Now that you’ve decided to outsource your marketing it can be confusing to break down which type of agency works best for your business
Most enterprise CMOs will hire an agency that specializes in only a few areas and offer a handful of supporting services. They want specialists, not dabblers—and may have a handful of agencies on retainer to accomplish different goals. On the other hand, small to medium-sized businesses, with tight budget and timeline, may want to consider an agency with a wider range of capabilities. Just be wary of “full-service” offerings and dig in when you begin researching these agencies. Most often, these shops don’t provide high-quality services across the board but wind up charging a premium price for substandard services.
Narrow your goals and search for aligning services
Look at your goals. What type of marketing do you need to accomplish them? Is you website outdated and you’re looking to increase inbound traffic? An agency that specialized in web design and SEM might be your best bet. Maybe you’re struggling with brand recognition and engagement and are looking for an agency to boost your customer loyalty. A branding and design agency would be the best way to get the word out.
You’re not on your own
An experienced agency will take time to help you determine what strategy you need the most based on your short-and long-term goals. Bring your concerns, goal, and KPIs you need to report and agencies can quickly determine how their capabilities help drive your objectives. However, be cautious of solutions that seem to force the agency’s specialty. In other words, trust your instinct and experience—if you believe targeted content creation and marketing automation is the solution your problems, don’t let an agency talk you into generalized social media content and banner ads—just because that their specialty. Shop around and don’t be afraid to ask direct questions about how an agency’s services can help you accomplish X, Y, Z.
The SEO Agency
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Sole focus on building search engine rankings | Usually poor design |
| Includes light content marketing | Results take time |
| Generates consistent traffic | Competitive niche requires large investment |
| Improves conversions | No guarantees |
The Small Business Agency
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Dedicated team to help your business navigate digital marketing | Potential to outgrow the agency |
| Small teams giving your account plenty of attention | Can be limited in talent, experience |
| Flexible—able to scale up and down to match your efforts | You’re not the only client they have |
| Review and suggest strategy | Costly for a startup or slow business |
The Digital Marketing Consultant
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Guidance without the high production costs | Strategy with little or no production work |
| Very hands-on—gets to know your business | No accountability |
| Current with trends | Outsider—takes time to understand your business |
| Able to refer great talent | Too many consultants out there—dime-a-dozen |
The Pay-Per-Click Agency
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Retarget and remarket your visitors | Can be costly for competitive terms |
| Measurable results | Ad disappear when campaign ends |
| Easily track ROI | Bad reputation of lack of client attention and dedication |
| Quick results | Diminishing results |
| Track ads in real time | Complex to manage |
The Full Service Agency
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Arsenal of services to help you grow quickly | Premium costs |
| Able to scale and attack nearly every channel of digital marketing | Many departments and teams can feel impersonal |
| Quick turnarounds and monthly progress reports | Limited collaboration |
| One-stop shop saves time hiring multiple vendor | Tendency to be a “jack of all trades and master of none” |