Digital marketing is one of the most effective ways for companies to market their services, generate leads and grow sales. But it can also present challenges to entrepreneurs and businesses due to the ever-changing nature of search engines and other websites.
Staying on top of these changes can be difficult when you are focused on your business and the changes occurring within your own industry.
Fortunately, a digital marketing agency can help because they place a major emphasis on staying up-to-date on the latest digital news and search engine updates. One of the biggest benefits of hiring an agency is the freedom to focus on your clients and staff, while leaving the digital marketing campaigns to the experts.
If you’re at the point in your business where you need external marketing assistance, you need to carefully consider the pros and cons of working with an agency – yes there are some drawbacks that might indicate you’re not ready!
Our list will help you make an informed decision as you are interviewing agencies.
The pros of working with a digital marketing agency
1. You will save a lot of time
Marketing is an intensive task that takes a lot of time, especially if you are committed to doing it properly by using multiple proven techniques such as blogging, social media and video marketing.
Hiring an agency will free up all of the time that you would have spent on doing these activities on your own. A digital marketing strategy that’s implemented correctly takes anywhere from 5 to 10 hours a week. If you don’t have this amount of time, then an agency will be a big help.
You may also be delegating some of these tasks to your staff. Rather than splitting their time between marketing and other tasks, they can focus on the core reason they were hired, which means that your clients will receive a higher quality of care.
2. You will save money
It might seem counterintuitive to hire a marketing agency if you want to reduce your expenses, but the reality is that this can be a great way to save money. Companies that end up doing their marketing in-house typically need to hire at least one or two new employees to keep everything moving forward, and this adds payroll and benefits into the equation.
Additionally, people who are not professional digital marketers are more likely to make costly mistakes that might even dissuade potential clients from contacting you. Instead of dealing with these issues, you can outsource your needs to a digital marketing agency in order to save a lot of money.
3. Access to industry knowledge and expertise
A digital agency will be staffed by individuals who are highly knowledgeable about their field, and this will give you better and quicker results. They’ve tested many campaigns, and can report on the effectiveness of various marketing tools and tactics. That insight is invaluable when you are investing thousands of dollars into a campaign.
The cons of working with a digital marketing agency
1. You can’t delegate, then disappear
Many business owners that hire a marketing agency falsely assume that they will be able to take a completely hands-off approach. Although the agency will take care of the major aspects of each marketing campaign, the owner will still need to have some involvement in order to provide feedback.
This will take some of the owner’s time, and they need to be prepared for regular meetings with the agency. You’ll need to review data, sales figures and more to ensure that your goals are achieved.
2. Your business isn’t ready for an influx of new leads
The agency you hire is going to use proven techniques that will send new clients your way. But what happens if you do not have the time or staffing to accommodate them? This can do major damaged to your brand.
Additionally, you need to consider your sales process and how you’ll follow-up with your leads. Without a system in place, you’ll miss opportunities to capture a lot of business. Inbound marketing agencies – which are a subset of digital marketing agencies – do consider the sales process and have a system to address this issue.
3. You’re looking for a quick fix rather than a long-term strategy
The most successful digital marketing agencies have a proven process to help generate leads for their clients. This includes developing a detailed strategy, making changes to your web presence and implementing campaigns over the course of a few months.
This doesn’t come together overnight. Implementing a successful digital campaign takes careful planning and preparation. If you’re not willing to work through this process then hiring an agency may not be a good fit for you right now.
Making a final decision
If you’re ready to expand your digital marketing, you have a lot of options available. And it truly is a wise investment because agencies do this type of work day in and day out. Keep in mind that each agency has different specialties and it’s important to find the best fit for your business.
Have more questions about hiring a digital marketing agency? Download our free e-book by clicking on the image below. Or leave a comment and we’ll be sure to respond!
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