Digital Marketing Agencies Blog and Resources

Fred Ryder, CEO of Secure Site Digital advises, "You might need to hire a digital marketing agency if your business has reached a plateau or suffered a loss in visibility, sales, or client base, and you want to get it growing again." If the growth of your previously successful marketing efforts has been slowing down, or hit a plateau, it might be time to get some help. Not making milestones All businesses with a proper plan have growth milestones that they are waiting to reach (and celebrate). However, what if you aren't reaching them? "You might need to hire a digital marketing agency if you find that you're not hitting your growth milestones," advises Sean Dudayev, Business Growth Expert and Founder of Frootful Marketing.   What's the possible reason?  "Over the years of providing companies with a marketing strategy," shares Dudayev, "I find that many overestimate how many resources they can allocate to digital marketing every month and end up falling behind or abandoning their digital marketing efforts altogether."  Abandoning your marketing efforts can certainly lead to you falling short of your milestones.  You've hit the ceiling For other companies, even following through on marketing tasks can eventually lead to a growth plateau. As Ben Taylor, Founder of HomeWorkingClub.com puts it, "You might need to hire a digital marketing agency if you've reached the limits of what you and your internal team can achieve on your own." "There's plenty that people can achieve in marketing by themselves — even people without that much experience," he adds. "You can pitch to journalists, produce articles that go viral, and have lots of small victories. But sooner or later you hit a ceiling — one that you may be able to break through much more easily with the help of an agency's expertise and contacts." Cariad Marketing SEO/PPC Manager Jamie Burgess helps to explain why your internal team might be reaching its limits: "As awareness of the importance of digital marketing has grown, many companies — particularly small businesses — have been relying on in-house resources to cover their online marketing. In the best cases, this responsibility usually falls to someone in the marketing team, but usually, this person will be a generalist in terms of their knowledge and abilities." More than just a generalist If your team has a generalized knowledge of digital marketing, rather than in-depth specialized skills, an agency can help overcome your plateau, says Warren Diggles, President of Diggles Creative. He adds, "90 percent of businesses cited outsourcing as crucial to their growth and is considered the 'growth hack' for most small companies and startups." Adding advanced skillsets and tools "While [an in-house marketing generalist] is fine to an extent," says Burgess, "many of the different areas of digital marketing are very specialist skills that require both experience and ongoing learning to carry out effectively.  While a novice learning on the job may be able to gain some results, they will both take longer to do so and at some point hit a barrier where they are unable to take it further.  A digital marketing agency will have specialists in all of the key disciplines who will be able to assess the current efforts and quickly identify the issues and opportunities. As an example, an SEO specialist will be able to quickly find any technical issues that could be holding back progress, prioritize changes that will have the greatest effect, and highlight quick wins such as overlooked keywords or missed link opportunities." "Perhaps the primary benefit of working with an agency," suggests Diggles, "is that marketing is their 'bread and butter' so to speak. They can bring to the table highly advanced digital marketing skill sets, knowledge of what works, and already have all of the tools you might need (e.g., specialized software)." Access to these advanced skillsets comes "without the cost of hiring full- or part-time people in-house," says Ryder.  In addition to the lower cost, Dudayev emphasizes that agencies already "have the systems and know-how in place, which results in less trial and error. When you hire a marketing agency, they are required to deliver with deadlines in place. This ends up being a more disciplined marketing approach, rather than trying to do it all yourself."  Not only will hiring a digital agency add specialist skillsets to your marketing efforts, but it can cost less than hiring in-house specialists, and take less time to see results, but you get to let the agency worry about meeting deadlines.  Focused strategies help drive growth Another way that an agency can help your business to overcome stagnation is by helping to focus and hone strategies. As Diggles says, "A digital marketing agency is more like a strategic partner — your marketing will have direction and purpose behind it in such a way that it provides just what you need to get your business growing again." When it comes to marketing efforts, many companies see the internet as a deluxe Vegas-style buffet where no choices are wrong. Where do you start? What are your goals? How is there any way to lose? Just being here is awesome, no matter what I eat.  Just like a day at the Bellagio, you need a plan, or you are just going to eat a bunch of low-cost entrees, not worth your investment, and you will probably feel sick.  "The internet provides one of the biggest marketing offerings to all companies, big or small, with the ability to access your customer base and potential clients globally within their own home or mobile device," explains Ryder. "In our experience, what businesses that need digital marketing agencies struggle with is understanding how the internet and search engines work, how to make their company stand out from all the others — unpicking analytics, making a voice on social media, working out current trends, and how to market to not only people but an algorithm — is a skill that doesn't come from simply throwing money at an unfocused Adwords campaign, as this will often cause disappointment and frustration…. Digital marketing has the capability to be more targeted, personalized and adaptable than traditional forms of marketing. Because of this, a digital marketing agency will push you to think carefully about what you do, who your clients are, and what you are looking to achieve, honing your messaging in order to get genuine results In our experience, through this process of honing a company's messaging and goals, we are able to get tangible results. Furthermore, using analytics to complement our campaigns means we can understand and share the results of our work with our clients in tangible ways. We can show that we are building the company, sales, and audience that they are hoping to achieve. As such, we look to not only increase our client's digital reach, but also to help them use the data from this to grow their company in the most effective way. The best part, from both our perspective and the client's perspective, is that digital marketing results are quantifiable. They are measurable, tracked and data-driven. It's a discipline that's not about design-based whims, it's about raw, hard data — hypotheses, tests, conversions, results, measurable ROIs." Agency leadership drives consistent momentum If "consistent momentum in revenue, sales, leads, or awareness" sounds like the answer to your slump, says Aalap Shah, founder of 1o8 digital marketing agency, an agency might be your best bet.  "I've found time and time again, and with my insights from reviewing hundreds of Google Analytics accounts, that fast-growing businesses cannot consistently sustain (digital) revenue growth if the leadership team is responsible for marketing efforts," says Shah.    "Why?   There are too many balls in the air for such teams, and it's hard to keep up with the latest innovations, opportunities, and tactics while staying focused on delivering product or maintaining customer service.   A digital agency can help be another seat at the leadership table, providing opportunities, working through challenges, and helping find that next phase of growth."

In Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's detective classic A Scandal in Bohemia (1892), Sherlock Holmes says, "It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts." Although most things have changed since the data-science-lover Mr. Holmes said this, his statement still holds true, especially when it comes to digital marketing. Data-driven decision making is key to success in online marketing. What happens if you don’t measure your marketing efforts? Angie Yarbrough, principal and co-founder of Stratistry, shares an example of a customer who needed to use data in his marketing: "As the CEO of a mid-sized engineering firm, he had been trying to run his own Google Ads campaigns, spending a substantial amount of money every month. However, he wasn't sure how to track the effectiveness of the ads, and hadn’t had the time to update his company website in more than five years. He hired us to help refine his brand positioning, update his website, implement tracking for his GoogleAds campaigns, and improve his marketing ROI." If you aren’t properly measuring your digital marketing budget, basically, you are wasting time and money. You may be getting results, i.e. customers or sales, but you could still be wasting money. Yarbrough concludes, "At the end of the day, I believe that's the ultimate benefit of hiring a digital marketing firm — they have the expertise and ability to drive measurable and profitable results." Apply method to the madness Hannah Dixon, Marketing Director of Davines North America suggests, "You might need to hire a digital marketing agency if you're just boosting adverts and seeing what happens or if you have an e-commerce channel in your business, and you don't see a positive ROI on your ad spend."Just seeing what happens is using guesswork instead of data. "[I]f you are looking to properly measure your marketing efforts and ROI," says Furqan Tafseer, CMO of Stratigia, it might be time for some help. "It is often a big challenge for many companies to properly gauge the results of their marketing efforts and ROI. The best approach for this is to identify the right marketing attribution model. Many of the decent marketing agencies understand this well and have experience in working with various attribution models. I think this should be one of the most important reasons why you should hire a decent digital marketing agency." Set measurable goals If you are having trouble figuring out how you would measure your marketing success, you aren’t alone. Yarbrough advises, "First, your strategy should be firmly rooted in the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) you are hoping to measure." After setting KPIs, she says, "Then, that strategy should be continually put to the test and evaluated on a monthly basis. A monthly review of those KPIs should be provided through the tracking and reporting of the right metrics and data." Nikki Bisel, owner and founder of Seafoam Media, "[I]if you're having trouble setting meaningful goals and KPIs, a digital marketing agency can help you tie goals, objectives, strategies, and tactics together. This ensures that work done on marketing is making meaningful change to your top and bottom lines." Yarbrough says, "A good digital marketing agency helps you test, learn, and refine your marketing plan based on the results it garners." Measure and maximize returns "The online ecosystem is constantly evolving and new platforms or avenues for digital marketing emerge daily," says Devon McCrossin, Director of Marketing at Boomtown Internet Group. "This can make it challenging for a company to decide where and how to spend their digital marketing dollars to receive the highest return on investment." "When your business decides to turn toward digital marketing agencies, you are able to see your ROI in real-time," explains Lauren Reed, Marketer, Sixth City Marketing. With an agency helping to make clear where your money is going, when, and why, opportunities for improvement are clear. "You want to maximize your return on investment," explains digital marketer David Kranker. "When you pay month to month for your digital marketing services, the agency is held accountable for consistently delivering results. Because agencies are held responsible for maximizing ROI, they dedicate time and resources to streamlining and improving processes, figuring out where costs can be cut, and exploring new technologies and strategies that could increase conversions." While internal marketing teams "may not have the same incentive or know-how to improve processes," says Kranker, "Improving ROI is an agency's bread and butter." Improve paid advertising One thing you are likely already measuring is how much money you are spending on your marketing budget, including staff and paid advertisements, pay-per-click advertising (PPC), which includes the cost per click (CPC), cost per acquisition (CPA) and many more statistics. If you don’t keep track of your cost per click and cost per acquisition, how can you improve them? "You might need to hire a digital marketing agency if you don't know what your actual cost-per-acquisition is," says Chris Barr, Director of Marketing for Taradel. "This is particularly true with paid search and social media ads. I see it all the time. Business owners think they're making money because they're seeing engagement through clicks, likes, shares, and even leads that come through the door. But in reality, they're losing money on each and every sale they make." "[If] you need to drive down your CPC (Cost Per Click) and quickly identify qualified leads," says Bethany Spence, CM Specialist at Exposure Ninja, it might be time for help. "Digital marketing agencies often have in-house experts that specialize in areas such as PPC. These teams are able to craft engaging ads and deliver them to the right audience." Stop wasting money "An agency will often discuss with you a concrete strategy for ad campaigns so that you never have to waste money on ineffective online ads again," says Spence. Yarbrough adds, "The best agencies will partner with their clients to build strategies that are both measurable and allow for this continued refinement and collaboration." As an illustration of just what an agency can do, Kranker shares this example: "I once took on a PPC account from an internal marketing team in a competitive market. Their cost per acquisition coming in was $1,500–$2,000 per month on average. By utilizing proven strategies I learned from testing in other markets, I was able to reduce their CPA down to $400–$500 on average. That's a reduction of over 50 percent in costs for them!" Is it time that you started measuring your marketing efforts to end wasteful, ineffectual spending? Check out our best-rated digital marketing agencies.

Ignoring online marketing is like opening a business but not telling anyone.– KB Marketing Agency It's common for small business owners to ask, "What is online marketing going to cost me?" It's a fair question. Proper budgeting is crucial for any business, but especially for small businesses. Half of small businesses fail within the first five years, and poor money management is one of the leading causes of businesses going under. Business owners should be concerned about the price tag associated with marketing efforts.  Small Business Trends reports that the average small business dedicates only 1.08 percent of its revenue to marketing. However, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) recommends that businesses making less than $5 million in revenues should dedicate 7–8 percent of their revenue to marketing.  Increasing the amount you spend on marketing can seem daunting. However, it’s important for small business owners to consider what choosing not to invest in online marketing is going to cost them in the long run.  Roughly 83 percent of Americans who visited a store said they searched online first. So, by choosing not to market your business online, you are actually decreasing your ability to generate revenue for your business.  As a small business owner, the question you should be asking is not “What is online marketing going to cost me?” but rather “How can I get the best ROI for my online marketing efforts.” If your business is just getting started, you can do a few easy things on your own for little to no extra cost, like writing blog posts, creating social media accounts, etc. However, if you’re looking for ways to grow your business, it’s time to bring in the professionals.  Here are four reasons you should consider hiring a digital marketing agency: 1. Immediately gain an experienced team In order to execute an effective marketing strategy, you need the creative ability to produce content that captures attention, the analytical ability to track and measure the effectiveness of that content, and the determination to refine and/or revamp your content over and over and over, until you reach your goals. If you’re considering hiring a marketer, you should know it’s rare to find one person with an equal balance of all these qualities. Most professional marketers will gain experience in multiple areas of the field throughout their careers. However, most marketers also develop a niche or specialty. They may say they can do everything, but in reality they are better at one aspect than the others.  Even if you are able to find the perfectly balanced marketer, there is a limit to what one person is able to accomplish. There are only so many hours in a day and it takes a lot of work to produce a full-fledged marketing strategy. Freelancers will often take on more than one client at a time as well, so you’re only getting a fraction of their time. If your goal is to rapidly expand your marketing efforts to increase your client base and grow your business, a single employee or freelancer is not going to cut it.   A digital marketing agency, on the other hand, instantly gives you access to a full team of professional marketers. Once you set project parameters, goals, and timelines, your new team immediately starts working. If you’re not exactly sure what your strategy should be, your team can provide guidance and help you set the right goals to get your business where you want it to be. Hiring a digital marketing agency is one of the fastest ways to expand your marketing efforts. 2. Focus on running your business Digital marketing is a unique blend of art and science. The science aspect involves correctly understanding and utilizing the algorithms of the internet to get eyeballs in front of your business’s digital assets (website, social media profiles, etc.). The art aspect involves turning those eyeballs into loyal, paying customers.  Marketing is a skillset that must be developed. It takes time to gain the knowledge and experience necessary to maximize the ROI for your marketing campaigns. Time is not a commodity most small businesses owners have. Hiring a digital marketing agency minimizes the time you need to spend on marketing and allows you to focus on running your business. You will need to meet with your marketing agency to provide direction, review results, etc., but the time you’ll spend in meetings is minimal when compared to the time it takes to plan, create, and execute different marketing projects. You can even appoint a different member of your team to be the point of contact for the agency so you can focus on what you do best. 3. Develop a big picture strategy Each facet of digital marketing — SEO, PPC, social media, videos, infographics, blog posts, etc. — acts like a cog in a giant machine. It’s easy to get hyper-focused on the individual cogs, spending hours making sure they turn as efficiently as possible. But when you’re too focused on the cogs, you forget they’re supposed to be moving the machine. A marketing strategy acts like a blueprint to the machine. It helps you know which cogs need to go in first. It gives insight on which cogs can be integrated later. Most importantly, it reminds you of the big picture. You’re not just working on the cogs, you’re building a machine. A good digital marketing agency will help you develop a marketing strategy that not only works within your business’s current capabilities, but also helps you grow to what you ultimately want to become. It keeps you from being distracted by trends, buzzwords, and short-term fixes. It also reminds you that the ultimate goal of likes, pageviews, and search rankings is to increase revenue and grow your business. 4. Measure and maximize your results In God we trust, all others must bring data.— W. Edwards Deming A lot of people talk about marketing as if it’s solely about creativity. They assume the more creative an ad is, the better it performs. The truth requires much less imagination.  Data and analytics is what makes the marketing world go round. Good digital marketing agencies track everything they create, so they can tell you exactly what is or isn’t working. They run test after test, constantly trying to improve results. It will amaze you how simple things, like the color of a button, will drastically impact click-through rates.  Digital marketing agencies can utilize analytics to figure out what time of day to post on social media to get the most interaction, what messaging and keywords are most appealing to your audience, and so much more. If something isn’t generating the results you want, they can also use analytics to make adjustments and improvements. Accurate analytics are the only way to calculate the ROI for your marketing campaigns. Is hiring a digital marketing agency the right choice for your business? Consider these three priorities when hiring a digital marketing agency: Speed — Time is money. The faster a marketing strategy is developed and executed, the faster you start attracting leads and increasing revenue. Quality — The quality of your marketing is a reflection of the quality of your business. Your audience will see the difference. Price — ROI is everything. The less money business owners spend on an effective marketing campaign, the higher their gross income. Many people incorrectly assume you can manage all three priorities and quickly create a high quality marketing strategy and/or campaign that costs you next to nothing.  But in reality, you can only choose two priorities. If you want something quick and cheap, the quality is going to suffer. If you want something high quality and affordable, it’s going to take time to create. If you want something high quality developed quickly, it will be expensive.  Hiring a digital marketing agency is one of the fastest ways to enhance your marketing efforts, and it’s often not as expensive as many small business owners think. However, if you’re zealously pinching pennies and willing to wait a little longer for results, hiring a freelancer may better fit your needs.  The vast majority of digital marketing agencies offer free quotes and/or consultations. Our advice is to contact a few agencies you’re interested in hiring and get their perspective. Be candid about your goals and budget. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and take your time making a decision. If you’re not confident that hiring a digital marketing agency will achieve the best ROI for your business’s marketing efforts, look into other options. Ready to hire a digital marketing agency? Not all digital marketing agencies are created equal. Compare top customer-rated agencies to find the right fit for your business. Search Digital Marketing Agencies