
2. How do you stay updated with industry trends and changes?
The digital landscape is constantly evolving, making it essential for any competent digital marketing agency to stay in the loop with the latest trends and technologies. When evaluating potential partners, it’s crucial to ask how they stay in the know in the ever-changing world of marketing and how they incorporate these new insights and tactics into their strategies to ensure your campaigns remain competitive and effective.
Are they regular attendees at industry conferences or active participants in relevant workshops? Do they subscribe to leading digital marketing publications or maintain certifications from top platforms like Google and HubSpot?
You can also ask if they are actively sharing knowledge on LinkedIn. Here at Evenbound, our SMEs (Subject Matter Experts) are constantly expanding their skill sets and sharing that information on LinkedIn and in webinars. This commitment to knowledge sharing not only keeps us at the forefront of the industry but also demonstrates our dedication to educating our audience.
Tools and Technologies
3. What tools do you use?
Digital marketing is a tool-centric industry. The best marketers rely on third-party optimization tools to improve campaigns and ensure their strategies deliver top-notch results.
Before you hire a digital agency, ask what tools they’ll use to develop your digital marketing strategy. Then, ask yourself if those tools make sense for your digital marketing goals.
For example: If your goal in working with a digital marketing agency is to align your sales and marketing teams, and your agency doesn't use a CRM, isn't familiar with CRMs, or doesn't plan to teach your team how to use a CRM better, it might not have the best tools to achieve your specific digital marketing goals.
Performance and Outcomes
4. Can you make sure I’m in the top search results on Google?
Any agency that immediately answers "yes" to this question is one you might want to step away from. We’ll explain.
No matter how good your digital marketing agency is, only Google understands how Google's algorithm works, which means a digital marketing agency can’t guarantee that your business will show up in the top ranking for search results.
If they respond with an answer like, "Well, this is our plan to try to get you in the top search results," and go on to give you specific strategies they'll use to boost your company's ranking potential, you're probably in good hands.
5. What goals are you setting for my project?
There's nothing more telling about a digital marketing agency than their goals for your project. You need to be looking for an agency that works with SMART goals. SMART goals are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely.
Here at Evenbound, we like to break our clients' goals down based on thorough research we've completed by analyzing their sites and industries. We look at existing traffic, conversion rates, and more to determine how much we can reasonably improve in a specific period of time.
When talking to digital marketing agencies, these are the kinds of goals you want to see.
One of our SMART goals for a client might sound something like this:
Goal: Increase organic site traffic to 2,000 monthly visits by 2025.
- Specific: We want to increase organic site traffic, specifically.
- Measurable: Our goal is at least 2,000 monthly visits. It's easy to tell when we reach and when we pass that goal.
- Attainable: The attainability of a goal will depend on the client's existing site traffic. If this client was averaging 1,000 to 1,500 monthly organic site visits, then 2,000 is definitely an attainable goal.
- Relevant: If the client's overall goal is to increase web conversions and leads, then boosting site traffic is how we can make that goal achievable. That makes it relevant.
- Timely: We've specified exactly when we'd like to achieve this goal.
6. When can I expect to see results?
This is another question where the way an agency answers it is more important than how they answer it.
Because of the way that organic search results work, there's no way to guarantee quick results. Search engines need time to crawl your site, and then index it based on the information they find. That means your organic search results can take weeks and even months to improve.
If you're hiring a digital marketing agency to do any content marketing or SEO work to boost your organic ranking, you won't see immediate results. If you're working with a digital marketing agency that advises otherwise, you should take another close look at their strategies.
That said, with paid ads, you'll start seeing the traffic you want immediately, but you'll be paying for it. This is a great short-term strategy while you wait for your organic search rankings to catch up.
Reporting and Metrics
7. What KPIs do you track, and what reporting will you offer?
A digital marketing agency is a business partner. You’ll be paying them so you want to know where your money is going and what it is doing for you.
That's why you need to ask this question and figure out what KPIs (key performance indicators or metrics) they're tracking and how often they're sharing those results with you. Most quality digital marketing agencies track a variety of KPIs ranging from metrics on your site to your search engine rankings to your revenue growth.
The metrics they measure will depend on your company's unique goals, but you must ensure that they'll be measuring KPIs relevant to those goals before you hire them.
For example: Let's say your biggest goal is to increase conversions on your website. You already have the traffic you need, but you're not seeing the conversion rates you want. While your digital marketing agency will still be tracking your site traffic, they should prioritize monitoring KPIs like click-through rate, landing page traffic, content offer downloads, and, of course, your conversion rate.
As far as reporting goes, in most cases, a regular monthly report is best. It gives you a clear picture of how your strategy is performing without overwhelming you with daily traffic stats of a year's worth of data. A top-tier digital marketing agency will also include suggestions and insights for moving forward in your reports, too.
8. How do you measure and report ROI?
Understanding the return on investment (ROI) is essential when partnering with an agency. It's not just about the upfront costs but also about the agency's long-term value to your business.
When discussing potential partnerships, ask how the agency calculates the ROI of its marketing efforts. Are they using advanced analytics tools to track the performance of campaigns across various channels? What metrics are they monitoring to evaluate success—lead generation, conversion rates, or perhaps customer lifetime value?
The follow-up question would be: How does the agency provide reports to you that break down performance in an understandable way? Are they transparent about both successes and areas for improvement? This transparency not only holds the agency accountable but also enables you to see the direct impact of your investments.
Communication and Collaboration
9. Who will I be working directly with?
No matter what digital marketing agency you work with, you need to have at least one primary contact person for your digital marketing project, and it's probably not going to be the salesperson you've been working with so far.
Every digital marketing agency is different. Some will have account managers, some will have project managers, and some favor a more all-hands-on-deck approach where you have a direct and immediate line to most of the team members working on your project.
No matter what digital marketing agency you're considering hiring, you can ask to meet with, or at least get an introduction to, all the people working on your project. If an agency doesn't want you to meet the team or seems cagey about who will be working on your project, you might want to dig a little deeper. Transparency is the key to hiring a successful digital marketing partner.
10. What will you need from me?
This is one of the most important questions to ask before you hire a digital marketing agency. It gives you and the agency a better picture of what working on this project will be like for both parties.
Your digital marketing agency is a team of experts in digital marketing. Though they should have a good working knowledge of your industry, they're not the experts in that — you are. An excellent digital marketing agency will tell you they'll need your feedback. They'll need to know that they've correctly identified your target buyers, that the content they write for your website is right for you, and more.
Your involvement is essential to the success of your newly implemented marketing strategy, and you need open communication between both teams to optimize your strategy and reach your goals.
How To Evaluate a Digital Marketing Agency: Final Considerations
Navigating potential digital marketing agencies can seem daunting, but it’s all about asking the right questions and finding the right fit for your business.
- Remember, it's not just about flashy presentations or big promises—it's about finding a partner who understands your goals and shows a clear path to achieving them.
- Trust your gut: if an agency’s answers feel transparent and their strategies seem well-thought-out, you're likely on the right track.
- Always keep communication open; the best partnerships are built on ongoing dialogue and mutual understanding.
Ready to Achieve Your Business Goals?
If finding the right agency feels overwhelming, let's talk. Here at Evenbound, we're committed to working closely with you, understanding your specific needs, and driving strategic growth for your company. If you're searching for a partner who genuinely cares about propelling your business forward, we're here to help. Reach out today and see how we can grow together!
