The word digital agency is thrown around a lot, and with over 300+ digital marketing agencies in Auckland, it's no wonder why the majority of small to medium sized businesses feel like they are being bombarded with phone calls and emails promising to 'rank on the first page of google for $99' or 'receive 10,000 visits per month for $49'.
I get it, there is a lot of shit out there, and sifting through it all can be messy. So, I've taken a few hours out of my Saturday and compiled a list of 5 things that separate spammy digital marketing cowboys from the powerhouse agencies that know how to drive business.
Generally, a digital marketing agency will provide more than one service; this is so they don’t become one dimensional and lose out on additional revenue streams. If an agency has 10 clients, and all 10 of the clients only utilise them for 1 of their 4 services; it’s safe to say that they either a) have a sub-par sales team or b) they are only good at one of the services they offer.
We generally see this when a company that has had success with an AdWords campaign try to start selling SEO Services. To the customer it is ‘ranking on Google’, but the two services are vastly different. A power house agency will have a lot of customers using more than one of their services.
Would you trust a swimming instructor with your child if they can’t swim themselves? The answer is probably no. The same concept can be applied digital agencies. If a digital marketing agency has a poor presence across AdWords or SEO, use it as a red flag! How can you trust an agency to help you climb the organic ranks or generate inbound leads if they can’t do so themselves? A powerhouse agency will have presence throughout the search engine results pages.
BEWARE OF BUZZ WORDS! Digital agencies that use buzz words too often are probably trying to confuse you in to submission, don’t bite. As Einstein once said ‘If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough’. When agencies use buzz words it doesn’t automatically mean they are able to empower your businesses with digital marketing. A reliable, powerhouse digital agency will be able to explain how they will help you in terms that you understand. Usually, this is because they have had experience in the past with creating digital marketing solutions that their customers understand.
Powerhouse agencies will be happy to give you more than 3 referrals. You may be asking yourself, why the heck have you highlighted ‘more than one’? Well, it’s easy to keep one client happy and request they sing praises every time a potential customer calls. It’s a lot harder to keep 3 customers happy to the point where they are willing to vouch for you every time a customer calls them.
A confident digital agency will know it’s worth and won’t play a race to zero. They won’t advertise their services as cheap and won’t be quick to drop their pants to beat competitor prices. A powerhouse agency will tailor the solution to fit your budget, but they won’t ever offer more value while slashing their prices. If you want a Ferrari, you pay for a Ferrari; you pay for quality. Powerhouse Agencies don’t get to where they are by selling cheap and diluted services that don’t work.
So, there you have it! 5 quick ways to spot the cowboy digital agencies that sell cheap, nasty services and digital agencies that are a reputable power house when it comes to digital marketing. Fabric pride themselves on being the most transparent digital marketing agency in New Zealand. If you want to determine first hand how if we posses all 5 of the above traits. Call us on 0800 032 248! We're more than happy to chat.
This article was written by Ryan Mitchell. Ryan is a digital marketing enthusiast and Director at Fabric. In his spare time he loves getting out doors, exercising and reading (he's a self proclaimed nerd).
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanjmitchell1/