Is partnering with a digital marketing agency the right choice for you?
Call it what you will, Digital Marketing, Social Media Marketing, Search Engine Marketing; unless you have experience in marketing and specifically navigating the digital landscape, do you have the time to do your job AND build / manage an acceptable digital footprint? With the ever-evolving nature of digital marketing, as a partner the right digital marketing agency (web agency, social media marketing company, search engine marketing company, etc.) can focus on emerging trends and technologies where your brand can best be presented and engage the customers you want most – leaving you the time and focus to do what you do best.
What does your digital footprint look like?
Realizing where your digital footprint shows is a good place to start. Think like your customer and do a search for the product or service you provide. Your digital footprint needs to not only be present when someone searches for your specific company name or product, but also when broader searches are made for the type of product or service you provide.
For instance, if, as a consumer, you’re looking for a good local dentist, what do you enter in the search field in Google, Bing, or Yahoo? Chances are, you’ll enter something close to: “Where can I find a Dentist in Des Moines?” or even something as broad as “How do I alleviate tooth pain?”
In any case, unless you already know the name of a good dentist, these are the types of searches you’ll perform. What do you think you’ll find? Dentists! And, as predicted, the dentists that have a good digital marketing plan will be who you find on the first page of the search return.
Wouldn’t you like your company to be found on the first page of Google? Do you know how to get there?
Partnering with a Digital Marketing Agency helps get the marketing plan in place.
There are countless ways to market a dental practice. Some are clearly better than others when it comes to generating traffic, new customers, and patients (and it’s probably not your local newspaper or phone directory.) When it comes to building a marketing plan (digital or otherwise) to best reach your customers, you need a partner that has the experience and knowledge to get you there.
Three things to consider when looking for a partner Digital Marketing Agency:
1) Knowledge of your industry – Just like any partner, you want to have a digital marketing agency that understands your industry. Some agencies excel in ag marketing or marketing for manufacturers. The digital marketing agency you choose needs to be well-versed in your industry and understand the audience to which you’ll be marketing. Anyone else, no matter how much research they say they’ll do, will drag you through their learning curve, wasting your time and worse… your money.
2) Knowledge of digital marketing – While this should go without saying, many “agencies” position themselves as digital marketing agencies. Some organizations, with longevity and experience, can integrate traditional marketing strategies into digital tools and generate some results, but they’ll still be lacking in execution and experience when it comes to building an effective digital marketing strategy. Others position themselves as digital marketing agencies with little to no background in marketing communications, let alone digital marketing. Avoid them at all costs. These groups (or individuals) make grandiose promises with little to show and end up making a lot of noise and dissonance with little connection to your audience.
3) Referrals or Case Studies – Using a tip from Social Media Marketing strategies, one of the best ways to find the right digital marketing agency is to have one referred to you by a friend or associate. These referrals tend to be credible, more knowledgeable, and professional. If a direct referral is unavailable, ask any digital marketing agency candidate for case studies of their work. Whether it’s search engine optimization, social media engagement, or lead generation, any digital marketing agency worth its muster will have case studies or a brag book.
Need help diving into digital marketing?
If the digital marketing landscape – like web design, social media, and techie terms like SEO, CMS, and SERP to name a few – seems a little daunting, you’re not alone. But it doesn’t have to stop you from tapping into online resources to build your business. You simply need to partner with the right digital marketing agency to build the perfect plan that will connect you to those customers searching for your product or service.
For more information on digital marketing strategies or to discuss your needs for marketing communications, please feel free to reach out to SPOKE Communications through our Web site contact page, email biz{at}spokecom{dot}com, or call us directly at 515-257-6584.
